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NEVERWINTER NEWS
Issue # 176
Week Ending 3-9-97
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FRONT PAGE
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Congratulations to Exegete for winning last week's News of the Realm contest
for his story entitled "Pipes of Caer Pelandin".

Kudos to Augustus 5 for 2nd place for his poem entitled "Dagron's Departure"
and to MR TESH for 3rd place with his poem entitled "A Poem for Ldy".

Exegete has earned the choice of 4 Pearls or Access to the GOH (Guild of
Heroes).  Augustus 5 has earned 2 Pearls for his effort while MR TESH has
earned 1 Pearl.

Keep up the good work everybody!  ;D

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<FONT  COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>Greets all!

I wanted to take a few moments to update you on the status of in-game events
and the situation with AOL's timer. ;D

As I'm sure many of you are aware, players and staff have been testing out
the use of  file downloads as a means to circumvent the system timer.
Preliminary testing looks fairly promising on WAOL versions 2.5 and 3.0, and
WAOL for Win95 3.0.  We are not presently aware of a single session where
this "fix" has worked for PCAOL users. 

For those of you that are not familiar with the "download fix", as it's being
called, the process if fairly simple.  Prior to entering Neverwinter Nights,
you would select a fairly large file and begin a download session.  Once that
download begins, you then enter the game, freezing the download in
mid-progress.  Apprarently AOL believes you're still downloading and you are
not then subject to the timer.  I want to emphasize that this is a "patch" at
best and not a solution, as we're not certain if AOL will make changes to
prevent this "fix" from working in the future.  For the moment it appears to
work now. ;D

In light of that helpful news and the decline in ghosts as people use this
method, I have approved some testing of the feasibility of restarting in-game
events.  Thus, I'm pleased to announce that during the month of March, the
staff will be conducting tours, mini booths and location hunts.  The number
of these events will be limited, and pending the result of this testing,
we'll look at expanding in-game events once more. 

No guild sponsored events will be approved for March, nor will any banners be
run aside from those related to system problems, ghosts, and these test
events.  Hopefully, our tests will prove positive and we will be able to
restart guild sponsored events again.  I will keep the guild GM's informed of
the progress of our testing in the later portion of March.

I'd like to thank you all for your patience as we work our way through this
situation together.  I will be creating a folder in the Neverwinter Nights
Events & Announcements area for discussion and comments related to the
testing.  Please, if you participate in an event, make your comments in that
folder and let me know how it went from your perspective. I'm specifically
interested in whether you experienced any difficulties with the system
freezing, if you punted.. and so forth.

Thanks again folks!

Regards,
NW Events

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February WWAI Results!!

1st--Sylphee--15 pearls
2nd--Gherkin II--12 pearls
3rd--Llewdoc--9 pearls
4th-Loraque--7 pearls
5th--Abzzsta1n--5 pearls

1st roll--Zandrakkus--2 pearls
2nd roll--WG Wage--4 pearls or GOH access

Brain-teasers---Gherkin II and Sylphee---2 pearls each

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Location Hunt - 3/5

Dethan Tir was the first person to arrive at the site in question.  The clue
was:  "the pack has nothing but crumbling papers with meaningless writing."

Dethan Tir recieves 4 pearls for being the first to the location.  Congrats!!

--  NW Oghma

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NEVERWINTER CALENDAR
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Keep an eye peeled for those Mini-Booths because they will appear when you
least expect in different areas of the Realms!

Can you be at the right place at the right time when the NW calls for a
location?

Keep your eyes and ears open for these events!   Watch for the banners!

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Greets all!

I wanted to take a few moments to update you on the status of in-game events
and the situation with AOL's timer. ;D

As I'm sure many of you are aware, players and staff have been testing out
the use of  file downloads as a means to circumvent the system timer.
Preliminary testing looks fairly promising on WAOL versions 2.5 and 3.0, and
WAOL for Win95 3.0.  We are not presently aware of a single session where
this "fix" has worked for PCAOL users. 

For those of you that are not familiar with the "download fix", as it's being
called, the process if fairly simple.  Prior to entering Neverwinter Nights,
you would select a fairly large file and begin a download session.  Once that
download begins, you then enter the game, freezing the download in
mid-progress.  Apprarently AOL believes you're still downloading and you are
not then subject to the timer.  I want to emphasize that this is a "patch" at
best and not a solution, as we're not certain if AOL will make changes to
prevent this "fix" from working in the future.  For the moment it appears to
work now. ;D

In light of that helpful news and the decline in ghosts as people use this
method, I have approved some testing of the feasibility of restarting in-game
events.  Thus, I'm pleased to announce that during the month of March, the
staff will be conducting tours, mini booths and location hunts.  The number
of these events will be limited, and pending the result of this testing,
we'll look at expanding in-game events once more. 

No guild sponsored events will be approved for March, nor will any banners be
run aside from those related to system problems, ghosts, and these test
events.  Hopefully, our tests will prove positive and we will be able to
restart guild sponsored events again.  I will keep the guild GM's informed of
the progress of our testing in the later portion of March.

I'd like to thank you all for your patience as we work our way through this
situation together.  I will be creating a folder in the Neverwinter Nights
Events & Announcements area for discussion and comments related to the
testing.  Please, if you participate in an event, make your comments in that
folder and let me know how it went from your perspective. I'm specifically
interested in whether you experienced any difficulties with the system
freezing, if you punted.. and so forth.

Thanks again folks!

Regards,
NW Events

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New Player Tours:

Join the following staff members for a tour of the Realm:

March 10th Monday  7:00 PM EST - with NW Exeter.
March 14th Friday*  1:00 AM EST - with NW Mystek.

* Technically, this is Saturday morning but it is easier to remember that it
is on Friday evening after midnight.  ;>

Those interested in any of these tours should keep an eye out for the banner
telling where to meet!  ;D

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The Lost Passage - Part 6
Undermountain
(submitted by: Zeb Canon)

   Pain, darkness, thirst, and hunger is what my world has now become ever
since I woke.  Pain is with me all the time.  It is a constant companion and
one that I gladly seek and try to hold, because with it I know that I am
still alive.  The first time that I woke, I found that my right arm would not
respond to the simple thought of moving it and when I felt it with my other
arm several spots flared with sudden pain that I think I passed out.

     Time has no meaning here in the darkness.  I could have been out for
mere minutes or it could have been days.  With a lot of shouting and crying I
was able to finally move my right arm to my lap.  It is as I feared my arm
was broken in several places and by the feel of the shoulder it might be
dislocated.  The good news is that my legs are alright but I think that they
may be a bit battered and bruised.  Also because breathing is very difficult
I may have a few broken ribs to go along with the arm.  But worst of all is
that I have several large bumps on my head along with a head ache that has
been with me ever since.

     Several questions drift through my mind as I lay against the rock wall.
Where am I?  How did I get here?  And most important WHO AM I?  But these
questions will have to wait for a later time to be answered.  Now if I am to
survive I must find food and water.

     Taking strips from my shirt I made a sling for my arm but now that it is
in one spot the pain has lessened greatly.  Also I have found several words
that suddenly appeared in my mind and as I spoke them I felt a great relief
and was able to breath better.  The strangest thing is that once I said them,
I could not recall what I had said.  The word were lost to me as though they
never existed.

      Feeling better I slowly made my way over the rubble in this chamber
feeling the walls for any opening.  That is when I found the body.  My good
hand was outstretched and touching the wall when I slipped and fell
backwards.  As I was trying to recover I fell on what I at first thought was
a large rock.  I began to feel the shape of it and discovered that it had the
same feel as one of my legs only it was about three times the size of my own.
The word Giant came to my mind as I moved along its side.

     Near the middle of it I found a pouch, or what would be a pouch for a
giant.  To me it was more like a back pack than a pouch.  After what took
like hours I was able to remove the pouch and find out what might be in it.
Among the items in the pouch I found several parchments and a piece of flint
as well as some sticks, probably used as tinder for a fire.  If not then that
is what I was going to use it as.

     Now that I had a small fire going and light to drive away the darkness a
little, I was better able to see what and where I was.  I was right in the
guess about a chamber.  Rocks and rubble was all over the room and over head
was an opening that now was covered by a great rock slab.  No way out that
way.  Now that I could see the items in the pouch I was able to find some
dried flesh and a flask of water.  Trying not to think of what the flesh was
from I took care of two of my needs that is I ate and drank.  The parchments
I tried to read but the words on them were meaningless.

     As I let the fire die and the darkness once again take the chamber,
sleep takes me and I end the first day.  I call this a day but in the
darkness it is more like counting the times I am awake and when I sleep.

~~~~~

     As Cerdith closes her eyes to sleep she suddenly dreams of great trees
and forest streams.  The peaceful sounds of birds and the babble of a brook.
Well being and restfulness fill her soul.  The sound of crying makes her turn
her head.  Near the brook is a small girl crying with great sobs and tears
that fall into the brook.

     "Why are you crying little one?" asks Cerdith as she move next to the
girl.

     Eyes that hold wisdom and knowledge of ages, look up into Cerdith's and
with trembling sobs the girl turns and flees into the forest.  As Cerdith
glimpses the last fleeting images of the girl a mournful cry echoes through
the dream and brings Cerdith sitting up in bed screaming the words over and
over again and again into the darkened room.  "HE IS LOST TO US!"

Zeb Canon
Brotherhood of PathfindersThe Lost Passage - Part 7
The Grave
(submitted by: Lake Mist)

     The three rangers made their camp with care.  The fire was built in the
center, and each ranger took one of the three sheltered sides, all facing the
opening.  Barthonis was in the center and to the rear of the camp.  As he
looked for a suitable place for his bed roll, he noticed a mound with a
gentle slope.  It would make a comfortable bed indeed, with it's lush grass
to cushion his body.

     All were silent as TroutRasta carefully stitched the cut in Lake Mist's
right arm.  It took fifteen stitches to finally stop the bleeding.  Little
was said all evening as the three ate and made their way to their bed rolls.
"Trout," Lake finally asked, "Do you think we may have been bitten off more
than we are ready for?  This thing seems to grow larger and larger every time
one of us turns around.  Zeb missing, and Primrose.....Rose and Cerdith so
ill."

     "Lake," replied Trout as they settled down for the night, "We have faced
impossible odds before.  Together and apart.  You and I have always jumped
into the middle of a fray, no matter the odds."  He sat silently a moment,
then continued, "You are worried about Primrose.  I know you are, and you
know you are.  She is in good hands.  If you just admit to yourself that you
love her, you wouldn't worry so much about the coming morrow."  With that he
rolled over and laid his head down and finished with, "We know you love her.
We all have for a long time.  You're the one who doesn't seem to know," and
he went to sleep.

     As Lake looked over toward Bart, Bart just smiled and laid down and fell
quickly to sleep.  Lake had the first watch, but only seemed to able to think
about Primrose.  When they had first met, all the fun they had together on
their many adventures, and the kind words she always had for him when he was
down on himself.  Yes, he loved her, but what could he offer her?  He was a
traveler, a wanderer and a warden of Mielikki's forest.  Could he love them
both?  Could he give Rose what she needed and still be able to serve
Mielikki?  To many questions, and the time passed slowly.

     When he woke Bart for his shift, Lake still had not found the answers he
was looking for and fell to sleep not sure of what tomorrow would bring.
Bart too was fighting his own demons.  How had he let Lake and Trout get the
jump on him so easily.  His senses should have warned him of the danger.
What he didn't realize was that his ranger senses hadn't warned him of
danger, because there had been none.  Trout and Lake were his brothers, and
therefore not a danger.  But he had yet another item to add to his personal
list of failures.  Something else that he was no good at.  What kind of
ranger was he.  His time also passed slowly till it was time to wake Trout.

     When Trout was awake, Bart moved back over to his mound and tried to go
back to sleep.  He tossed for a few minutes, and finally lost track of his
thoughts.  Zeb began his watch with the same question that had puzzled him
when he went to sleep.  What had that troll meant by "The mountain's your
doom.....You are powerless to stop our coming."  The cloud giant shaman had
said something similar also.  The only thing they could do was keep on going
back to help Ender Bay and Thorn Hawk.  The answers waited back up the
mountain.  As the sun was rising over the tree tops to the east, Zeb nearly
cut himself trying to draw his sword at the sound of the scream from the rear
of the camp.

     Lake jumped straight up, broad sword in hand, seeking the danger that
threatened the camp.  Bart was flaying the air and trying to get up, still
screaming as the other two rangers came rushing up to his aid.  The bleached
white bony fingers of a skeleton appeared to be clutching his throat.  As
they reached down and pulled Bart upright, the bones fell apart and dropped
to the ground.  "It appears to be a grave," observed Trout.  "A hastily dug
and shallow one," said Lake.  As the two rangers looked around to make sure,
they observed Bart still trying to shake off the feeling of those bony
fingers.  "It's not a burial sight," remarked Trout.  "Nay, most likely a
battle sight and the grave was dug to protect the bodies from wolves and
trolls," said Lake.

     Lake replaced the bones of the hand in the grave as the others began to
gather rocks to cover the grave with.  As they returned with the first load,
Lake said, "Drow from the looks of what's left of the cuff of the robe.  Best
to cover the grave and let it be."  The others agreed and they spent the rest
of the morning fixing the grave.  Bart finally said, "I.....I didn't know it
was a grave.  I mean, I really didn't know."  Trout and Lake looked at him
and Trout said, "We know, neither did we.  It isn't marked and this isn't a
burial site.  Don't worry about it right now."  Lake looked at the others,
"I'm not a priest, but I guess we really should make our peace."  He turned
toward the grave and said, "May Mielikki bless your peace my friend."  With
that said, he placed a wooden marker at the top of the grave with the sign of
Mielikki carved into it.  "If the drow come back, maybe they won't think us
for grave robbers."

     It was after noon as the trio started back up the path.  Bart was eager
to be away, so he took the lead, with Trout in the middle and Lake bringing
up the rear.  It was a beautiful summer day with birds singing and flitting
in and out of the path, and the occasional smell of lilac drifting across the
breeze.  Lake smiled, he didn't know that lilac grew this far up the
mountain, but he was glad it did.The Lost Passage - Part 8
The Nightmare
(submitted by: Barthonis)

     Barthonis had taken the lead out of the makeshift campsite with his
fellow pathfinders Lake Mist and TroutRasta following him not too far behind.
He was glad to be point man for the trio for several reasons, one of which
was that his brothers couldn't see his facial expressions.  He had not been
asleep for too long last night when the dream had come back to him.  To call
it a dream was a bit of an understatement, for in truth it was nothing more
than a good old fashion nightmare.

     He would always return to the same spot every night.  He was fighting
the waves of skeletal figures at the final battle on the mountain top.  His
brothers and sisters were fighting in their places as well.  And as Barthonis
finished the last wave of skeletal figures with his trident, he lifted his
voice in song to stir his fellow pathfinders on to victory.  But that is
where the dream parted from reality.

     For in the nightmare, Bart's voice became dry and cracked, breaking
frequently.  The giant skeletal shape that Barthonis had engaged next in the
battle was twice as large as before (almost four times Bart's height), and
from the skeletal giant's mouth issued forth a hideous high-pitched laughter.

     The laughter was soon echoed by the other evil creatures that the
pathfinders were battling and as his brothers and sisters fell one by one,
Bart could do nothing but try in vain to sing.

     But the skeletal giant's laughter boomed louder and louder, and as the
last of his brothers were fall in combat Barthonis heard Zeb Canon, shouting
for his help.

     "Barthonis, help," but Bart could do nothing but stare in disbelief as
the Giant Shaman that Zeb was faced off against suddenly raised its giant
fist and with a bone crunching thud, pummeled Zeb Canon to the floor of the
altar room.  Then Bart screamed as the Skeletal giant he was fighting reached
down and grabbed him about the throat and began to squeeze.  It all seemed so
real, that when Bart awoke last night from the choking skeletal hand he
almost thought the dream had actually come to pass.  But his bros had lifted
him up and the hand had fallen apart.

     And as Barthonis Giantslayer continued his walk up the trail scouting
ahead he could only hope that maybe tonight's campfire would chase away the
haunting dream he knew all too well.  Perhaps in burying the drow remains
this morning, Barthonis hoped he had buried the nightmare once and for
all.The Lost Passage - Part 9
Undermountain #2
(submitted by: Zeb Canon)

    I wake once more.  The water in the canteen is almost gone.  Food is
gone. The sticks that were in the pouch are almost gone.  I have enough for
one more fire.  The only thing that there is plenty of is air and darkness.
My friend pain is with me still.  But lately he has started to leave me and I
don't know which is worse not feeling anything or feeling everything.  This
is a bad sign.  I seem to remember someone telling me that when you are
broken and you feel no pain then death is near.

     The giant has turned to stone.  I have found pieces of rubble with runes
on then but I can not make out what they mean.  Tis a shame if I could read
them I might be able to remember just what happened or how I got here in the
first place.  I know that if I stay here I will die.  So it is time I did
something to get myself out of here.  The clothing from the giant should make
a crude torch.  Taking strips of cloth I wrap them around the last three
remaining sticks and bind them tightly.

     Holding one of the torches in my good hand I find that the chamber I am
in is not as big as I thought.  But on the second pass around it I have found
some lose rocks.  Digging with only one arm is not the best way to tunnel but
then what choice do I have.  I finally see a small tunnel that the rocks have
covered.  Putting out the torch and tieing the pouch behind me I worm my way
into the tunnel.

     Now I feel the weight of the mountain on me.  As I slide along the
tunnel I can feel my heart beating faster.  Not from the thought of escape
but from the fear of being in a small tight place in the darkness.  I try to
concentrate on other things to keep the fear away.  The only problem is that
all I can remember is the darkness and the dead giant.  Strange I seem to be
breathing faster and faster.  One part of me wants to scream and another part
looks on with almost a detached mind.  What is this moisture on my face.  The
tunnel is dry as a desert yet there is water on my cheek.

     Then I hear it.  Sound, like a low moan.  There are others here.
Someone is coming.  For the noise is getting louder and louder.  I must call
out.  See if I can bring them to me.  Anything is better than the dark and
loneliness of this place.  The sound is loud now.  I try to call but
something is wrong with my voice.  I realize that the sound is coming from
me!  And as the darkness takes me once more the screams fade to laughter then
to nothing.

~~~~~

    With the ground up ginger root mixed with the tea leaves, Primrose takes
the hot water and pours it into the cup.  The fragrance of the mint quickly
fills the room as she walks toward the bed.  Bringing the cup up to take the
first sip, she looks into the dark liquid.  Her eyes grow large as the dark
brown of the tea turn to black.  Deeper into the liquid she looks, for a
picture is forming in the liquid.

     The dark black liquid shows a very small fire in the blackness.
Followed by a figure crawling into a very small tunnel.  Slowly the head then
the body passes the entrance.  Tightness grabs hold of Primrose's heart and
dizziness fills her head as she watches the figure creep slowly through the
tunnel.

     As the door to her room opens and Riverswift enters, he see the cup in
her hand drop from her grasp.  Time seems to slow as the cup turns over and
over on its trip to the floor.  Tea hits the floor just before the cup and as
it shatters Primrose falls to the bed.  As darkness also takes her the last
thing she hears is laughter.

Zeb Canon
Brotherhood of PathfindersThe Lost Passage - Part 10
The Mountain
(submitted by: Thorn Hawk)

"Gods above," cried Thorn Hawk as the rock he just moved started another
small rock slide.

Glancing up from his own excavation, "what is it bro?" asked Ender Bay.

"We have been digging here for the past four days brother and yet we have
done nothing.  For every rock we pull out, there are many more yet to take
there place.  At this rate, we shall never find our brother Zeb."

"Have some faith Thorn.  It is just the two of us and the cave-in was
immense.  It will take the two of us sometime to dig this out."

"That is just what I mean Ender.  While we have been digging, Zeb has been
buried beneath us somewhere.  If he yet lives, our digging is not saving
him."

With a somber look in his eyes, "aye bro, I know, but what else can we do?" 

The two rangers resumed there digging for only moments before sitting to eat
what remained of their meager supply of food.  Each one lost in his own
thoughts.  They had come to this mountain to save their sister Cerdith and in
the process lost their brother Zeb Canon to a cave-in when he fought a cloud
giant shaman.  It was a tragedy that each member of the group shared.  Ender
Bay and Thorn Hawk had stayed while the others traveled east to Longsaddle to
find healing for Cerdith and Primrose, both hurt in the final battle.

"You know bro, I remember sailing with this dwarf awhile back.  Interesting
fellow, he was." Commented Ender.

Washing the last bit of his way bread down with a drink of water, "oh,"
remarked Thorn, "how so?"

"Well, he loved the ocean more than anything, but that is not why I remember
him.  He was full of stories and you know how I love a good story."

Smiling, "aye brother, I do," noted Thorn.

"You see, during one of his frequent stories, he told about mountains and
caves and such.  Let's suppose that this rift Lake Mist claims Zeb fell in is
natural and leads down into the mountain.  You follow so far?"

"Yes."

"Ok, then it might be possible that there are caves down there that Zeb might
be in.  Now these caves have to come out somewhere don't they?"

"Aye, I guess they do," asserted Thorn Hawk, a knowing smile spreading across
his face, "and ye think a cave somewhere on this mountain leads down under
the temple?"

"As you commented earlier, it's better than digging a hopeless hole.  So
after lunch, we should start looking around this clearing for a cave."

"Sounds good to me, Ender."

The two giants walked up the trail to stop at the edge of the clearing to
consider the two human forms they saw sitting on some rocks at the far end.
A large pile of bones, many larger than even a giant's, stood near at hand.
Ducking behind some trees, the two hill giants gazed at the humans with hate
in their eyes.

"Let's go squash 'em."

"Remember to only squish 'em's head.  Makes 'em taste better."

The two rangers heard the sound of brush breaking and turned just in time to
see two large boulders flying toward them.  Diving to either side, both Thorn
Hawk and Ender Bay dodged the heavy rocks as a thunderous clash erupted
behind them.  Rising, weapons appearing in their hands, both rangers turned
to regard the advancing giants.  

Glancing at Ender, a smile slowly spreading across his face, Thorn Hawk
pointed at the nearest giant and said, "ye are dead, my friend," as faerie
fire quickly outlined the giant.

"I's go'n to squash ya 'uman," roared the giant.

"Not so fast," replied Ender, casting his own spell.  Small weeds and vines
sprang up around the pair of hill giants to entangle their feet and legs
slowing them considerably.  Moving in deftly, his sword singing a dance of
promised death, Ender bay stabbed the following giant in the thigh while
ducking its lumber swing.

Not wishing to toy with his foe, knowing disaster could come of it, Thorn
Hawk adeptly rolled under the legs of the giant facing him as its swing
crashed into the ground where he had stood an instant before.  Kneeling, his
sword slicing back, he cut the tendons behind the giant's right knee. Unable
to support its weight, the giant crashed to the ground moments before Thorn
Hawk's sword found its neck.

Ender danced with his giant leading it around the clearing while his sword
scored many small wounds to the tiring foe.  Its movements slowing, the giant
made a mad rush at the agile ranger only watch as a sword entered its chest.

Wiping his sword on the giant's clothing, Thorn Hawk noticed a bloody sack
hanging from the waist of his foe.  Slicing it open, he found a freshly
killed pig.

"Hey Ender, I've found dinner," called Thorn Hawk, smiling.

"Ah, well done brother and while you're cooking it, you can show me that move
you put on that giant of yours."

Grinning, "as ye wish brother, but I'll tell thee I learned the trick from a
dwarf."

The two rangers set about dressing the pig and preparing for their
explorations of the mountain in hopes of finding a cave which led into the
mountain.  The fight with the giants had eased the tension that hovered over
them and as they made camp that night, both were smiling and joking. 

Thorn Hawk,
Brotherhood of PathfindersThe Lost Passage - Part 11
Undermountain - Darkness
(submitted by: Zeb Canon)

     Again I wake.  As always darkness surrounds me.  I feel better.  My arm
is almost healed.  Strange, have I been here so long that my wounds have
mostly healed.  The last I remember is the tunnel and the sounds of laughter.
Now the tightness of that place is gone and the weight of the mountain has
lessened.

     Feeling the rocky floor, I find several bones lying next to me.  The
hunger for food is also gone as is the need for water.  Questions bring back
the pounding in my head.  Why am I not still in the tunnel?  Who left the
food next to me?  Why is the water bottle full?

     Rubbing my temples to relieve the pressure and ache, I start to follow
the cavern wall as a blind beggar follows the walls in some back street ally.
Downward I go for one way is as good as another.  Slowly I discover a passage
to the right that also feels like it heads down.  As I move into the passage
my hand brushes a web.

     Deeper into the passage I go, my head begins to pound with each foot
step I take.  Then I meet a wall of webs that block the passage.  Taking a
step backwards I find that my good arm is stuck to one of the strands of
webbing.  With a jerk of my arm the web moves but my arm remains stuck fast.

     Suddenly there is sound above me.  A clacking sound as if two bones were
being struck together.  The pain in my head now has reached a level that it
is hard to breath and I want to cry out.  The web is moving.  As I drop to my
knees my last thought is why must I sleep now.

     Down the passage giggling overrides the clacking sound.  "Free!  I am
again  Free." laughs the voice.  The figure stuck to the web stands once
again.  Sliding the arm out of the sling around it, the hand clenches and
unclenches.

     "Where are you?" shouts the voice.  "I know you are here.
HEHEHEHEHAHAHA!  Come I want to tell you that you will never lock me away
again.  Look!  Look I am Freeeeeee!  You can't hide from me.  I will find
you.  I WILL FIND YOU!"

     Slowly down the web travels the giant spider.  Venom drips from the tips
of its mandible.  Food has at last reached its web.  Closer and closer the
spider moves toward the creature caught in its web.  Just as the spider
positions itself over the creature it stops to the sudden soft sounds the
creature makes.

     The sound of sniffing breaks the ranting of the man.  "I smell you
spider.  Come closer funny spider.  That's it closer now.  That's a good
spider.  Spider is hungry.  Hehehehe!  Spider must eat.  Yes spider come and
taste me.  I am juicy spider.  Spider must eat to live.  Closer spider.  NOW
DIE SPIDER!", shouts the man.

     Suddenly the free hand turns to flame as the spell burning hands is
cast.  The hand moves faster than the spider and grabs the eye cluster.
Searing flames burn into the skull of the giant spider.  Madness is reflected
out of the eyes of the man as the glow of the spell briefly lights the
passage.  Falling into the web the spiders legs thrash about breaking the web
as it hits the floor and dies.  As the glow of light fades in the passage
laughter echoes.

~~~~~The Lost Passage - Part 12
Undermountain - Thorn Hawk's Vision
(submitted by: Zeb Canon)

    Cutting strips of the roasted pig, Thorn Hawk looks at his friend and
brother sleeping near the fire.  Mid watch is a lonely part of every night.
Taking a large bit of the cooked pig, Thorn looks at the towering peaks of
the mountains and wonders how the other have fared.  Leaning against a rock,
he throws a piece of fat into the fire to watch it sizzle.  As the fat burns
the flames grow larger and larger till they now reach the height of Thorn
himself.

     In the center of the flames a figure reaches into the face of a giant
spider.  Fire leaps into the spider and it comes crashing down to a tunnel
floor.  For a brief instance Thorn see the face of the man in the tunnel.
Dried blood covers half of the face.  A jagged cut runs across the for head.
One eye is closed shut, but these are not what makes Thorn shiver with fear,
it is the madness in the other eye.  Madness like non he has every seen, for
there is also cunning and intelligence mixed with the madness.

     The face looks up from the dead spider and right at Thorn as if the
madman could see him.  Then the vision fades and the flames recede to normal
but these words echo through Thorn Hawks mind.

"I see you."

Zeb Canon
Brotherhood of PathfindersThe Dead Also Rise
(submitted by: Zacnefear2)

  After a suitable rest to restore his strength, the faeruk arose and
dressed. The relative calm of the house had been shattered by the loss of the
Malla Yathtallar. Even now he knew that the yathrinen would be plotting
against each other, each seeking that coveted position of favor. His body was
still a bit sore from the sparring with his dalharuk. He had lost the match,
but naut the battle though. Still he sought a diversion away from the house
for awhile.

  Returning to the room d' faer, he went through the daily task of memorizing
the spells he required. He did this each morning, even prior to breaking his
fast. When he was finished hours later, he moved to the mirror once again.
Staring at image in the mirror, he debated weither or not to again get
involved. But being of troublesome vlos, he couldn't help but do it. As the
spell took affect, the image again rippled, yet this time the faeruk closed
his eyes as he chanted. He allowed them to return to the normal spectrum
prior to opening them.

   The image cleared, and the brightness of the day stung as he looked on.
Faer flew back and forth across the battlefield while he looked on.
Fireballs flashed as flesh burnt, bolts of lightening tore through bodies as
magic missles thudded home. Blades flickered while crimsom vlos spurted,
staining the soil dark. The fallen laid strewn about the field of combat,
bodies of various races intertwined, locked in the embrace of death. Smoke
clung to the earth like a pall, that which was once rich forrest, now
blackened, twisted and bare.

   Banners streamed over this wasteland, while bugles, drums and trumpets
blarred in defiance at both sides. Yet also the tingle of faer that was naut
faer coursed through him as he watched. He had meet those that used the
powers of the mind before, and while they could become quite strong, they
also had a weakness. But he was naut yet ready to cast that die yet, instead
he breathed a odd singsong tolling chant. Smiling to himself, he moved to the
desk to watch, for the dead now rose again, torn bodies of friend and foe to
strike at the defending forces.

                                  Zacnefear d' Dur'EbenThorn's Week
(submitted by: WGW Thorn)

~~~ The following took place about a week ago ~~~

    "This has to be a dream, there is no other way to explain it..." I said
to myself as I stared into my own eyes...only I wasn't looking into a mirror.
I was standing face to face with...myself.. Only this other versoin of me
appeared to be much older. "When a person who has little control of thier
powers, young Chaosmage..." my older self said,"Thoughts and dreams all too
often become reality.". "Why did you call me Chaosmage? I gave that title,
and the power that goes with it, to Titokhan. It is he you should be talking
to...". "No, I have come to the right place..." As he said that, a massive
fireball hurtled in my direction, and I realized too late that I was
defenseless here...and the fireball would have no trouble frying me to a
crisp. Just before the fireball consumed me, my older self said..." You have
come full circle Thorn, it is time to re-claim what is yours..." As the
fireball hits me, I am jolted awake...

     "That was far too close...but it was only a dream." I said to myself as
I got dressed and headed out on patrol...

The question is...Was it a dream??

~~~~~ End Prolouge ~~~~~

   Once again, I am jolted awake from the same dream, the images far more
lucid in my memories..."The fireball always hits me just as I wake up..only
it has gotten bigger and bigger with each passing night.." I looked about my
room in the guild hall...everything is still there, only the walls, the
furniture, everything bears scorch marks...as if the entire room was engulfed
in flames...which shouldn't be possible, considering the wards and
enchantments casted to protect the guild hall and all who live here. "It is
almost like I'm being force-fed power that my body simply cannot hope to
contain. What did my dream-self say?? Reclaim what is rightfully mine?? If I
recailm the powers of the Chaosmage in my current state, I could destroy all
of Neverwinter due to the lack of control. I have to talk to Titokhan, see if
he has been having dreams about this as well..."

   As I walked to get changed, I looked over in the mirror by my dresser. The
tattoo that not only marked my link to Titokhan, but served as a reminder to
myself of the power I once held, was glowing far brighter than it would when
I was working my magics in defense of the Woods."I have to something, and
soon..." I said to myself as I quickly got dressed, and went out in search of
my "little brother".... Titokhan

   I found him near the Vaults in Neverwinter proper...trying to get his
hands on some gaunts...Pulling him off into the house I had recently
purchased in the city, at a hefty price to boot, I asked him.."Have you been
having the same dreams I have lately? And if so..Why??"."Thorn, brother(Even
though the same person, only magically duplicated so one of us could be home,
defending the kingdom I had built.. he still calls me brother..) I can't
explain why, but I don't seem to be able to leave Neverwinter anymore..and
yes, i have been having strange dreams...it was about then that the doorway
home closed itself to me..But I don't want to go back, even if I could..."

   "Why don't you want to go back??"I asked him...even though I could sense
the true reason why..."Thorn, I'm at peace here. The people here like me for
me, not because they think that I'm you. I couldn't live that life
anymore.."."Tito, you realize that when I gave the title of Chaosmage, and
all of my powers as the Chaosmage, that you were given the control to
properly wield that power...I simply cannot hope to contain or control all of
that power here...It may very well destroy both of us, through the bond we
share, and destroy all of Neverwinter in the process...I...we've donr too
much hard work building, and re-building the brewery to see it all destroyed
by my lack of control of our powers...If worse comes to worse, I'll sacrifice
myself, and open a portal into some other dimension...Perhaps there, when the
power consumes me, The after-effects here will not be so severe...and you
might survive to keep all that we've biult here up and running.."."What do
you want me to do Thorn?"."Go to the Woods, where we were first seperated,and
relax....I have a few things I have to do before I join you..And Tito...I can
sense the inner peace you have found...it suits you well...Brother.. Now get
going..

     Sitting in my room back at the guild hall a short time later, gathering
the things I had meant to give to my friends much earlier, but never got the
time...thinking back then that time was one thing I had in abundance, I came
upon a dress, and when I began to think about the person that I was going to
give it to...months of feelings that I had supressed due to my relationship
with Mystri came rushing to the surface..."If I am leaving, I should tell
them both how I feel about them both before I leave." I put the dress in a
box and wrapped it, setting it on my bed.."I'll go see Mystri first, then
deliver the dress just before I leave.." I grabbed my cloak, and stepped out
into the night, knowing that I had best hurry...

   I decided to walk to the Great Hall Tavern instead of 'porting there, not
knowing what kind of strain that would put on the control of my ever
-increasing powers....I had just arrived outside of nightsedge when I was
knocked to my knees by a sudden influx of power..."Tito, are you ok??" a
mentally called to him, fearing the worst.."I'm breathing...but I feel
totally drained...You better get going...and quick...another shot like that
will finish me.."I'll....try...." but I never finished what i was going to
tell him, for that last surge took whatever control I had with it...and I
knew if I didnt release this pent-up energy, it would finish me. I started to
cast a fireball into the open woods...but at the last second I cast it
skyward. The fireball lit up the night sky like the Sun. I looked in the
direction I had planned to cast it... and was Nightsedge proper was there,
right in the path it would've taken."If I had cast it in that direction...I'
would've destroyed Nightsedge, no doubt killing everyone there. Against
better judgement, I decided to risk 'porting the rest of the way, hoping
beyond hope that the power used to open the portals would serve as to drain
me enough to keep that from happening again..

     "Tito, I need you to run to the brewery quick, and get that oversized
Mech power core we found that day we were wandering around... Have Eltarin
help you. By the time I get there, I might be needing somethng to aim at that
can take the pounding.." On my way. you better hurry up Thorn, we're running
out of time." As I stepped through the portal, I found myself up at my
favorite perch in the rafters of the Tavern. I sat down, and wrote a note for
Mystri. "I can only hope, should I manage to get through this alive, that she
will be able to forgive me...one day..."

  Leaving the note on the bar... I opened a portal back to the guild hall.
One last thing to do before I possibly say goodbye forever..

The note read.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   My dearest Mystri,

      I'm going to get right to the point....The gateway that my "brother"
Titokhan uses to travel between Neverwinter and his...our homeland
has been closed to him, and the power of the Chaosmage, that I freely
gave to him, is returning to me. Only problem is, in my present state, 
I cannot hope to control power of that magnitude, and I fear that I may
destroy all of Neverwinter due to that lack of control.

   The other main reason I'm writing this is that, as much as I love you,
I know now that we can never be together the way I wish we could be.
My ordeal has awakened feelings that I have suppressed for the longest
time for one of my guildmates, and if I truly have to leave, and never 
return, I have to at least tell her how I feel, or I won't be able to live
with 
myself, wherever I end up...

    If I do manage to get through this in one piece, and am able to remain
here in Neverwinter, I hope you'll one day be able to forgive me...

                                           I'll always love you, always...
                                                                 Thorn

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   As I step through the portal, arriving in my room of the guild hall, I can
feel the power building inside me. "Running out of time Thorn, better get a
move on before ya flatten the guild hall." I said to myself as as I picked up
the box with the dress in it and 'ported upstairs...Not having the time to
spare to speak with her (If I had had the time, I'd have knocked on the door
and told her how I felt about her face to face, hoping she didn't slug me, if
she didn't like what I was saying.But time was a luxury I simply didn't
have), so I wrote her a note, and slipped under one of the ribbons...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Metis,
    I can imagine what you might be feeling as your 
reading this..."when I get my hands on him..." or 
something like that...but I had to tell you how I felt,
because if I do have to leave, wherever I end up, I'd
never be able to live with myself because I never told
you how much I really care about you...

    I guess it was when I was building your closet that
I realized how much I cared, But I was too scared to
tell you...Maybe, if I manage to stick around, you can 
bash me properly if ya want...I just had to tell you...

                                  Thorn

P.S. --- I had this made for you...I really hope you like
it... :-)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

     Feeling the power almost at the bursting point, I 'ported to the
clearing where Tito and Eltarin were waiting for me....

   "Boss, you're glowing, and I don't mean in a good way..." Eltarin greeted
me as I appeared through the portal. "How nice of ya to notice El, did the
two of yas bring that power core, like I asked?". "It's right over there
Thorn," I heard Titokhan say from behind me,"You've got to be near
bursting...let the core have it...ALL of it...". And that I did, putting
everything I had into one massive lightning bolt, which I then threw with
everything I had left in me right at the Mech power core...The core, now
magically supercharged, began to glow to life..I opened a portal to the Mech
compound..."El, I want you to give this to Emperor Aztek, and no one
else....Tell him it should have enough power in it to keep the entire
compound running for the forseeable future...I'll leave the portal open for
you to return when you're done"." On my way boss, but close the portal behind
me... I can find my way back without a problem."."As you wish El, good luck".

    "At the rate the energy levels are returning, I'd say I have just about
all of your power Tito, so we better get this over with..." Slowly, for we
didn't want to mess this up, we linked magic. "If this is going to work
proprely, we're going have to have to think and act as if we're one person,
so that won't really be all that hard. The hard part will be breaking the
link after the doorway is open so I can get through. One slip up, and we're
both toast..." I told him mentally, for it would be easier to get our
thoughts and actions synchronized that way. And as we were just about done,
the moon disappeared for a moment, as a large dragon approached the clearing.

    "Eh?? Who else knew we were here??" It was really wierd, hearing the same
words coming from Tito exactly as I was saying them, and at the exact same
time. The dragon brought his mammoth wings to full extension, to slow down
for a landing...then he was gone, where he would've landed stood Elatrin,
with a sly grin plastered on his face... "I guess I couldn't keep that secret
forever.." he chuckled, " And you wondered why I asked for a room at the
brewery with a lot of space and a really big window...now you know. You
should've seen the look and both of your faces, it was priceless..." We just
couldn't help but laugh at that...but we were all shocked as a portal opened
behind us..."Thorn, you open that??" Eltarin asked, not meaning to ask it
aloud, but his question was awnsered by the person who stepped through the
portal..." He didn't.. I did."

     The three of us stood there as the features of whomever it was cleared
the portal became visible. "You!! You're the one from my dreams..." Of
course, I had meant that to come from me, but it came from both of us due to
our link. He was definately either me or Titokhan, that much was obious..
Same height, same build...his voice was quite a bit deeper than either of
ours, and he had both tattoos..the red bolt over his right eye, the black
bolt over his left..." If you're wondering about how I knew where to find
you, and how I have both of the tattoos that mark your bond is simple,but its
not..If you'll just give me a minute to explain." I looked over at Tito, and
then El, and we all nodded for him to continue."

      "The simple part is, I'm both of you, and I knew you'd be here beacuse
I had been here before myself...I'm what Tito would look like 20 years from
now with both of your combined powers, as both Chaosmage, and sorcerer of
Neverwinter. There was an accident when we had linked our magics..and the
blast that came afterward destroyed the whole of the Woods, and most of the
other regoins of Neverwinter. I only saw ground zero of the blast though, as
a portal opened behind me, and I blasted into it with force enough to send me
through both time and space roughly 20 years into the past...." that would
explain why he looked so much older.." but into a paralell universe, where I
could only see into this universe...so I waited for events to happen the way
they were meant to." 

    "When the doorway closed, I acted the only way I could, though your
dreams, hoping that you might understand what you needed to do, and not make
the same mistakes that we did...which you didn't....and I also know of a way
so you don't have to leave. If, of course, you're interested..." The sleepy
grin that crept onto his face was one that quickly became three sleepy grins.
" How do you suggest we proceed?" we asked. "I join the link, and you
transfer the power to me. My reserves were drained over the years keeping an
eye on this plane of reality, and the transfer will replenish those
reserves."He  replied. " Any other questions??". " No, let's get on with
it...the power is building to the point that, even linked as we are...we
won't be able to last much longer."

     The transfer went much more smoothly than any of us anticipated, and
soon we were thinking, and acting on our own once again..Pulling a mirror
from my pouch, I noticed that I still bore the tattoo...Titokhan still had
his as well. "Ummmm, Tito??" As they both turned to look at me, I figured out
what to call my older self.." let me rephrase that... Chaosmage, did we
manage to keep any of our 'other' powers? I mean, walking is great excercise
and all, but 'porting around is a lot faster...". " You both can open portals
around Neverwinter, where only Thorn could before. But, the range is limited
to the Neverwinter only...you won't be able to open portals to other
dimensoins ever again. And it would be far safer if, in my travels, I return
to Neverwinter, that we keep our distance....we wouldn't want this to happen
again now...would we? Now I think we better be going our seperate ways.
Goodbye..." and he opened a dimensional gateway and disappeared into it.
"Headed back to the Brewery El?? Mind if I hitch a 'ride' ?" Tito was his old
self again...With a nod from El, he changed back into his true form, and
after Tito climbed up, he took off.. Me, I decided that walking would be good
for me, at least for now.... but I quickly decided that I had to go find
Metis, and I started running back to the guild hall, thinking to myself as I
went..." Wonder what her reaction was to the note and the dress...and is she
gonna beat me senseless when I find her..I hope not.."

The End..The Werewolf
(submitted by: Lake Mist)

In a northern village, where the weather is cold ... very cold ... the
villagers, humans ... elves ... half-elves ... dwarves ... halflings, have
cold hearts, also.

Cold ... storms ... wild beasts that roam the forest and the mountain.  It is
a hard life ... the people are hard.  The homes are built of the trees of the
forest ... dark and smoky within their walls.  There is a crude, iron icon of
a god or goddess on a wall, surrounded by guttering candles.  There is a
haunch of a deer or boar hanging to cure, and a string of drying mushrooms.
However many beds are needed for the family, a large wooden table and
benches, and a rugged stone hearth occupy the main room of their home.  Harsh
... brief ... hard lives.

To these northern villagers, demons and monsters are as real as the evil that
penetrates Neverwinter.  More so for them, for they have never seen us or the
evil we face, nor do they even know that we exist, but the demons that plague
them can be seen on the graves in their meager graveyard.  There are no
flowers on the graves, for flowers only grow a short time in this world.
Instead, they offer a little loaf of bread or a cake.  Sometimes bears lumber
in from the forest margins and snatch away even these meager offerings.
Brief ... harsh ... hard lives.

At midnight, especially around the time of the autumn solstice, Myrkul will
hold a feast in the graveyard and invite witches, monsters and demons, and
they dig up the fresh dead and eat them, as Cyric observes with a smile.  Any
of the villagers will tell you that.  Hard ... harsh ... brief lives.

Wreaths of garlic on doors will keep away vampires.  A blue eyed child born
feet first on the night of the spring solstice will have second sight.  When
they find a witch, monster or demon amongst themselves, they stone and burn
their evil.  Harsh ... brief ... hard lives.

Winter ... cold ... storms ... a very short summer and growing season, they
work from before sunrise till after sunset.

Your mother calls you over, "Go ... visit your grandmother, who has been
sick.  Take her this bread that I have prepared today day, and a small pot of
butter."  The good son does as his mother has bid him ... six miles ... snow
... you do not leave the path because of bears, wild boar, and starving
wolves.  You take your father's short sword, you know how to use it, he has
taught you well.  You put on your worn sheep skin coat to keep out the cold.
You know the forest to well to fear it, but you must always be on your guard.
Brief ... hard ... harsh lives.

Suddenly you hear the chilling howl of a wolf, you drop your package of bread
and butter, seize the hilt of the short sword and turn to face the wolf.  It
is a big one, with red eyes and a running, grizzled snout.  Any but a
northern mountain child would have died of fright.  The wolf goes for your
throat, but you feign and take a great swipe with your father's short sword,
and slash off the right forepaw.   Hard ... harsh ... brief lives.

The wolf let's go with a howl of pain, almost a sob, when it realizes what
has happened to it.  Wolves are generally less brave than most think, when
confronted.  The wolf hobbles off as best it could through the trees on three
legs, leaving a trail of blood a newborn could follow, behind it.  You wipe
the short sword clean and place it back in it's sheath.  You pick up the
wolf's paw and wrap it in a cloth, for you will show your father when you
return home.  You continue your journey to your grandmother's house.

You find your grandmother so sick that she has taken to her bed and is deep
in a fretful sleep, moaning and shaking, as if she has a great fever.  You
feel her forehead, it is burning up.  You remove the cloth to make a cold
compress and the wolf's paw falls to the floor.  But, it is no longer a
wolf's paw.  It is a hand, chopped off at the wrist, a hand toughened by hard
work and age.  There is a wedding ring on the third finger and a mole by the
index finger.  By the mole, you know that it is your grandmother's hand.

You pull back the sheet and your grandmother awakens and begins to struggle,
yelling and screaming like something possessed.  But you are strong, and
armed with your father's short sword, you manage to hold your grandmother
down long enough to see what is the cause of the fever.  There is a bloody
stump where her right hand should have been, festering already.

You pray to your god and scream so loud that neighbors hear and come rushing
in.  They know by what they see that she is possessed.  A demon, witch or
monster.  They drive her out into the snow and cold with sticks, beating her
as far as the edge of the forest, and then pelt her with stones until she is
dead.  They set fire to her body where it lies.  Harsh ... brief ... hard
lives.

Now you live in your grandmother's house and prosper.  And perhaps, one day
you will travel south and find Neverwinter, become a ranger, and protect
Mielikki's forests.  Brief ... hard ... harsh lives.The Mountain Pass
(submitted by: Know Madd)

       I stood there looking down from the mountains on the valley bellow me
on that crisp winter mourning. My breath fogged as I inhaled deeply taking in
the sight of snow covered landscape. When I came over the pass last night
nothing of the valley could be seen, clouds had hung thick over the mountain
top obscuring all vision. But this mourn the clouds had passed and my
destination could be seen.

      "About time we where in sight of the valley, horse," I grumbled as I
turned to resaddle my mount.

      The horse was eager to be moving on and frisked a little in his
excrement. It had eaten nothing but stale oats and pine needles from the time
we had entered the mountain pass that would carry us to Neverwinter, but now
it could smell the small shoots of grass springing through the snow far below
as the breeze carried the fragrance of spring not far off up the mountain
side.

      I strapped my sword belt to my back and checked the blade of the long
sword to make sure that it was dry then pulled an oiled rag out of my saddle
bag and ran it along the length of the blade to give it a small protective
film. That done I returned the sword to its sheeth and made sure my shield
was secure to the saddle. I then kicked snow over the last of the embers in
the campfire and doused what was left of their life. The snow sizzled and
melted giving of wafts of smoke that traveld up the mountain slope on the
soft breeze. Gathering my bedroll and pack I secured them behind the saddle
and then undid the hobbling around the war horses hind legs setting the
leather strapping into the saddle bag. I secured the flap and then setting a
foot into the stirrup swung up into the saddle. Pulling my crossbow out of
its saddle mount I laid it across my lap, I wanted to be sure it was handy in
case some game showed itself along the trail. Like the horse all I had been
eating of late was dried crusty oat biscuts and a trail mix of ancient
berries and nuts and even that was begining to run low. I was not about to
pass up a chance for fresh meat if it was unlikely to cross my path.

     Tanion felt good underneith my thighs his warmth was welcome in this
crisp mountain air.I took his rains in my hand and then tapped him in the
flank with my boot. We circled our camp once to make sure nothing had been
dropped then I leaned down from the saddle and scooped my cloak up from the
low branch where it had been hanging to dry. We left the clearing slowly as I
slipped the cloak over my shoulders adjusting the sword on my back so the
hilt was readely accessable and headed down the pass towards our destination.

    We traveled well into late mourning seeing not, but a few song birds
spinning a tune as they took turns digging into pine cones for their mourning
meal. Just before the sun peeked a clearing opened in the woods showing a
break in the snow with shoots of green grass poking out to catch the suns
rays. I dimounted and dropped Tanion's rains so he could graze on what was
available.

    As the horse grazed I walked around the edge of the clearing with my
crossbow in hand, looking for any sign of game that might be taken. The
tracks of several small animals could be seen intering from the woods to
graze on the grass shoots but they appeared to be old and half melted in the
snow. There where dear tracks running in from the south side of the clearing.
A doe and perhaps three otheres had been here resently......

    'Eeeeeeeeeeooooooooooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwwwww........' 

    I froze in my tracks looking around desperatly. 

    The horse snorted. Its eyes wide and its ears laid back.

    A Yeti?

    Was that a snow beast cry? I was almost certain of it. My eyes kept
scanning the edge of the clearing searching for movement. The Yeti's cry had
not sounded far off. I moved slowly to Tanion searching everywhere I could to
see if the beast was closing. It would be hard to see blended in with the
snow covered slopes around the clearing. Taking the rains in hand I held the
crossbow up in the air and slipping a foot into the stirrup, stood upon it
not yet mounting but using the extra hight of the horse to look further
around. I placed a hand on Tanoins neck to keep him steady and swung my leg
around to eaze myself into the saddle.

    "Maybe I was wrong Tanion," I said patting the horse and gathering the
rains.

    Then the horse gave a worning snort. I looked up and saw two of the
beast's charging from the far side of the clearing. Two streaks of white
sliding across the ground. I lefted the cross bow and fired not having time
to aim. The lead Yeti staggered but kept coming. I dug my heals into Tanoin's
flank and he jumped forward. The cross bow now useless I tossed over my
shoulder drawing back my hand with the sword hilt in it. The blade clearing
its sheeth in a whisper. I drove Tanion straight into the first Yeti knocking
it back, the horse stumbing a little at contacting the beast. The second
reached out for Tanoins neck. I flicked my rest making an arch next to
Tanoin's head. The second beast screamed drawing back a stub where its
forepaw once was.

    We circled,  used my knees to guide Tanion as I reached down and untied
the shield strap freeing the shield so that I could bring it into play. 

    The two beasts rushed us again. This time stumpy was in the lead, the
thing tried to grab the horse's head again swinging its wounded arm at me
trying to knock me off. I brought down the hilt of my sword catching the
beast between the ice blue eyes. It crumpled to the ground. The other beast
tried aproaching from the other side. I turned Tanoin away bringing my sword
across my body away from the beast hiding the blow that was to come. We
contenued the spin, my sword arm swinging wide. A thud could be heard as the
creature, head seperated from body, fell to the ground. The trunk spurting
red unto the snow. 

    Stumpy was rising again from the ground. Growling it looked at me, anger
evedent in its eyes the hate so thick my sword could have cut through it. It
sprang into the air right at me. I lifted my sheild bringing it between me
and the beast. The empact was emence, knocking me from the saddle. I hit the
ground rolling to keep the beast from bearing its weight down upon me. I
gained my feet and crouched low. The beast circled me. It was holding its
stubbed arm into its body protectively and reaching out to claw at me with
its good paw.

    Apparently it felt more confident now that I was not mounted, for it took
time in persuing me. Circling and taunting, it was mistaken in its confidence
let me asure you of that. I faked a stumble making the beast think that I was
weakened from being knocked to the ground. It grinned at me, and leaped
again. My shield arm came up catching the creatures momentum and sending it
into a tree behind me. There was a crack when it hit and the tree toppled
split where the beasts shoulder contacted. The beast tried to gain its feet
as I walked up behind it and with a flick of the sword decapitated it as
well.

    I looked around the clearing. Steam wafted from the remains, the snow was
covered in pink around both creatures the last even twitched every now and
again. Breathing heavely in the thin mountain air I wiped my sword on its fur
and uttered a prayer of thankfulness to which ever god would listen and
proceeded to recover my crossbow. 

    I called Tanoin to me, he trotted up and I patted him on the nose. 

    "Well done horse I commend you on your nerve," I whispered in his ear.

    Then reaching into my pack I pulled out some dried apple and treated
Tanoin to it. When he finished I again wiped my sword with the oil rag, and
reloaded the crossbow. I mounted again and left the clearing quickly. The
smell of blood would bring any winter starved meat eater down from the
mountain into he clearing, and I wanted to be away from there before anything
showed for a meal.

     We left the clearing and contenued onward to our destination.

Know MaddMy First Glimpse of Neverwinter
(submitted by: EChristod)

My home, the Sekrian Legion.
A very hot and cruel region.

My mother left me and my father died.
For me, life was a terrible ride.

I decided to leave this place.
I put on my armor and grabbed a mace.

As the day went by I got farther and farther.
Soon I got hopelessly lost and decided not to bother.

I sat down to revive my strength, and along came different goblin & kobold
races.
I killed them off one by one, smashing my weapon into their faces.

After the battle, I collected their treasures and goods.
I took their gold and armament then I was off through the woods.

I was really lost and knew not where I was going.
I then saw a river, and decided to follow where it was flowing.

After many tiring days of traveling, 
It led me to two paladins sparring.

I asked them of the nearest town,
And with their explanation, it was easy to be found.

As I walked up to the giant two door gate,
I started to wonder about my fate.

The doors had opened, and I walked in.
I was so amazed of what I saw, clerics, paladins, mages, and even drunks with
bottles of gin!

There were inns, shops, gardens, meeting houses, and even  training halls.
Everything here was built carefully with thick poles and sturdy walls.

I noticed that many different kinds of guilds were common here,
And with being by these people who help you a lot, you should show no fear.

If you have never been to Neverwinter yet,
Then go now! It's a place you'll never forget.
House Cleaning or Guess Who's Coming to Dinner I
(submitted by: SOMNeranek)

[Editor's Note -- This is a reprint of Part 1 which the author wishes other
folks to read before Part 2 since it has been a long time since it has seen
print.  This part is not eligible for the weekly prize.]

     With the midday meal behind him, Neranek strode confidently down the
halls of the Tower of Mystery.  He tipped his head in greeting as he passed
by the renowned paladin, Kmalj.  The elder Servant of Mystery smiled at him
in return and held up an envelope for the cleric/mage to see.  Kmalj tapped
at the letter with his knuckle and said, "Mail is in."

     Neranek paused as he began to catch the scent of lilac.  "Pardon my
question, Lord Advisor, but is that Lilac you are wearing?"

     Kmalj flushed a brilliant crimson and whipped the arm holding the letter
behind his back.  "You must be mistaken..Ahh, it must be the wind," he
replied as he took a step backwards.  "Umm, I have to run lad, umm urgent
business and all."  With that, Kmalj turned on his heel and bolted down the
corridor.

     As he watched the rapidly departing Lord Advisor, he made a mental note
to ask whom the letter was from the next time he had the opportunity.
Neranek smiled as he turned and continued on his way.  When he came to the
grand formal stairs that led from the second floor of the Tower down to the
entrance, he paused.

     Grinning impulsively, he pondered a maneuver that he had seen the man he
proudly referred to as his nephew complete from this spot.  He had on more
than one occasion seen Lynx hop up onto the stair railing and slide
gracefully down to the bottom.  Throwing caution to the wind, Ner climbed up
on the railing.

     He gave a slight push off with his right leg to get moving and he began
to sail down the railing.  A quarter of the way down, the door to the
entrance way opened and Iadris entered.  She gave a startled look at Neranek
gliding down the stair rail.

     Unfortunately, Neranek was more startled than she was and he
overbalanced and toppled from the railway onto the stairs.  He continued his
speedy descent down the stairs, bouncing head over heels, until he hit the
floor with a crash.  He went sliding across the floor out of control and
ended upside down against the far wall.  Peering at an Iadris that appeared
to be upside down, he tried to cover his embarrassment by saying "I meant to
do that, you know."

     As he prayed that the room would stop spinning, he watched as Iadris
reached for a quill and paper from a nearby writing desk.  She put quill to
ink and quickly wrote upon the paper.  Finishing quickly, she wrote upon one
more sheet.  Before Neranek could wonder further at what she was about,
Iadris turned and gave him a huge smile that made him nervous.  

     She held up the first paper.  On it was written the number 4.5 in
slightly damp ink.  "I gave you a four and a half for your technical
program," she said and then held up the second paper, "but I gave you a nine
point seven for artistic merit."  Laughing she set the papers down on the
desk, she went over and helped the dazed man to his feet.  "I suggest that
you leave that type of activity to the more dexterous of our companions for
the near future."

     Ner could only nod his head in agreement.  "Do you think that it was
really worth a nine point seven?" he asked with a weak grin on his face.
Iadris gave a laugh and slapped Ner heartily on the back with a force that
made him gasp.  Goddess, he wondered, where did lady paladins get that
strength?

     "I'll behave in the future, I promise."  He bowed deeply at Iadris and
cast an arm in the direction of the foyer.  "I understand that the carrier
pigeons have arrived with the day's tidings."

     He followed Iadris into the foyer and together they retrieved their
mail.  He pulled open his bag of holding, and as he sorted through his mail,
he tossed them one by one into it.  He smiled as he folded the current issue
of newsletter that he had edited and placed it in his bag.  Finding an
envelope with a garish wax seal on it's back, he quickly set it aside and
dropped the rest of his mail into bag.

     He looked over at Iadris who was thumbing through some type of magazine.
"Could you please hand me that letter opener?"  Without looking up, she
reached out and handed him the opener.  Thanking her, he set about opening
the letter.

     As he had surmised, it was the deed to the manor on the outskirts of
NightsEdge that he had recently procured.  It was his intention to move his
primary residence from the Tower to this manor to allow him to consider the
recent attacks and to make preparations for any further incidents.

     He glanced at Iadris, and noticed the title of her magazine was "Lady
Paladin" and he remembered that he had heard Talia and Iadris talking about
it before.  Though he had not quite figured out why they enjoyed it so, he
assumed it was some type of trade journal.

     Bidding her an enjoyable afternoon, Neranek decided it would be best to
go survey his new property and begin his preparations.

Making a note of the directions, he teleported himself into the city of
NeverWinter.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

     In a dark booth at the Red Mage Inn, Gilad stiffened momentarily as he
sensed his foe's arrival in the city.  He sat in the booth with a roguish
looking man.  The man paused in passing a series of scrolls to Gilad when he
noticed Gilad's inattention.  "Is there some problem, lord?" he asked.

     Gilad's scarred face twisted into a snarl.  "Of course not, now give me
the scrolls and take your bounty."

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-

     Gathering his bearings in NeverWinter, Neranek cast his next spell and
teleported into NightsEdge.  His arrival in NightsEdge drew a startled
response from the city's guards.  The lead guard brandished a mace, and his
two fellows drew their steel.

     Neranek quickly threw his hands up and outward to show that he meant no
harm and was friendly.  He pointed to the back of his gloved right hand where
the Mystran symbol was woven.

     The guards relaxed their stance as they recognized him.  "Greetings
M'lord.  Perhaps next time you might perchance try the front gate?"

     "I will, and my apologies," Neranek replied.  He had forgotten that
things were rather tense in the area lately, as bands of ogres had taken to
wandering the nearby territory.  "Next time, I will be more careful."

     The guards nodded and they were further appeased as he told them of his
plan to move into the surrounding area.  They were visibly pleased that a
friendly mage would be taken up residence near their city.  Neranek bid them
good day with a tip of his head, and left the city's fortified walls.

     He reached into his bag, and withdrew his deed.  Tracing a finger along
it, he re-read the directions to his manor.  The location was just west and
north of the city gate he noted.  Excellent, he thought, close enough, but
far enough out as not to endanger innocents.  He tossed the deed back into
his bag, and began picking his way carefully along the road.

     About ten minutes later, he found the entrance to his new home in the
form of an overgrown path leading from the road.  Neranek grinned as he
realized the task that he had set before himself.  He withdrew a scroll from
within his cloak, and undid the ribbon holding it closed.

     He cast the scroll and a flaming sphere appeared in front of him.  He
pointed in the direction of the overgrown path, and the sphere began rolling.
It set ablaze all of the brush it touched as it continued down the path.  The
sphere finally dissipated when it collided with an iron gate.

     Ner marvelled at the gate.  I had no idea that was there with all of the
shrubbery, he thought.  Considering the effect that cold iron has on magic,
it will actually serve me well.  

Turning his attention to the still burning shrubbery, he cancelled the spell.
The flames leapt from the bushes into his outstretched hand.  When the last
of the fire had been transferred, he closed his hand around the flames and
snuffed them out.

     A newly scorched path now led from the main road to the iron gate.  Ner
walked down the path and up to the gate.  He paused to admire the heavy
wrought iron gate.  Perched on top of the gate were a pair of leering metal
gargoyles.  Placing a hand on the gate, he leaned heavily into it.  Slowly,
with a shudder from  inactivity, the great gate creaked open.

     He pushed through the opening and took his first look at the aging manor
that was to be his home.  Despite the vast overgrowth of grass and shrubbery,
he could tell that the grounds had once been well tended to.  However, what
had once been shrubs that had been trimmed into beautiful animals, were now
grotesque mockeries of their former splendor.  

     He walked among the shrubs, noting several unique and varied animals.
He was particularly drawn to one that had once been a powerfully built
unicorn.  As he came upon the manor itself, he felt a sense of sorrow at it's
condition.

     The manor had suffered greatly at the hands of time.  What was once a
proudly constructed home was now in a frightful condition.  The home was two
stories high, with a grand, pillared porch surrounding the south and east
sides.

     He noted a few places on the roof where it appeared that it had
collapsed some time ago.  A majority of the windows were broken and vines
threatened to totally engulf the western side of the house.  The house was
desperately in need of a major restoration effort.

     He walked up the steps leading up to the porch and skipped the ones that
appeared to be in imminent danger of collapse.  He noted that the flooring on
the porch was not much healthier.  Neranek walked up to the double entry
doors and threw them open and entered.

-- To be continuedHouse Cleaning or Guess Who's Coming to Dinner II
(submitted by: SOMNeranek)

     Stepping carefully into the entrance, Neranek was amazed by the amount
of space that opened up around him.  The foyer was spacious.  A small room
was built into the wall to his left for the storage of one's cloaks.  In
contrast to the exterior of the manor, the interior seemed to be in much
better condition.  He strode in past the foyer into a formal reception area,
testing the flooring for soundness as he went.

     Though none of the furnishings from the former occupants remained, the
Cleric-Mage could not help but be impressed by the quiet grandeur of the
place.  The space afforded to him here was far more in advance of what he
imagined when he had purchased the deed.  Ner chuckled out loud at the memory
of the rather overbearing Registrar having his own ale extinguish his
bothersome pipe.

     Ner spend the next hour travelling throughout the manor, inspecting
rooms for their need of repair.  In several rooms, he found evidence of empty
spaces behind some of the walls.  Passages, he surmised, and wondered if the
prior inhabitants had installed them, or had even been aware of their
existence.  Making a mental note to investigate them further, he continued
about the manor.

     When he climbed the wide curving staircase to the second floor, he was
disappointed to find that it's condition was far worse than that of below.
Recalling that from the outside, he had seen several areas where the roof had
collapsed, he sighed.  Well, I didn't expect this to be easy, he thought.

     Completing his survey, he travelled back into NightsEdge to procure
orders for building supplies.  He sought out and contracted with a local
carpenter to oversee the repair work on the roof.  After paying the man in
advance, Neranek returned to the grounds.

     He was struck with inspiration as he puzzled how best to go about
clearing the grounds of it's overgrowth.  He concentrated a moment and then
cast Tenser's Floating Disc.  A yellow, floating disc appeared in front of
him.  The disc was around 3 feet in diameter and floated around 3 feet off of
the ground.  Concentrating on his clerical heritage, Ner prayed to Mystra for
a Blade Barrier to appear.  As the magic took hold, he shaped the barrier so
that the spinning blades sliced in a vertical motion and they were centered
on the front of the Floating Disc spell.

     Knowing that the disc would always move to stay at a distance of six
feet from him, Ner began slowly walking around the grounds, sending the Disc
forward.  As the disc passed by, the Blade Barrier spell effectively trimmed
down the weeds and grass that had grown up.  He continued in this manner for
over an hour as he walked the length of his estate clearing the brush.  Upon
returning to his starting point, he allowed the spells to expire.  Feeling a
bit drained from the effort of twisting the Blade Barrier in such a manner,
the young wizard walked over and found a seat on the porch steps.

     Resting, he looked over the great lawn and surveyed his handiwork.
Well, he thought wryly, if I ever choose to retire, I can take up landscaping
as a hobby.  After resting a few moments further, he stood up and walked back
into the manor.  

     Passing through a grand dining hall, he entered a mid-sized study.  Upon
the outer wall, he traced an outline of a door with a dye made from crushed
berries.  His work completed for the day, he concentrated and teleported back
into NeverWinter.  Exhausted from the day's exertions, he walked wearily back
to the Tower of Mystery.

     Upon entering the grand Tower, he made his way directly to his quarters
and fell upon his bed.  Within moments, the weary mage had fallen into a
gentle slumber.

----------------------------------------------

     Upon rising the next midmorning, Ner set about his normal routine.  He
prayed to Mystra to grant him his clerical spells, and spent time studying
his mage spell from his grimoire.  He then began a series of stretching
exercises designed to keep his body fit.  Completing these, he went over to
his desk.  Pushing the desk away from the wall, he ran his hand along the
walls smooth surface.  Yes, this will do nicely, he thought.

     Completing an outline of a door on the wall, he cast the spell that
linked it to the one he had similarly traced in his new home.  He now had a
portal that would allow him to quickly return to the Tower if necessary.  

     With the utterance of a word, the portal flared to life.  Silver fire
traced along the edges of the portal.  Smiling at his success, he strode to
stand behind the desk.  Placing both hands on the oak sides, he began pushing
it through the portal.  A moment later, both the desk and the mage were in
the NightsEdge Manor.  Neranek drummed his fingertips upon the desktop.

  "There, you are my first piece of furniture for my new home," he said
happily to the desk.

     His reverie was interrupted from the sounds of pounding coming from
above him.  He quickly strode from the study into the dining area and up the
stairs.  He stopped short when he noticed that one section of the ceiling had
already been repaired.  Stretching up, he brushed his fingers across the
ceiling and pulled them back to reveal a faint trace of a fresh coat of
whitewash.  Realizing that the carpenter he had employed to work on the roof
and ceiling must have begun at first dawn, Neranek was pleased.  As he made
his way back down to the study, he decided that he had chosen the proper
carpenter.

     Stepping back through the tower, he picked up his black leather Bag of
Holding and began placing books and scrolls within it.  Once he had stretched
it to near capacity, he turned and stared at a painting sitting on the floor.
His friend, the Lady Paladin Talia Autumnals, had painted with no small skill
a still of several of the Servants as a gift to him.  He strode forward and
traced his hand along the figures.

     His closest friends were depicted together with the backdrop being the
altar in the Mystran Church.  Their leader, Snake was centered in the
painting, flanked by his second, the noble paladin Kmalj.  On his left was a
hooded figure meant to represent himself.  Then, to the left of Ner was his
nephew, Lynx.  Seated on the floor before Lynx was the elf, Ceribus.  On the
other side of Kmalj, Father Matt and Iadris were proudly depicted.  Talia,
herself, graced the painting, standing next to Iadris, her sister in spirit
if not in blood.  Above them all were two glowing eyes with a line just below
that he interpreted to be a smile.

     When he had questioned Talia about the smiling eyes she had sworn that
it was not her work.  Indeed, she had seemed shocked that the image was
there.  Smiling, he had told her that perhaps Mystra had aided her hand more
than she had realized.  Standing back up, he tied the Bag of Holding to his
hip and firmly picked up the painting with both hands.  

     Walking quickly, he strode through the portal.  Walking out of the study
into the dining room, he set the painting against the wall.  The size of the
picture had prohibited him from hanging it in his room back in the Tower, but
he could think of no better place for it than hung proudly here in the dining
area.

     Ner walked outside of the manor, and catching sight of the carpenter on
the roof, called out to him.  "Mikael, when ye get a moment, could ye find a
few nails and hang a picture in the dining room?" 

     The carpenter wiped the sweat off his brow and pushed his blonde hair
back from his eyes.  "Aye, Lord, twill be no trouble at all.  I'll be done in
a few moments."

     The mage waved his thanks and turned to find his attention again drawn
to the lawn.  A strong wind had blown last night and had cleared away most of
the clippings that he had shorn from the overgrown mess the day before.  It
did not appear at all as the property he had bought only a few days ago.
"Mikael," he called out, "know ye any locals who might be employed to reshape
these hedges back into the animal shapes they were meant to be?  They look
rather frightful in their present state."

     When he saw the carpenter nod, he called back "Excellent, please see if
you can arrange it for me.  Ensure that they are paid well for their work.
I'll leave ye a note in the Dining room to present to the banker that will
allow ye access to funding."

     After thanking the man, the cleric mage returned to his new study and
pushed his desk into a corner.  As he straightened back up, a hand grabbed
him on the shoulder and a voice cried out, "Scared ye, didn't I?"

     Startled, Neranek spun on his heel and triggered the wand hanging at his
waist on instinct.  To late to stop the magic missiles, he realized that it
was only his nephew, Lynx, playing a prank on him.  What Ner found amazing
was how quickly the look of playful triumph on Lynx's face turned into shock
as the glowing silver-blue missiles slammed into his chest.  Knocked back,
Lynx then grinned lopsidedly while sliding down the wall.

     "Jumpy Uncle Ner?" Lynx questioned.

     "Aye, I guess I am a bit.  I guess it was a bit foolish of me to leave
that portal open?"  The cleric kneeled and applied healing spells to his
friend who nodded in agreement.

     "Sorry Ner.  I came looking for ye and saw this portal in yer room.  I
poked my head through and saw ye moving yer desk.  Thought I might give ye a
hand."  Lynx flashed that mischievous grin of his that made it difficult to
ever be angry with him.

     "Well, since ye have made the offer Lynx.  Aye, indeed yer help would be
most welcome." Ner replied as he clapped his hand on Lynx's shoulder.
"Sometime this afternoon, some wagons from NightsEdge should be arriving with
furnishings."

     Lynx's eyes asked and unspoken question at the mention of NightsEdge.
Noticing the look, Ner answered it.  "Aye Lad, this manor is located just
outside of NightsEdge.  I've decided that considering recent events, it would
be wise to move out here, to draw some of the potential for attack from the
Tower."

     For some small time, Lynx and Neranek debated the wisdom of Ner's
decision until a shout from outside announced the arrival of the wagons.  

     "Lynx, I understand yer points, but my mind is decided.  Now then, will
ye still help me with this?"

     Sighing softly Lynx replied, "Always Ner, I may not agree with this, but
ye shall always have my aid."

     "Thank ye lad, that means more to me than ye can know.  Come, we've
wagons to unload."  Ner turned and walked from the study with Lynx following
him.  The mage showed his nephew some of the manor as they made their way out
to the porch.  Lynx noted the painting in the dining room as they passed
through as being Talia's work, to which Ner nodded.

     "Ner, this place is very nice."

     "You should have seen it two days ago," quipped Ner.

     "How far is NightsEdge?"

     "Perhaps an hour's walk to the Southeast," came the mage's reply as he
climbed up into the first wagon.  "Here, take these." he said as he handed
down two dining chairs to the waiting Lynx.

------------------------------------------

     The sun had crested mid-day by the time the two friends had finished
unloading the wagons.  Ner paid the wagon team for their delivery service and
thanked them.  In between trips of furniture into the manor by Lynx and Ner,
Mikael had finished with the roof and had climbed down to begin repairs
below.  

     Before they were to carry a long dining table in, Mikael waved them to
wait a moment.  "Allow me to replace some of these porch stairs before ye
both risk yer necks further," he chided.  Going up to the stairs, he braced
himself and kicked at a rotten stair.  With a splintering crack, the board
gave way and fell in.  "Ye see my point?" he said with a grin.

     "Well, I certainly do not see what a small break would hurt," came Ner's
reply to the friendly carpenter.  "Mayhap I shall jaunt back to the Tower and
find us something cool to drink."

     "Wait Ner, allow me!" called out the already moving Lynx.  Lynx broke
into a run and scampered up the stair railing over the startled protests and
head of Mikael.  Lynx was in the manor before Ner could do much but laugh at
the startled look on Mikael's face. 

     Red-faced, Mikael turned to his employer. "Are all of yer friends like
that one?" he asked while pointing his hammer after the already departed
Lynx.

     Ner's shoulders shook with laughter.  "Nay," he choked out, "that man,
he is one of a kind.  Praise Mystra!"

     Before long, Lynx had returned carrying at tray balanced upon his head.
Again, we wore that foolish mischievous grin upon his face as if daring
anyone to say anything.  The trio sat and enjoyed some cool drinks and
sandwiches which Iadris had made upon Lynx's request.

     Neranek and Mikael sat in stunned silence as Lynx gobbled up three
sandwiches composed of small fish and mustard sauce.  They exchanged a glance
and burst out laughing.  Lynx grinned sheepishly at them and shrugged.  

     The day past in much a similar fashion.  Lynx proved both to be an
excellent worker and a prankster. He was constantly dashing about to make
Mikael laugh yet, somehow, always handed the proper tool to Mikael or Ner
before it was asked for.Talia
(submitted by: SOMNeranek)

<FONT  COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>Forged in fire, tempered in humility
gentle in wisdom, twinkle in her eye.
Paladin by deed and not solely ability,
life was to fight for light and beauty.
Beloved daughter of Mystra.

Courageous in battle, determined in giving,
humorous in jest, sister in friendship.
Teacher to us that life was for living,
each moment, so precious and short.
Dancing Queen to so many.

Beloved Talia, Lady of Mystery,
teacher, lover, sister and friend.
Beloved, hear this gentle plea,
wherever you have travelled.
Saint Talia the True now known.

A small portion of your infinite grace,
Grant in us, your family still.
As we travel alone in this place,
to see life as you did.
Dancing Queen, laid down to rest.<FONT  COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>
Wyrm's Tale
(submitted by: WyrmSilver)

Wyrm flew into the tavern, and was immediately very happy.  

"Here Wyrm.. I brought you a special brownie!" Kylsea the dryad exclaimed
just moments after he landed on the bar.  Already Mystri was scritching him
under his chin, easing his itchy scales and making him purr softly, but the
mention of a brownie caught his attention.  To his surprise, she had lied...
there wasn't A brownie but a bunch of them!  A whole platter!  Wyrm liked
those kinds of surprises. 

"Rownee? Oo!" Wyrm chirped happily. Kylsea plunked the platter of "Welcome
from the Dryads" brownies onto the cherrywood bar, but before Wyrm even made
it there, Tarma was adding another gift to the pile.  Curious, Wyrm sniffed
the powder puff, picking it up clumsily in his forclaws.

"Erk?"  Wyrm wasn't sure what he would do with a powderpuff, but it seemed
like a neat thing to have... at least until the powder set him sneezing. Half
the bar leaped up to make sure he was alright, but Wyrm was fine.  Nothing a
few shakes of the head and some brownies couldn't fix. Happily, he made for
the platter again, but was stopped short as Kythera noticed him.

"OOOOOO!!!!  It's WyrmSilver!!!" She exclaimed excitedly.  She ran over and
intercepted Wyrm in mid crawl. She handed him a hanky for his sneezes, but
misinterpreting, he took it in his mouth.  He wasn't sure that a hanky was
good to eat, but he didn't want to be rude or anything.  After sitting there
with a hanky in his mouth for a little bit, he spat it out and grabbed a
brownie, glad to finally have his claws on one of the delicious things. 

He was several chomps into it when Kythera started tickling him. Giggling
helplessly, Wyrm rolled over on his side, squirming at her touch.  Wyrm
really wasn't very ticklish, except in that one spot... which Kythera seemed
to know quite well.  Soon Wyrm was gasping for breath, lolling around on the
cherrywood bar, giggling in his little squeeky voice and trying to get away.
In his confusion, he didn't know whether to bite, scratch, or sting, and
tried a little of all three, managing to grab her hand, wrap his tail around
her wrist and nibble gently on her fingers.  After long minutes she let him
free. 

Wyrm sat panting on the bar, flat on his belly, twitching his tail in
embarrassment.  He hoped no one had seen him so helpless, and decided a
brownie would cure his worries.  He had just picked up his brownie again when
he noticed Jaliycia.  

The princess of the Kithain, and newly appointed Mistress of the Seelie Court
was skipping around and hugging her friends nearby.  Wyrm jumped off the
counter and fluttered over to her, and landed on her shoulder.  Soon they
were talking happily to each other as if it had been days since they had seen
each other.  But then again, it had. 

Wyrm was enjoying a cookie when Kythera attacked again.  Pulling him right
out of Jali's arms, the gargoyle began tickling him mercilessly, making him
squirm frantically.  Wyrm's tail spun in circles trying to regain his
balance, but to no use... he was helpless.  Finally she deposited him on the
counter, panting and out of breath again.  

Around this time, sympathetic patrons tried to buy off the mighty dragon's
anger.  Two plates of brownies, one from WGW Thorn, and one from LUMBERJCK4
managed to make him quite happy. He only vaguely remembered Lumberjack from a
previous visit, and remembered the brownies he gave him then as well.
Although he didn't know him beyond that, Wyrm had to reason; he's a
lumberjack, so he's okay. 

At least that's what Marknight had said in that silly song he sang
occasionally. Wyrm didn't even care if he put on ladies' clothing as long as
he gave him brownies. 

Wyrm sat in the middle of more brownies than he could possibly eat in a week,
wondering what to do with them all.  Suddenly he noticed that Kylsea was
offering HIS brownies to everyone else as well!

"Welcome one, welcome all.... From the Dryads of Neverwinter...." She was
announcing, "Please, help thyselves to the Brownies, Cookies and Fudge of
Welcoming."

Wyrm panicked.  He didn't know where the cookies and fudge were, but it
wasn't fair for the dryad to be offering his brownies to everyone! Thinking
fast, he jumped onto the biggest pile and guarded them fiercely. Kylsea saw
him and laughed, and began stroking Wyrm's back, calming him.  As Wyrm
changed from orange back to violet and dark red, he decided everyone else
could have the rest of the brownies... he would keep the ones he was laying
on.  

The pseudo-dragon settled into his pile and squirmed to mush them into a
shape that he fit into comfortably.  He began nibbling a bite out of each
brownie so none of them would feel left out. 

He snapped at a mug as it slid past, nearly taking his head off, but
otherwise he was happy.  He continued to munch on the brownies and NWT Mystri
served him some cider in a tall mug.  Wyrm stood, happy to have something to
wash the brownies down with and slurped cider out of the mug. He shook his
head at the strong taste, but it wan't so bad... not as bad as that weird
stuff all the humanoids were drinking.  

After eating some more, and satisfying himself for a little while, he began
putting half eaten brownies into his mug of cider to see how they would
taste.  He even threw some on the ground because he was feeling playful.
Nothing like a good food throw. That could only entertain him for a few
moments, though, and Mystri was calling for stories. 

"Skoree?" Wyrm asked hopefully. He was the best story teller around!  Surely
he could find something that everyone would like.  Wyrm thought hard, for all
of a second, before launching into a tale about some recent events.  It was a
long sad tale with a lots of background characters, a happy ending, an
intermission, and an amusing epilogue.

"Issa skoree," the pseudo-dragon announced. "Arrknike ko an see neesa an kawk
an kawk an nake an zen zey reev an see nozzr wor an zen ko <purrrrrrrrrrrrr>
an see Harr oh zhuskiss an zen zey kiz Yrrn rownee an zen ko an ak ssranzhe
an zey see Yrrn an coo an rike zak." 

Wyrm smiled to himself as the questions and comments came. They always did.
People paid him very close attention when he told stories, as it should be.
Unfortunately people mostly didn't understand them. 

"Wyrm, don't say that.. purple does to go with lime green and yellow
stripes..." Kylsea was saying, causing KSLSThorn to burst out laughing. Tarma
was less confused, but still had questions.

"They see a nozzr?  Why would Mark and Nista see a nozzr?" she asked.

"Ooo... a love story," Mystri grinned, giggling, and asking him for a written
copy when he was done. 

"Yeh," Wyrm promised. "Cooooo...  Nore skorree?" He hoped everyone was
enjoying it, but had to ask, just to make sure. Tarma was sniffing Wyrm's
cider to make sure there wasn't anything strange in it... other than the
brownies. 

"Really?   And you can see that all the way from over here?  You're right
Wyrm.!" Kylsea asked, still confused, but Wyrm nodded anyway to be polite. 

"More story Wyrm!" Lumberjack exclaimed.

"Yeah, Wyrm, nother story!" Tarma demanded, after not finding anything
intoxicating in his mug other than cider covered mushed brownies.

Wyrm liked happy audiences, so he continued, jumping to a different yet
related scene. (They would have to listen on to figure out just how! Wyrm
felt there is nothing like a good cliff-hanging tale!)

"An zen Ssyanna kon an say hai an arrknike nok zer an Yrrn issa zer an zen
Yrrn eek rownee an nrrk eek rownee an Kyrassa kon an skare Yrrn an Neesa an
an see say OO! an see nrrk kiz Yrrn rownee :("

"Wyrm... you nasty driggin!" Kylsea exclaimed, still missing the point
entirely, but keeping the storyteller's back happy with lots of scritches. He
was lucky he could purr and talk at the same time, or he'd have to interrupt
his tale to purr in pleasure at the attention.

Jaliycia and Chyanna, who had been talking, overheard the story and came to
listen.  Chy caught her name in it, and perked up. "Jaliy, what did Wyrm
say?"  Jaliycia only giggled and listened attentively.  Nearby, Tarma gasped.
"No brownies?" 

Mystri sympathized for Wyrm as he reached the sad point in the story. Not
wanting to leave them depressed, however, Wyrm continued to the happy part. 

"Zen Neesa eek rownee an Yrrn nrrk haz rownee an Neesa nake Yrrn rownee koo
eek! Issa coo!" He exclaimed happily. "zen Yrrn kake awrra rownees inna
anneepak an ko koo arrknike roon an zen eek rownee." Nothing like a happy
ending. 

"What did Wyrm say?" Chyanna asked DragnSlicr, still wondering what her part
in this story was, but Wyrm was getting to that. DragnSlicer only shrugged,
as confused as she.

Having reached the intermission he let everyone take a break and stretch. He
offered Jali some Luthyen brownies left over from this ordeal, half to give
her a good snack, and half to prove that it was a true story.  Chyanna,
however wanted to hear the epilogue right away. 

"Ummmmm I know I did somthin..." she was saying. "Heh who knows I'm always
doin somethin 'round 'ere. Ooh! That reminds me... something I gotta tell
Wyrm. Ask actually." Wyrm, meanwhile was calling for the end of intermission
now that everyone was rested. 

"Nore skoree?" he chirpped. "Nore skoree?"

"Sweets...," Chy said to Wyrm, unable to wait for everyone to get situated to
hear the epilogue. "...was Mark in my room last eve?"  But he was getting to
that. 

"Inna skirik rurkr? Yeh. Issa skoree." he chirpped, announcing the epilogue.
"Ee assa roze and puk ik onna kek an Yrrn eek roze.. 'Nrrk!' arrknike kerr
Yrrn. 'Nrrk eek roze. Issa nrrk roze nrrk eek."

"Ummmm alright.....he didn't leave a rose..." Chy muttered, arching her brow,
but Wyrm continued.

"Issa snerr rike roze nrrk roze ann Yrrn nrrk eek an ee anna eek..."

"Jaliy, 'elp me out 'ere," Chy begged the Kithain princess, who seemed to
understand Wyrm perfectly. 

"...arrknike kiz rownee an ukkrkuk. Ee saze roze nrrk eek." Wyrm concluded,
smiling at the bittersweet finish, but ah, such is life.

Jaliycia was laughing hysterically at the combination of Wyrm's melodrama and
Chy's confusion. "Wyrm, you should make it easy on Chy... tell her with a
yes, that he gave her a rose!" but that was not how the story went... and
Wyrm had to be artistic. 

Just then, someone tossed Wyrm a brownie, which bounced off his nose,
effectively distracting him, and ending his story.  Chy stood and wandered
off, telling Jaliycia that she would just have to see Marknight for a
translation. That was fine with Wyrm.  He liked the listeners to interpret
his stories themselves, and not have someone hand them the meanings and
morals. If they analyzed his stories themselves, they made it their own, and
it meant so much more...

Wyrm had grown sleepy during his tale, and he curled up in front of Jaliycia
to hear her tale about a brave pseudo-dragon who invented apple blossoms.
Wyrm liked the story, and before long, he was snoozing happily in her arms.
The princess took him home and let him sleep in the toy castle so he could be
just like the pseudo-dragon hero from her story. 

And Wyrm was very happy. 

Wyrm
Of House Silverleaf (Balfni Benron Gri'tinriss)
The Little Dragon Storyteller (il'Wyrm'griu Cliwin'mal)The Mountain Pass -
Part 2
(submitted by: Know Madd)

     I aproached the gate of Neverwinter on Tanion my war horse.

     "Hello the Gatekeeper. I wish to enter the city," I yelled out.

     "The gates be closed 'til mourn'n," A ruff voice bellowed down from the
watch tower. "Seek an Inn until the sun rises."

      "Bloody great horse," I cursed to Tanoin.

      I turned my steed around and headed back down the street. I had noticed
an Inn coming through not far back, and if memory served there was a tavern
next door. It soon came into sight. Dismounting in front of the inn I looked
around for a stable boy. None were present, so I walked Tanion back to the
stables and started unpacking my gear from his back. searching the stall I
found one with fresh hay and a full sack of oats hung on the wall. I lead the
war horse into the stall and started to rub him down. Eventualy a scrawny boy
entered the stable. Wandered to a stool and sat down.

      "Is your meal over?" I asked looking out of the stall.

      The boy jumped up knocking the stool over. He looked ready to bolt for
the door provided his shaking knees would carry him that far. 

       "Hold where you are." a growled at him.

       "Who...who are....what are you doing in the stables......Sir?" He
asked in a squeeky voice.

        "Tending to my horse, since no one else seemed to be of a mind to do
it." I replied.

         "But you shouldn't be using the stall of Lord Nasher's heroes for
your own horse."  He squeeked out. "I was given strict instructions on who's
horse that stall was to be used for."

         "Tanion stays as he is." I replyed. "No one is to touch or move him.
Now fetch some fresh water and be quick."

          The boy bolted for the door scooping down and hooking a wooden
water bucket in his hand on his way out. He returned shortly water bucket
full, but he was not alone. A short round fellow fallowed came in behind him.
From the looks of the balding man in his apron I guessed that he must be the
innkeeper as well as the boy's master spoken of earlier. 

          "Good evening to you traveler." He said in a voice that rumbled
from his belly and jiggled the many chins dangling around his neck.

           I nodded at him.

           "Bring me that water boy." I said looking at the sqrawny stable
boy.

           He looked up at the innkeeper, and receiving a nod brought the
water bucket forth.

           "That stall has been reserved." The inkeeper said looking at me
over his puffy cheeks.

           "So the boy has told me."

           "Then we can move your horse to another..." He said it as a
confident fact.

           "Tanion is not to be moved.  I like him there. What price for a
room?"

            The old fellow looked ready to choke. I reached into my belt
pouch and drew forth a bag of gold coins. Holding it up and letting it jingle
in my hand I waited for his eyes to fall upon it then tossed it to him. He
cought the pouch against his apron.

            "That should cover both my room and this stall for the horse." I
said in an even tone. "Thank you good Innkeeper, I shall be in soon so you
can show me to my room."

            He just stood there for a moment watching me as I returned to
rubbbing down Tanion. Then he turned and left. The boy brought over some warm
blankets and helped me lay them over the war horse after his rubdown was
finished.

         "Do you have a name boy ?" I said looking him in the eye. 

         "Jon good sir, I am called Jon." The boy looked down at his feet not
wanting to gaze into my eyes.

         "Well Jon, first never look at the ground when you are talking to
someone. Always look them in the eye. You may be a stable boy but that makes
you no different than anyone else. And second I want you to keep a good eye
on Tanion here and let no one disturb him."

          The boy looked up at me as I handed him a silver. 

          "Thats for now. I will give you another in the mourning, make sure
he is fed early and walked. I will be by to check on him after the morning
meal."

          "Thank you sir." The boy said grinning at the silver in his hand."
Thank you very much."

          I gathered my packs and saddle bags and patted Tanoin on the nose
before leaving for the inn. I wondered to myself as I walked the spand
between the buildings what kind of entertainment I would find inside the
tavern next door. The sign read 'Great Hall Tavern' and it had Lord Nasher's
NW symbol carved into the old cracked oak. I could smell stew from that
direction as well as hear a bard playing out a battle story on his harp. I
will have to have a look after I have found my room I decided. Light cascaded
out from the front door to the inn as I opened it and entered.

Know MaddAngilynne's Storm - Part 1
(submitted by: Suvantar X)

Abzzstain was not a leader who was prone to be demanding. In truth, since
their victory over KAAOS in the second Great War of Neverwinter, the Bregan
D'Aerth had entered a period of prosperity previously unknown to any within
its ranks. He could, therefore, be lenient to a point. But when a member of
his band had failed to meet his responsibilities as much as Suvantar had over
the previous few weeks, well, something had to be done...

Missed meetings with his superiors, missed assignments, payments from
merchants both in Velkyn Tirith and Rilauven not picked up, and the latest, a
simple bodyguarding job for the matron of the thirty-fourth house of
Rilauven... something that had drawn little of his attention when Sagx had
brought it to his attention, but something that Suvantar had, apparently
decided he did not want to do.

It wasn't simply that he was missing assignments and responsibilities.
Something had happened that had changed his entire outlook... something
fairly recent. Suvantar had always been relatively taciturn, but there were
periods these days when those in the Bregan did not see him for days on end.
Abzzstain decided that enough was enough.

But atill... being overbearing was not the best approach to take with the
former Ul'Saruk of Barrison Del'Armgo in Menzoberranzan. Even among the
anti-authoritarian members of the Bregan, Suvantar's loathing of authority
figures was renowned. He and the elders of the Bregan had never had a serious
run-in, but that was due mainly to the fact that their interests usually
coincided and that Suvantar enjoyed the freedom of being out of a noble house
so much that any authority was preferable to the harsh ministrations of the
yathrinen of the Temple of Lloth.

Suvantar had spoken his mind to the yathrinen of his house in Menzoberranzan
and his back bore the many scars of his stubbornness.

Since he had joined them, he had fulfilled his duties with a thoroughness
that was almost frightening. All that had kept him alive in Barrison
Del'Armgo at times was his competency. He had learned that yathrinen will
tolerate one to a point if one continues to excel in his profession. He had
developed such a single-minded outlook about work and war that it colored his
entire perceptions about reality and life. He had sacrificed relationships,
sex, pleasure... almost his entire life in pursuit of perfection in battle
and in his duties.

But in a matter of weeks, all of that had changed.

He had always been taciturn, rarely speaking in group gatherings, silently
outside the group, ever watchful and answering pleasantries with a curt
reply. He did not enjoy social settings and never had, but at least in the
past he had made an effort to be a part of things sometimes. Since his work
ethic had lapsed, most members of the Bregan saw him only once a week, if
that, and when they did he rarely said anything to them at all.

Stain had sent him several messages, as had Sagx and Sylverion and Glaeros,
but the replies they received back were generally monosyllabic and so vague
as to be non-decipherable. Finally, they all reached an unspoken agreement
that enough was enough and that if Suvantar was to continue his role within
the Bregan, they would have to get some answers and soon.

Finally, it was Abzzstain that decided to approach him...


***

He rapped sharply on the shut door of the room after determining that it had
been locked from within, not an unusual practice, even within the relatively
close knit community of the Bregan D'Aerth. They generally did not steal from
one another, nor paw through another one's belongings. There were enough
rivvillen in the world to do these things to.

But enough of them were paranoid enough after leaving their previous
situations that Abzzstain was surprised that they did not add additional
locks and even chains and magically seal their doors from outside intrusion.
Some of them even did.

There was a muffled muttering reply from within. Stain identified himself.
There was a momentary silence, then a resigned sound of assent from Suvantar.
There came a rattling of locks being opened and Stain was briefly amused to
note that the former weapons master had apparently added some since his last
visit.

The door opened and the Jabbuk was assailed with a foul odor that wafted from
the room, threatening to drive him back a pace or two. He was not unused to
stench, but, as a rule, attempted to avoid it whenever humanly possible. The
odor emanating from Suvantar's chambers was, somehow, worse than that which
inhabited the sewers of Neverwinter city.

The door opened a crack and Suvantar peered around the wooden frame with a
slight scowl. He did not invite Stain into his quarters, not, noted the
Jabbuk, that he especially wanted to enter them at this point in time. He
also did make any overture nor sign of obeisance which was normal for him. He
normally greeted Abzzstain with a 'Vendui', Boss. Is there anything I can do
for you?' and an attempt at politeness.

Today, he merely asked, "Yes?" 

Clearing his throat, Stain decided that the time for being politic about this
entire situation had passed, "Step around here for a second."

Suvantar's eyes widened momentarily before he assented. He stepped into full
view and Abzzstain was shocked by his appearance and the background
appearance of his quarters. Members of the Bregan hailed from a variety of
different backgrounds, but there were a large group of them who had been
involved in some way with organized military organizations.

To a fault, the former soldiers were generally the most rigidly scheduled and
disciplined of those within the Breagan D'Aerth. The habits of a lifetime do
not disappear overnight and, for some, never disappeared at all. Soldiers
tended to be early risers, keep their space and their persons clean and
orderly, almost spartan, and maintain themselves in a manner, so to speak,
befitting a soldier.

To absolutely no one's surprise as a soldier who had actually been the leader
of other soldiers in his former life (a soldier's soldier so to speak),
Suvantar had maintained these habits and more-so since he had joined up with
the Bregan D'Aerth. He was usually the first to rise for the day, completing
his morning sword drills, bathing himself quickly and dressing himself to
report for duty to... no one.

But these were life habits and they were difficult to break.

As he stared in absolute shock at the former weapons master, Abzzstain
realized that Suvantar had managed it somehow. He was so surprised by the
haggard, unkempt, unclean, rather... scruffy appearance of his sargtlin that
the Jabbuk nearly forgot the reason for his visit.

All he could manage, so sure was he that some savage disease had stricken
Suvantar, was, "What in the name of Vhareun happened to you?"

Suvantar glanced down at the floor. He knew that he had let himself go
since... well, since it had happened. The pain. The torture. Those lost
months that no one but him seemed to realize were lost and gone, but... there
was something else.

"I..., " he started, but could not finish.

There was noise from the hallway behind them. Both turned to see Xenobea and
Andraiel there, staring at Suvantar in ill-disguised disgust. Suvantar's face
froze at their reaction to him for a moment, then turned rock hard and
emotionless.

"Dunno what you mean, boss, " he answered flatly.

***

Abzzstain sat at his desk lost in thought. Delracnid and Sylverion sat across
from him and after an hour's worth of  long discussion about someone who none
of them ever thought they would be having this discussion about, a heavy
silence had descended upon the room.

It was Sylverion who said what was on all of their minds first, "Well, we
could dismiss him. If he's causing a disruption among the members..."

"Belay that for a moment,  " said Stain, raising his hand, "It's a valid
issue and a valid option, one that we might have to explore later if things
get worse. I'm of a mind that there's something seriously wrong with him. He
was about to tell me something in the hallway... something that I think
humiliated him to the point where it was too difficult to do so in front of
others."

Delracnid shook his head, "Not to sound unkind here, but if it's something
that bad and he can't deal with it, do we really want him around?"

Sylverion  answered, "He was doing well enough before he just let everything
go."

Stain nodded, "I would tend to agree. I think we should at least try to help
him with this before we explore other options."

He looked out of the door and saw Phaenon walking down the hallway.
Motioning, he called the sargtlin over.

"Go get Suvantar, " he told him. "Tell him that I want to see him in my
office asap."

Phaenon nodded and started away.

Stain called after him, "And tell him to bathe first."

Phaenon chuckled as he started toward the members' wing.


***


Water dripped down from his freshly washed hair and was absorbed by the
carpet below him. Suvantar stared at the three across from him in morose
silence. For nearly half an hour he had endured the well-meaning questions of
his three superiors and offered up lame, vague replies to their queries.

Delracnid, for one, had tired of his evasive answers and grown testy. That
had sparked a brief fiery exchange between the two before the Jabbuk managed
to stave off either of them coming to blows. Finally, confused and seemingly
unable to reach their abbil and without any answers of their own, the three
leaders had also lapsed into an uncomfortable silence.

Finally, Sylverion looked up, "Suv, we want to help... but there's nothing we
can do unless you tell us what in hell is going on."

Suvantar shrugged and relented just a bit, "There's not much you can do.
It's... something I have to work out on my own."

Delranid, still incensed at the previous altercation, snapped, "Well, why
don't you let us in on it and let us be the judges of that?"

That drew a glare from Suvantar and Stain was briefly concerned about another
round of arguments before he saw the sargtlin's tense posture relax just a
bit. Suvantar took a deep breath and let it out. He took a long look on the
floor, then looked up at them again.

"This will sound utterly insane, " he said by way of preamble.

Sylverion chuckled, "If it explains, in any way, your recent change in
behavior, I don't think it can sound any more insane than what we've seen
from you recently."

Sunvantar smiled wanly, "You'd be surprised."

So, he told them about Pain.


***


It took almost two hours to tell the entire story, how he had been taken from
his loft to Velkyn-Tirith, tortured, reprogrammed, and systematically torn
apart and rebuilt over a period of months, months which, if anyone else was
asked, never happened at all. Since it had happened, he had tried to maintain
a facade of normalcy and failed miserably. Eventually, it had just grown to
difficult, especially because his memories of the event and that lost period
of time were so vivid and conflicted so drastically with everyone else
believed to be reality.

"I have lost my mind, " he concluded in misery.

The three of them stared at him for a long while as if they were inclined to
believe this last statement if nothing else of what he had told them. Finally
Sylverion shook his head briefly and looked over at Stain for some idea about
how to proceed. The Jabbuk was still staring at Suvantar attempting to absorb
this outlandish story.

"Hmmm... " he said, finally. "You've got no scars, I see, no physical
evidence, nothing to verify the veracity of what you remember."

Suvantar shook his head, "She used a ring of regeneration. It left no scars."

Delracnid shook his head, "That's a hell of a story, Suv. No wonder you've
been acting all screwed up."

Sylverion shook his head slightly, "It's not enough..."

Stain looked over at him, "What do you mean?"

Sylverion stood up and walked over to Suvantar, "There's something else. If
it had just been this, as devastating an experience as it sounds, you would
have been able to get past it, especially as time passed. But you didn't.
Instead of getting better the the longer it got from when it happened, you
did the opposite. You got worse. Hence, something is still going on to
indicate to you that this was reality, otherwise you would have shrugged it
off as an especially vivid dream."

Suvantar shrugged, "I guess so."

Sylverione pressed on, "I know you, Suv. If anything, you've always proven to
be practical to the point of obnoxiousness. You don't let things weigh on you
that you cannot control. To me, this indicates that something is happening in
the here and now that's still bothering you."

There was a long pause. Suvantar studied the floor as if the carpet pattern
was truly intriguing. Sylverion loomed over him without moving and said
nothing further. Finally, the former weapons master looked up again.

"You're right, " he asnwered.

Delracnid sighed in annoyance, "You want to let us know what it is?"

Suvantar shifted uncomfortably, "It's going to sound strange and totally
unrelated to what we've been talking about."

Abzzstain sat back, "But you think it is?"

Suvantar nodded, "I think so."

Sylverion returned to his chair, "Well?"

"It's about Angilynne, " Suvantar stated.

The other three could not have been caught more flatfooted had he told them
that it concerned the political structure of the rivvil city of Port Llast.
They took a long moment to absorb his last statement and after a moment's
reflection, it still made utterly no sense.

"Errr..., " Sylverion said in confusion, "the dead Ilharess of Fey-Branche?"

Suvantar nodded, "Yes. That's who I'm talking about."

Delracnid nodded, "Well, you were right. That does indeed sound strange and
totally unrelated to what we've been talking about."

Abzzstain waved this away, "What specifically about her is or was bothering
you?"

Suvantar frowned slightly, "I don't know."

Delracnid took a beat, "Let me get this straight. You've let yourself go to
hell because you're upset about a person who's been dead for months, but you
don't know why you're upset?"

He did not let Suvantar reply before continuing, "You know, this made a lot
more sense when you'd been tortured for months on end and no one but you can
remember these months having taken place."

"Probably so, " Suvantar snapped, "but it doesn't change anything. There was
something wrong about what happened..."

"When?" Abzzstain asked.

"When she died, " Suvantar answered. "There was something really wrong..."

"Look, Suv, " Sylverion said, "I'm sure her passing bothered you, especially
considering how important Ilharess Angilynne was to your brother and all,
but... let's face it. The Spider Queen took her. It happens a lot."

Suvantar shook his head, "That's what I'm trying to tell you. It cannot have
happened that way!"

"Why not?" Delracnid demanded. "And for that matter, why should it concern
you that much?"

"Because she was Lloth's Instrument, " Suvantar stated icily. "I don't think
even Lloth is chaotic enough to set all of this into motion and then kill it
in an instant by taking away the one person who was so damn vital to
everything that she initiated."

Abzzstain was utterly confused by now, "Lloth's Instrument? All of what into
motion? Suv, slow down, take a  deep breath and explain this stuff to us like
we've never heard of any of it before now."

"Which we haven't, " Del added as an aside.

There was another brief pause as Suvantar collected his thoughts and his
memories. When he looked up again, he said, "It all started two years ago in
Menzoberranzan..."

***

The Ul'Saruk slapped the face of his sargtlin with no regret and no
compassion. It was a fact that the younger drow had allowed his weapon to
slip from attention when Ilharess Mez Bel'Arm had passed. Suvantar doubted
the aged crone had seen the minor infraction, but if she had, the weapons
master knew her well enough to know that instead of reprimanding a sargtlin
today, he would be beginning to train a new one.

His tone was icy as he told him, "Never... never let it happen again."

It was a rare thing to see a drow pale, but the young sargtlin managed it.
Satisfied that the message had been delivered, the weapons master allowed the
sargtlin return to his marching. In addition to this personal meeting, he had
decreed that this particular sargtlin would march a ten foot path for three
straight days. Every hour, he would be allowed a five minute stop when he
would be allowed to stand a rest. Hopefully, it would be enough.

It was better this, he believed, than for the young male to feel the bite of
the serpent-flail. He had enough experience at that for all of his troops,
Suvantar thought ruefully. Not for the first time, he wished he had been born
with a bit more of Zarradde's charm and political savvy. Or as Zarradde
himself would call it, the sense of a goblin rothe.

He left the sargtlin with one of his lieutenants and headed for the manor
proper where he was to endure another long arduous meeting with his eldest
sister Kinayne, who, no doubt, intended to impress upon him how old the ilhar
was and how soon it would be that she, Kinayne Barrison Del'Armgo would
assume the role of matron mother of this house and how tenuous his role of
Ul'Saruk really was.

He generally paid little attention to her. He was Ul'Saruk, he believed, not
because of an accident of birth, which was why he initially received the
office, but because there was no one other than him in the entire house who
could fill it better. There was no one other than him who could fend off an
attack from a lower house and there was no one other than him in all of
Barrison Del'Armgo who caused even a glimmer of fear in House Baenre.

Well, there were shadowy rumors of what Zarradde's true role in the house
was... but to most Zarradde remained a foppish courtier. The dirty work in
the trenches was left to the soldier and that was him. Ebonwrathi, the house
wizard was competent, but they all had to admit that he was no Gromph Baenre
and would not be for hundreds of years.

Barrison Del'Armgo had undergone a subtle but frightening transition in
recent years. Under Mez, it had risen high, but all of her most trusted had
passed away one by one, leaving a house that was no less competent, but much
younger in content. Mez had given birth to her children late in life. Six of
them in all in one eighty year span. Four females and two males (twins). She
had also adopted the master of the mercenary company, the Crimson Watch,
Zykinnus into her household and he had been the thirdboy, though he was older
than Suvantar and Zarradde.

They all knew that if they could hold the position that Mez had lofted them
to for only a hundred years, it would be likely that in another generation
Barrison Del'Armgo might even be able to challenge mighty Baenre. Holding it
was the key, though, for when Mez died, which might be any day, and Kinayne
became Ilharess, the gates of chaos might be unleashed upon them and a dozen
hungry lower houses might descend upon the youthful, (and therefore
vulnerable), Barrison Del'Armgo.

Between that fate and ultimate ascension stood Suvantar and his legions, a
horde of  drow sargtlinen, ogres and gnolls, which he could whip into a
battle frenzy in a matter of minutes, the frightening specter of Zykinnus and
the Crimson Watch, which could seize control of the city proper and its
masses in a matter of days, Zarradde and his hidden 'skills',  Ebonwrathi and
his wards which shielded the house from outside scrying and intrusion, and,
of course, the ever tenuous favor of Lloth herself.

Suvantar was not especially religious, in fact, generally mouthed to proper
phrases at the many ceremonies he was required to attend and that was the
extent of his devotion to faith. Even he, though, had to admit that the
mteoric rise of Mez and her house had much to do with the favor of Lloth. It
was a torrential time in Menzoberranzan. In the last two hundred years, the
ruling council had changed a number of times and every time a change had
occurred, it had worked in the favor of Barrison Del'Armgo.

He had no illusions about his role in the family, but he was an inherently
practical person. He believed that as long as the forces of the house
remained strong, it could withstand any assault. Each of her children had
learned the art of drow politics from their mother, who was a master of the
game.

Suvantar was the lone exception and he had remained somewhat isolated in his
own arena. The one thing he had brought to the table when the power plays of
drow house politcs came to the fore was what he had accomplished in the Melee
Magthere during his stint there. While he was a student, of course, everyone
had heard the legends of Zaknefein Do'Urden and Drizzt Do'Urden, though these
were conversations reserved for late at night when the instructors and guards
had long since lapsed into slumber or boredome.

The greatest student at the Melee Magthere before Suvantar's arrival was
Kanazan Baenre, yet another of the many military prodigies of the first
house. He had taken the yearly tournament three years running, until Suvantar
and his all consuming dedication to perfection arrived. Before that, Kanazan
appeared to be in firm control of his destiny.

Suvantar had fought him to a standstill his first year, roundly defeated him
the next and for the following ten dominated the Melee Magthere as no one
other than Drizzt Do'Urden had. He was both hailed and vilified as the
greatest student of his generation. He remained aloof and unapproachable to
all but a few select peers, of which Kanazan Baenre was not one.

When Kanazan Baenre graduated, he was immediately offered an instructor's
position and since House Baenre already had an established Ul'Saruk, the
first house required him to accept it. As an instructor, he spent every
minute attempting to destroy the reputation of Suvantar Barrison Del'Armgo,
even attempting to have the younger drow expelled from the Melee Magthere
twice.

Most easily recognized his jealousy and his hatred of the budding prodigy and
the simple truth was that Suvantar did nothing to threaten his own
advancement. He was protected and shielded  by his house and Kanazan's rather
clumsy attempts to ruin him failed miserably. Finally, he resorted to
attempting to kill the student during the graduation tests.

During the probes demanded by the first house concerning Kanazan's death,
Suvantar was found by several illithidi, including the representative of the
first house to be completely blameless regarding the incident. Amid much
confusion and much suspicion, he graduated from the Melee Magthere and
ascended to the role of Ul'Saruk of Barrison Del'Armgo.

Zarradde, of course, never endured any of the probes concerning Kanazan's
demise.

***

The meeting with Kinayne had lasted an interminably long time. Suvantar
itched to return to the barracks and was about to risk being beaten by
interrupting his sister and explaining that he had serious duties to attend
to when an alrm sounded through the manor. He leapt to his feat and dashed
from the room, much to Kinayne's displeasure.

She reviled her younger brother and his lack of manners and had vowed
silently to one day end the life of Barrison Del'Armgo's weapons master when
she could find a suitable replacement. Kinayne was a brilliant tactician,
though, if a bit impatient, and she had long since realized that her
brother's reputation in the city had done much to solidify the house's
position as very secure.

She made her way quickly to the throne room. Slaves and lower house members
raced about madly, filing quickly into their places. Her sisters stood on the
dais. The elderboy, Zarradde. knelt properly at his place. The gigantic drow
Zykinnus' whose pleasures she had tasted on numerous occasions and never been
dissatisfied, winked solemnly at her as he dropped laboriously to one knee.

Suvantar knelt and held himself rigidly as she passed the sargtlinen. She
glared down at him and he glanced up at her absently, then had the audacity
to turn and check his troops to see who had erred. She snarled under her
breath. She would deal with his insolence later when she had more time.

She reached the dais and prepared to offer obeisance to the ilhar,
may-her-passing-come-swiftly, when she realized that the throne was empty.
Her sister held the pendant and the mantle of Barrison Del'Armgo in her hands
and Kinayne realized what was happening. She held herself proudly as she
walked up to the throne, certain that no one had seen her slight gaff.

She did not see the look of brief amusement that had crossed the features of
the twins as they had glanced at one another.


***


"Ul'Saruk!"

The screeching, demanding voice of the one he was now forced to refer to as
ilhar reverberated through the walls of Barrison Del'Armgo's main manor and
settled in Suvantar's spine. He rose from his morning sword drill, annoyed
that, once again, he would be forced to cut the session short.

Did she not understand the importance of this? Did she not know that skills
which were not honed constantly can weaken and fail? 

He wondered with a sense of exasperation why his sister insisted upon
demanding his presence before her each and every morning to deliver reports
about the troops that, in all reality, did not change a great deal from day
to day. Mez had never asked him to appear before her save once a month or
rarely, when situations were mounting and she might require the use of
Barrison Del'Armgo's garrison, once a week.

Kinayne was not Mez, though, which had become abundantly clear during the
first week after her ascension. She had pulled Suvantar aside for a private
meeting and demanded that he acknowledge her as ilhar. He had been somewhat
amused at the request and told her so.

"I already knelt to you at the official ceremony, " he said. "What more do
you wish?"

The scabs from that particular meeting were still prone to break open when he
pushed himself too hard, which he did on a constant basis. The injuries, of
course, could have been healed magically, but Kinayne had refused to alllow
that. All of this ran through his mind as he crossed the great hall to the
nearly empty throne room.

Kinayne sat on the throne and glared down at him.

Great Lloth, he thought to himself in amusement, does her pompousness have no
bounds?

He knelt, "Your will, malla ilharess?"

"You are late!" she snarled. "I would have expected better from Barrison
Del'Armgo's Ul'Saruk! You are not expendable. You can easily be replaced if
you cannot fulfill your responsibilities adequately!"

"I seek only to serve in whatever capacity you would have me, malla ilharess,
" he replied, still staring at the floor and counting marble tiles, wishing
he was outside with his troops.

"Be sure that you remember that!" she stated flatly.

There did not seem to be a proper reply to this, so he merely continued to
stare at the floor.

Finally deciding that she had harassed him enough for one day, Kinayne
relaxed a bit, "Your report?"

Sighing inwardly, Suvantar went through the list of troops unit by unit and
their respective states of readiness. After approximately fifteen minutes, he
ground to a halt and Kinayne seemed sufficiently satisfied.

"Very well, " she said. "You may go and attend to your dutie. Do not,
however, forget the issue we discussed earlier."

He bowed deeply, "Your will, malla ilharess."

He turned to leave and had almost secured his escape from the throne room
when her voice reached him once more, "I have one additional duty for you
today, Ul'Saruk."

He turned and looked at her, "Your will, malla ilharess?"

"You will go to the Great Library at eventide, " she told him. "There will be
a visitor of the house there. You are to insure that she arrives back at the
Qu'ellar free of injury."

He was about to bring up the fact that they had nearly three thousand
competent soldiers among their troops, any of whom could accomplish this feat
with relative ease, when he considered her mood. Sighing inwardly once again,
he offered a flourishing bow and one of his brief smiles and attempted to be
politic.

"Your will, malla ilharess, " he replied. "The distinguished visitor will be
safe with me."

Kinayne nodded shortly, "Good. Perhaps you will be allowed to retain your
position after all."

Suvantar seethed, but did not allow it to show as he asked, "And the
visitor's name, malla ilharess?"

"Angilynne, " Kinayne answered, "Angilynne Fey-Branche. She is from the
Rilauven branche of that house,."

He nodded. Rilauven, eh? The wild frontier. The city near the coast. The city
where, perhaps, the ilharessen had the good sense not to beat on their most
potent weapons against house invasion. He shrugged to himself. He would
escort her from the library to the Qu'ellar. It should not be that difficult.

After all, how much trouble could one strange yathrin be?

(TBC)
Knightly Poem
(submitted by: KEF Dquar)

A call to arms, an Oath to Measure
A fearless King, pride and pleasure
The honor of one, strong and unbroken
To face it all, with no emotion
We raise our swords, high and mighty
Up to the sky, towards dead brothers rightly
In unison we cry, "Slay all evil!"
And in unison we die, for the good of all people
Protectors and Knights, we stand by the Code
The path to Knighthood, is indeed a hard road
May the Flame burn eternal, and scorch evil lands
And may the people of Neverwinter, feel safe in our hands
A Poem for the Newbies
(submitted by: EB Quija)

If you are a beginner
And want to play Neverwinter.
Your questions ill gladly answer
But please dont continue to pester.
For the best teacher is time
It will come to you like this rhyme
And youll be taking newbies on tours
And completing so many many chores
Then you will understand
Why we cant take your hand
And guide you step by step......
JOHN DOE###:HEY! YA GOTTA +WEP?

EB Quija/MyLove
A Humble Deed
(submitted by: EthnDrshkn)

While trapped within a forest,
my soul is stirred by dread.
For here before me on a 
pike I see a grissly head.

The eyes are red and mottled.
The mouth drawn in chagrin.
A maggot wriggles out the nose
and slithers down the chin.

A wind blows up behind me.
The leaves swirl in a pile.
Some figure darts between the trees
with mastery and wile.

I draw my short sword from its sheath,
the steel reflecting light.
I crouch down to a practiced stance
ready for a fight.

Warriors never reach this place,
it's just too far to ride.
Besides, a shield of magic cloaks
all those who're trapped inside.

There were rumors of a monster,
sinister and stark,
raving madly killing any and all
who brave the dark.

This place of potent powers hold;
never setting free.
Like a web, it stalks and kills 
its victims leisurely.

I close my eyes and listen hard
searching for some sign
of that person who leaves heads
on sticks for flies to dine.

A rustle in the bushes,
I blindly thrust my knife.
Howling starts to pierce the air;
a thing runs for its life.

That scream of pain, it isn't uttered
from a human throat.
High and whining, coarse and droning,
the tone an evil note.

My journey here has simply
caught the creature by surprise.
It never thought the prey can block
against hypnotic eyes.

I shift my weight in readiness
for its suicide attack.
This angry thing who wants me more
than as an easy snack.

This creature is no simple beast
whose instinct says to run.
It radiates hatred from within
as white hot as the sun.

The magic shield linked to the beast
pulsates with its moods.
Scarlet lines of magic weaves
around the beast and woods.

Glowing an unholy red,
it leaps toward my throat.
I dodge and raise my blade;
stabbing deeply in its coat.

My mark was true;
the strike went in and out its evil heart.
Its magic aura faded
and its spells just fell apart.

This beast was truly magical
for the barrier's no more.
Its living victims came to see
who just fell the manticore.

So that is what the monster's called,
a hellish beast indeed
A manticore I slew this day,
another humble deed.
Ehtele'ta miqula
(submitted by: Thorn Hawk)

As night wore on, mist crept down the hills, thickening, shrouding valleys
and ravines in damp haze until the lights of far off Crossergate could no
longer be seen.  Nestled in a small glen, surrounded by mist cloaked trees,
stood a small cabin, flickering light barely seen through the ghost night
coming from the shuttered window.

Now dormant, a small garden sat off to the side fenced in by a short hedge
while a path ran further into the woods toward a brook just beginning to
thaw.  The door opened bringing with it warmth and the smell of spices as a
figure, dressed warmly in woolen trousers and shirt shielded from the cold by
a fir lined cloak, stepped out into the pearly white night.

"Come along Entelle, we've a long walk today," commented the man to the empty
air at his feet.

With the words barely out of his mouth, Dern set off down the path heading
into the woods the frozen ground crunching under his feet.  With sad eyes
filled with untold wisdom, he surveyed a crystallized landscape around him as
the clinging mist transformed the many trees and bushes into ice sculptures.

Dern was an old half elf, once a priest of Tymora, now a man living out a
quiet life content to watch the world around him.  His lined face and
piercing eyes told of countless journeys and wonders seen only rarely by men.

Passing a tall oak, Dern glanced behind him a frown etching his brow, "if
you're leading me on a fools' chase, you might as well just not come home,"
he said.

"I don't see any flower."

"What do you mean it's just up ahead?" he replied talking to himself, "how do
you know?  I can't see a thing in this blasted fog."

"Trust you?" Dern interjected, "you 'prolly mistook some fungi for a flower
and have no idea where you saw it."

"And for that matter," he lectured, "it doesn't grow . . ."

"Oh  . . . ," Dern gasped as he walked along the edge of an outcropping of
rocks.  Nestled in a crevice surrounded by snow was a simple golden flower
its petals still closed in the dark, but as he stood watching, the mist
parted allowing the pristine glow of the rising sun to caress the flower.
The old cleric silently attended the waking of this flower and with it the
coming of spring and a new dawn.

"Ehtela'ta miqula," whispered Dern naming the flower as he watched the golden
petals unfold and embrace the morning light.

"What do you mean I told you so?" he asked breaking the spell of the moment a
frown on his face.

"Well don't stand there," he replied moving off at a brisk pace, "we don't
have all day to stare at that flower no matter how beautiful it is."  His
words seemed harsh, yet as he headed back down the trail and to his cabin,
there seemed to be a spring in his step and the sadness that marked his eyes
had lessened.

Smoke still drifted from the chimney of the cabin as Dern approached, "I
think I'll start work on the garden today."

"You want to go inside?" he asked dumbfounded.

"Oh, very well," he grumbled opening the door before heading off to find the
tools he would need for his garden.

Inside the cabin on a woven rug, a cooshee or elven dog materialized before
the flickering flames of the fire and promptly fell asleep.  Perhaps it was
just a trick of the light or flickering shadows, but a smile could be seen on
its lips.

Thorn Hawk,
Brotherhood of PathfindersHave at Thee
(submitted by: KEF FOX)

The sun beat down that day and rapped it's arms around me holding me in it's
fire giant like embrace. I wached as the sweet ran down my forhaed and
dripped off the end of my nose and splatered on the ground like a the blast
of a fireball. Today I was to face KEF MR W in a battle for the crown points
we both craved so much. All this on the line and I was lost in the woods. Ha,
how was I going to beat this mighty Knight Errant in combat when I couldn't
even get to Triboar?

"Do ye think ye can hide out in the woods all day"? Someone said. I looked
around, only to see KEF MR W steping out of the woods shaking his head in
amazement. "By the gods man, ye need to learn your way around." What could I
say? Nothing, so I just smiled. "Lets fight here, instead of going all the
way to triboar." KEF MR W suggested. "Well lets get to it" I said tring to
sound as if I was ready. I'll start the dance he said as he swung his flail
at my knees .Leeping in the air, flippingup and over to land behind him I
swung at his head. He caught my mace on his shield and mule kicked me in the
mid section. As i went to get up I found my self in a green cloud that made
me cough  from the smell of it. I rolled out and returned the favor with a
cloud of my own. As he stumbled out of the cloud he cast once more and i felt
myself slow. He then took aim at my head and Verily did I feel the wind as it
passed over. I called upon my magic and felt a slight bit of joy as he slowed
to and seemed to act as if he was confused. I took this opertunity to call
upon tyr to grant me my prayers and stop this knight. To my delight Tyr did
hear me and held him in his tracks. And I won the first match.

"Ye got me good fellow but ye shalt be as lucky the next time, Come on let's
go to Triboar, as I need a hot bath and a fair lady." He told me as we headed
out. " When ye use a map it's best to turn it the right side up and try not
to spill ale all over it" he said as he rolled his eyes and shook his head.
As we traveled I kept up a light banter tring to hide my fear. My fear of
myself, for was I worthy to call this noble knight my brother? Could I ever
match the knights I held with god like respect? Would I and was I ready for
such a undertaking. This I wondered as we traveled hoping that one day I
could match Lady Zandi's kindness, KEF Brights strength, Lady Ambrlins wisdom
and detication, KEF Juzam in his neverending quest to rid the woods of
evil,(put up some road signes for me) KEF Valor with his unquestionable
nobility, and KEF MR W with his love of adventure, even the squire Sapsar so
full of life.

I also thought of the beautiful creature I saw. So strange yet I was drawn to
her in a queer way. This angel of battle who once was human but has become
much more. Would they think me a fool if they knew, or even worse ban me from
becoming the one thing in life I ever wanted (until I saw her)? No better to
keep to myself for none of flesh and blood may love a mech. 

To make a long story short I did win the best out of five, but most important
thing i learned that day was i may never reach these lofty goals. But even if
I never do, I will always have the friends and family I need in this the
greatest guild of neverwinter, THE KNIGHTS OF THE ETERNAL FLAME. 

KEF FOX
Knight Errant KEFLost
(submitted by: LadyRavine)

Kisses upon my lips...
His hands caressing my soul
Lost in eyes of fire
Lost in passion's embrace

Hands upon my body
Burning through my skin
Lost in burning desire
Lost in you

Things on my mind
Thoughts of you
Lost and searching
Searching for you.
Chant of the Dracolich
(submitted by: Sun Egg)

Older they get, stronger the fire, burning their wills, great their desire
Power they grab, and minions they shape, until their life ends at deaths
black gate
But die they do not, a spell without thought, a power that defies the sun
And in undeath, they just want to have fun.....

Dracolich! Dracolich! From whence hast thou come?
Dracolich! Dracolich! Dead but not gone!
Dracolich! Dracolich! Dragon's last curse!
Dracolich! Dracolich! With Death's doomed thirst!

In a lair of magic, they reside
And all their treasures, so do they hide
The sons of darkness, the fathers of war
Aye oh great Dracolich, its you we abhor.....

<Chorus>

Out from their lairs, at night do they come
Death in their eyes, and hate of us scum
Teeth like daggers, swords of their claws
The worst thing about them is fire in their maws.....

<Chorus>

Skeletal Dragons on magical wings
Herald the demise of all living things
Storm in the eye, fire in the claw
rips children apart in its terrible claws

<Chorus>

But Dracolich evil, your end is assured
For in your black ways, yourself you murdered
For though of death, you might be fond
It will claim you as one of its spawn.....

NO CHORUS

So Dracolich, Dracolich, hear the words that are mine
Save yourself from the fate that is thine
Return to the light, return to the day?
Oh no old Dracolich, your path went astray......

NOTE:  This chant begins quite softly and gets stronger until the final
verse, when it becomes almost a plea.

Sun Egg
(submitted by: Bloodglade)

<FONT  COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>Greetings newbie friends!  It has been a few
weeks hasn't it?  Miss me?  Don't answer that, I know you did!  Fortunately I
have received another question from a newbie player... or as he puts it, a
"half newbie" player.  And since our newbie elf inquisitor has put a lot of
thought as well as some suggestions into his question, let's give him some
credit:  He (please forgive me if it should be she) is Jday12.

Since Newbies come in all shapes and sizes (and levels of aggrivation), Jday
suggests a rating system for newbs and categorizes them by experience level.

Levels 1-3 in any single class = Newbie (The age-old favorite).
A 2 or 3 and then a 4 in multi-class earns =  Mostly a Newbie
Levels 4-6 in single or multi-class = Half Newbie
5 or 6 in one and then a 7 in another earns = Quarter Newbie
7-9 Veteran Non-Newbie
9-11 Masters of the Realm (leave them alone or be dead*)
            *Jday's own words, and frankly I like it

As I said, some good thought went into this rating breakdown.  It really
isn't bad at all.  The only inherent flaw is that you could run into a master
player who has just re-rolled, or is starting a new screen name.  Things
further get complicated when you run into veteran players who purposely act
like newbies to feed on the sympathy of the veterans to take them out for
experience.  But, this system does pose a good rule of thumb.  However, you
can never go wrong by looking at how the "newbie" acts.  One who doesn't
grovel for free items and makes reasonable requests for help and advice... I
don't care if he or she is a newbie in that case, I like him.

Although I like your suggestion, I think no matter what the level, if someone
comes across a pandering newbie at the vaults, even if he is level 5 or 6,
folks are gonna simply call him a newbie.

Jday wraps up with another good question (yet more proof that Jday has
shrugged off that "Newbie" tag).  He thinks it unfair that guilds will
typically require the initiate to roll a new character to get into the guild.
After he has spent all of that toil and trouble maxxing, he is now reduced to
level one and six hit points.  He wonders if there is any way around this.

Unfortunately Jday, there really isn't a way around this.  If you have
theforesight of picking a name that fits the guild you wish to join, you
obviously wouldn't have to re-roll.  However, what newbie has that kind of
foresight?  And if you pick a name that has call signs in it (ITB, NOR, BOP,
etc) before you are invited to be a member of that guild, you are likely to
never become a member of that guild.

Why?  Call it sacrifice.  Let's face it... this is RP.  We can't make you
stand around in your underwear holding your ankles and yelling "Thank you sir
may I have another!"  We can't make you climb a greased flag pole while guild
members throw eggs at you.  We can't make you gouge out an eye to show your
dedication to the guild.  Some guilds want to see a little effort on your
part.  Besides, once you re-roll there is usually always a member of the
guild who will take you out and help you get experience.  Even the evil guild
members have a soft heart for their own.  Re-rolling isn't the end of the
world, and members have to have a name that fits.

You show great promise and intuition "adventurer" Jday12.  So find the
friends whose company you enjoy, change your name and join their guild!

No, no, no.  Thanks is not necessary.  Helping newbies is thanks enough.<FONT
COLOR="#000000" SIZE=3>
(submitted by: Asher001)

  I've been raving to a friend about how great Neverwinter Night  (NWN)  is.
Well, he tried it for the first time about a month ago.  He spent thirty
minutes of wandering into the wrong places and getting gated in a loud and
grotesque manner.  He got frustrated and gave up.  He deleted all the game
files and told me the game was terrible (edited to avoid TOS violation) and I
wouldn't know a good game if it bit me (edited for more of the same).   I was
a little stunned.  After thinking about it for a while, I realized how he
came to this perception.  I remembered how long it took me to figure out
which areas were safe for starting characters to adventure in and which
weren't.  I recently learned of that the NWN powers that be were looking for
people to write articles for the Neverwinter News and decided to submit a
series of articles to help new players (notice I didn't use that nasty
'Newbie' word).  This will be the first of the articles I'll submit and I'll
be covering helpful hints for characters level one through three.

  Where to go:
There are four beginner areas (listed easiest to hardest):  The Neverwinter
(NW) side of the Wharves, the part of the Wharves across the bridges, the
Warehouse District, and Southwall.  Where you should adventure depends on
what class you are and if you adventure as part of a group.  There are other
factors, like if you're in a guild, if you have help from a maxxed character
(character who has reached the maximum level obtainable in NWN), and others,
but I'll only  cover class and group.  We've all heard the old saying,
"There's safety in numbers."  This has meaning to NW players of all levels.
It's one of the reasons for the founding of Guilds.  For the purposes of this
article it means it's easier for five characters to beat the stuffing out of
a crocodile than it is for one.  A well-rounded party (one that has at least
one cleric, one mage and two bric..I mean fighter types) can go directly to
the tougher areas (the Warehouse District, Southwall, or beyond), if they
work together.  I'll cover team tactics later.  Sorry, fighter types,
clerics, and thieves, but mages have a major advantage.  It's called a sleep
spell.  If used properly, it will allow the mage to solo in areas the others
should avoid at low levels.  Notice I said, "If used properly."  If used
incorrectly, some of the critters will get by and your feeble hit points
guarantee you'll get bounced off the gate.  I cover more under magic.  You
decide to play a human Ranger and plan to make him a dual class character by
changing to a mage when you reach 10th level as a Ranger.  You're doing this
because Rangers get more hit points  than mages or clerics and get neat
spells like Entangle starting at 8th level.  Since you're a
bric...ahhh...fighter type, you should start adventuring in the Neverwinter
(NW) side of the Wharves.  Yes, if you use good tactics and get lucky you'll
make levels quicker, but will get bounced off the gate more times.  I'm not
saying you won't get gated (when you die and get teleported to the entrance
of the area with only a couple of hit points), but it won't happen nearly as
often.  The toughest you'll face here is two crocodiles (unless you break
into the warehouse at night).  Most encounters will be with one or two
koblods or orcs.  Slow going, but less frustrating.

Tactics:
  There are two basic types of tactics:  Solo and Group.  I'm only going to
cover adventuring tactics.  If you want to learn Player-Vs-Player (PVP)
combat tactics talk to a Cleric-Mage (CLAM).  

  The most basic solo tactic is if they aren't near you they can't hit you.
What I mean by this is USE MISSILE WEAPONS.  Why go toe-to-toe with a
crocodile (croc), when you can bounce sling stones off his head or stick
arrows or darts in him?  I learned this after my head encountered the gate
many times (and many platinum pieces spent on new clothes.  Boy, was my
tailor mad.  You'd be surprised what their teeth will do to the seat of a
good pair of pants).  This tactic works well for groups also.  Mages pack a
missile weapon, so when you run out of spells you can hide behind the
bric...urrr...fighter types and still contribute to the fight.  Download the
Adventurer's Journal.  It's loaded with useful information, like the
capabilities of all the spells.  Next, take out the weakest monsters first.
If you're facing a kobold and an orc, the kobold is easier to dispatch (nice
PC word).  It may take three or more rounds to drop the orc.  One good hit
will drop the kobold.  If you go after the orc, they both pound on you until
you drop him.  Buy the best equipment you can afford and upgrade as you can
afford too.  Good armor lowers your Armor Class (AC) and good weapons do more
damage or have better range (it's that get close thing again).  Lastly, if
you have spells, learn their capabilities.  The range, duration, effect, and
area of effect.  Know how spells work.  I'll cover more when I talk about
magic.

  Team tactics is applying solo tactics effectively as a team.  For example:
If the mage catches the two fighter types, cleric, and kobold with his spell,
after the orc bounces them, he'll bounce him.  Mages, make sure your party
members aren't in your area of effect and after you're out of spells, help
out with a missile weapon.  Fighter-types, screen for the mages and clerics.
They don't have as many hit points as you do and go splat easier.  Clerics,
aim at your companions every once in a while to see if they could use a cure
light wounds (CLW) spell (yes, they can be cast during combat).  Be aware of
what's happening to your teammates and cover for them if they need it.  Team
Work...Team Work...Team...ahhh you get it.

Magic:
  Know the capabilities of and how your spells work.  For example:  Not all
spells have to be cast directly on a monster and lightning bolts bounce off
walls.  A sleep spell effects up to seven levels of low level monsters (and
characters) on the target square and all adjacent squares.  If you're facing
a group of monsters that are adjacent to each other, but are to a blank
square, target the blank square and they'll all be effected  (if you're in a
party, try not to get your friends).  A fireball has an area of effect of
four squares by four squares (your friends won't like it if you scorch them).
Most of this information is in the Adventurer's Journal.  Keep it handy and
if you have questions look it up (if you have time).

  I'm going to wrap this up.  After all, this is an article, not a novel.
I've only covered some of the basics.  Here are some final words of wisdom:

  +  Learn about the different guilds.  Most of the good guilds require, in
their charter, that their members help beginners.  Many have the guild in
their screen-name or surname when you view them.
  +  Download a copy of the Adventurer's Journal (yes, I'm repeating myself.
Get the hint).  If you have a question, look here first.
  +  If you can't find the answer in the Adventurer's Journal, ask a NW
character or a member of a good guild.
  +  It's only a game.  Have fun.
  +  If all else fails, e-mail me or look for me in the game (Asher001).  I
routinely, wander the Wharves passing excess magic items to beginner.  I
don't know everything about NWN, but I probably know someone who can answer
your question.

  Have fun and good hunting.

Asher the Mad Mapper
Protectorate (TP), Ranger, Pathfinder(submitted by: Saammael)

Feel a little empty?
Can't figure out why you aren't having fun?
Are you a servent of the Dark?
Can you accomplish a tiny task?

If you answer yes to the above, then you are a candidate for our new guild.
We are tired of all the good guilds we always see, and are tired of this
neutrality crud. We are the Lord of the Darks right hand people. We are the
Chosen. E-Mail me, Saammael for a charter and instructions on how to join. We
are the Forsaken of the New Order.

         Saammael
         Master of Novices
         Watching, waiting, lurking in the shadows(submitted by: Power swd)

     Ok... I have recently seen with the nex influx into NWN, that the
"newbies" often ask the meaning of the game's more common abbreaviations. In
an attempt to reduce this and making everyone more happy, I put together some
of the abbreaviations you might see during the game, as said by the
players...

NH- Need Help?
AD- Almost Done?
BRB- Be Right Back
AFK- Away From Keyboard 
BBS- Be Back Soon
LS- Longsword
HA- Handaxe
BA- Battle Axe
AC6,4,3,2- Bracers AC 6, AC 4, AC 3, AC 2
Gaunts- Gauntlents of Ogre Power
COD- Cloak Of Displacement (Valued Item, this one!)
COP- Cloak Of Protection +1, +2, or +3
SH or S- Shield
ROP- Ring Of Protection +1, +2, +3
CG- Cloud Giant
PvP- Player versus Player (combat! "Newbies" stay away from this one.)
FG- Fire Giant
SG- Storm Giant
Drac- Dracolich ("will you take me to drac's" sound familiar? Get an AD&D PHB
and look this guy up, then consider asking it again.)
PHB- (Out of NWN) Player's Handbook
Gate Crashing- Fighting Iron Golems in the sewers
IG- Iron Golem. :)
SG- Stone Golem...(or GIANT?? I can never remember...oh well. same letter.)
'Holders- Beholder. (You know, the eyeball guy.)

That's all for now. Hope this is useful. 

Power Swd (The STILL 9'th level paladin)
Gimme a Scoop!  Enter the weekly News of the Realm contest by submitting text
for publishing.  If your Announcement, Article, Helpful Hint, NW Abby
Question, Poem, Fiction, or Tidbit wins, you'll have won your choice of 4
Pearls or Access to the GOH (Guild of Heroes)!  Second place recieves 2
pearls and third place 1 pearls!  Submit all text to screenname: NW NEWS.

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MONTHLY CONTEST!!

Win Pearls for your Guild!

Participate in the monthly News of the Realms "Newsworthy" contest.  Each
month, 4 pearls will be awarded to the account of the Guild with the most
"newsworthy" articles for that month!  We're looking for works of art,
articles of fine literature, helpful hints of extraordinary brilliance,
poetic works which stir the soul, etc.  The key word here is "newsworthy"...
only articles with substance will be counted in the contest!

To participate you need to:

 - Indicate with your submission the name of your SANCTIONED guild.  Only
sanctioned Guilds are presently eligible to receive pearls for a Guild pearl
account. 

 - Write something!

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