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A Dungeon & Dragon Adventure Aboard the Starship Warden

by Gary Gygax (Dragon #17)

When last winters tedium was broken by the fun and games at WINTER FANTASY, I was scheduled for DMing continual adventures in Greyhawk Castle, and that is exactly what they turned out to be continual. Not having the heart to cut them short, I ended up eating meals while play went on, and the games lasted from morning into the late hours of Saturday night, from early Sunday morning straight through until evening, and fatigue made me a bit silly. When the last party, which included several regulars in the campaign (Mark Ratner and Jim Ward each playing one of their player character henchmen, and Ernie Gygax playing the character another participant had abandoned when he or she had to leave for home), beat up a body of gnolls and slew their master, there was a scroll amidst the heap of booty. It was, of course, a curse scroll, and it was a curse which whisked all creatures off to another world. Jokingly, I said that there was a I in 10 chance that the curse would teleport them all to Jims starship, and when the die was tossed out what should come up but the stark single line of a 1! Imagine the surprise which struck my weary countenance with a look of wonder. . . imagine the groans from the regulars! They didn’t want to be stuck aboard Warden, not with precious henchmen aboard that deathtrap. But all six characters, along with three gnoll prisoners, were, in fact, exactly that. The whole party was gone from the ken of D&D-kind and off amongst the horrors of METAMORPHOSIS ALPHA.

That took place in January, and the affair was not resolved until Jim Wards next visit to Lake Geneva in late March. Frantic letters and telephone calls from Mark Ratner were to no avail; determination of the fate of the nine intrepid creatures from Greyhawk could be resolved no sooner. Mark, being headquartered in New Jersey, was unavailable for play, so we had Brian Blume fill in for him. And instead of refereeing, yours truly was now a player, a pawn of the remorseless ShipMaster, James M. Ward. The cast of characters for the game that followed was:

9th level assassin (human) SCRAG FLATCHET (party)
9th level cleric (human) THURIBLE of ROAKY (G Gygax)
9th level fighter (human) DORAG (L. Gygax)
8th level fighter (human) NIVELL (party)
8th level magic-user (human) NEB RENTAR (B. Blume)
6th/5th levels fighter/magic-user (half-elf)
HODKIN AP-A WRD (E. Gygax)
3 hapless gnolls (party)

The names given for the characters have been changed in order to protect the innocent . . .

There was a moment of darkness and vertigo, shot with flashes of purple, and then the group felt the ground come up to jar their soles. All had the sinking feeling which normally accompanies the realization of real trouble. That was a curse scroll which had been read, and a cursory examination of their surroundings confirmed their worst fears. To the left - where the sun burned in the sky - was an unrelieved landscape of flat grasslands, seeming to go on endlessly; but to the right was a wall of incredibly hard metal, running ahead and behind and stretching upwards as far as the eye could see. It was unbroken by door or window, unpierced by arrow slit, unrelieved by battlement or bartizan. Immediately upon arrival the warlock Neb Rentar had attempted to use a wish to escape, while the wily Ap-Awrd the half-elf called upon his enchanted blade to teleport him from the place. Neither was to any avail, so the group held council, the two would-be escapees a bit chagrined and most willing to make amends now that they were unable to make off. It was decided that hereafter it would be a “one-for-all, all-for-one” affair. The material possessions of the party were pooled. In addition to a good selection of the usual gear typical of members of a dungeon expedition, there were the following noteworthy items:

There was also an assortment of normal armor and arms, including 2 bows - one carried by a fighter, one being amongst the arms taken from the gnoll prisoners. Fortunately, there were also packages of iron rations and skins of water, for the group spent much time in areas where there was no game, but I am getting ahead of the story.

The sun was growing dim - not setting, simply growing dim, so the consensus of opinion was to call its position west, proceed north, and keep near to the unrelieved expanse of stark metal bounding the “world” they had been thrown into. The evening and night passed uneventfully, and next day the party continued trekking northwards over seemingly unalterable terrain until finally, late in the afternoon they came upon a colossal cube of metal, in titan sized fortress from the look of it, and none liked its look.

Scrutiny revealed numbers of small things - mostly insects - strewn about the perimeter of the place, all quite dead. All members were pleased they had looked before laying hands upon those metal sides. Concluding that some very powerful magic protected the place, Scrag Flatchet and Hodkin led the group in a wide flanking movement which allowed observation without coming too close to possible danger. A door of proportion equal to the rest of the place was observed when the north face of the place came into view. The party came close, found no way they could easily open the huge valves, and fearing to actually lay hands upon the gate, left. Water was already running short, so it was decided that a westward track might prove more fruitful, for near the wall they had seen neither game nor water of any sort. When the sun darkened into another night lit only by strangely bright stars, sans moon, there were several leagues between them and the tremendous metal fortress, occupants (if any) unknown.

A swamp turned their path to the north again around midday. Just before they had shot a smallish deer with pink horns and legs. An incautious touch of the pinkish flakes which fell from those parts of the deer quickly taught the adventurers that death in this place came in at least as many forms as were to be found in the dungeons of Greyhawk Castle. The animal’s flesh was tasty nonetheless . . . That night a huge walking plant attempted to creep up to the camp and devour the party while it slept. Infravision of half-elf and gnoll noted the monster’s intent, and a fireball sent it to a fiery death without further ado.

Afternoon of the following day found the party in a better frame of mind. Rain had fallen, so swamp water was replaced by freshly caught rain. Game was fairly plentiful and easily brought down, as none of the creatures seemed to have any fear of man. Then they saw the pillars and the box of shifting colors which they fenced. The cube of colors attracted attention first, as its scintillating, running hues blended and reformed into all the colors of the spectrum - and some that were not. It seemed to crouch against the metal wall stretching to the sky, seeking shelter there with its fence of pillars. And what pillars! The assassin crept near them to observe the cube, but beat a hasty retreat when they moved towards him when he attempted to pass between them! After consultation, the cleric, Thurible, strode foreword, slowing as he drew near the columns. They were seemingly of layered wet sand, massive, and quite motionless. When Thurible touched one some of the sand came off on his gauntlet, and when this was rubbed off on the nearby grass the vegetation blackened and died. Not easily daunted, the cleric stepped between the towering piles of sand; he rued it immediately, as one snaked down with lightning speed and smote him for 34 hit points of damage at one blow. He reeled back and away with alacrity. Neb Rentar agreed, for he had seen a mage in Greyhawk with one. The egg-thing was possibly some sort of poison, flame, or acid missile - similar to the oil-, holy water-, and like bombs hurled by adventurers in the known world from whence they had come. It was stowed away for later inspection. The cleric was given the bracelet to use for whatever purpose could be determined. The dark pink gel stunk, and it was left where it was smeared. Time to go on to the door, armed now with the hoped-for extra powers of the pistol-want, the adventurers agreed.

The warlock inspected the area of the metal gate with the aid of the gem of seeing, and much of interest was noted thereby. The man-sized door was not provided with any sort of handle or visible, or invisible, means of manipulation, but neither was it trapped. A small area of white material, a rectangle about the same size as the colored area of the bracelet held by Thurible, was ignored in favor of a most intriguing discovery. The walls were milky on either side of the portal, as hard as the metal surrounding them, but the gem of seeing showed what was behind these translucent panels. There was a large room there, one whose size was indeterminable, but whose occupants could - in part - be seen. Standing rigidly beside strange bed-like things were faceless men with pistol wands strapped about their waists! No fewer than 10 could be seen, and there were certainly more. An augury spell cast by the cleric boded death and destruction if the party could manage to cause the mysterious door to open.

Neb Rentar was under geas not to engage in magical combat for a sennight and a day. He had cast a legend lore divination to learn what could be learned of the place they had been cursed to, and for a full eleven days the warlock needed to refrain from such activity if he were to gain the benefit of the magic. When the group determined to open the door of metal at any cost, the magic-user was ordered well away. After various and sundry ploys failed to affect the portal, Dorag suggested that the red rectangle of the bracelet be placed against the white one by the door, for possibly it was some magical key. It worked.

As the door slid aside, the faceless creatures inside drew their weapons and leaped for the door. Thurible was prepared, and a spell to hold persons froze four of the things as they stepped forth. Black rays shot from the entrance as their fellow things attempted to slay the party outside. In desperation, the warlock uttered a wish with the enchanted gem, stating that the faceless things must slay each other instead of his comrades. The noises from the chamber indicated success, and no further rays darted forth. A dull gonging sound was issuing from inside, possibly an alarm, so the group sprang into action. The gnolls and Rentar watched the rear. The cleric stripped weapons and bracelets from the motionless creatures before the doorway, and then dispatched the things to whatever hell spawned them. Scrag, Dorag, Nivell, and Hodkin leaped into the chamber to gather up weapons and any other available items of likely use. They had managed to gain six of the pistols when an unnoticed door at the far end of the place slid open and a metal monster with a long and menacing snout of iron ground into the room. When the gate had begun opening the looters had beaten a hasty retreat, but two were too slow. Scrag, the assassin, and the superhero, Nivell, were hit by a sparkling ray of coruscating blue light and flung into the air to land motionless a score or more feet outside. The clockwork monster trundled up to the door to the outside, but its build was too great to pass through the frame, so only its questing metal snout thrust forth, poking this way and that seeking a victim, but all were outside its arc and safe. Thurible cast a continual darkness spell squarely upon this great proboscis, and the magic-user ordered one of the gnolls to run over and recover the two still forms before the door. As the creature dashed out to accomplish this task a strange pinging came from the blackness surrounding the portal; yet another blue ray flicked forth, and the gnoll was sent rolling - shaken but unhurt. Luckily for him, the weapon evidently had full effect only upon humankind, but what to do? More noise from the darkened doorway settled the question quickly.

The area of black was retreating from sight, which indicated that the automaton was either dispelling the magic or retreating from the gate to allow something smaller to issue out. Sounds indicated the latter, and the wily Hodkin wasted no time in launching a fireball from the wand he held. A flash, thuds of falling bodies, and the slam of a heavy metal door closing told the adventurers that they had won at least a temporary victory. Recognizing that it was probable that the full force of the opposition had not yet been arrayed for battle, the party took the opportunity to themselves withdraw, going a short distance due westwards and then hurrying south and east to the familiar endless wall once more. The bodies of the assassin and fighter were carried only part of the way, for it was discovered that they were abraded, bruised, and unconscious, but not dead. Cure light wounds spells placed upon each in turn, plus a bit of water and a helping hand, served to enable them to move under their own volition, if a bit slowly. The delay turned out to be most fortuitous, for when the group arrived at the wall, they found that a wide swath of the tall grass had been crushed flat by the passage of nobody knew - or wanted to learn - what! The path ran from the north where the faceless men had been fought to the south where the titan fortress was. The six men and three gnolls followed the flattened track through the gathering dusk.

When they came to the huge place it was brightly illuminated by some magical lights; faceless men and more of the strangely fashioned clockwork machines were active round it. The adventurers stayed well out of the light and decided to turn west and travel through the night and decided to turn west and travel through the night as long as their strength permitted, for they were now in great fear for their lives. Before long another great swath was revealed, running westwards along the same route they had traveled just a day or two before. Now they were certain that some device could sniff out their trail, a horrid metal golem bloodhound. To confuse it they stayed in its path until the night was old, then rested. They were just settling down when one of the gnolls gave a cry. A huge flying thing was coming at them from behind! It too seemed to be able to follow their tracks, and there was no alternative now but to take quick offensive action. Hodkin Ap-Awrd aimed the fireball wand with care, and his missile burst just above the on-rushing creature. It stopped still in its progress and floated gently downward. Three things separated from the bulk as it touched the ground, and the tzinging sounds which accompanied this action indicated that they were probably faceless men armed with the pistol wands which shot black, killing rays. Thurible held one with a spell, but the other two rushed in and slew Flatchet and Nivell (both already weakened from their previous encounter with the ray from the metal monster). Blows were struck, with most of the party sustained wounds before the two faceless men - and then their frozen companion - were dispatched. From them were taken yet three more of the pistol wands and three more of the metal wrist bands with rectangles of an unidentifiable brown substance. When this was done the survivors went to examine the device which had flown so swiftly and carried the creatures to battle so unerringly. A thick disc of metal, many feet across and topped by a railing, was revealed. A metal flying carpet!

Upon mounting upon its surface and attempting command words, a strange voice-like sound came forth from a grill set into the device’s deck. The cleric then cast a tongues spell, and conversed with the creature - if indeed it could be called that, for it also was a clockwork monster, albeit benign and most useful as it proved shortly. The spell revealed that it could take all members, alive and dead, upon its back, and carry them at many leagues an hour away from all pursuit, although the damage caused to the device by the well-aimed fireball prevented it from flying in the air like a normal magic carpet. The group boarded, the machine lifted itself a few hands off the ground, and then it rapidly gained speed and carried them across the black waters of the marsh to a place of relative safety on the opposite side.

Hidden amidst the tall grass, the adventurers rested and recuperated for two days. Nivell’s constitution could not stand the shock of being raised, but Scrag Flatchet was made of hardier stock. Wounds were also cured by the ministrations of the cleric. The party was beginning to feel confident by the third night when they were attacked by surprise. Three more of the face creatures, this time armed with triangular metal shields and swords of incredible sharpness, leaped from hiding in the tall grass and fell upon the unsuspecting members of the group. A frenzied melee ensued in which the assassin was run through and slain again, and one of the now trusted gnolls died too. All of the monstrous opponents were dispatched, and like their better-armed fellows, they immediately turned into quaking mounds of noisome red jelly. But the adventurers welcomed the addition of their shields and swords, and the next day a raise dead casting managed to revive poor Scrag once again. There was general agreement that still more leagues must be put between the party and the relentless foes without faces if they were to survive to escape this world and return to the safety of the devils they knew ...

At last the geas was lifted from the warlock, and Neb related what had come to him in a dream. They were in a vessel of unbelievable size. A vessel which was floating in nothing. Could that be possible? All had grave doubts; especially when the magic-user went on to relate that the spell had also informed him there was no magic on the vessel - other than that they possessed. This was scoffed at, for all had magic wand pistols and had seen the various enchanted monsters, and there was their own metal carpet. How could they escape the place and return to their own place? Only by leaving the vessel and enter nothing? Still more doubtful, but this at least gave some small hope. Lastly it was related that somewhere in the vast ship of metal there were humans. The party was encouraged, for if they could find men they would surely aid their fellows - even at a price. They had a small store of gold pieces, some choice gems, and a few pieces of rich jewelry with which to bribe the hesitant. Should only a bit of the information learned prove useful, let it be the bit on how to escape, and then allow them to find other men.

Exploring to the westwards, the party eventually came to another metal wall, and the bounds of the “world” were known. Time had been taken from adventuring to rest and hunt, otherwise they could have traveled on their flying carpet from one side of the place to the other in less than a day. When the small size of the place was commented on, Rentar mentioned that his vision had shown that there were layers of land within the vessel, many layers like the one they were on. They would have to find a way to get to these other plateaus in all likelihood, for on one would be a doorway to the outside. By means of another tongues spell Thurible of Roaky put questions to the metal circle, but it was stupid and could answer very little. Finally it did relate something useful to the group. It was running out of energy and needed to be fed. When the cleric asked if it ate meat or vegetation, the automaton related that it needed to be fed a special substance which was available at a place nearby. Assured that survival was next to impossible without the benefits of the machine, it was agreed that the food for the flying metal carpet must be found before anything else was attempted.

The disc traveled quickly to another of the tremendous- sized houses built into the wall of the vessel. Before the vast doors of this metal box rested two strange idols of metal - or were they statues? Golems? Too late! One being came to animated motion before anything further could be done to prepare. The clockwork monster lashed forth its tentacles and grabbed the half-elf. At first it seemed as if it would tear Hodkin to pieces on the spot, but something made it hesitate and examine the struggling figure more closely. Other snakey metal arms shot forth and began to strip off the half-elf’s armor. Thurible, unable to use another tongues spell, cast a hasty augury to learn what this examination boded for the prisoner, and it was ill indeed. Unless stopped, the automaton would surely slay Ap-Awrd when stripped of armor. In desperation, and hating greatly to do so, Neb Rentar voiced the last wish allowed by the magic gem, asking that the mighty machine be prevented from harming his associates and himself because of its love and loyalty to them - it being an obedient servant.

Now this world was filled with strange and powerful things which were unknown to the adventurers, but magic was most potent, for nothing in the place seemed to be able to resist it. The party had been most grateful for the cleric’s spells which were renewed divinely each day. How much happier they were at the potency of wishes is hard to tell. That the clockwork creature immediately ceased its fell actions respecting Hodkins and obeyed the party heartened them beyond measure, for such a servant would certainly mean that their chances of escape were greater now than any had thought possible. Better still; the creature was useful in many ways. First a means of communication had to be established, for the device seemed to understand the tongue spoken to it but could make no intelligible reply. It was ordered to raise one of its metal tentacles whenever a “yes” answer was indicated, and the whole group then set to questioning their new servant.

It was quickly discovered that the device was a mechanical physician, churigeon, and barber in one. It could heal the still infirm members of the party. It could go inside the metal building; it could take the members of the party with it, for there were no other creatures or machines inside. It could converse with the flying carpet and instruct it what to do. This was the first order, for the party did not desire to lose the services of this transport, and it must be fed. When the two devices held conversation, the new servant went into its huge house immediately and came forth as quickly with a blue brick. This is placed into a heretofore unseen compartment in the disc, withdrawing first a pale brick of the same color but no longer bright. Eventually direct intercourse with the device by tongues spell revealed that it normally was fed a liquid (invisible?) form of food, but not being able to fly to heights, it was unable to go to the places where the tubes for this food were placed. Therefore, the blue bricks must be fed to it every time it had operated for 24 hours. The other machine was meanwhile ordered to bring forth as many of the blue bricks as it had, for the party wished to have a supply of food for the metal carpet.

The new automaton continued to serve its masters as well. It healed them, and the group then proceeded into the building where all sorts of arcane apparatus were observed. Little was of value to them however, although there was a supply of small strips of blue which recharged their wand pistols, and these were happily gained. Dorag inquired about gems and money. The machine went to a flat crystal area, manipulated several knobs, spoke it its gibberish, and a container of gems and another of strange coins were produced. While the jewels turned out to be nothing but imitation gemstones (which the gnolls were most happy to receive) the party learned that the “domar” pieces were the medium of exchange in this cosmos. When more questions were put to the automaton, it trundled again to the wall which bore the strange scrying device - the flat crystal ball - and after several minutes finding various information for the party, a series of operations by the machine brought an image of a faceless man to the screen. Snarling, the adventurers ordered the clockwork servant to shut the device off immediately, and the party then left the place in considerable haste, for they all felt that the thing which appeared could see without eyes, could sense their presence even through a scrying device. With the automaton riding aboard their metal carpet of flying, the adventurers set forth once more determined to find a place where the magic forces of the strange world they were marooned upon were weak, a place where teleportation and plane shift would enable them to return home.

Traveling along the metal wall which confined the boundary of this world on the west, the party saw nothing more of threat or interest to them and by the end of the day had put many leagues between the automaton’s building and themselves. Early the next morning, the wall turned northeast, and following this turn soon brought them to a place where there were many large and small metal doors. Beside each was a strip of colored material - while not the same color as the brown and red of the bracelets taken, still of the same unknown composition. As the adventurers were well acquainted with the mysterious method of door-opening which prevailed in the metal vessel, it was no problem to cause a set of the great valves to part. A very large metal room was thus revealed. In the place was another strip of the colored material which showed rectangles of blue and red stripes, brown, green, gray, and brilliant red which exactly matched the color of the first wrist band the group had discovered in the remains of the faceless thing which lurked within the cube of colors. Also scribed on the walls were strange glyphs and symbols. Warily these marks were first perused, then deciphered. They told of a people who allied themselves with men of any kind - evidently halfling, elf, dwarf, whatever were attacked by the weird monsters of the place and banded together to seek protection and revenge upon giant plants which ate men and werewolves which slew with weapons. The device of this league was an open eye. This information was carefully noted for future reference, as the group thought that these people would be likely to aid them.

Thereafter, when all of the strips of pure red color were touched with the matching part of the bracelet, there would be a delay, and then the huge portal would slide open to reveal first one weird place, then another. None suited the party, and when the last disclosed egg-shaped automatons which spewed forth streams of leather-like missiles, the red layers of the world were written off as not suitable places for the adventurers to seek escape - especially since the missiles of the automatons had knocked the hapless Flatchet and the warlock Rentar unconscious. Fortunately, the machine which served the party could quickly revive the pair, and the search for a place to escape continued. The group decided that they would try brown and green areas, and after six different layers of the ship had been revealed by application of the red wrist band to different rectangles, an inviting vista of low mountains and trees in the far distance drew them from the metal room into the reaches of the layered world again.

That night they made camp near the edge of a large forest. Alert as ever they must be in this place, a formation of werewolves brought the whole party to wakefulness not long after they had laid themselves down to sleep. These creatures were marching like men-at-arms and carried weapons too. The watch had spotted them at some distance, so it was not difficult to blast them at long range with a carefully aimed fireball from the wand. The creatures died easily, and examination of the corpses for loot disclosed a metal cone. The automaton was instructed to demonstrate the use of the device - at a fair distance - to the party, so it flew (or levitated perhaps) into the air. A bright beam of light sprang from the cone, swept through the sky, and then glared down upon the adventurers. Angry shouts brought the machine back to earth, and the group moved hurriedly to a location several miles distant, for they were certain that unwelcome visitors would be attracted to the spot where the beacon had shone. It proved true, for later that night still another company of the werewolves was sighted marching towards the locale of the first camp. These too were taken by surprise at a distance and wiped out in a single stroke by a fireball. These beasts had nothing of value save a contraption of thin metal rods which the leader wore to brace its legs. Rentar put them on. his own limbs, fastened the device’s belt about his waist, and attempted to set them in motion. There were numerous dials, switches, and levers to operate, however, and even with the aid of an augury spell the attempt came to a bad end. After several operations of various knobs and switches, the thing gave off an odd humming and tiny lights began to wink madly along the belt. Without much urging from the others, the warlock hurriedly divested himself of the contraption, and it was tossed onto the deck of the disc for possible use at a later time.

The next day the party traveled through a countryside which consisted of forests occasionally broken by meadowland. Moving southwards still, they eventually came to a wall which prevented any further travel in that direction, so the course was turned to the west for a few leagues, and as dusk approached the carpet was steered back northwards in order to insure a relatively safe campsite amongst the shelter of woodland there. But night time is dangerous anywhere, particularly so on the world of layers, and the party spent an active rather than restful night.

When full darkness fell the guards noted a strange glowing a few furlongs distant. As the metal carpet could see as well in darkness as in daylight, it was no trouble for it to transport the group to the source of the eerie light. Caution was used, but all that threatened was a primitive hut, covered over with skulls of animals and humans, but shedding a glowing light nonetheless. Thurible immediately identified it as the place of some evil cleric. The party did not approach too closely, but camped nearby and watched both the hut and for unwelcome intruders until the sun of the world glowed softly in its strange “dawn”.

The gem of seeing was employed after the cleric’s spell for detecting traps revealed that there were many on the hut. Nothing moved about the place, but a watchful eye was kept on the path which snaked northwards from the hut to some unknown distance in the surrounding woods. Meanwhile the magical gem showed that the supposedly crude hut was a metal building masked by branch and thatch. The place glowed because of deadly lightning coursing through it, and any unwary creature touching the place would be done to death. When no means of dispelling this magic could be located near the entrance to the place, a wider search was begun, and this soon discovered a lever hidden in a nearby bush. A simply movement of this switch caused the magic, to desert the hut, and the doorway to change from the dead black of a force wall of some sort to normality. Luckily, Neb Rentar did look further for some other small trap, for what looked like a red blanket was noted to be rolled up above the door. When this blanket was poked with a stick, the limb was torn from Dorag’s grasp and disappeared into the creature - for there could be no doubt that some monster which appeared to be a blanket lurked above. Poisoned sticks and flaming branches were subsequently poked at and consumed without noticeable harm by the creature. Black rays from the pistol wands did not harm it. Rentar paced back carefully and aimed a fireball so as to just lap into the hut’s doorway. The thing had dropped down tentacles, evidently feeding and growing upon the material we had thrust at it, and if they were to gain entrance to the hut and loot it, the party would have to destroy the guardian - or at worst keep it from getting large enough to be able to reach tentacles into any place within the hut, if some other means of ingress to the place should somehow be discovered.

The blast of the missile caused the creature to drop several of its scarlet appendages and to curl up and a bit away from the opening. Success! Seeing this; the warlock decided to use one of his few precious spells remaining to him, so a wall of fire was conjured up. Just as it began to roar into full effect, a buzzing occurred, and down from the heavens shot a broad beam of deep blue. When this ray met the wall of fire a flickering aura sprung up, and a moment later the magical flames were completely extinguished. Additional fireballs could be cast, but each such attack ran the risk of being miscast and destroying part or all of the contents of the hut. There was another solution, risky or otherwise, teleporting into the place by means of Hodkin Ap-Awrd’s sword. The half-elf was urged to do this, for it seemed unlikely that the guardian’s tentacles commanded more than the doorway. With a somewhat desperate air, Hodkin winked out of existence where he had stood before the metal hut and simultaneously appeared on the section of the hut’s floor which had been carefully scanned under the bright light of one of the magical cones.

The half-elf discovered a wealth of interesting objects in the interior of the building. He quickly scooped up numbers of the large and small cubes upon which automatons and wands alike fed. A metal club topped off the pile, and he was out and in again, leaving those outside to sort through the haul. Back inside Hodkin examined several suits meant to disguise the wearer as some plant monster, a four armed human, and so on. Being cautious, he noted that a number of green smears discolored these skins. Taking a small orange disc from a pile on a nearby shelf, the half-elf scraped some of the greenish sap onto the disc. The stuff sizzled as it contacted the disc, and Hodkin quickly dropped it, for the potent goo completely destroyed the disc with corrosive action. There was also one of the odd flat scrying devices on the wall, with a bench full of strange openings standing before it. Ap-Awrd ignored both, fearing to call attention of the faceless men upon his activity. All that remained within the hut was an unusual back pack and a rod. Hodkin grabbed these and left the hut for the last time.

Being rather satisfied with the results of their activity, the party decided to follow the path which led northwards from the hut, as they felt confident they could overcome any additional opposition from the hut’s owner and perhaps gain yet more. If, by chance, the owner of the place was one of the people of the eye, they could make amends if their reception called for it. With the new loot piled aboard their flying disc, the adventurers went on to find where the path led. After a short time they came to a small village, and it was populated with the strangest conglomeration of creatures the bold adventurers had yet seen.

A number of crude huts of various sizes surrounded an open area in which the party brought their craft to rest. They were immediately surrounded by a throng of humans, distorted humans with multiple appendages or similar freak nature, animals, and mobile vine-like plants which gave out a pleasant humming sound. An imposing figure in garb which indicated his position as a shaman strode forth. As the obvious questions he was uttering were unintelligible to the party, Thurible cast a tongues spell, and attempted to engage in a cleric-to-cleric discussion; something about this shaman immediately rang false. Thurible inquired about the god of the shaman, if they were people of the eye symbol, and what they called themselves. The shaman replied that their god was a metal being which rested inside the largest (his own, of course) building, that they were most certainly-not people who had anything to do with the eye, and the trespassers were amidst the people of the “Tribe of Thirdlev”. He then spoke of the tribe as being hostile to all humans who did not welcome god-changed (he used the term “mutated”) animals and plants. After a few additional remarks, the shaman then ordered the party to disarm themselves and submit to examination and questioning by himself and the tribal leaders. As he spoke the throng of creatures and freaks about the metal flying carpet upon which the group stood ready increased dramatically. Armed and threatening men and monsters pressed closer. Some of the humans and human- things glowed or created mirror images of themselves. As Thurible refused, and suggested that the sham and his charges might better acknowledge the adventurers as their new leaders, the vine creatures began to hum and sing a most soothing and pleasant song. “Beguiling!” shouted some of the adventurers; “beware of charming!” said the cleric, as he began the incantation and passes which moments later brought down a curtain of silence around them all.

The shaman was obviously very angry and intent upon calling down the wrath of the entire tribe upon the party. A fireball from Hodkin and black rays from the weapons of Flatchet, Thurible, Dorag, and Rentar slew the pseudo-cleric on the spot, and as his corpse toppled it turned into reddish jelly. Horror spread over the visages of all of those onlookers who had recognizable faces. The shock was in part at the death of their shaman, but primarily it was caused from what his death proved him to have been - a faceless thing masquerading as a human! Most of the Third-levers turned and fled in shame and shock. Several of the small huts were aflame, and fearing that the fire would spread to the large central structure which was the most likely repository for treasure, Thurible urgently motioned Neb towards the dark entrance of the place. The warlock complied hurriedly, unfortunately for him. A flash of released energy greeted his attempt to pass through the portal, and Rentar fell stone dead before the trapped doorway. While Scrag the assassin and Dorag kept their wand pistols trained on the few remaining tribesmen, Hodkin went to the magic-user’s body and removed the still intact gem of seeing. Meanwhile, the cleric cast a successful raise dead upon the body of Neb Rentar, and the mechanical churigeon proceeded to restore him to full vigor. Gazing through this device revealed the shaman’s dwelling to be crisscrossed with a mesh of fine wire. Thurible took forth a coil of strange silvery wire that had been acquired during the course of their sojourn on the vessel of layers. He thrust one end into the ground, and tossed the other onto the mesh which guarded the hut. Power flowed through the thick strand, but the gem of seeing still showed an aura around the building. If anyone entering the place would be killed, it was obvious that not even the shaman would be able to go into it in its current trapped state. Therefore the shaman must have a way to shut down the field. While the others searched for a lever, the cleric examined the remains of the pseudo-shaman. A small black box with a switch protruding from it was found.

Fearing further traps, everyone in the party got aboard the disc and drew well-off while Thurible screwed up his courage and stood before the building’s entrance and moved the switch. A faint click sounded. The doorway of the place grew light, and the interior of the building could be seen. Hodkin and the cleric went in, but they found nothing of any possible value save a ring of blue and red upon a square of cloth which rested before one of the clockwork automatons common to this world. They picked it up and came forth with obvious disappointment. Three of the tribesmen were awaiting them, and these three glowed.

“You have brought ruin upon our tribe. You have defiled our God’s sanctuary and taken out the sacred artifact. You must replace it and make amends!” So speaking the three creatures threatened the adventurers. They did not seem fearful, but confident. “We can slay you all if you do not comply now,” one said, “for we have great powers.” This seemed possible, as the words came to each member of the group by telepathy.

“Surrender yourselves, or die!” shouted Thurible. Then the battle was on.

One of the glowing figures gazed at the warlock, and Rentar gasped and clutched his head. All of his spells - all knowledge of magic - were gone! The other party members felt a tug as if their strength was flowing away. The cleric cast a hold person spell to stop these fell magics, and one of the creatures stopped glowing and stood immobile and helpless. The two remaining ones drew more strength from the adventurers, but a criss-crossing pattern of black rays struck them as all of the individuals of the party used their deadly pistols to effect. In but a few seconds the combat was finished and the tribesmen dead; the rays coupled with a fireball slew them most easily. “Let us leave this miserable place far behind,” urged Hodkin. Picking up the stunned Rentar, gathering their silvery wire, the party boarded the traveling device and went away, not certain if they had won or lost, for the magic-user had become quite unable to comprehend anything connected with dweomer and knew not a spell from a spigot.

Returning from whence they had come upon this tier of their exile world, the adventurers were prepared to go into the gates of the room of levels again when Dorag spotted an arrow pointing to the southeast. Closer inspection also showed the glyphs of the eye. All agreed that they might as well follow this pointer as go elsewhere. They needed friends and allies badly, and perhaps the people who showed friendship for all humans with their signs would actually practice what they scribed. Only Neb Rentar was not a bit cheered by the prospect, having grown morose and gloomy after the magical loss of his powers. The carpet moved them speedily in the direction desired, but almost immediately they met trouble.

A cloud of miniature men came out upon the party, tiny men mounted upon giant dragonflies. These atomies were armed with bows, and looked threatening despite their size although they did not attack. Before the other members of the group could do anything, the vituperative Rentar ordered the automaton to slay the sprite-like creatures. The automaton complied, but as the little men died, they showered forth a cloud of arrows which struck down the ex-warlock and one of the two remaining gnolls. The group went on with regrets, for they suspected that the tiny creatures had been sentinels for the people of the eye, and slaying them would not favorably impress their hoped-for allies. Again, the former magic-user had to be raised and then revived by the cleric and the automaton’s ministrations. A short time later, still proceeding to the southeast along the track marked by the eye symbols, the party was attacked by a flying automaton. This thing was upon them immediately, and it would have done great execution had not the alert Thurible pressed the two-colored ring upon it, presenting the device boldly as if it were a holy symbol. At this the device stopped short, and the party’s own automaton was instructed to speak to the machine and ask if it obeyed the ring. The thing related that indeed it did and would continue to do so. It was ordered to follow and guard the adventurers, and that it did most docilely. Yet another automaton sallied forth to attack the party within a league, but now that the adventurers were warded by two of their own machines, it was quickly subdued and enlisted, and now a large train of clockwork monsters and adventurers followed the road to the people of the eye. They were to meet them in but a few minutes.

When this meeting occurred the adventurers were greeted in a friendly, if not warm, manner. Two very muscular men, bristling with weapons, strode forth. Both were amazed to see the machines obeying the party - even more surprised to note the blue and red ring which the cleric displayed upon his hand. The leaders of the people called for a telepath, and soon the two groups were deep in conversation. Yes. The people of the eye were friendly towards all humans of good will. Yes. They would happily welcome the adventurers to the sanctuary of their village, and they would help them to leave this world, for they knew how to get outside its magical fields. Yes. There would be a price for such services, for the Vigilists (as they named their conglomerate tribe) were locked in a struggle of life and death against faceless men, wolfoids (the werewolves), and even a group of evilly disposed human merchants bent on revenge against them for acts which the Vigilists committed in order to improve the lot of all humans in this world. The price required of the party was the two- hued ring and the pistol wands, called protein disruptors, by the Vigilist leaders.

The parlay grew into a detailed conversation. When the adventurers related the whole of their tale, how they had destroyed well over a score of faceless men and nearly a score of the werewolves (and had numbers of charred pelts to prove it!) their hosts were visibly pleased, and a great feast was ordered. The Vigilists told more of their adventures and activities, their plans and purposes, and the adventurers were in turn impressed. “Here,” exclaimed Hodkin is a place a bold adventurer could stay for a time and do great deeds!” Flatchet, Dorag, and Thurible agreed heartily - although the cleric reserved agreement pending his appointment as the chief priest of the Vigilists. After a few days stay, an amicable agreement was reached: The Vigilists would escort the adventurers to a place where Thurible could employ his plane shift magic to send both Neb Rentar and the Gnoll back to their own world. The other four adventurers would stay in this world of weird layers, to seek wealth and aid the Vigilists. The Vigilists would receive the special ring and all the excess goods which the party had taken as spoils, and they would give the adventurers positions of importance in the organization, as well as whatever protective devices and weaponry they needed. Thurible would be shaman, Flatchet would teach his skills to promising young tribesmen, Dorag would train warriors, and Hodkin would set to work to scribe a new (albeit very slim and sketchy) book of spells. The half-elf could thereafter see if any of the Vigilists could learn magic-use as apprentices. The Vigilist lords, Xorax and Al-Neen were most agreeable to this arrangement, welcoming the fellowship of the adventurers as trusted lieutenants and councilors. All could see the benefits of a forceful cleric urging on all the members to be more zealous in the slaying of an droids (faceless men), wolfoids, and those in opposition to the manifest destiny of the Vigilists.

Within a few days Neb Rentar and the Gnoll were sent upon their journey home, all of the gold and jewels going with them. The adventurers now had two more red bracelets, healing devices, weapons which paralyzed and burned a machine to restore the magic to the cubes which powered their weapons, and other good items in addition to their own magical arms, armor, and devices. They talked of the in taking of the place where the aged werewolves were housed, or retribution upon the metal fortress of the faceless men, of humbling the puffed-up merchants who dared to place a price on the lives of Vigilists, and of serving “Angels” by destroying monsters of pure energy (could these be cousins of will-o-wisps?) in order to gain divine aid. They were now Vigilists, heart and soul. Their names were scribed at the bottom of a broadside which was to be spread far and wide on the layers of the world, a tract which touted the Vigilist cause and offered a rich reward for each merchant brought before the Council of Vigil, each captive to be bound in thongs of wolfoid skin or smeared with red gel. After all, faceless men and clockwork monsters were nothing more than creatures to be met and slain in the course of adventuring, and did not the vista of wonderful adventures lie just ahead?!

- The Beginning -

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