Umber

The adventurers mull over the implications of their dreams, and exhibit what will prove to be rabid overconfidence. (af, dj, ler, tad)

After a night of dreams of uncanny reality, Bane is sitting upright, deep in thought, but apparently at ease. Jake is still sleeping quietly. Magnus awakes with a grin and clenches his fist a few times, as if testing its strength. Psydney is the last to awake. She draws her blade, checks its edge, and slams it back home, her visage the very icon of grim determination.

Over breakfast, Kuhlefaran tells you of a dream in which a vampire, whom she supposes to be Gulthias, offered her the command of a vast undead army. “Might be fun, but I’ve always wanted to see the Nyr Dyv, and maybe even the great plains of the West, so having to deal with an army sounds like a drag. And seeing a few places completely obliterated is all right — a contrast against the unspoilt, you know? But the whole world a smoking ruin? Bo-rrring.”

Meepo also wakes up, apparently back to full strength after his ordeal. He went to the Spire to avenge Alf, but didn’t quite figure out how to get into it. Heard some neat singing before he fell asleep, though…He’s also sure, based on some conversations they had before, that Alf had been to the Spire before. “‘Nothing quite like dying to wake you up, my boy!’ he said. Didn’t make much sense to me, but then the old guy often talked and talked and talked, mostly about silly things, liked ‘don’t touch this’ or ‘don’t touch that’ or ‘quit lighting that on fire!’ or ‘that’s not a bowling-ball, you little twit!’ which I never really paid much attention to. So what’s for breakfast? Got any smoked rats?”

Bane: I too dreamt of this Gulthias, offering me great power and an army of undead. However, let’s be honest, what’s a guy like me gonna do with an army on my back? I can barely bear the weight of my pack, much less an army. And by great Boccob, how’s an undead man supposed to get some peace and quiet with an army around going “Wooo wooo, I’m so scary, woo.” Plus, do you realize how much moisturizer you would need to keep your skin silky smooth as a wrinkly wight thing? Geez…the cost of that alone could put a man in his grave — or his neighbors, if he’s already dead.

Anyway, he really seemed intent on killing us. What I can’t figure out is why he even bothered to try to recruit us. Let’s be honest, if he was so powerful, he’d have no need to beguile us. He could just take what he wants. Perhaps we have a chance, nay, more than a chance, to destroy this vampire. Mayhap he even fears us?

By the way, Meepo, you don’t really expect me to answer that, do you? And how exactly did you get here?

Meepo: Can’t hurt to ask, you know? But I had a good idea that this was where the guys that came for Alf were from — I’d spied over his shoulder as he checked this place out a time or two. And I am Meepo, the All-Seeing Eye! Well, with Alf’s crystal ball and the unlocking phrases he taught me, I am. Oh, and the fact that Alf had just been spying here helped a little too, and the guy he was looking at looked right back and yelled at him and said something about how he was just about to get killed by some guys kinda gave me another clue. But I could have found it myself! In an hour or two or maybe three or four or five or so, anyway, unless I got stuck in the mountain like last time or something. Stupid ball.

Jake: That laughable fop tried to befuddle me too. Dangled wealth and stealth before me, the opportunity of neverending existence…Am I not already more stealthy than a vampire? I am Jake the Clever!

I revel in my skills and tweak Fate’s nose at will! The mediocrity of undeath is not for me…

For a moment Jake’s face goes slack, then his mouth moves:

Besides, the fact that his Peril Sensitive Sunglasses are pitch black should be a warning to him.

…I prefer the uncertainty of life!

Magnus: I think that you have it all wrong — this bespectacled one is merely a tool to be used and discarded! After he provides me with the power he has promised, I will crush him like the rat that he is. There can be only one hand wielding the Heart!

You guys are welcome to stay as long as you like, though. I will have the power to keep you safe.

Psydney: The mighty fighter with the will of moss thinks he can withstand the charismatic force of a vampire and retain control of his own destiny? Interesting. Pardon me if I don’t stand too close to you.

I wouldn’t bet my sword on the likelihood of Gulthias being afraid. World domination is a tall order for any single individual, and he does need to replace a few of his lieutenants now because of us. There would be a perverse kind of logic to replacing them with us.

He offered me the ability to defeat entire armies single-handedly. Power’s a nice thing, but I’ve never been very good at being a little trained minion, and I have even less interest in being undead. I prefer living, I’ll accept dying, but existing in some state in between — no thanks. Too much trouble to mind blast when you don’t have a mind anymore.

Magnus: Hah. I will defeat armies, moss-on-the-brain or no. With the strength we can possess, there will be no end to what we can achieve.

Gulthias will be afraid. He will fear our strength! Power and strength move to fill a void where it was not before. Is it not better for us to wield the power than for Gulthias to wreak havoc on the countryside?

Bane: Time to pop some popcorn. This is going to be one hell of a show.