Introduction
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  Exile is a state of being. An Exile is a person who has been expelled from his or her country. To exile someone is to declare that person an undesirable, a person who must leave and can never return.
  Exile is also a place. It is an enormous network of tunnels and caverns far below the surface world. For years, the Empire, undisputed master of the surface world, has used these caverns as the dumping ground for the unwanted.
  Men and women, skilled and unskilled, elderly and young children alike, were sent through a one-war teleporter into the caverns below. There, they survived, endured, and formed a society.
  They bided their time.
  They desired to return to the surface. They desired revenge.
  And they struck back.
  The Empire made the mistake of sending into Exile several powerful mages who had become too inconvenient to keep around safely. They were a great help in building the nation under the world, and waited the chance for vengeance.
  Then, they had their chance. The stongest of them all, Erika, managed to teleport a group of adventurers to the surface, where they assassinated Hawthorne, the powerful and brilliant King of the Empire.  The others used their skills to help the Exile army defeat the sinister Slithzerikai, a race of visious lizard men. Exile was now safe from threats in the underworld.
  The Empire realized, overnight, what a brood of vipers they had given birth to. There were two reactions. The first was sudden. Nobody else was teleported below. The misfits of the surface were kept in prisons, rather than caves.
  The second reaction came five years later, after it became clear that Exile was surviving just fine without fresh people from the surface.
  The Empire invaded.
  Soldiers, priests, mages, and assassins were teleported into the underworld, slowly at first, then faster. The exiles have waged a vicious guerrilla war against them, but little by little the denizens of the caves are being wiped out.
  You band was part of one of the last groups sent into Exile. After Hawthorne was killed, you were hired into the Exile army as adventurers - a small band designed to take care of jobs calling for small, stealthy groups.
  You have just arrived at Fort Ganrick. You are there to help the garrison there fight a tribe of Nephilim, fierce, feline humanoids. You are in your quarters. Cecile, the captain here has told to go see her after settling in.
  So do what you can. But remember. Every day, the Empire invaders carve up a little bit more of your home. One by one, your people are being put the sword. The question - what are you going to do about it? What can you do?
  Welcome to Exile. How long do to plan on staying?
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CHAPTER I - THE BARRIERS
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Fort Ganrick        (look)
  You meet a harried, balding man. He doesn't want to slow down to talk to you.
Fort Ganrick        (name)
  "I'm Gridley. And I don't have much time to chat."
Fort Ganrick        (job)
  "I'm the quartermaster for Fort Ganrick. And I need help!"
Fort Ganrick        (quartermaster)
  "Yeah. I keep track of supplies. Well, that's supposed to be my job. But I also cook. And clean. And hold the kids hands. And try to get everything in shape before we get attacked."
Fort Ganrick        (supplies)
  "Oh, you need things do you? Ask Cecile, the captain, about supplies. She'll tell you what you can have. It won't be much."
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Fort Ganrick        (look)
  You meet a small woman with long red hair and intricately made chain mail. She wears the insignia of a captain, not to mention two long, vicious looking rapiers.
Fort Ganrick        (name)
  "Cecile Vidican. Captain Vidican, to you. Welcome to Fort Ganrick."
Fort Ganrick        (job)
  "I'm trying to help this fort get established. That's where you come in. There's Nephilim to the east. And a reward in it for you."
Fort Ganrick        (fort)
  "Fort Ganrick. Before the Empire attacked, this was a peaceful mining area. Then the Nephilim snuck up here, wiped out the miners, and got established. Now we're here to hold them in until we can root them out."
Fort Ganrick        (nephilim)
  "The kitties have established a lair to the east. We don't have the troops for a frontal assault, but we have high hopes that a small band can sneak in and do some damage to keep them off guard. The hard part is getting past the gate."
  She pats her blades. "We have to do something before they attack. We're ready, but not that ready."
Fort Ganrick        (supplies)
  "You can find supplies in the rooms to the east. Help yourself. We won't send you into the jaws of doom empty-handed. We don't have much to offer, I'm afraid. Little more than stone weapons, until Formello sends up something."
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Fort Ganrick        (look)
  A scrawny man wearing the robes of an apprentice mage is reclining on the bed. He seems to have a headache.
Fort Ganrick        (name)
  "I'm Ian. Who are you?" He looks you over. "Oh. Adventurers. Go away."
Fort Ganrick        (job)
  "Go away. I have a headache."
Fort Ganrick        (headache)
  "Yes. From my journey. Wake me if we get attacked."
Fort Ganrick        (journey)
  "From the tower."
Fort Ganrick        (tower)
  "From the Tower of Magi. Perhaps you've heard of it. A place where magi can learn and grow and gain power without having to fight kitties and Sliths and whatever. It's far to the south. Too far. Now will you please go away?"
  He rolls over on the bed and grumbles at you obscenely.
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Fort Draco - Special
  This is the foundry, small, searingly hot, and productive. To the north is a broad, shallow pool of molten metal, running off into thin troughs, where the metal solidifies into ingots. How the metal is kept molten is unclear - probably magic. 
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A short stout woman is taking notes on a sheet of lichen parchment. She, like everything and everyone else, is covered with a thick layer of soot.
Fort Draco          (name)
  She slaps you on the shoulder in greeting. You think she sprained something. "Hi! Call me Cappy."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I'm the forewoman here. We can't talk long. We have a load of ingots due in Formello."
Fort Draco          (formello)
  "Biggest city up here. It's some ways to the southeast. Have a large barracks there." She frowns. "Lucky thing our next steel is going there, what with the barrier and all."
Fort Draco          (barrier)
  "Because of that barrier that just appeared, we can't send stuff anywhere else. It's a bad thing. Lots of fortresses count on us for weapons."
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A tall, thin woman heaves sacks of ore over to the smelter. The muscles of her arms show through her pale skin like steel cables.
Fort Draco          (name)
  She gives you a brief nod. "I'm Della."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I help keep the foundry going! While I can."
Fort Draco          (foundry)
  "Those cursed Nephilim have cut us off from our fine ore, but we've got plenty stored up, so we'll be making steel for a while!"
Fort Draco          (ore)
  "Up north. They took all our mines from us. Hope we get back at 'em soon. Exile needs Draco weapons." She grabs another sack of ore. "Look, I got a lot of work to do."
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Fort Draco - Special
  You find an enormous steel anvil, almost as tall as you and patterned with strange sigils. 
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Fort Draco          (look)
  You are greeted by an enormous, heavily muscled man, stripped to the waist. Somehow, his ruddy glow manages to shine through the paleness that comes from years of living in these caves. 
Fort Draco          (name)
  He grabs your hand. "I'm Boutell, master blacksmith of the caves." He doesn't seem terribly humble.
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I work steel! Only person down here who does! If you want a good weapon, you can buy it here! I also do repair work."
Fort Draco          (repair)
  "Yes, indeed. Mighty Demonslayer itself was reforged by my hand!" This seems implausible, but you let it slide. "I can repair any blade you need reworked, and I can improve weapons too." 
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Fort Draco          (look)
  You meet an energetic, long-haired woman, her belt laden with tools of various sorts. She holds a ruler and a scroll, and her jerkin is covered with a light layer of sawdust.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "I'm Tess, the shipwright of Fort Draco. Pleased ta' meet'cha!"
Fort Draco          (job)
  "Whaddaya' think? I make boats. Wanna' purchase one? Only 300 gold. Highest quality!"
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A middle-aged man is reclining against one of the statues, looking out over the water. The green light from the fungus above shines eerily on the river. He wears the robes of an apprentice. Strange - he's old for an apprentice.
Fort Draco          (name)
  He looks up at you. "Welcome. Join me in enjoying the view. I am Anford, commander of Fort Draco."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I am the fort commander. I'm also a mage, but that isn't as important."
Fort Draco          (commander)
  "This is where I do my thinking about the fort. My office, so to speak. Normally, I'd be planning tactics, defenses, that sort of thing. But not lately. We fought off a bunch of Empire assaults, and they've left us alone lately, so that's not on my mind."
  "We have a different threat now. I'm mainly thinking about the barrier."
Fort Draco          (mage)
  "I've been an apprentice mage for five years. In the slith wars, I got assigned to this fort, and they found I had a knack for tactics. I never returned to the Tower of Magi."
Fort Draco          (barrier)
  "The barriers appeared a week ago. We just found out about them. Magic barriers, of a sort we've never seen before, cutting off this area from the rest of Exile. We can't break them down, we can't touch them. It's a disaster! Exile needs our help!"
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A graying woman, pale to the point of translucency, sits behind the counter polishing a helmet.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "I'm Esther. Welcome to my shop."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "You can buy and sell armor here. It's not fancy stuff, like Boutell makes, but the price won't break you. And when you're done here, Orson can help you more."
Fort Draco          (boutell)
  "His smithy is just down the road. He's a bit full of himself, but let me tell you, he's the finest hammer and anvil man in Exile. And maybe the world, too."
Fort Draco          (orson)
  "My husband. His weapons shop is just around the corner." She sighs. "We came down into Exile together, 10 years ago. We're old timers."
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A brawny man paces edgily about. He looks you up and down, and is clearly unimpressed.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "Boris." His voice makes the air vibrate.
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I train people who need it. I teach stuff to a lot of soldiers."
Fort Draco          (soldiers)
  "Soldiers often get sent to me to learn. The Empire soldiers are fast and deadly. It's all I can do to give them the skills to avoid being butchered." 
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Fort Draco          (look)
  You see an aging and graying man behind the counter, wrinkled and grumbling. He is sharpening an arrowhead. His skin is like parchment, bleached white.
Fort Draco          (name)
  He looks up at you. "Ah! A customer!" He brushes soot off the counter with his hand. "I am Orson. Welcome!"
Fort Draco          (job)
  "I run this fine little shop. You can buy and sell weapons here." He waves at his stock. "Not bad, despite the barrier. Really messed with my stock."
Fort Draco          (barrier)
  "Well, I won't be able to get much new stock with those barriers up, but I still have a lot here. I just hope they get the thing down soon."
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A large, filthy dirty man sits at the bar, swilling mushroom ale.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "Harg."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "Let a man drink in peace."
Fort Draco          (peace)
  "You heard me. I'm drinkin' here. Go away."
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Fort Draco          (look)
  The bar is tended by a handsome man with somewhat deranged demeanor. He fights a constant and futile battle to keep the counter free of soot.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "Welcome to my inn! My name is Crisper."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "Drinks are a gold. You can sleep in the common room for 5 gold. And you can even buy rations! Feel free to stay and rest for a while. Just never mind me. It takes all my time keeping the place clean."
Fort Draco          (clean)
  He twitches. "All the ashes! I never knew when I bought this place there would be so many ashes! A ton a day, piles and piles of them, all over. And smoke too! And it isn't just that..."
  He twitches alarmingly. "It's the spiders! I have to clear away their webs! All of them!"
Fort Draco          (spiders)
  "They're what did this to me! It was the happy spiders! I can't get them out of my brain! I hear them speaking to me sometimes! A whole bunch of them live to the west. Some of them came around not that long ago, looking for someone to help them. I ran!"
  "I've always hated spiders! And having them hit on me only makes it worse!" He's ranting. You get nervous.
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Fort Draco          (look)
  You find a very young man, just starting to get fuzz on his upper lip. He's rearranging the thick piles of dirt on the floor with a large broom. Huge piles of ore dwarf him on either side.
Fort Draco          (name)
  "Hi! I'm Kev!"
Fort Draco          (job)
  "Sweeping up the warehouse."
Fort Draco          (sweeping)
  "It's nice to see someone. This place makes me nervous. I keep hearing noises."
Fort Draco          (noises)
  "From the storeroom, with all the barrels. I hear scraping in there all the time. I try not to go back there - it sure don't sound like rats!"
Fort Draco          (rats)
  "Big as me! And sometimes they blow this foul, nasty gas at you! I run when I see 'em. You should do the same!"
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Fort Draco - Special
  You find what was once a opening in the floor. It has, however, been filled in with a massive block of cement. You wonder what was below.
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Fort Draco          (look)
  A small woman with curly hair sits behind the counter watching you silently.
Fort Draco          (name)
  She looks uncomfortable. "Cheryl."
Fort Draco          (job)
  "Just sitting. Maybe with some things you could buy. But things that are perfectly legal to sell! And you can sell me things too, nothing wrong with that. Nothing illegal going on here." She is intensely nervous.
Fort Draco          (illegal)
  "There's nothing wrong here. Nope!" She's shaking a little. "And the ore piles back there! They're my property. I can prove it! So stay away."
Fort Draco          (ore)
  The corner of her mouth begins to twitch. "Just stay away from them. Please? OK?" Somehow, despite her pleading, she doesn't seem entirely sincere.
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Mission - Under Formello
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Mission - Nephilim Castle
Nephilim Castle - Special
  Among the ratty, stained scrolls on the shelves, you find one of great interest. It contains a detailed descriptions of the rituals to cast the spell 'Move Mountains.' You learn the spell.
Nephilim Castle - Special
  This is a small robing chamber. The red wool cloaks on the walls might have been nice once, but then the Nephilim priests shed all over them. Now they're ratty, and smell funny to boot.
Nephilim Castle - Special
  You move forward carefully, heading towards some large burial mounds to the south. Suddenly, creatures crawl out of them, shaking off stones and grit as they proceed towards you.
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Formello            (look)
  Considering the unpleasantness of the food down here, it's amazing that this man managed to get so corpulent. He stares at you greasily from across the counter.
Formello            (name)
  "I am Townsend. Townsend the sage. How may I help you?" He studies your possessions with a practiced eye.
Formello            (job)
  "I see you've been doing some looting. I can identify your items for a small fee. I am also an alchemist of some skill. I'm out of potions, but I have recipes for sale."
Formello            (recipes)
  "I know recipes for poisons of weak and medium strength. You may purchase them if you wish. However, both recipes require toadstools, which are scarce these days. Just so you know."
Formello            (toadstools)
  He chuckles, jiggling slightly. "You don't think I would tell you where I get my supply, do you? Don't be so naive."
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Formello            (look)
  A tall gangly man grinds up fungus behind the counter. He is surrounded by bundles and bunches of mold and mushrooms.
Formello            (name)
  "Welcome to my shop. My name is Stoppard."
Formello            (job)
  "I have a wide variety of potions which you can purchase. I also carry a few missiles on the side. Also, you can sell me anything. I've had to be versatile lately."
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Formello            (look)
  The bar is tended by a young, unshaven, ferret-faced man. Despite his unsavory appearance, he seems to be running a good inn. Pots of stew bubble happily behind him, and kegs of mushroom ale are lined up, ready for tapping.
Formello            (name)
  "I'm Gibbon. What can I do for you?"
Formello            (job)
  "Well, we have stew for two gold, and a round of beer for all of you for 3 gold. Also, one of our rooms is still free. That's only five gold." He winces. "It's the only room available, I'm afraid."
Formello            (available)
  He leans close to you. "I only say this because you're adventurers. Keep it quiet. There's something weird in one of the rooms, like a ghost. I saw it, slammed the door, and locked it. It had stuff with it. If you kill it, you can have it."
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Formello            (look)
  A woman in leather armor with a rapier at her side sits at the table, swilling down ale. She doesn't look happy.
Formello            (name)
  "I'm Rose." She belches, grimacing as the taste of the ale returns to her mouth. "You look like you work for a living. Have a seat."
Formello            (job)
  "Achhh." She spits on the floor. "Adventuring. But that damned Townsend rooked me."
Formello            (townsend)
  "Fat bastard!" Customers turn to look at her. She quiets down. "He had me find some toadstools for him. I did, but he don't pay me because they aren't 'magical enough' whatever the hell that means! Then he offers me half price! I stomped on 'em and left."
  She takes a swig, and leans close to you. "Want to hear a secret?"
Formello            (secret)
  She laughs, takes another swig, and says "I found out where he gets his fungus usually. Go to the tunnels northwest of town, where nobody lives? Yeah? Go there. Look for a rock outcropping by a little lake. Go just west of that."
  She leans back. "That'll show that turd!" She orders three more beers. None of them are for you.
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Formello            (look)
  A woman, flushed with exertion, walks up to greet you. As she approaches, she sheathes a broadsword. She must have just been practicing with it.
Formello           (name) 
  "I'm Amber. Welcome to Formello's training center."
Formello            (job)
  "I run the training center. It's where all the soldiers and mages and such come to learn new skills to use against the enemy. You can get training too, if you want."
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Formello            (look)
  You are greeted by a graying man in spotless white robes. He approaches you and bows humbly. 
Formello            (name)
  "I am father Caius, current caretaker of this temple. I welcome you - it is always inspiring to see new faces here." Having someone be so friendly to you is simultaneously refreshing and unnerving.
Formello            (job)
  "It has fallen to me to end my travels here, as caretaker of this temple. I perform services in that capacity. I can heal, for a small donation. I can also teach certain clerical rituals to you. Please be sure to let me know instantly how I can assist."
(SPELLS - Cure Party, Curse All, Dispel Undead, Remove Curse, Sticks to Snakes, Martyr's Shield, Cleanse, Firewalk)
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Fort Ganrick        (name)
  "Cecile Vidican. Captain Vidican, to you. Welcome to Fort Ganrick."
Fort Ganrick        (nephilim - after kill *the* chieftain)
  When you hand her the head she smiles, and gets a sack of gold coins from her desk. "Well done, adventurers! You've earned ten times this for the service you've done for this area. This ends your work here. Good luck to you."
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Gunston Homestead   (look)
  A radiant, red-headed woman, maybe in her very early twenties, is running various farm errands. She has many small scars on her hands and arms, which show up well against the translucent white skin.
Gunston Homestead   (name)
  "We don't get many visitors from far away! Welcome! My name is Jasmine."
Gunston Homestead   (job)
  "Nicholas and I work for Tor and Carol. It's their farm. I watch the livestock, and he works the mushrooms."
Gunston Homestead   (livestock)
  She looks sadly at the scars on her hands. "It's sad work. The cows are always sickly and sad. And they're better than those lizards! Those nasty cretins will take your hand off if you let them! But where else can we get meat?"
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Gunston Homestead   (look)
  You meet a pale young man. He wears a studious, harried expression, and carries a basket of mushrooms.
Gunston Homestead   (name)
  He nods, not setting down the mushrooms. "I'm Nicholas."
Gunston Homestead   (job)
  "I look after the mushroom patches. I bet you think it's easy."
Gunston Homestead   (mushroom)
  "It's hard work! Bats fly down and munch on them. The fungus light is barely sufficient. Stray lizards eat them. And I have two patches to look after outside the farm. They're each a half mile long!"
  He sighs and looks embarrassed. "You probably think I'm being whiny."
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Gunston Homestead   (look)
  You meet a tall, striking woman with short, dark hair. She grinds something up with a mortar and pestle as she talks to you.
Gunston Homestead   (name)
  "I'm Carol, of the Hamer clan. Welcome to our humble household."
Gunston Homestead   (job)
  "I and my husband watch out for our farm, and for the farms around here. I'm a healer, you see. I can help you too, if you like."
Gunston Homestead   (husband)
  "Tor. We run this farm together. It's been a lot of work because of the salamanders."
Gunston Homestead   (salamander)
  "Two salamanders are holed up in our larder. Talk to Tor about it. He'll tell you how it happened."
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Gunston Homestead   (look)
  A dour, well-worn man sits at the end of the table, pondering. A heavy blade hangs at his side.
Gunston Homestead   (name)
  He nods. "My name's Tor. Welcome to the Gunston homestead."
Gunston Homestead   (job)
  "I run this place with my lady.  I also help the other farmers, when I can. I used to work at the fort, but haven't done any of that for a long time."
Gunston Homestead   (fort)
  "I used to work at Fort Exile. I gave weapons and stuff to the new arrivals. Everyone who arrived from the surface world went by me. I gave 'em a knife, food, and directions. Without my stuff, nobody woulda' lived long."
  "Course, the Empire stopped sending people down. Fort Exile shut down, and I left the army. Oh well. What can ya' do?"
Gunston Homestead   (salamander)
  He shakes his head. "Not long ago, a mated pair of salamanders broke in here. We tried to drive them out, but they hid in our larder, and we can't get them out. They're eatin' our stores. Kill em', and I'll reward you best I can."
Gunston Homestead   (salamander - after kill them)
  "Thanks for your help. I got something for you. We in the Gunston house remembers those that help us." He disappears into the next room, and returns with a delicate necklace for you. "This'll turn many a blow away."
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Formello (Special as walk in courtyard.)
As you walk into the courtyard, there is a booming sound, and the earth vibrates. Hearing screams, you run to see what the problem is.
In the middle of the courtyard, you see a fountain. Floating above it, you see a brightly glowing apparition. It is a humanoid, very tall and thin, but too insubstantial for you to make out anything else.
After a moment, the screaming dies doen, replaced by a horrified silence. Then, it begins to speak. "Do not be alarmed, humans. I am Bon-Ihrno of the Vahnatai people. I cannot stay here for long."
"You have taken some of our lands. A few. It doesn't matter. Humans has committed a greater theft from us, a hideous theft. It has been decided you will be destroyed. Ther barriers are the beginning."
"Some do not think this is just. I am one. Some of you must come to us to explain why you have done what you have done. Here..."
The figure point at the cave wall to the east. There is a huge explosion. You hit the ground. When you look up, you see there is a large crevice where there wasn't one before.
The ficure begins to fade. As it does, he says "come protest your innocence. But if you are guilty, we will no rest until our Crystal Souls are returned to us."
And he's gone.
The people in the courtyard get up and mill about, stunned. You see nearby a man wearing the traditional mayor's sash. He's looking at you intently.
Nearby, the dark crevice in the wall waits. Nobody goes near it. The townspeople mill about, terrified, seemingly intent on forgetting that what just happened happened.
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Formello            (look)
  You meet a man in his fifties, easily. He is very tense - his body seems about to tear itself apart. In addition to the traditional mayor's sash, he wears a large gold necklace.
Formello            (name)
  He nods. "I am Amtar. Mayor Amtar, honored ruler of the city of Formello."
Formello            (job)
  He shakes his head. "So many troubles, and even my secretary has gone off to fight. I'm glad to see adventurers here. At this point, we need all the assistance we can get."
Formello            (secretary)
  "His name is Foley. He's a captain now. If you meet him, be sure to mention my name to him."
Formello            (assistance)
  "Well, we all heard what that shade said and saw the crevice appear. Exile needs someone to go down into it. It may be our only hope to get rid that cursed barrier. You are the only adventurers around here. You may be the only people who can save us."
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Formello            (look)
  A heavily armed and armored man sits behind a desk, shuffling papers. He looks like nothing would make him happier than going out and killing something.
Formello            (name)
  "I'm Captain Graham."
Formello            (job)
  He shakes his head. "Not much. Not much action in this area. Nothing for my boys. Yet. Though I occasionally get missions. If you help me out, I can help you get a higher clearance."
Formello            (clearance)
  He shakes his head. "Don't they tell you guys anything? Clearances! To determine where you can go and what you're allowed to know! There's soldier clearance, for grunts, and magical clearance, the next one up, for mages, and royal clearance."
  "Adventurers, to get clearance, do missions. And we keep track."
Formello            (mission)
  He thinks. "Well, there is someone that needs killing. To the west, there's this cult in the ruins of an old Nephilim fort. All we know about them is - they make undead. We don't know how. Destroy whatever they use to make the undead."
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Formello            (look)
  A taciturn man in moss-stained clothes stalks about.
Formello            (name)
  He grunts. "Tybalt."
Formello            (job)
  "I'm a farmer."
Formello            
  "Yeah. I grow the mushrooms in the corner of town. Don't touch 'em, or you're nicked!"
Formello            (mushrooms)
  "Yeah. They're emergency crops, in case we get sieged! And I'm in charge of em! Touch 'em, and you might get in serious trouble, if you live past what I do ta' ya'!"
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Formello - Special
  There is a strange message carved in this wall: 'Ent Bel Tor'
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Formello            (look)
  A young girl in the robes of a mage's apprentice, at least two sizes too big for her, wanders around keeping things clean and organized.
Formello            (name)
  She curtsies to you in a very perfunctory manner. "I'm Alice. The apprentice mage!" She's quite proud of that last part.
Formello            (job)
  "I'm an apprentice mage. I haven't been one for very long, so I can't blow anything up yet. I mostly have to run errands. And sometimes it's really difficult!"
Formello          (apprentice)  
  "To Miles. He runs the library, and he's really powerful! He's going to teach me magic for the next five years! And I'll do a lot of sweeping." She brushes off her skirt, and stands up straight.
  "I don't mind the scut work, as long as I get to learn magic!"
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Formello            (look)
  A very tall man with raven black hair and short beard reclines behind his desk, humming something that sounds like a sea chanty.
Formello            (name)
  "Hmm? Oh! Welcome, to the library, travellers!" He stands to greet you. "I'm Miles."
Formello            (job)
  "I run the Library of Formello, one of the three centers of magical learning in Exile. Feel free to browse the scrolls. Also, for a small fee you can purchase the magical knowledge of the ages. This is a school as well as a library."
Formello            (center)
  "Patrick's tower, in the Great Cave, is the source of much powerful and arcane research. But the greatest center of magical learning is the Tower of Magi, a huge basalt tower in the southeast corner of Exile."
  "That is the place to go to do any really serious magical learning. I hate to admit it, but there it is."
(SPELLS - Poison, Ice Bolt, Slow Group, Magic Map, Venom Arrows, Wall of Ice)
------------
Spider Cave         (look)
  A spider stands calmly in the center of the cave.
Spider Cave         (name)
  "Hi! I'm Spider!"
Spider Cave         (job)
  "I'm the mayor, the sacred leader of the spiders here, and leader in worship of the Great Spider Goddess! But you could probably tell." You couldn't. 
Spider Cave         (goddess)
  "She's like a spider, but really, really, really big! And she eats bugs the size of, well, uhh, really, really, really big bugs! And she's cute too."
Spider Cave         (leader)
  "I direct the war against the great, evil aranea. They cast magic spells, but they're wimpy if you get up by them, and you can beat them up. We're silly, but we're tough too, and we have big, big fangs!"
  "We're really mad at them, because they stole our babies."
Spider Cave         (babies)
  "They stole some egg sacs and took them to their lair to the south! If you bring them back to me, you can have the stuff in that cave there." It points at a tunnel to the northeast. "We took the stuff from some silly people from the surface world!"
------------
Spider Cave         (look)
  A spider practices leaps and chomps. When it sees you, it carries out a perfect high jump and lands right in front of you, hissing all the way.
Spider Cave         (name)
  "I'm Spider!"
Spider Cave         (job)
  "I'm getting ready to attack the aranea!" It jumps up, executes kicks with three of its legs in succession, and lands with fangs brandished. "Neat, huh!"
Spider Cave         (job)
  "Yup. Soon, they'll let me go to the pool, and then we'll go on a raid."
Spider Cave         (pool)
  "We have a pool of white stuff that makes the aranea webs not affect you. All you gotta' do is rub it on you! We all put it on before we go on raids. That shows 'em!"
  "Just don't drink it. It's all icky, and if you've rubbed it on you it messes that up too. Blah."
Spider Cave - Special (33,23)
  You touch it, and it seems to seep into your skin. A warm feeling crawls along your body as the slime wraps around you. Then the feeling fades, and nothing else seems to happen.
============
Aranea Web          (look)
  A spider is hiding in the corner. Strangely, it doesn't seem interested in attacking you. You look closer, and see that it is, in fact, one of the friendly spiders!
Aranea Web          (name)
  "Shhhhh! I'm Spider!" It says this in the loud, chirpy voice you've come to know so well.
Aranea Web          (job)
  "I'm spying on the aranea! I'm a stealth spider!" It skitters quietly back and forth on the floor.
Aranea Web          (stealth)
  "Yeah - I've been here for ... uhhh ... some days! I know all about this place! What do you want to know?" It looks you over. "You're cute!" 
Aranea Web          (eggs)
  It hisses. "They have our egg sac here. It's way on the other side, not in the center." It points northwest. "A bunch of nasty spiders guard it, so I can't get it. They want to do an experiment on them!" It hisses again, very loudly.
------------
Aranea Web - Special (1,3)
  This is very bizarre - it seems to be an aranea lab table. However the substances and reagents aren't stored in nice simple vials on a nice simple table. Instead the globs of goo and fungus and other reagents are stuck to the webs.
  Unreadable notes are all over the place, written in elegent traceries of web. Whatever these spiders were doing, it's quite elaborate. It's also very fragile.
  (Destroy)
------------
Aranea Web - Special (1,2)
  Nestled in a cubbyhole woven out of the webbing, you find a large egg sac. You would think these were aranea eggs, but this menacing place seems a strange place to put one's children.
  (Take)
------------
Aranea Web - Special (21,23)
  The runes woven in this web make sense - they form a human spell placed here for study. You read the runes, and learn the spell. It's True Sight.
------------
Aranea Web - Special (25,23)
  The runes woven in this web make sense - they form a human spell placed here for study. You read the runes, and learn the spell. It's Minor Manna.
============
Spider Cave         (name)
  "Hi! I'm Spider!"
Spider Cave         (eggs - after getting from aranea)
  It bounces up and down and shouts for joy, a shout that is soon picked up by the all the spiders in the tunnel. "You brought our eggs to us!" It has some spiders clear out the barrier in the nearby tunnel. "Thank you, cute people! Thank you!"
------------
Spider Cave - Special
   The tunnels to the east are darker, and seem to be populated with the smaller, less intelligent, less friendly brand of giant spider. Several spiders the size of mangos watch you carefully.
------------
Spider Cave - Special
  To the north is a bizarre shrine of some sort, put together out of rocks and rubble by the stupid spiders of these tunnels.
------------
Spider Cave - Special
  The non-smart spider giants have assembled a representation of a huge spider here, 15 feet long. It's body and legs are made up of thousands and thousands of pebbles, painstakingly piled up by the arachnids.
  You notice that in their scavanging, the spider picked up from somewhere (maybe the nearby mines) a bunch of coins, pieces of metal, and small gems. It would be simple to pick up a few for yourself.
  (you get poisoned, but so what! it's a nice haul)
============
Formello - Special
  This bookshelf contains a collection of religious tomes. They span many faiths, from the mundane to bizarre, active to ancient. Intrigued, you read for a while.
  The time you spend is not wasted. In one of the older tomes, you find a long, draining ritual for blessing an area, purging it of evil spirits and foul magics. You now know the Ritual of Sanctification.
============
Near Castle Ruins - Special
  There was once a large, sturdily built fort to the north. However,  some sort of extreme military disaster has been visited upon it. Only a few small parts of it are still standing. Rubble from its ruins is strewn all over the place.
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special
  There are several statues of humanoids in this area. Interesting. They're all of travellers or adventurers, in very surprised poses.
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special
  This is a very grisly sight. Rows of bodies, human, Nephilim, and slith, carefully arranged, waiting who knows what. They've been sprinkled with quicklime, so at least the smell isn't unbearable. You still want to leave.
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special
  Someone has stored a cache of iron rations and valuables here. They're covered in webs - they must have been here a while.
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special
  This grim, decaying chamber is dominated by its altar. It is a slab of basalt, waist high, covered with strange glyphs and carvings of humans dying, being laid to rest, and returning as undead.
  Magic radiates from it in waves - just being near it fills you with a subtle but palpable feeling of terror. You see a depression in the top, just the right size and shape for a body.
  What do you do? (Lie in Depression - Destroy it - Leave)
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special
  The books describe all manner of bizarre rituals, all involving the creation, maintenance and use of undead. Very cheery. One book catches your eye - it's filled with nothing but drawings of a large black altar, and people putting bodies on it.
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special (36,17)
  In the dresser, you find a large bronze ankh. It looks like some sort of altar centerpiece. You wonder what it is doing here.
  (Take)
------------
Blasted Ruins - Special 
  The desks contains papers scribbled with wild, apocalyptic ravings. It's hard to tell, but the writer apparently believed in: "Undead Paradise, With the Great Altar As The GATE!" There are also rosters of undead beings. They've made quite a lot of them.
------------
Northeast Exile - Special
  There is a crude cairn here, hurriedly built against the cave wall. When you move forward to investigate, a shadowy form begins to coalesce over it. (Wait)
  It takes a little while, but eventually the mist coalesces into an insubstantial figure - a middle-aged man in clerical robes. When it is fully formed, it begins to speak. The words are halting and you struggle to hear.
  "Ambushed ... Ogres ... Secret tunnel ... Couldn't get to boat ... My god ... ashamed ... Save me ... Must be avenged ... Ogres in secret valley ... south ... Will reward you ... Help me."
  And with that, the challenge of communicating with you overwhelms him, and he disappears.
------------
Northease Exile - Special
  There is a narrow cave entrance at the east end of this hidden valley. Poorly treated lizard skins and severed Slith heads are scattered about. It stinks. (Search)
  You don't make it far into the cave before you find its owners.
  Most of the ogre's equipment is unusable. You do, however, find a few iron ingots in the back of the cave. They're worth some gold.
------------
Northeast Exile - Special
  You approach the cairn, and the shade again appears. This time, it takes much less time to form, and is much more substantial. 
  "Thank you, warriors. My blood has been paid for with theirs, and I may rejoin my warrior brothers beyond. And now, your reward ..."

  The ghost begins to pray. The prayer begins with strange words, uttered in a low gutteral voice, and works up to something between and chant and a bestial scream.

  With that the ghost begins to fade. As he does, he says "I have prayed for you. You now have an honorable place in the afterlife. Thank you ..."
  And he is gone.
------------
Northeas Exile - Specials
  This part of the swamp is frozen over. A thin sheet of ice covers everything. It's very interesting and very unusual. Before long, however, you find out why everything is so chilly...
  You search the area for the remains of victims of the puddings, but find only lizard skeletons and giant spider remains. No loot.
------------
Little Vale         (look)
  You meet a small, dapper man with carefully tended black hair and an elegant moustache. He watches you with interest.
Little Vale         (name)
  He nods. "I am Waldby."
Little Vale         (job)
  He grins. "Why, I'm a salesman! What else?"
Little Vale         (salesman)
  "Believe it or not. This is my lovely shop, or will be until the Empire comes."
Little Vale         (empire)
  "Any day now, I expect to hear news of Empire troops coming. When that happens, I'm ready to be out of here within the hour. I'm not interested in suicide."
Little Vale         (suicide)
  "Which is what I would be committing if I tried to defend my shop against the Empire."
------------
Dead End - Special
  At the end of this dead end, you find a barricade, guarded by a very jumpy, isolated, and well armed garrison of Empire soldiers. You eye each other nervously for a few minutes. Then, one of them yells "You don't bug us, we won't bug you!" (Attack)
  Most of the ogre's equipment is unusable. You do, however, find a few iron ingots in the back of the cave. They're worth some gold.
------------
Tiny Slith Fort - Special
  This statue is the only thing in this whole place not shoddily made. It is of a male slith, holding a huge two-tined spear. The words "Sss-Thsss" are carved in the base of the statue. Offerings of fish have been placed before it.
------------
Tiny Slith Fort     (look)
  There is an unarmed slith sitting in this narrow cell. Its scales are pale, and lack the glossy sheen of normal slith scales. It looks at you nervously.
Tiny Slith Fort     (name)
  It realizes you aren't about to attack it. "I am Ahkas-Ahss, humansss." You strain to hear its soft, sibilant voice.
Tiny Slith Fort     (job)
  "The foul slithsss here imprisssoned me. I can now escape, if you do not kill me."
Tiny Slith Fort     (slith)
  "These are renegade slithsss, part of the army of foul Sss-Thsss. When Sss-Thsss was slain and his castle dessstroyed, most of hisss servants sued for peace. We do not all hate humansss. But then, some of them fled, to keep killing and fighting."
  "They caught me, and were going to sacrifice me."
Tiny Slith Fort     (sacrifice)
  "I was to be sacrificed to Sss-Thsss, the foul warlord the humans have slain." He nods. "We slithsss are a people of justice. And he received hisss, as will we all."
Tiny Slith Fort     (escape)
  It stands, slowly, and bows to you. "Now that my guards are dead, I will get away, back to my family and brood. Were it not for you, I would be sacrificed. Again, I thank you."
============
Verdant Valley (Bandit Lair (L2)) - Special
  This bookshelf is disappointing. It's filled with crude lichen paper scrolls, covered with the inane or bizarre scribblings of the mages that lived here. They were fascinated with the idea of summoning demons. You doubt they were that competent.
  Among the scrolls filled with deranged ravings, you find a genuine spellbook! The rituals it describes are not complicated, and you can digest them very quickly. You now know the spell Wall of Force.
------------
Verdant Valley (L2) - Special
  There are lots and lots of bones in this grim, ash-filled room. They look like they belonged to humans, but there isn't anything left to help you figure out who they were, what killed them, or why. The bones have teeth-marks, for what it's worth.
------------
Verdant Valley - Special
  You find a stone spire in the center of this huge cavern. There is a lone skeleton on it, of a species you can't identify. It was very tall and very thin. There are shreds of fabric around its bones, and it's holding a small sceptre. (Take)
============
Northern Caverns - Special
  The tunnel dead-ends. When you turn, you see a band of humans rushing you. You soon see they aren't rushing towards anything, but away from the Nephilim chasing them. The humans are extremely outnumbered... (Help)

  The mage, wounded but still alive, greets you. "Thank you my friends! I am Tarrick, Mage-Lieutenant of the army of Exile." You introduce yourselves in return, and tell him of your position in the army.
  "Well, I wish you luck in your endeavors. We're going to head for safety now. Before I go, here's something in return." He hands you flask. "Don't worry, it's standard issue. Don't see them much anymore though. Good luck!"
  They leave. You look at the flask. It says "HEALING" on the side in large gold letters.
============
Blasted Ruins - Temple - Special (cast Ritual of Sanctify on altar)
  You perform the ritual carefully, aware of the possible deadly consequences of screwing up.
  As it continues, the altar begins to vibrate. Flickers of red and purple are visible under its surface. Something reeks of decay.
  You finally finish the ritual, drained of energy. You look at the altar. At first, it appears unchanged. Then you see it has many hairline cracks running along its surface. The stone is still there, but its power has left it.
============
Ft Draco - buy a boat, explore river south, find Naga's cave.
Narrow Beach - Along river - Special
  You use your sharp deductive reasoning abilities to determine that this ledge is home to a large colony of giant lizards. It isn't too hard to figure out. A whole bunch of them are trying to eat you.
============
Formello - Special
  You stand at the crevice, peering into the dim passages beyond. There's just enough glowing fungus to see that the passage turns sharply to the north. There is a strong, mildewy smell.
------------
Formello - Special
  You stand at the crevice, peering into the dim passages beyond. There's just enough glowing fungus to see that the passage turns sharply to the north. There is a strong, mildewy smell.
------------
Formello - Special
  Here the corridor doesn't quite end, but narrows and heads off into the distance, far beyond the range of your lights. It looks to be a bit of a walk. Do you want to go down it? (Go in)
  The corridor winds on for miles, and then widens ...
============
Ruined Town - Special (upon arriving)
  You stand at the crevice, peering into the dim passages beyond. There's just enough glowing fungus to see that the passage turns sharply to the north. There is a strong, mildewy smell.
------------
Ruined Town - Special
  This is another small ruined building, with more of the strange tiled floor. On one section of it is a gold rune, glowing very, very gently. You've seen runes many times before, but the design of this one is totally alien to you.
------------
Ruined Town - (Look at obelisk)
  This obelisk has, for the most part, worn smooth. One marking remains - an arrow, carved very recently pointing at the dock.
============
Underground Lakes - Special
  You think you see movement under the surface of the stagnant pools of water around you. Before you have time to react, you are attacked.  (Null Bugs)
============
Island Hut - Special (as enter door)
  The furnishings of this amll building are entirely alien to you - low stone tables, delicate chairs, crystal boxes, a large glowing crystal in the center of the room. Far more alien to you than the funiture, however, is the creature sitting at the table looking at you. It is very tall, impossibly thin, with dull gray skin stretched over muscles like cables.
  It leans forward, staring at you intently. You see its eyes are milky, as if afflicted with enourmous cataracts. The creature must be nearly blind. It slowly stands. You see it is wrapped in a delicate cloak of some sort of silky material. It is very slightly luminescent, a soft pinkish glow forming a hazy nimbus around it. After it stands, it greets you. It says, in understandable but halting speech, "Welcome, humans. I, Bentis-Ka, am greeting you now, in peacefulness, for the Vahnatai beings and race. Please come in and speak, for there is much say."
  It bows slightly, sits, and waits.
------------
Island Hut          (look)
  The Vahnatai stares at you expectantly.
Island Hut          (name)
  It bobs its head. "I am called Bentis-Ka by my people. The Ka is the sign of my position as a mage." It speaks your tongue, but haltingly and with many errors. 
Island Hut          (job)
  "I have been waiting here for humans to be coming. Before you begin the dark journey, you must learn of my people." It pours liquid from a nearby flask into several small crystal cups. "Have a drink."
Island Hut          (drink)
  "Water with mold. One of our favorite drink. It will be safe for you." You sip it nervously. It's nasty, but doesn't kill you.
Island Hut          (journey)
  She nods. "This black river is the only way some of you humans can get to our land. We must bring humans to our land, to try to prevent horrors. I was put here to tell you of my people, and to tell you the route."
  "I can giving you some small assistance."
Island Hut          (people)
  "I see your horror in your eyes, at my appearance. But that may change I hope, for you might be finding we have similarities to you, under our different furnitures and faces. Our race has women and men, as yours. I am the former."
  She sips her drink. "There is but one true difference - we are natives of the caves."
Island Hut          (native)
  "You call this land Exile, but that is meaning, if I understand, this is not your true home being. But it is our true home, and was for years upon years. This place is our love. Here is where we can only be. But we need not be alone."
  "It is our hope for peace, and not being killing you all, that we are helping you go to Avit."
Island Hut          (avit)
  "Avit is one of the few Vahnatai cities that has been awakened. Go there, to meet Bon-Ihrno, my great master, who will tell you how you may save the humans."
Island Hut          (awakened)
  "The Vahnatai are awakening from their long rest. You can learn more in Avit. Do not fear though, as we hope to not do many killings. We will only kill what we must."
Island Hut          (route)
  "To Avit, city of my people. The route is simple. Take the boat south, down the many tunnels and waterfalls. It will have dangers, for this was once lands of our people before the Resting. The ruins now may have many traps and beings."
  "Go south and south, and you may then find the tunnel to Avit."
Island Hut          (assistance)
  "In my quarters are many foods for your long journey. Once you go, there isn't turning back, so have food."
============
Maze of Waterfalls - Specials
  As you maneuver down this narrow tunnel, you notice that the water is starting to speed up.
  The water flows faster and faster. You hear a loud, familiar roaring ahead. If you keep going, you may not be able to get back.
  The river in this little loop of cave is fairly calm. However, there is a waterfall to the east, much larger than the one before. Unfortunately, you don't seem to have any other exit...
  You look back up at the massive waterfall behind you, a grim, cold feeling building in your chests. There is no way back up. There is no refuge nearby. And there is nothing below you but black, icy cold water waiting to consume you.
  You can hope for rescue. It's always possible. But if you cannot find a way to escape, you have only one option. Onward ... into the hands of the Vahnatai.
============
CHAPTER II - BLACK WATERS
============
Deep Rivers - By Falls
  From this vantage point, you have an excellent view of the awesome waterfall to the north. Glowing moss dimly illuminates the amazing cascade. The echoing roars of its waters are pleasantly disorienting.
------------
Deep Rivers - Special
  As you march down the passage, you begin to head a strange squeaking, chittering noise, distant at first, but approaching quickly. You turn back, and face a group of bizarre insects, of a sort you've never seen before.
------------
Deep Rivers - Special (Just before barrier tower)
  This small, remote lake is filled with jagged, protruding rocks. Maneuvering  will be difficult to impossible. In the middle of the lake is an island. On it is a small, glowing tower.
Deep Rivers - Special (just before marshy lake)
  The water in this cave is unusually shallow and punctuated by protruding, slime and goo covered rocks. Boating through this chamber will be a challenge. Far to the west, you see some sort of structure. 
============
Watery Ruins - Special
  Very odd. You find a pile of tightly sealed crates, apparently put here quite recently. They are covered with a thin layer of some smelly substance, probaly to keep the hydras away. (Search)
  The boxes are filled with rations, prepared in a style unfamiliar to you, but edible. There are also strange weapons - heavy razeor-edged disks meant to be thrown. You can't imagine who would put a supply cache here, but that doesn't keep you from looting it.
------------
Water Ruins - Special
  In the back corner of this ruined building, under a layer of rust and debres, you find a waist high pile of long, hexagonal iron rods. Each rod has a crossbar at one end, giving them a sort of T-shape. All this iron would make you rich, were you to get it home. At any rate, nothing is stopping you from taking a few of them. (Take)
============
Ruined River Fort - Special
  This gateway is blocked by a large portcullus, the bottom of which dips well below the surface of the water. You can't get by.
Ruined River Fort - Control room - Special
  In the wall here, you find a broze plate with a hexagonal hole. It looks like something could be inserted into it and turned.
(Try it - bent bar)
  You try to insert the bent rod, you found. It seems like it should fit, but the bend keeps it from going in right. You try to fix it, but only end up making it worse. Maybe if you found another one...
(Try it - bars from water ruins)
  You insert the bar from the other for, and it fits perfectly! With some effort, you turn it. As you do, you hear a clanking noise from somewhere.
Ruined River Fort - Special
  There is a portcullis here, extending down to two feet above the surface of the water. You manage to squeak your way under.
Ruined River Fort - Special
  The bars of this portcullis have fallen loose, enabling you to work your way in. Odd. The footprints in the mold on the floor are fresh.
Ruined River Fort - Special
  You open the door, and see a small group of Vahnatai clustered around the wreckage of a small table. You start to greet them, but they immediately reach for weapons. For some reason, this bunch wants to kill you.
Ruined River Fort - Special
  There is a narrow crack in the wall here, leading into a part of the fort thoroughly devastated by the passage of time. Narrow, hazardous passages wend their way among the ruins.
Ruined River Fort - Special
  Suddenly, the corridor just to the west caves in. You manage to get away before the rockfall crushes you.
------------
Lake of Algae - Special
  You emerge from the rapids into a huge, placid lake. The ubiquitous glowing fungus on the ceiling is sparser here. Most notable are the huge clots of pale algae floating everywhere. You can't always see them, but you can always smell them. 
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  Somebody left a supply cache here a while ago. Then, someone tore it apart and ate most of the food. Then, the rest rotted. Mold grows on the shredded bags and packs. It's a mess. You can only hope a similar fate didn't meet the people who left the cache.
Coffin Caves - Special
  You see a sight beautiful, amazing, and disturbing at the same time. There are several large, upright crystals, taller than you, each a rich, deep blue. Under the surface, you can dimly see humanoid figures. The shapes are lukewarm to the touch.
Coffin Caves - Special
  This high-ceilinged chamber has four large cubicles in it, taking up most of the floor space. This chamber is very eerie - you keep thinking you hear whispering, but can't figure out where it's coming from.
------------
Coffin Caves        (look)
  When you approach the crystal, a voice echoes softly in your head. "Visitors? At last?" 
Coffin Caves        (name)
  The voice returns. "I am Roda-Bok. Long have I waited."
Coffin Caves        (job)
  "I wait the end of the resting. I have contemplated much, and am ready to share again."
Coffin Caves        (resting)
  You sense a feeling of concern coming from the crystal. "You don't know of these things." There is a pause. "You are not of the people. Like, but not." Another pause. "I will solve this puzzle."
Coffin Caves        (puzzle)
  "The puzzle of how our existence will change now that you are here. Leave me. I am not at the stage where I should know you yet."
Coffin Caves        (share)
  The voice returns, filled with energy. "These centuries of peace have been a wondrous chance of meditation. For me, but not for Korhis."
Coffin Caves        (korhis)
  "I have sensed great agitation from Korhis-Bok. Nearby. I fear he will need much healing."
------------
Coffin Caves        (look)
  You approach the crystal, and a light within flickers. A voice echoes inside your head, load and stern: "Approach, so I may be answered."
Coffin Caves        (name)
  "I am Liedra-Bok, Vahnatai elder, and I will be answered."
Coffin Caves        (job)
  "I wait here. I need answers now, for things are not right."
Coffin Caves        (answers)
  "I sensed my people here. Not now, not recently, but before. Then I sensed them not, and sensed not the openings."
Coffin Caves        (openings)
  "The Resting time should end soon, but these Vahnatai have not been awakened." You feel a sharp, brief jolt of mental pain. There is a pause. "You did not interfere. Leave me. This must be thought upon."
  As its voice fades, you hear ... "These Vahnatai should be awakened."
Coffin Caves        (awakened)
  You voice regretfully returns to your mind, it's commanding voice now tinged with notes of sorrow and worry. "The time when these Vahnatai should be awakened is now. But I sense no longer those who came to do the task. 
  "Hopefully, it will be done soon. Until then, I wait."
------------
Coffin Caves        (look)
  You approach the crystal, and begin to feel disoriented. It takes an effort to remain standing in the face of the confusion radiation coming from the stone.
Coffin Caves        (name)
  "Bok." There is a long pause. "BokBokBokBokBOKBOKBOK!!!" The mental noise is deafening.
Coffin Caves        (job)
  "I. I I I I I ...." It repeats I for some time, then stops. You sense from it a momentary burst of frustration at its inability to communicate.
Coffin Caves        (bok)
  You are answered with a burst of random images and words.
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  There are two things of note in this room. First, carved in the floor in the center of the chamber is a ring of carefully shaped glyphs. Second, you find many fragments of thick blue sheets of a material like crystal or glass, some as big as your hand. 
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  You see before you an enormous room, filled with row upon row of the blue, coffin-like things. Each contains several frozen bodies. From deep within the forest of crystals, you hear the rhythmic chittering of insect mandibles.
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  This room has a huge table, possibly for meetings or feasts. It is surrounded by the mouldering remains of Vahnatai chairs.
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  You find a victim of the insect hordes, the heavily picked over corpse of a Vahnatai. A brief search reveals nothing in the way of treasure. There is one interesting thing, though - a scrap of paper with odd markings. (Take)
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  This once peaceful chanber has been turned by the insects into a charnel house. A band of Vahnatai made their last stand against the bugs here. It didn't work out.
  One body in the corner seems to be holding something under it. You investigate, and find a scrap paper with odd markings. (Take)
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  You are at the rear entrance to a raised room, looking out over the forest of crystals. Just inside this entryway, narrow stairways climb north and south.
------------
Coffin Caves - Special
  There is a control panel here, with a perfect view over the huge crystals below. The panel has a large gray button, a heavy iron wheel, and a lever.
  (To use the controls, enter a line of 'b's, 'w's, and 'l's, for button, wheel, and lever, one after the other, with no spaces. For example, to press the button twice, then use the wheel, and then the lever, enter 'bbwl'. (blwlb)
  When you push the button a second time, you begin to hear a ringing sound. It starts softly at first, then grows in intensity. The crystals below begin to vibrate with it, adding new voices to the song.
  Then, when you start to think the sound is going to deafen you, it ends. The crystals have chaged colors slightly, and you think you occasionally see motion from inside them. You wait for something else to happen or for someone to emerge. You wait, and wait. It eventually becomes clear that nothing is going to happen for some time. You may well have to leave them to fend for themselves when they emerge ... you have your own mission to accomplish. At least the dead Vahnatai's quest was finally completed.
------------
Special
  You are at the entryway to what looks like a dining hall. This high-ceilinged chamber is dominated by a long, highly polished table surrounded by chairs. This is odd, because the dust and the worn walls indicate this building has been long abandoned.
------------
Special
  The building is in ruins, but this garden looks carefully and skillfully maintained. Immaculate rows of cream colored mushrooms surround a small fountain and a statue of a Vahnatai.
------------
Special
  You reach what must have once been the secret core of this villa - an small mage's laboratory with a carefully engraved pentagram. However, the pentagram is cracked and the walls are crumbling. This place is no longer safe for serious magic.
------------
Special
  This is a delicate box of polished rose quartz. You can't quite make out what's inside. There is a tiny rune on the latch. (Open)
  You gingerly open the box, half-expecting to be fried by a bolt of flame or something. Surprisingly, nothing bad happens. There is a wand inside. The box is also worth some money. (Take)
------------
Lake of Algae - Special
  As you pilot your increasingly rickety craft into this cavern, an apparition appears in front of you. It is a Vahnatai, wearing royal-type regalia. It floats in front of you, for a while, matching your speed, and then speaks. For a while, you can't understand its words. It realizes this, mumbles a brief spell, and restarts.
  "I am Dahris-Bok, once and still a great lord. My honors are long, long overdue. I will not be neglected! Come to my tomg, and pay me my respects, or you will not leave without my curse."
  Having delivered its message, the shade disappears.
------------
Tomb of Dahris-Bok - Entry Cave - Portal
  There is a glowing portal here. As you approach, you hear once again the voice of Dahris-Bok. It says "Only one may pass through to honor me. Choose carefully."
------------
Tomb of Dahris-Bok - Special
  Slowly, regally, the shade of Dahris Bok coalesces before you.
  "Welcome, Alien creature," it intones. "Long I served my people, giving my years and wisdom for them, withering away while making them strong. All I ask in return, now that I rest in my crystal deep below us, is to be paid respect and homoge. And I will not be ingored! I will not spend centuries alone, bereft and forgotton! I demand my honor, NOW!"
  It watches you, waiting. (Kneel)
  You drop to one knee. The shade wavers briefly overcome with emotion.
  "I have been here centuries, without contact with my people, without news of them or requests for my guidance. My companion spirits have grown bizarre and twisted, my crystal is covered with dust, my home wastes away. At least I fade away knowing one still honors me."
  "I thank you, alian. You may pass by my cavern without my curse. Good luck, and I hope one day you meet my people, and that they are well."
  With that, Dahris-Bok fades away.
============
Deep Rapids - Specials
  The river is starting to flow noticeably faster. From ahead, you hear that unpleasantly familiar roaring noise. One thing is different though - the roaring noise here is louder than at any of the other rapids ...
------------
  Icy water soaking you, you maneuver the boat around a corner and see something truly chilling. Ahead of you, clearly lit by the glowing fungus, is the longest, nastiest series of rapids you've ever seen in your years in Exile.
  The current grabs you and hurls you down. You desperately maneuver and paddle, knowing that falling overboard means certain death in these icy tunnels.
  In your struggles to stay alive, you have no time to take care of your supplies...
------------
  The roaring of the water, instead of lessening, grows louder and louder. Ahead, the rapids are starting to get even worse. This is going to be ugly.
------------
  This passage has a heavy, musky lizard smell. The deep claw marks in the floor make you think it's a heavy, musky, big lizard smell.
------------
  Looking at the cavern ahead, it's clear you arrived at an eventful time. This hydra lair has been attacked by a whole bunch of those big, annoying bugs. The hydras fight desperately to protect their home.
  You enter this ancient chamber and look around. Fragments of old tools and bits of wood are scattered around, and in one corner you see the prow of a boat. This may have been a building in a long gone town, or a stop on a portage route. No way to tell.
------------
  This section of river is refreshingly calm.  Maybe the nightmarish rapids are behind you.
------------
  The river lazily flows into a huge cave. There isn't much to see in it, very little in the way of vegetation or interesting features. Ahead, you see the river disappearing into a depression in the ground. Maybe your journey is near its end.
------------
  Even in your current state, soaked, freezing, desperately low on food, you can't help but appreciate the beauty of the sight before you.  Here the river you just risked your lives to travel down pours into a gigantic pit. Countless tons of water leap over the edge and crash down into the chasm, falling to depths humans will probably never reach.
  The sound is deafening. The sight, tinted green by the fungus-glow, is horrifying and awe-inspiring at the same time. This is something you will remember for the rest of your possibly extremely short lives.
------------
  Squinting your eyes, you can just make out in the distance groups of Vahnatai running to greet you. It's amazing how fast their long legs can move them.
  It only takes a little more looking to realize that this may not be occasion for joy. These Vahnatai are heavily armed, and many of their weapons are out.
============
Long Tunnel - Special
  The wall of the pit extends far above you, but you can see that the east wall has hondholds and a few small ledges. Maybe you can climb up. (Climb)
  It's a long,difficult, dangerous haul, but you manage to scal the wall of the pit. A hundred feet later, you come to a passage leading south.
------------
  You emerge from the tunnel into a wide open space, a welcome change after the claustrophic twists and turns of the river.
  To the southeast, you see a city. However, it is clearly not a human city - the shapes of the buildings are wrong. And it is not a ruin, like those you've been passing through. It is surrounded by neat fields of mushrooms, tended by figures wearing flowing, glowing cloaks. More figures walk the streets of the town.
  You have come, at last, to the land of the Vahnatai. You are, at last, truly at their mercy.
============
CHAPTER III - TESTING
============
Avit - Special
  You approach the Vahnatai town, which is clearly still under construction. Piles of stone blocks and tools are everywhere, and the walkways connecting the buildings are still only half laid.
  The buildings have rounded corners, and are taller than human buildings, and their walls are set with many thin sheets of bluish crystalline material, giving them a colorful, crystalline appearance.
------------
Avit                
  A farmer tends long, awkwardly bent rows of mushrooms. His gray skin is creased and pale, and his back is heavily bent. He wears the standard luminescent Vahnatai wrap, but it is creased and dirty.
Avit                
  He stands up straight and straightens his wrap. "Me Bott. Why you come here?"
Avit                
  "Me make food. Only me awake now, to make food for lots. Much work. But food you to buy, if want."
------------
Avit - Special (council chamber)
  This building is someone's home, but much more. The long table surrounded by chairs by the west wall seems like some sort of meeting place - it's covered with papers and used mugs. This must be this town's crude city hall.
------------
Avit                (look)
  An exceptionally tall Vahnatai with a thin gold headband sits at the head of the table.
Avit                (name)
  The Vahnatai nods, and motions for you to sit with her. "I am Tekora-Tel, leader of this village. I bid you welcome, humans." She speaks in careful, only slightly flawed English.
Avit                (job)
  "I am a Tel, a ..." She thinks. "A mayor, you would call it. We have worked and built and learned hard, in the preparation for your arrival."
Avit                (arrival)
  "We feared you would not, or could not make the journey. But it fills us with great joy to see you here. There may be hope yet. You should now be speaking with Bon-Ihrno, who lives near. He will tell you stories of what has been happening."
  "As for me..." She indicates the papers before her. "I must be back to my planning construction."
------------
Avit - Special
  A narrow, rickety bridge leads to a small, peaceful island.
------------
Avit                (look)
  You approach an ancient Vahnatai, who stands under an unusually tall cavewood tree. He stands with eyes closed, swaying slightly. When you approach, however, he stops and turns to you. You recognize him as the Vahnatai you saw in Formello.
Avit                (name)
  He moves up to you. The amazing density of wrinkles in his gray skins betrays him and ancient, but he is quite quick and nimble. "I am Bon-Ihrno, and I gratefully welcome you. Welcome to the land of the Vahnatai."
Avit                (job)
  He smiles and shakes his head. "Oh, so much work. Learning your tongue, learning of your people, struggling for peace. It is all so hard, after the theft."
Avit                (tongue)
  "After the Resting, when we found of the theft and learned of your people, we all had to learn so much so fast. Some, on how to attack, some on how to talk to you."
Avit                (peace)
  "Some say peace is impossible, since humans took our leader's souls and killed their guards, but I want peace with the humans not responsible. Just because some of you may be evil doesn't mean you all are."
  "Alas, to some this is a radical, foolish view."
Avit                (theft)
  "When we ended the resting, we rebuilt the home of the souls of our greatest Bok's. Not long after, three were stolen, the guards slain by human weapons!" He quivers with anger. "This taught us of humans, and it was then the Council called for your doom."
  "It is because of this that I had you come here. You must go to the Council to be scried."
Avit                (council)
  "I believe there may be many types of humans, with many beliefs, and using our magics to destroy all of you is, for now, wrong. If we could get the Council of Three to question you, then the truth could be known, and we could act with wisdom." 
  "Their magics are awesome. If your people are not to die, you must prepare. We have gifts for you."
Avit                (prepare/gifts)
  "The Council, rulers of our tribe, sits in Olgai.  We have found a way to get them to see you. Go speak with Iglit about it. We also can make you a guest of the Vahnatai, enabling you to travel our lands safely. It also enables you to speak our tongue."
  "For this gift, you must perform the Ritual of Welcoming. Go to the Chamber of Meditations to do so."
Avit                (ritual)
  "A very simple, highly magical ritual we have modified you you can take part in it. It will mark you so that you can travel in our lands free from attack."
------------
Avit - Special (chamber of meditatations)
  The smell of incense blasts you in the face when you step into this small, low room. To the north are two small fire pits, burning a mix of lichen and strange mosses. By the pits are three pools of colorful, placid liquid. 
------------
Avit                (look)
  On the floor before you, a Vahnatai male sits cross-legged on a prayer mat. His position and long, spindly legs give him the appearance of some strange, gray-skinned insect.
Avit                (name)
  He opens his eyes, revealing the usual,  unsettling pure white eyes. He continues to look at the pools. "I am Sera." 
Avit                (job)
  "I am a Ponder. And I wait." As he speaks, his eyes continue to face perfectly forward. His mouth barely moves. The rest of him is perfectly still. It is very eerie.
Avit                (ponder)
  "I am blessed to be a Ponder. I, and my mate Iglit. A Ponder does thinking and watching, and guides the people without bias. "
Avit                (wait)
  "For you. I wait here, and keep the pools prepared for you. There is a Vahnatai ritual that we have made able for you to be performing. It is our Ritual of Welcoming, which we use to mark those from other tribes as being our guests."
  "I can teach you how to do this ritual, so others may see that you are welcomed in our land."
Avit                (ritual)
  "The ritual is skimming your fingers in a caress across all the waters, going from darkest hue to lightest, as you are now going from the dark of being outside us to the light of our acceptance." He nods to the pools, as if motioning you over to them. 
------------
Avit - Specials (as TOUCH pools from left to right (dark to light))
  The floor here is covered with an intricate patchwork of glyphs and sigils. In the middle of it all is a small pool of dark purple liquid.
  Nothing happens.
  The floor here is covered with an intricate patchwork of glyphs and sigils. In the middle of it all is a small pool of brown liquid.
  Nothing happens.
  The floor here is covered with an intricate patchwork of glyphs and sigils. In the middle of it all is a small pool of glowing milky-white liquid.
  When you delicately touch your fingers to the surface of the fluid, an almost electrical tingling sensation flies up your amrs into your torso, and from there into your entire body. You receive a strange feeling of, for lack of a better word, rearraning, in your skin and in your mind. The change in you skin is minor - you feel like you have been marked in some way, whether good or bad you can't tell.
  The change in your mind, however, is profound. Words Vahnatai have said which made no sense suddenly make connections in your mind, as if some force was steering them through your brain to come to a halt next to the right English word. You will now be able to communicate with Vahnatai you meet.
------------
Avit               (look)
  A Vahnatai woman paces the half-done streets of this city, seemingly lost in thought. She wears the long, billowing, slightly fluorescent wrap typical of the Vahnatai. When you approach, she stops concentrating and turns to you.
Avit                (name)
  She nods. "I am Iglit, a Ponder of the Vahnatai people."
Avit                (job)
  "I am a Ponder. And right now, I am pondering the problem of the humans."
Avit                (ponder)
  "It is a rough translation of our word for it to your language. A Ponder is a person who watches and advises. The advice need not be taken, but very often should be."
Avit                (humans)
  "Our Vahnatai Council has started to attack you humans, by putting up magic barriers. We feel this attack is hasty and may be at the wrong humans, so we want to bring you before the council for questioning. You are the first humans we have brought here."
  "Right now, they unwisely refuse to see you, saying you are not of us. But I thought of a trick."
Avit                (trick)
  "A full member of our tribe may always see the council. A not-member of the tribe may become a full member by going through the tests. We have argued that nothing in the laws say a not-member has to be Vahnatai, so you may join us by being tested."
  "It is clever, and tricky. But if you pass through the tests, you may see the council, and they may see sanity."
Avit                (tests)
  "There are three tests. They are used to earn position in our tribe, and to redeem those who we find to be crimes." She pauses, not sure if she used the right word. "Go ask Forla-Te about the tests. She will help you."
  "She is not happy about the bringing of humans here, but, unlike some, she sees the wisdom of the Ponders."
------------
Avit                (look)
  A Vahnatai warrior, wave blade at the ready, sits staring into the fire. His head is cocked, as if he's listening to something far away.
Avit                (name)
  He whispers, so that you can barely hear, "Aif."
Avit                (job)
  "Quiet. I'm searching."
Avit                (searching)
  "We take turns listening. More useful than sight. Don't talk to me, human."
------------
Avit                (look)
  A Vahnatai sits by the fire, carefully and quietly running a stone around the edge of a razordisk.
Avit                (name)
  He doesn't look up at you. "I am Keripa, human."
Avit                (job)
  He holds the razordisk out for a moment, then goes back to sharpening it.
------------
Avit                (look)
  A Vahnatai warrior sits here, absorbing the heat from the fire. As you approach, she looks at your weapons with great interest.
Avit                (name)
  She stands and says "Welcome to our circle. I am Azik." Having introduced herself, she sits again.
Avit                (job)
  "We're here to defend Avit, with blade and disk."
Avit                (blade)
  "Our weapons are so different from yours. I would like to learn to use one of your swords one day, even though they are so inelegant."
Avit                (inelegant)
  "Our weaponsmiths curve the blades to show their skill - the finer the curves, the greater the smith. Sometimes I'm not sure it is wise - a fine wave blade takes long to make."
------------
Avit                (look)
  A Vahnatai warrior sits warming herself at the fire. She often turns to look for creatures approaching the town.
Avit                (name)
  "I am called Stal. In your tongue, it means 'swift'."
Avit                (job)
  "I'm one of the too few guards for Avit. We have to keep a constant watch for attackers."
Avit                (attackers)
  "The hydras and chitrachs haven't yet learned that we are reclaiming our home. Just a few of them can do great damage, if we don't prevent them."
Avit                (hydra/chitrachs)
  "Hydras are big and strong, but clumsy and dumb. The real danger is the chitrach. If we don't keep careful watch, a swarm of them could easily destroy this whole village. You don't have many of the foul creatures in your land. You are lucky."
  She returns to scanning Avit's surroundings with fresh enthusiasm.
------------
Avit                (look)
  A Vahnatai warrior rests on his delicate bed. These beings must be amazingly light, for such fragile contraptions to support them. His eyes are closed and his arms cross his chest.
------------
Avit                (look)
  This female Vahnatai is formidably armed. Wickedly pointed razordisks are strapped across her chest, and a heavy, two-handed waveblade is strapped across her back. And, very unfortunately, she isn't at all happy to see you.
Avit                (name)
  She watches you carefully, almost seeming to hope for an excuse to rip you apart. "I am Forla-Te, commander of Avit."
Avit                (job)
  The pale gray of her face darkens slightly. "I am supposed to be helping to you." Her English is slow and awkward. "I am must being acting like you weren't stealing."
Avit                (stealing)
  She smiles grimly. "I said not things about humans stealing." Her voice suddenly turns bitter. "To say humans stealing is interfere with peace. That would be wrong."
Avit                (peace)
  "Yes. Peace." She spits out the word as if it was made of poison.
Avit                (tests) (remember Iglit told you to ask her)
  She looks angry that you asked. "Yes. I must telling you of three tests. They are all south and southeast, of Strength, Speed, and Mind. When in it, one of you only can entering and pass through. Are dangerous."
  "To see Council, must do right number. They demand you do enough."
Avit                (number)
  "You do must two of three tests, and which two you do is your deciding." He shakes his head. "Must now be seen if humans can stand our tough testing."
============
Land of the Vahnatai - Special
  Here, you get your first good view of the land of the Vahnatai. The ceiling is lower, the glowing fungus is dimmer, and the flora is different. It's strange how such subtle differences in the caverns can make you feel so alien.
============
Olgai              (look)
  The male sitting at the end of the table has three wave blades and a dozens razordisks spread out before him, and is polishing and sharpening one after another. They look like they could cut solid rock.
Olgai               (name)
  "I am Ortala-Te." His voice is grim, and he doesn't seem happy to be talking with you.
Olgai               (job)
  "I am the guard-master of Olgai, and I don't have time to deal with humans, guests or not. Why don't you find one of us who is interested in you."
Olgai               (humans)
  "I don't trust humans. I don't want to speak to you. Some of us do trust you - go bother them."
Olgai               (trust)
  "Like Gnee. He's been wandering around saying how interesting humans are. He said something about their Empire once. Go tell him about it. I'm sure he'd love to listen." He goes back to sharpening his blades.
------------
Olgai               (look)
  An exceptionally tall Vahnatai female practices bladework here. Her wave blade traces frighteningly intricate paths through the air.
Olgai               (name)
  She stops her practicing and walks up to you.
Olgai               (job)
  "I was told to offer you humans training if you need it. I don't like it, but I'll do it."
------------
Olgai               (look)
  A withered old Vahnatai sits cross-legged in front of the brazier. He holds a wave blade in his spider-like fingers, and runs a stone along its edge with almost microscopic detail.
Olgai               (name)
  "Hello, humans. I am Spira, master blade-smith."
Olgai               (job)
  "I spend days on each blade and shield, demanding only perfection from each one. No less will do. Bon-Ihrno has spoken with me, and convinced me to let you buy some of my goods, so humans can see the glory of Vahnatai crafts."
------------
Olgai               (name)
  This woman stands upright on the carpet, eyes closed, humming in a low monotone. When you get close, she stops humming and opens her eyes to look at you.
Olgai               (job)
  "I am Corman. I am a Ponder."
Olgai               (ponder)
  "I am a Ponder - I contemplate what I have been asked to, in this case the different, strange items you humans use. If you wish, for a fee, I can identify your items. You can also sell me things - we would love to have human things for study."
------------
Olgai               (look)
  You see a rare sight - a Vahnatai child. She's slightly shorter than you, with impossibly thin limbs, barely more than bones. She wears the closed, luminescent wrap characteristic of Vahnatai females.
Olgai               (name)
  She looks up at you, frightened and curious at the same time. "I'm Pider."
Olgai               (job)
  She looks confused. "Work?"
------------
Olgai               (look)
  You meet a Vahnatai man in intricate robes.
Olgai               (name)
  "I am Ublis-Ihrno, honored healer of my people."
Olgai               (job)
  "I am the only healer who is currently awake, which makes it fortunate that I only have one patient. I have time to heal you, if you wish, for a small donation."
------------
Olgai               (look)
  A savagely scarred Vahnatai fighter lies back on the cot. It seems like he should be in agony, but he only moans very softly.
Olgai               (name)
  He moans.
Olgai               (job)
  He looks up at you. "Chitrach," he mumbles, "Lots of them. But we beat them. We won."
------------
Olgai               (look)
  A Vahnatai woman sits at a long table, covered with all manner of mushrooms and herbs. She is busily sealing the savory fungus in stone jars.
Olgai               (name)
  "I am Riditas. Welcome to my shop."
Olgai               (job)
  She holds up two stone jars. "I have fine mushrooms for you to buy, if you are interested."
Olgai               (mushrooms)
  "Only the best. Large, soft, well treated, and very energizing. And few harmful hallucinations!"
------------
Olgai - Special to Council Chamber
  When you try to enter the Council Chamber, one of the guards stops you and another goes in to announce your presence. You hear several minutes of animated conversation from inside. Eventually, the guard returns, shaking his head. "I'm sorry," he says. "They say you have not yet passed the tests." He doesn't seem sorry. In fact, he seems relieved not to have to let you in.
------------
Olgai               (look)
  An unusually bulky Vahnatai skulks back in this corner.
Olgai               (name)
  "I'm Gnee." He watches you carefully.
Olgai               (job)
  "I'm interested in humans." He speaks quietly, and is clearly nervous about something.
Olgai               (humans)
  He leans close to you. "You're humans. There are lots of interesting sorts of humans. I love hearing about the different tribes of humans. What tribes they are from, and such..." 
  He watches you carefully, seemingly waiting for something.
Olgai               (exile)
  He backs away. "Oh. Whatever."
Olgai               (empire) (remember the hint from Ortala-Te)
  He grins. "Good." He whispers very quietly, and looks very nervous. "I thought you would never get here. I left the key for you in Avit. It's in a tree behind the barracks." He looks around. 
  "Now go. I'll be suspected if I'm seen talking too much to humans."
------------
Olgai - Special (sign on wall in guest room area)
  A note on the wall reads:
   You can store you items in this room. - Bon-Ihrno
============
Avit - Special
  Very interesting. Nested in-between two branches of this short, twisted tree, you find an elongated piece of iron with several odd protrusions. You can only guess it's a Vahnatai key of some sort.
============
Test of Strength - Signs on door
  The carving reads: The Test of Strength
  The carving reads: One may enter.
(as you try to enter the portal)
  You reach the portal, which glows and flickers greedily at your approach. A soft voice says "Here lies a test of the Vahnatai. One of you may enter. Choose wisely, else death is certain." (Enter)
  You step into the portal. There is a feeling of static, and then a sense of vertigo, and then...
------------
  You enter the first room of the test, a hall of statues of young Vahnatai. Whether the statues are of prior victims of the ordeal, you can't tell.
------------
  This low chamber is brightly lit by glow crystals in the four corners. The floor is covered with many successful mold colonies.
------------
  There is a small pool of fresh-looking water here. It looks refreshing, but who knows ... it may just be another test. (drink)
  Your wounds disappear. The pool rapidly dries up.
------------
  When you reach the end of this corridor, a bright green glow appears and envelops you. There is a familiar feeling and vertigo, and you find yourself back with the rest of your party.
  The voice returns. "You have passed the test. Go now, to find your earned place among our people."
============
Guarded Bridge - Special
  The bridge has a large contingent of Vahnatai guards standing at attention on it. They draw weapons as you approach. It is clear that there is no way they are going to let a group of human strangers pass. You back away.
============
Special SW of Olgai
  With some effort, you force the door open. Doing so disturbs a chitrach nest. You get attacked.
============
Test of Mind - Specials
  The carving reads: The Test of Mind
  The carving reads: One may enter.
(as you try to enter the portal)
  You reach the portal, which glows and flickers greedily at your approach. A soft voice says "Here lies a test of the Vahnatai. One of you may enter. Choose wisely, else death is certain." (Enter)
  You step into the portal. There is a feeling of static, and then a sense of vertigo, and then...
------------
  This test seems very calm. A pathway runs betwen two placid pools up to a closed portcullis. You seem to hear, just at the edge of perception, gentle whispering coming from the walkways to the right and left.
------------
Room of Riddles (Left Special)
  Written on the wall:
  Words? A sword.
  Veil? We live.
  User: You sure:
  Hate the ...?
  A voice says: "What comes next?"
  You respond: (Heat)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(check what other word can be made from the letters in the first word.)
------------
Room of Riddles (Right Special)
  Written on the wall...
  STAB is 1
  FORCE is 2
  VAHNATAI is 4
  DEVASTATION is 5
  ENDING is ...?
  A voice says: "Is what?"
  You respond: (2)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(how many vowels in a word.)
------------
Room of Riddles (Left Special)
  1,3,4,7,11,18,29,47,76,...?
  A voice says: "What comes next?"
  You respond: (123)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(First row     1   3   4   7   11   18   29   47   76   (123)
 Delta 1         2   1   3   4    7    11   18   29   47
Notice the pattern starting in Delta 1 between 3 and 4 in First row and carry out the last sum. (Delta 1 is the difference between two adjacent numbers in the First Row.))
------------
Room of Riddles (Right Special)
  A voice says:
  BOON is 2 and LOSS is 12
  EVIL is 5 and GOOD 7
  YOU are 25 and WE are 23, and it's hard to get much higher.
  But what is HIGHER?
  A voice says: "Well?"
  You respond:  (8)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(I don't know how this works, I just kept guessing until I got it right.)
------------
Three Portcullis Room
  move se,se,e,s to open the first two portculli, then secret door next to second portcullis.
------------
Trigger Maze
  (from the hint book)
  from south of the reset button go e1, s7, e6, w3, e3, s2, w2, e2, n9, w2, s3, w4, s2, e6, w6, s2, e6, s2 then west
------------
Fountain Chamber
(first riddle on left)
  The statue turns to look at you and says:
  "BROAD is lucky, it's a 5. AID is a 2, INFIRM only manages a 1, while VAHNATAI is a 3. SITTING is only a 0, the slacker, while tiny A is arleady a 1!"
  "But what is 'I WANT TO GET OUT OF THIS HORRIBLE HELLHOLE RIGHT NOW'?"
  You repond: (11) (just kept guessing again)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(second riddle on left)
  The Statue says:
  "I look like you but much more pale.
   I can't escape from wind and hail."
  "What am I?"
  You respond: (statue)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(first riddle on right)
  "0, 2 6, 14, 30, 62, 126, 254, 510, ..."
  A voice says: "What comes next?"
  You respond: (1022)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."

(first row    0   2   6   14   30   62   126   254   510   (1022)
 Delta one      2   4   8    16   32   64    128   256   512
 Delta two        2   4   8    16    32   64     128   256)

(second riddle on right)
  "I can climb trees without a sound,
   but must still always touch the ground.
   What am I?"
  You respond: (vine)
  The voice says "Correct. You may proceed."
------------
  When you readh the end of this corridor, a bright green glow appears and envelopes you. There is a familiar feeling and verigo, and you find yourselft back with the rest of your part.
  The voice returns. "You have passed the test. Go now, to find your earned place among our people."
============
Test of Speed - Specials
  The carving reads: The Test of Speed.
  The carving reads: One may enter.
(as you try to enter the portal)
  You reach the portal, which glows and flickers greedily at your approach. A soft voice says "Here lies a test of the Vahnatai. One of you may enter. Choose wisely, else death is certain." (Enter)
  You step into the portal. There is a feeling of static, and then a sense of vertigo, and then...
------------
  When you enter the passage, you hear an ominous clicking noise. Behind you, a section of wall drops into the floor, revealing a wall of flame. With a booming noise and a cloud of smoke, the flame pours out, roaring down the passage towards you.
------------
  When you step inside the room the two doors behind you fall off their hinges. Two gaping hole are left in the wall, perfect for letting the approaching quickfire in.
------------
  There is a large button on the wall. (Press)
  You press the button and it stays in. With a loud clanking noise, the portculli to the east slide open.
------------
  Suddenly, the wall to the south slides away, revealing yet another wall of searing flame.
------------
  Yet again, a wall disappears to reveal a caldera of quickfire, dead ahead of you.
------------
  When you readh the end of this corridor, a bright green glow appears and envelopes you. There is a familiar feeling and verigo, and you find yourselft back with the rest of your part.
  The voice returns. "You have passed the test. Go now, to find your earned place among our people."
============
Ominous Crypt - Specials
  The runes reads:
    Tomb of Draglavus and Orita
    Robbers will obtain our curse and their crystals will shatter.
------------
  You find a pile of what may have been the possessions of the deceased when they were alive. There are lots of clothes that crumble at your touch, empty stone jars, broken weapons, and other things of absolutely no value to you.
------------
  Several well preserve Vahnatia mummies have been laid out on the floor of this nook. It's terribly cheery.
------------
  There is a single, very carefully laid out mummy in this nook. Bowls filled with long-dried out food and offerings surround it, and there is a necklace around its neck. (Take/Leave)
------------
  As you pass by the statue, it speaks ...
    REAL ... COIN
    LINE ... ORCA
    CLONE ... AIR
    ORC ... ALIEN
    CORE ... ????
  You respond: (NAIL)
  "Correct! You may proceed."

(letters used in each pair are A C E I L N O R
 letters used in last pair are   C E       O R
 make a word using             A     I L N
 (NAIL))
------------
  This room is dominated by its fountain. Water shoots out of the south wall, sails through the air in a graceful arc, lands in a trough, and runs out of the room to the north.  Surrounding the room are niches filled with mummies.
------------
  As you pass under the fountain, a wall slides into place over the door you entered through, blocking you in. A whole bunch of undead decide to assault you.
------------
  These narrow, twisty passages are filled with bodies, some mummified and, unnervingly, some not...
  Urk. This body is deaseased!
============
Mancuso             (look)
  There is a Vahnatai man sitting here, chanting over a long, delicate waveblade. It glows gently. When you enter, he stops chanting, and the blade stops glowing.
Mancuso             (name)
  He looks up at you, revealing a face pocked and withered with age. "I am Tokor-Te. Welcome to my humble shop."
Mancuso             (job)
  "I run this extremely humble shop." He looks around at the shoddy, crumbling walls in distaste. "I offer training in the magical arts. I am also skilled with weaponry."
Mancuso             (weaponry)
  "I can augment your non-magical blades, so that they will provide you with protection during battle. Let me know if this sort of improvement would be to your liking."
(Priest Spells Manna, Forcefield, Charm Foe)
------------
Mancuso             (look)
  A Vahnatai with a sour expression sits at the table, reading a ledger.
Mancuso             (name)
  He looks up. "Oh, hello humans. How may I help you?"
Mancuso             (job)
  He grunts, and wriggles uncomfortably in his chair. Strange mannerisms for the normally dignified Vahnatai. "I sell supplies and food. You could buy some, if you want." He belches lightly. "Don't have much, what with the brigands and all."
Mancuso             (brigands)
  "There's a bunch of thieves and malcontents to the north, in the chasm tunnels. They were here when we started building the town. We let the Council know about them, but nothing's been done."
Mancuso             (council)
  "In Olgai. Fat lot of good they've done us."
------------
Mancuso             (look)
  You meet a stocky Vahnatai female, holding a crystal pitcher.
Mancuso             (name)
  "I am Vine! Welcome to my inn."
Mancuso             (job)
  "I run this inn. It's a bit rough now, but it'll be the biggest in this cave someday. A room is 15 gold, a meal is 2. Good food, fresh from Aeon's fields."
Mancuso             (aeon)
  "My mate. Works the field outside town. The best farmer around!" She beams.
------------
Mancuso             (look)
  A Vahnatai woman is here, planting a row of mushrooms. You watch as she lays down a thin layer of sticky fertilizer, and then places bits of mushroom spore into it.
Mancuso             (name)
  She stands and wipes off her hands. "I am Aeon."
Mancuso             (job)
  "I plant and tend my crops. And defend them if necessary." She looks down at a long wave blade she wears at her side.
Mancuso             (defend)
  "From hydras and brigands."
Mancuso             (hydra/brigand)
  "Hydras from the south, brigands from the north. I'm getting good with this thing." She pats the blade proudly.
============
Olgai - Special as entering Council Chamber
  When you try to enter the Council Chamber, one guard stops you and another nervously enters to announce your presence. You hear several minutes of animated argument, escalating to loud shouting. Then it dies down abruptly.
  The guard returns, looking deeply unsettled. "They say you can enter," he says, barely believing his own words.
------------
  You enter the Council Chamber of the Vahnatai people, the first humans ever to do so. Before you is a huge stone table, at which sit three Vahnatai lords, old and wrinkled, two male and one female.
  The woman says "Welcome, humans. Despite my two friend's objections, I and our honor have demanded you be allowed to enter. I am Prossis-Bok. Welcome."
  She indicates the younger of the two men. "This is Glantris-Bok." He nods, scowling. She begins to introduce the other man, but he cuts her off.
  "I can speak as well as you, Prossis. I a Elohi-Bok, humans. Prossis wants you here to determine if all humans are pallid, worthless, honorless thieves and vermin or not. Bon-Ihrno brough you here for that reason. And here you are."
  Glantris-Bok speaks. "Yes. We have brought you here to scry you - to look inside your paltry spirits to try to understand you and estimate your worthiness. It is not harmful, but will let us know some measure of the human spirit."
  Prossis nods. "Time is short, violence is everywhere, and the need to know is great. Will you permit us to look inside you?"
  She looks at you hopefully. (Agree)
  The moment the agreement leaves your mouths, the Council members close their eyes. Suddenly, wracking pains lance through your heads. You drop to your knees. It may not be harmful, but it sure hurts.
  You start remembering your lives, your arrivals in Exile, your struggles to survive, your training, your triumphs and failures, and, most vividly, your fights against the Empire. The memories are more intact than you had suspected.
  The vomiting up of you life stories continues, for how long you cannot tell. Fortunately, the Council has some idea of what you consider private. It only touches the high and public points, leaving the shadowy recesses of your minds alone.
  Then the pain becomes too much. You blank out.
  You awaken to find Vahnatai kneeling by you, bowls of water in their hands. Pillows have been placed under your heads.
  You stand, shakily, and see the Council. The face of Prossis is lit up in triumph and relief. The two men look profoundly worried and disturbed. Then, Prossis speaks...
  "It is clear that you humans are more complicated than we estimated, and that we must begin efforts to find the actual perpetrators of the crime against us. This ... this Empire seems a hostile force we should look at carefully."
  "For now, it has been decided that the barriers in you caverns will be dissolved. We know better what is happening - their purpose is served."
  "Now, you may return to your lands." She point at the door on the east wall. "We created a portal between our lands and yours, in expectation or war. Perhaps it may be used for other purposes. One can only hope."
  "The portal is permanent - you will be able to return through it. This is important, for we have an offer to make you. We ask you to recover our Cystal Souls, and return them to the shrine to the southwest, their home."
  "If you can recover all three of them, and if you of Exile were not the thieves, we will lend our support to you in your war against the Empire. Our numbers are small, but our power is great."
  Glantris-Bok stands to speak. "Whatever antipathy I feel towards humans, I must still say this. Your efforts to reawaken our people after the group we sent was slain were nobel and deserving of reward."
  You are brought a pouch. A peek inside reveals several platinum disks. "Thank you for your aid. Nobly done."
  Glantris-Bok speaks. "We still do not trust you, but it is clear more is happening than we understand. We do not know why Vahnatai attacked you at the River Fort Ruins."
  "They were not of us, and their presence was very distubing. Be careful - the Vahnatai people may be no more united of purpose than the humans."
  Elohi chimes in. "And, should you find evidence of the the location of one of our crystals, bring it to us with all speed. We may be able to give you aid in recovering it."
  Finally, Prossis speaks. "Remember, we will stop at nothing to rescue the spirits of our ancestors, and if you help us, our rewards will be great. Thank you for the risks you took in coming here."
  "But," she says sadly, sitting, "the worst is ahead for all of us. I am sure of it." Glantris and Elohi nod at this. And then they say no more.
------------
  There is a glowing, greenish portal here. (Enter)
  You feel a horrid wrenching sensation, as if your kidneys were trying to leap out of your mouth. Then, you find yourself far away...
  You find yourself in a human building, with human furniture, facing several highly startled humans. Fortunately, quick talking keeps them from butchering you.
  You are bundled off to questioning. Soldiers of Exile grill you about who you are, where you came from, and what you were doing there. They don't believe a word of what you say, until they cast truth spells.
  When they do, they are, to say the least, stunned.
  You are given a meal and a bed for the night. The next day, you are asked more about the Vahnatai, about their homes and their weapons, and especially about the Crysatl Souls. After a time, you find out you are in the Tower of Magi.
  Eventually, they finish with you. You are taken to your room, and told to stay out of the way, while they figure out what to do.
  Well, you're home. But it would seem the action is only beginning...
============
CHAPTER IV - CRYSTAL SOULS
============
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You have to peer over the counter to find the shop's proprietor. He's back there all right, bent over double, lost among piles of items, both treasures and worthless knick-knacks. He watches you cannily.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I'm Brantford. Let me know if I can help you with anything."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "I deal in miscellany! Bric-a-brac of all descriptions. My stock changes every day, every minute even! You can purchase something you like, or sell me something you don't! You have but to ask."
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet a young man in mage's robes.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  He walks up and shakes your hands. "I'm Kelner, the tower secretary. Glad to see you're up and about."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "Right now, I was writing a message to send to Solberg, telling him of your exploits among the Vahnatai. As secretary, I'm go-between between the Tower and the Exile government. I write letters, pacify bureaucrats, and pass on orders."
Tower of Magi       (orders)
  "Occasionally, the bureacrats have something they need done which either takes a lot of magic or is near here. Then they tell me about it and stick me with finding someone to do the dirty work. Or wet work."
  "So. If you ever are in need of a mission, just ask."
Tower of Magi       (mission)
  "There is something you can do. There is a serpent cult situated to the northeast. If you can slay its high priest, report back to me and I will put in a word to get you a higher clearance. It is the best I can do. Alas, we know little about the cult."
Tower of Magi       (cult)
  "Some months ago, a patrol travelling the tunnels to the northeast disappeared. Then another, then another. Spies and magical scrying revealed a band of renegade sliths, led by a powerful high priest, running some sort of perverse snake temple up there."
  "They're dangerous, and we need them removed. Period."
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  There is a wiry human sitting behind the counter. He deftly and effortlessly mixes a variety of bubbling, hissing concoctions.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "Welcome to my shop. Call me Vincent."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "I prepare and sell scrolls and potions. You can buy some, if you want!"
Tower of Magi       (scrolls/potions)
  "Tricky work, but the mages here can't get enough of me!"
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  A large woman with close-cropped hair and a confident mien sits behind the counter. Books are stacked on either side of her. 
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I am Piglet the sage." She gives you an imperious look, silently daring you to comment on her name. You don't.
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "I sell a variety of knowledge."
Tower of Magi       (knowledge)
  "I can identify items. I also sell alchemical recipes which use comfrey root."
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet an elderly woman in immaculate priest's robes, snowy white hair showering down her back. She wanders around the temple, seemingly hearing divine voices you can't begin to detect.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  She turns to you. "Welcome to the Temple of the Pure Light, children. I am Mother Clarisse."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  She shakes her head sadly. "I watch over this beautiful temple while its younger guardians fight the war. Don't fear - I can give you the same teaching. I would just prefer to take part in more quiet contemplation."
(Priest Spells - Bless Party, Major Heal, Flamestrike, Mass Sanctuary, Summon Host, Shatter, Dispel Fields)
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet one of the tower's mages. She doesn't look pleased to be bothered.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  She nods. "I am Suzanne. What do you want?"
Tower of Magi       (job)
  She sighs. "I'm supposed to be teaching people to mindduel, but I'm very busy. You can buy the spell if you want. Or you could leave and let me think about my experiment."
Tower of Magi       (experiment)
  "Nothing you could understand. Something involving fire lizard eggs, which nobody seems to be able to find. That's all."
Tower of Magi       (fire)
  She suddenly gets a wily look on her face. "I need a fire lizard egg for my experiments. A drake egg won't do, I need an actual fire lizard egg." She thinks. "I'll tell you what - if you fetch such an egg for me, I will teach you Mindduel at a discount!"
------------
Tower of Magi - Special to Portal Room.
  You recognize this room - this is the chamber the Vahnatai portal sent you to. The portal is still there, waiting for your return.
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet a mage's apprentice. He walks up to greet you.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "Welcome. I am Nathan."He is allowed to speak. He must be an advanced apprentice. "It's nice to have visitors. We don't get them. Very often. Come in. Sit down. We can talk about goings on in the world." He's a noisy one, all right.
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "I'm an apprentice here. Close to graduation. I can speak, and spend my time teaching. It's nice being able to talk. I missed talking so much. But I can do it now. It's wonderful. I'm trying to get it out of my system, before I go to work on research."
Tower of Magi       (research)
  "I was going to go fight, but they decided it would be better if I helped develop new powerful spells and things instead. It's fascinating work. There's a lot I can tell you about it. I probably won't. Not now anyway. But it's very interesting!"
  "I'd like to work on the portal! That would be the most interesting and useful thing, I think!"
Tower of Magi       (portal)
  "The portal, yes! They've made a portal, and it's in the tower now, and if you know the right incantation it can send you everywhere and anywhere in Exile! We're all talking about it! Well, all of us that are allowed to speak!"
  He suddenly stops, looking nervous. "Oh. I think I wasn't supposed to talk about the portal. Don't tell anyone, OK?"
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet a young, heavily built woman in mage's robes. She carries around a shod cavewood staff, but from the way she holds it you guess that it's more to clobber people than for support.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I'm Kayannan."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "I'm a teacher here. I should be at the front, but there you go."
Tower of Magi       (teacher)
  "I drill the youngsters in spells as fast as I can, so they can go fight. I also teach magery to those with the money to buy the knowledge."
Tower of Magi       (front)
  "The Empire has no shortage of mages. I'm working day and night to help even the numbers out. But sometimes I do wish I could go fight!"
(Mage Spells - Stealth, Major haste, Firestorm, Fire barrier, Summoning, Shockstorm, Spray Fields)
============
Serpent Cult - Special
  You are at the edge of a dank pit. Loud, unnerving hisses drift up from the darkness below. You look at the walls of the shaft. You could climb down, if you were careful. However, the walls are pretty slippery - you may not be able to climb back up.
------------
  You try to climb back up the pit, but the wall is too sheer and too slippery.
------------
  You stare out over a foul, reeking cavern, filled with huge, agitated serpents and the bones of their victims.
  Dominating the cavern, flanked on either side by giant bonfires, is a giant black alta, covered with tiny snakes. The cavern in filled with the constant, sibilant sound of the serpent's hissing, but there's something more. The altar itself is humming, filling the air with nerve-jarring vibrations and driving the serpents into a frenzy.
------------
  You stand before the altar. It's a full five feet high and twice as wide, covered with carvings of snakes, placed in order to help living snakes clime and writhe around it. Now that you're close, the humming from the altar is nearly agonizing. Your teeth ache from it.
------------
(cast ritual of sanctify on the altar)
  You chant loud and hard, trying to drive the evil magic out of the stone before you.
  The incantation succeeds! The energy of the altar was powerful, but fragile. The humming dies down adn fades away, and the snakes around you stop seeming so flustered. You finally are able to relax a little bit.
------------
Snake Pit           (look)
  You find a half-starved man imprisoned in this cell. He's been beaten. His face lights up when he sees you.
Snake Pit           (name)
  He stands up confidently. He's surprisingly active considering what he's gone through. "Well met, indeed! I am Captain Brehon of the Exile army."
Snake Pit           (job)
  "Waiting to die, up 'til now. My patrol was ambushed by the sliths."
Snake Pit           (patrol)
  "Eight good, strong lads and lasses. I'm the only one left, damn them. All of them dead before that altar."
Snake Pit           (altar)
  He looks disturbed. "The altar just outside. You can't imagine what it's like to sleep near that evil thing! It hisses all the time! You can't escape it. And it affects the snakes!"
Snake Pit           (snakes)
  "They go wild when they're near it. Makes 'em fast and vicious. They'll tear you apart!" He shivers as he thinks of what happened to his comrades.
Snake Pit           (sliths)
  "They have this bizarre cult here, as I'm sure you've seen. They feed us to the snakes, and then try to talk to them. I was scheduled to be eaten soon, but I'm still planning to escape."
  He shows you a sword he had hidden behind his pallet. "This is my secret."
Snake Pit           (secret)
  "I found it here. We weren't the last troopers to be caught by those damned lizards. Somehow one of them snuck a blade in here." It's a short sword, pitted and slightly bent, but still deadly.
  "With you clearing the way, I should be able to escape."
Snake Pit           (escape)
  "I'll follow you out. I have a sword. Sword first or feet first, I'm getting out of this place."
------------
  What a sight for sore eyes! It's a stairway, leading up out of this grim pit. (Climb)
------------
  You are at the entrance to a small, grim temple, a much smaller cousin to the grim monstrosity below. The air is heavy with the smell of foul incense and lizard.
-------------
  You fell the slith high priest, master of this dark cult. The cult will have a hard time surviving the wholesale slaughter you're inflicting on it.
------------
  There is a thin, leather bound book on this pedastal. (Read)
  The book is a learned tome written in human tongue (probably stolen) on magical items. Reading it, your item lore skill increases.
------------
Tower of Magi       (name)
  He walks up and shakes your hands. "I'm Kelner, the tower secretary. Glad to see you're up and about."
Tower of Magi       (mission)
  Kelner nods happily and begins writing a letter. "I am now writing the Castle to tell them of your bold deed. You should go there soon and see if you are now qualified for a higher rank. Thank you for your bold deed."
============
Mertis              (look)
  It's hard to figure out what's most memorable about this priest - his wild hair, wild gaze, or huge mallet at his belt.
Mertis              (name)
  "Welcome, children! I am Rhoads!" He slaps you on the shoulder with one hand, and keeps the other near his mallet.
Mertis              (job)
  "I spread the word of Elgar!"
Mertis              (elgar)
  "A mighty warrior deity! One with the wisdom to realize that knowledge is best let into a skull after cracking it first! It's not subtle, but it gets the job done!"
  "Plus, he teaches us great warrior magic!"
Mertis              (magic)
  "Incantations to crush your vile foes. We long to spread this wisdom! I can teach you the ritual, for a small fee."
(Priest Spell - Smite)
------------
Mertis              (look)
  A lovely woman sits behind the counter, playing with a young boy, maybe two years old. They are both surrounded by arrows and tools of fletching.
Mertis              (name)
  She looks up. "Hello. I'm Tina, and this is Nikko." She waves her baby's hand at you. "Wave hi, Nikko!"
Mertis              (job)
  She gives you a crooked smile. She's clearly quite tired. "Watching over Nikko. Me and Matt take turns." She thinks. "Oh! I'm also a fletcher." 
Mertis              (nikko)
  "Matt's my husband, and Nikko's our son. Matt sells weapons over there." She points across the bazaar. "He does good work!"
Mertis              (fletcher)
  "The merchant's always need more weapons to guard their caravans. You can buy some missiles too if you want."
------------
Mertis              (look)
  There is a woman sitting behind the counter, concentrating amazingly intently on mixing some reagents. You looks closer. She's making poison.
Mertis              (name)
  She finishes what she's doing, and turns her attention to you. "I'm Anhara. Welcome."
Mertis              (job)
  She begins preparing some poison glands as she talks. "I make tools and poisons for the merchants."
Mertis              (tools)
  "They need all sorts of things. Poisons to kill pests and attackers. Locks and tools for locks. You know. Want to purchase anything?"
------------
Mertis              (look)
  There is a thin man sitting behind the counter, carefully chipping an obsidian spear head.
Mertis              (name)
  He sets the spear head down. "I'm Matt."
Mertis              (job)
  "My wife and I sell weapons at the bazaar. The merchants are good customers."
Mertis              (merchants)
  "Between brigands, nephilim, undead, Empire patrols and rogue sliths, they need all the arms they can get."
------------
Mertis              (look)
  You meet an old man with sparse hair. His clothes look heavily worked in, with many stains and small rips.
Mertis              (name)
  He shakes your hands firmly. "I'm Elmer."
Mertis              (job)
  "I run the auction house."
Mertis              (auction)
  "Where the farmers sell their crops and livestock to the merchants. Ya' know, the area around Mertis is the most fertile in Exile!"
------------
Mertis              (look)
  The bar is tended by a short man with long curly hair and a friendly face.
Mertis              (name)
  "I'm Cronan. Welcome to the Merchant's Inn!"
Mertis              (job)
  "Hauling shrooms across Exile is thirsty work. You can buy mugs of mushroom mead for 3 gold. You can also get a room for 5 gold. You'll be in the commons, though. The private room is occupied."
Mertis              (occupied)
  "Some mage is in there. He goes to where the prisoners are, then come backs here. Does it three times a day. He seems a weirdie, but it's none of my business."
------------
Mertis              (look)
  There is a figure sitting cross-legged in the shadows of this darkened room. You look closer - it's a thin man in mage's robes.
Mertis              (name)
  "I am Caelen." (Pronounced Kalin)
Mertis              (job)
  "I've heard of you, envoys to the Vahnatai. If you weren't who you are, I wouldn't forgive your intrusion on my privacy. Instead, you may be able to help me, and us all. I'm here to find out about the passes."
Mertis              (passes)
  "I am here to question the prisoners to find out about Empire passes. The passes are scrolls given out by the Empire forces down here, which let you into different areas they control. They are, worst to best, Red, Blue, and Gray."
  "I want to find a gray pass, and I think a  prisoner here knows where it is."
Mertis              (prisoner)
  "In one of the cells in the building to the east. The damned bureaucrat in charge, however, won't let anyone in to see him. I keep trying, but she just won't budge."
  "But if someone stealthy and strong, like you, could find one of the gray passes, they could get far into Empire lands!"
------------
Mertis              (look)
  A huge, greatsword bearing warrior sits behind an amusingly small desk, shuffling around piles of paper with hands like hams. 
Mertis              (name)
  "I'm Commander Lynn," she says. "I'm in charge of this fort."
Mertis              (job)
  "I look after the prisoners, and shuffle papers." She looks at her desk in distaste.
Mertis              (prisoners)
  "This is where prisoners are brought for questioning. The yard to the north is for grunts. The cells to the east are for detainees with special information."
Mertis              (information)
  She shakes her head. "Sorry. There's a VIP, a Very Important Prisoner, in there, and nobody gets in to see her without orders, no matter what clearance they are."
  "I don't make the rules. I just kill those who try to break them." She pats her greatsword meaningfully.
Mertis              (papers)
  "Forms this, forms that. I'd rather be going out on missions. Instead, I assign them!"
Mertis              (mission)
  She smiles. "I'm glad you asked. There's a bunch of bandits hiding in the Honeycomb. They have some sort of mage helping them - we can find their lair, but we can't get in. Get in there and wipe them out and you'll be rewarded."
------------
Mertis              (look)
  A listless soldier, tan from the surface world still intact, wanders around.
Mertis              (name)
  "I'm Gorb. Whaddaya' want?"
Mertis              (job)
  "Just a prisoner here. Just hoping to get out of these caves alive."
Mertis              (caves)
  "How can you all live down here? It's hell! I've only been down here two months, and I think I'll go nuts if I don't see sunlight soon!"
Mertis              (sunlight)
  "I volunteered to come down here, cause they promised money and adventure. Instead I get cold, wet caves, and crappy mushroom food all the time, all to fight a bunch of regular folks who are just trying to do all they can to live down here!"
  "If I could, I'd take back coming down here a thousand times, and that's no joke!"
------------
Mertis              (look)
  A surface worlder looks at you defiantly.
Mertis              (name)
  She frowns. "Caerno. Private. Third Cavern Corps. Three. Five. Seven."
Mertis              (job)
  She looks you up and down. "I have nothing to say, exile."
Mertis              (exile)
  "You can do what you want to break me, but I'm an Empire soldier!"
Mertis              (empire)
  She spits. "We're tough enough to take living in these caves, and we're tough enough to take you! And that's all I have to say. Do what you want!"
------------
Mertis              (look)
  A surface worlder sits curled up in the corner, looking at you meekly.
Mertis              (name)
  She stands and bows. "I'm Dougherty. Private. Second Cavern Corps. One. Eight. Six."
Mertis              (job)
  "Look, I've been waiting here weeks! I've said I'll say all you want, if you'll just let me get to the surface again!"
Mertis              (surface)
  "I can't take it down here! I don't care what the Empire does to me - I gotta' get out of here! I'll tell you about the passes even, just help me!"
Mertis              (passes)
  "The gray passes are the best, and the rarest! I know where one is, too! I hear there is a fort, real secret, beyond some lava fields in that steam cavern west of the Tower of Magi! Lots of soldiers, doing guerrilla stuff!"
  "They say it's hidden, but it's real near this obelisk! That's what they say! Can I go now?" She looks at your faces, then sits down, discouraged.
============
Silvar              (look)
  There is a heavy-set man, with short brown hair and a wild beard, polishing the bar. He wears rough home-spun clothes and a silver hammer around his neck.
Silvar              (name)
  "Hi! I'm Gary. Welcome to the Silvar Arms."
Silvar              (job)
  "Well, I can give you a nice room - the best, only 15 gold. Also, I've been selling a lot of rations. Let me know if you want to buy some. It's good to see some honest-to-God adventurers here."
Silvar              (adventurers)
  "Yeah. It's just been soldiers back from the front and refugees from Cotra. Everyone's destitute or lookin' to raise Hell!" He bends close to you. "I'm always lookin' to help out the people who help us out."
  "So, if you want, you're welcome to keep your spare stuff in my storeroom."
Silvar              (storeroom)
  "Yeah, I ain't usin' it, and I'll keep an eye on your stuff for you. It's the room at the end of the hall. There are some cobwebs in there, but there's plenty of space."
  "Just don't leave your stuff outside that room, or someone will walk off with it, if you know what I mean."
------------
Silvar              (look)
  You have to shake this woman awake. She had nodded off onto a breastplate on the counter.
Silvar              (name)
  She shakes her head to clear it. "Forgive me. I am Anastasia. Welcome to my shop."
Silvar              (job)
  "You can buy or sell armor here. I still have some items in stock, but things have been hectic here. Very tiring, for me and my husband."
Silvar              (husband)
  "The whole business with the war and the refugees has been very hard on my husband, Efram." She smiles weakly. "If you see him, ask him about Demonslayer. It'll cheer him up."
------------
Silvar              (look)
  You meet a mighty slith warrior. He bows to you in greeting as you approach.
Silvar              (name)
  "Call me Oss-Ess. It isss easssier to say than my full name."
Silvar              (job)
  "I am a teacher of waysss of warfare. I can train you, if you wish. It is my way of bringing peace." His sibilant voice is hard to understand sometimes, but you manage. 
Silvar              (peace)
  "Our peoplesss are both threatened by the Empire. The war between usss brought much hate, but by bringing our skillsss to you, we hope to show we truly want peace."
------------
Silvar              (look)
  An aging man sits behind the counter. He has a tired look and a huge paunch. There is a two-handed sword hanging on the wall behind him.
Silvar              (name)
  He laboriously stands up to shake your hand, then plops back down again. "I'm Efram."
Silvar              (job)
  "Well, you can sell me some weapons or buy some new ones of your own."
Silvar              (demonslayer)
  "Oh, that?" He looks back at the sword behind him. "That's Demonslayer!" He chuckles. "Not the real Demonslayer. I just call it that. Fine blade though, Draco steel. Nah, the real Demonslayer's in the Castle, real guarded."
  "Fine blade - I even saw it once! Some adventurers passing through had it. Beautiful work." He sighs.
------------
Silvar              (look)
  A sweaty woman with a leather jerkin and a belt covered with tools breezes by you. You manage to catch up with her and flag her down. She has long, reddish hair, a round face, and a harried expression. 
Silvar              (name)
  "Hello. I'm Ruth. Are you interested in boats?"
Silvar              (job)
  "I'm the town shipwright. Busy time. 
Silvar              (busy)
  "Cotra got destroyed in an attack by boat. Same thing could happen to Silvar. We're making war boats to keep it from happening again."
------------
Silvar              (look)
  You find a thin little girl, playing by herself as best she can.
Silvar              (name)
  She curtsies. "I'm Angarahad."
Silvar              (job)
  "Lookin' for friends."
Silvar              (friends)
  She sniffles. "All my friends were in Cotra, but we hadda' run away, and I can't find 'em now. Will you play with me?"
Silvar              (play)
  You play with her a little while. It makes her feel a little better, but not much. And when you say you have to leave, she seems a little bit too stoic about it. 
------------
Silvar              (look)
  The commander of Silvar sits at the desk. He's a muscular man of only early middle age, but the crook in his back and bags under his eyes indicate he's aging quickly. You also notice he's wearing the mayor's sash.
Silvar              (name)
  "I'm Captain Arlen, Commander and Acting Mayor of Silvar. I'm quite busy. What can I help you with?"
Silvar              (job)
  "Well, I've been dealing nonstop with the refugees from the destruction of Cotra. Dealing with it every minute of every day, and so have all my men. We don't have a person to spare for all our other problems."
Silvar              (cotra)
  As he says what happens, his voice cracks with fear and frustration. "It only happened a few weeks ago, not long before the barriers went down. A force of crack troops arrived by sea, with a bunch eye beasts. They showered the place with spells."
  "It's a ruin now, nothing of value left. And we still can't figure out where those troops came from."
Silvar              (refugees)
  "When Cotra was destroyed, they had to leave in an instant. Hardly any time to gather possessions. We've erected a shanty town for them to the southwest. Try not to disturb them - they have enough problems as it is."
Silvar              (problems)
  "Plenty of problems. We think some brigands are harrassing the refugees. And what's more, the Castle has a mission it wants me to find someone to do." He thinks. "Wait! You're adventurers!"
  "If you want a mission, let me know. If you succeed, I'll put in a good word for you at the Castle!"
Silvar              (mission)
  He explains the mission. "We've been working on a peace treaty with the Nephilim tribes, uniting against the Empire. We're close to success, but first they want help from us. They want us to free a bunch of Nephilim slaves from a band of Nepharim."
Silvar              (Nephilim)
  "Yeah, you heard right. A band of kitties enslaving another. And we're supposed to risk life and limb freeing them. But hey, if it works, the kitties would make good allies!"
  "Anyway, there's a Nephil called Awrrm, or something in town. Ask him about the mission - he'll help you."
------------
Silvar              (look)
  There is a Nephil sitting alone at the long table. It sips daintily at a cup of milk.
Silvar              (name)
  He turns his round, glittering eyes to you. "I am Awrmm."
Silvar              (job)
  He bows he head. "Mrrrr. Much sorrow, but my affairs are private for now."
Silvar              (mission)
  His eyes flash. "Mrrrrow! At last, ones to help us! My peoples are held by angry mule Nepharim in cave far to north and a little east. If you were freeing them, they could revolt and help you! Mrrr. Nepharim not all bad, but these should die."
Silvar              (nepharim)
  "Nepharim like what you humans call mules, bigger than us and sterile. These mules hate us and enslave us. Mrrrr. But kill their chief and may inspire Nephilim to revolt, so you can free prisoners. To be tried, one may hope!"
  "To enslave us evil bad. They must be punished."
------------
Silvar - Special
  This corner of Silvar is filled with recently built but already crumbling stone buildings, piles of garbage, thin, worried people, and a rank smell. This must be where they're sticking the refugees from Cotra. It's a grim sight.
------------
Silvar - Special
  This building is crammed with refugees, unarmed and destitute. However, when they see you, they grab clubs and muster at the door to protect their meager possessions. You back off to avoid slaying them.
------------
Silvar              (look)
  You meet a very dirty man in leather armor. He doesn't look like he trusts you. He doesn't draw his sword, but keeps his hand near it.
Silvar              (name)
  "They call me Asp. I'm from Cotra."
Silvar              (job)
  "Runnin' from Cotra. And dealin' with the brigands."
Silvar              (brigands)
  "Thieves are all right, sometimes. But there's a group that's pickin' on the refugees, takin' what little they got! Total scum. They got a lair near here somewhere. I'm trying to figger' out what to do about 'em."
------------
Silvar - Special
  You find a room hidden in the thick walls of Silvar. Brigands have painstakingly hollowed themselves out a little lair here.
------------
Silvar              (name)
  "They call me Asp. I'm from Cotra."
Silvar              (brigands)
  He smiles. "I heard what you did to those brigands. Word got around. Nice to know some Exiles still care."
------------
Silvar - Special
  This building is full of refugees. They let you in to pour thanks upon you for slaying the brigands that were harassing them. They're poor and almost without food, but thanks to you they're not totally without hope.
------------
Silvar              (look)
  A small lethal looking woman in black leather watches you carefully. She has a wicked looking knife in each hand, and more strapped to her chest and legs. When she sees you aren't about to attack, she relaxes, but not much.
Silvar              (name)
  She starts to sharpen a knife. "I'm Elspeth, adventurers. What do you want?"
Silvar              (job)
  She spits. "Keeping an eye out for the brigands. And keeping an eye on the refugees."
Silvar              (refugees)
  "You're adventurers, right? You travel? I'm looking for someone, maybe a refugee, her name's Nance."
Silvar              (nance)
  "Nance is my, uh, friend. We came to Exile together, and lived in Cotra. When the town was sacked, however, I lost track of her, and haven't heard from her since" She looks very upset. "If you meet her, please mention my name to her."
============
Cotra               (look)
  You meet a young dark-skinned woman, her black hair starting to slowly fall out from under her helmet. She waves you over to her quickly, and then pulls you out of sight.
Cotra               (name)
  She whispers, "I'm Yong-Mi."
Cotra               (job)
  She peeks around the corner to make sure nobody is coming, and says "I've been doing recon on the ruins."
Cotra               (ruins)
  She shakes her head. "This was a beautiful city, as fine as any down here. Look what the gazers did to it!"
Cotra               (recon)
  "To find out what's going on in here. It still hasn't been fully occupied, but there's some weird tension."
Cotra               (tension_
  "The Empire hired the gazers to help take the town, but the beasts don't want to leave. They're in the northwest. And the Empire wants the town, of course. But they only have a few troops here, running the forge."
Cotra               (gazers)
  "There are a bunch of them, I don't know how many. They flew into town, blasting it with spells as they went. If you look carefully, you'll see all the blasts came from inside town."
Cotra               (empire)
  "Both the Empire and the gazers are here - that's why I'm doing this recon."
Cotra               (forge)
  "In the southeast corner of town. I think they're getting low on supplies - they're really going through a lot of trouble to keep the forge running. They're using Cotra's forge - it takes a long time to make one. So the Empire and gazers have a truce."
Cotra               (truce)
  "One keeps to their half of town, the other keeps to the other half. Still, neither is too well defended. A careful attacker could do some damage!"
Cotra               (damage)
  "It won't be me - I'm getting out of here soon, so Exile can find out what I saw! Then I'm getting drunk."
Cotra               (drunk)
  "Look around this horrible place long enough, you'll want to get drunk too."
------------
Cotra - Special
  There are many piles of ore here. Judging from the sulphurous smoky haze, there is a smelter nearby, waiting to process the stuff.
------------
Cotra - Special
  The floor is dominated by a large steel anvil, still hot from constant use. It is large enough for serious, large scale work, especially if the smith had magical skills.
------------
Cotra - Special
  The Empire troops have set up a fairly elaborate iron-smelting works. Stone trenches lead from the vats of molten ore to the long marble slits where the ingots form. A foundry like this is a rare and valuable thing down here, and it would only take a little time and a few blows to deny it to the Empire troops. (Destroy it)
  It turns out to take a lot of effort. This equipment is built to process molten iron; it's not fragile. However, you do manage to heavily crack its sturdy marble components. The smelter is no longer usable.
  The smelting apparatus, sturdy as it was, is a wreck. It'll take some time to rebuild, and hopefully Exiles will be the ones to do it.
------------
Cotra - Special
  This body is very recently dead, and has the look of an Empire looter. It has no visible wounds, but the expression on its face is one of sheer terror.
  It is much, much colder inside this room than outside. The chill seeps through your clothes and sinks into your skin.
  The podium has a slender, suede-bound tome resting closed on it. It's genuine cow leather - must be from the surface world. (Read it)
  The tome is a spell book. Most of it details really basic rituals, ones you already know by heart. One of the spells, however, is intriguing. You now know how to cast Resist Magic. 
============
Grim Cavern - Specials
  The stone in this cavern is black and jagged. As you enter, a strange, incense-like smell hits your nose, distracting and abrasive. At various points around you are totems, covered with dire warnings, skulls, and bones. Welcoming place.
  This cavern smells of old incense and rot. You hear chanting coming from deep within it. And howls.
  You cannot help but notice that the totems in the northern alcoves have human skulls on them.
  The smell of incense grows stronger. On the floor off to the side is a broken shield. It has the symbol of the army of Exile on it. It doesn't make you feel any better about the residents of these caves.
  A narrow walkways runs between two deep sinkholes on either side. To the north, you see that the bridge has been coated with slippery, nasty, acrid-smelling filth. 
  You open the door, and a cloud of fumes pours out. Your eyes water and you get lightheaded. From inside the room you hear chanting. There are growls coming from around you. You start to feel very sleepy...
  You, with difficulty, manage to clear your head somewhat. Inside the room are several ancient, hunched women, beginning to prepare spells. They stand around a bubbling pot, and the bones littering the floor around them are clearly humanoid in origin.
  Many scrolls are piled on top of this pedestal. Some of them look interesing. Read? (read)
  The scrolls are actually a rather pedantic and tedious treatise on exacting tests and experiments to perform on items to determine their properties. Dull, yes, but educational. You now know the spell Identify.
  Among the robes and capes in this dresser, you find a thin leather headband inlaid with silver runes. (Take)(Shielding band)
  Among the clothing and such in this dresser, you find a necklace adorned with small silver skulls. (Take)(Pyrrhic necklace)
============
Fort Duvno          (look)
  You meet a small woman with delicate features and long brown hair. She looks up from the large pile of arrows she was working on.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "Just call me J.R."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "Well, right now I'm making arrows for the troops. You can purchase some yourself if you like."
Fort Duvno          (troops)
  "Every weapon maker around here is busy - we're preparing for the worst after what happened in Cotra."
Fort Duvno          (cotra)
  "The Empire is killing every Exile they can get their hands on. If we don't get strong enough, we'll all be dead."
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  You meet a short, stocky man with blond hair and a broad smile. His mage's robes have tiny holes in them, as if eaten away by little specks of acid.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "I'm Walner. Welcome to this place of learning!"
Fort Duvno          (job)
  He waves at the bookshelves on the north wall. "Collecting all the knowledge there is to be had in our subterranean abode! Enough to identify your items, for example. Or to give instruction in alchemy!"
Fort Duvno          (alchemy)
  He indicates the tiny holes in his robes with embarrassment. "I do alchemy often, although my concoctions often spit back at me. Many of my recipes are quite useful. In particular, I know how to make two valuable potions with glowing nettle."
  "If you have the money and inclination, you can buy that knowledge."
Alchemy - Medium Curing, Medium Healing
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  There is an exceptionally shifty looking woman behind the counter. She brazenly cleans and sorts lock picking tools, and prepares vials of poison with greasy fingers.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  She smiles unpleasantly. "I'm Amalia. Hi."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "You can buy tools of thievery here, and sell any goods you may have ... umm ... acquired in your travels." She chuckled. "you're lucky - you've come to my shop during generous times."
Fort Duvno          (generous)
  "Well, the soldiers are too busy to worry too much about a little petty thievery, and anyway, the stuff I sell is too useful."
Fort Duvno          (useful)
  "Certain servants of Exile are always needing lockpicks and poison for little spying jaunts, recon, wet work, you know how it is." She grins and starts sharpening a small, wicked looking dagger.
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  There is a thin old man sitting under the tree, fishing.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "Eh? Oh, hello. Call me Scott."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "Oh, just an old man whiling away his last years fishing."
Fort Duvno          (fishing)
  "Nephilim destroyed my farm years ago. Now I just do odd jobs for my keep, and relax fishing. And keeping those darned refugees away!"
Fort Duvno          (refugees)
  "They scare the fish!"
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  There is a jolly merchant sitting behind the counter, with the look of one who's done much sampling of his own wares.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "I'm Rorik, brewer and cook of great reknown!"
Fort Duvno          (job)
  He laughs and jiggles. "I was banished into Exile because my wines were too good. Made them jealous! And I still make them. You can buy the best wines and rations here, to take the edge off your journey!"
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  An imposing woman with graying hair and a severe expression is setting up shop. She looks highly displeased at your intrusion.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "I'm Faye. Now leave."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "I'm setting up my shop, and you are trespassing."
Fort Duvno          (trespassing)
  She looks ready to call the guard at a moment's notice. "I'm still recovering from escaping Cotra. I don't need you bothering me."
Fort Duvno          (cotra)
  "Yes, I was there, and I've had what I have to say about it ignored enough. Now leave me alone."
Fort Duvno          (ignored)
  She snaps at you. "Yes! Ignored! They all say they don't know where the attack came from, but I saw lights on the island south of Cotra not long before the troops arrived. And they say I imagined it, that there's nothing there."
  She speaks very loud and very clear. "You won't deal with me, I won't deal with you. Now will ... you ... PLEASE ... leave?"
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  There is a young, dark-skinned man sitting behind the table, chopping healing herbs as fast as he can. He's obviously exhausted.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "Eucher the healer. Are you well?" He looks you over for ailments.
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "Healing all who come to me. I have some time to help you if you need it. Though, Heaven knows, everything's been nuts since the barriers came down."
Fort Duvno          (barriers)
  "The assault on Cotra was bad enough. But when the Vahnatai barriers came, the war really started up again. The Empire was more reinforced and we were more prepared, and the bodies have come non-stop."
  "I need more supplies, but I do the best I can."
Fort Duvno          (supplies)
  "Herbs. Clean gauze. Graymold salve. Comfrey root. I do what I can, but I'm always running out of something vital."
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  You meet a tall, gaunt soldier. His face is heavily lined, and not just with age. His expression seems locked in a permanent scowl, and you doubt his eyes could ever be anything but cold.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  He looks you over. "I am Captain Johnson. What can I do for you?"
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "I rule this fort."
Fort Duvno          (fort)
  "Fort Duvno, a knife aimed at the heart of the Empire."
Fort Duvno          (empire)
  He smirks. "A strong foe, but we can make things go very ugly for them, when we get our hands on them. Very ugly indeed." He gives you a close look. "You're adventurers, are you not? I often look to hire adventurers to go on missions."
  "I have strong troops, but they have their hands full babysitting refugees. If you're interested, let me know."
Fort Duvno          (mission)
  "Yes, I do have something for you. Somewhere to the west, to the north of Cotra, some sliths, some of the hostile kind, have a hidden lair. Find it and kill a whole bunch of them, and you'll be rewarded."
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  You meet a small, gorgeous woman, wearing somewhat sparse dancer's clothes. Bereft of an audience, however, she seems somewhat down.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  She floats gracefully over to you. "I'm Eledi."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  She sighs. "Just passing the time. Tonight, I'll be dancing. You should come to the show!"
Fort Duvno          (show)
  She does a twirl on one foot. It's a move both graceful and pulse quickening. "Exiles have always needed some cheering, now more than ever. I guess being thrown down here gave me my calling."
Fort Duvno          (calling)
  "I was one of the last people thrown into Exile. They didn't want me to dance up there. Too ... uhh ... stirring, they said. I wouldn't give it up, so they threw me down here, where people really need some beauty in their lives."
  She smiles and blushes. "It's not much, I know, but it means a lot to me."
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  The bar is tended by a striking woman with short black hair and a pleasant smile. She's quiet for a barkeep - she just raises her eyes as you approach.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "Alice."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  She smiles. "Room, five gold. Drinks, 2 gold. Gossip, free."
Fort Duvno          (gossip)
  She leans close. "Archer in town. Name's Gourdon. Asking around about passes or some such. He doesn't want people to know about it, but he was rude to me. Oh well." She grins mischievously.
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  A man with the look of a refugee walks up to you and mutely holds out a begging bowl. He has a resigned, sardonic expression.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  He bows his head in an almost, but not quite, humble manner. "I'm Dorkin, sirs."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "Well, I'll tell ya' I got thrown down here for bein' poor, no more no less. So I go to Cotra, and I work hard, make a business for myself!"
Fort Duvno          (cotra)
  "That's right - I was the best cobbler in Cotra! And then the Empire comes down here, and they make me poor again! So I'm startin' to figger', maybe some fellows just meant to be poor. So could you maybe give me a coin?"
------------
Fort Duvno          (look)
  You meet a very heavy-set man with a longbow slung over his shoulder and a full quiver of arrows at his side. He looks you over nervously as you approach.
Fort Duvno          (name)
  "Gourdon."
Fort Duvno          (job)
  "Just killing time."
Fort Duvno          (passes) (remember hint from Alice)
  At first, he looks upset that you know what he's after. Then he looks you over carefully. "Ach! I know you! You're the ones who went to the Vahnatai! It's safe to talk to you." He pulls you aside.
  "You see, I've been going from town to town, looking for certain scrolls from the surface."
Fort Duvno          (scrolls)
  He pulls out a vellum scroll, edged in red ink. "This is a red pass. The troops down here need passes to get into Empire lands. I'm looking for a blue and a gray pass. That's why I'm heading down to Mertis." 
  "My goal, ya' see, is to look into some rumors."
Fort Duvno          (mertis)
  "The gray pass is the most important one, and I hear that there's a prisoner in Mertis who knows where one is. If I get one, I can start looking into certain rumors."
Fort Duvno          (rumors)
  He looks very worried. "I hear from prisoners the Empire's buildin' this portal, from up there to down here, so they can teleport down a whole army. They'd wipe us out if they could do that!"
  "So I'm going to look into it. I'm not the best spy, but I know these caves well as anyone."
============
Crystal Tunnel - Specials
  You walk down this hidden passage. The  walls are covered with glittering crystals - it's a beautiful sight. Then, you round the corner and walk right into a band of Empire soldiers.
------------
  The farther you go, the more crystals there are and the more beautiful they become. Before long, however, the beauty is marred by the appearance of more enemy troops.
------------
  You sneak up to the entrance of a huge, breathtakingly beautiful cavern. The glowing fungus reveals huge, shimmering aggregation of crystals, filling the air with rainbows. What's more, the crystals vibrate. They're emittiong a continuous, soothing sum which calms your nerves and alleviates your exhaustion.
  However, you have little time to enjoy the cavern, for someone has gotten here first. A large contingent of troops have set up camp inside the cavern, basking in its beneficial effects.
  Of course, it might be in your power to reclaim this wondrous place for Exile... (Attack)
  You return to the cavern you have reclaimed. The remarkable crystal formations are still there, and still emitting their soothing hum. Enter the cavern? (Enter)
  The crystals hum and vibrate when you enter, filling you with waves of exhilarating energy. You leave healed and refreshed.
============
Large Hill - Special
  You are at the base of a high mound of rock overlooking this huge cavern. From the top, you would have a view of all of it. If that interests you, a narrow path leads up the hillside.
------------
  There is a hut at the top of the hill, sitting in the middle of the ruins of a fort. There is a sign on the door: "All Exiles Welcome!" Interesting that anyone, Exile or Empire, would choose to live out here so brazenly. (Enter)
  When you knock, a small elderly mage with a sparce, snowy white beard opens the door and welcomes you in.
  "Greetings, Exiles, I'm Kosdad."
  You're understandably suspisious, and he notices. "Oh, don't worry! Empire soldiers can't see my hut unless I let them. I'm a spy, you see!" He chuckles. "I look out to the west for attackers."
  You enter the hut, still on guard, and talk to Kosdad for a bit. He says it's a risky job he does, but "it's much more helpful than teaching at the Mage Tower, that's for sure."
  "Though, I do know a few spells it'd be quick to teach, if you're interested. Break the monotony of spying, you know!" (Accept)
(Mage Spells - Summon Beast, Conflagration, Dispel Field)
============
Easter Exile - Special
  You start to enter this dark, heavily overgrown glade, when you find that the path is blocked by a huge crowd of gremlins. You immediately notice two things: one, they are extremely glum, and two, there are all male. Very odd. Approach them? (Talk to them)
  The gremlins seem too depressed to react as you approach (although they still block your way into the glade). However, one of the more elderly of the purple creatures approaches to talk to you.
  You ask what's wrong. He says "It's so awful! You see, recently all our women decided to go out for a walk! Or a wine run, we aren't sure. Anyway, they never came back! It's scandalous! I mean, it's usually trees that act like that!"
  "Oh, if only someone could tell us where they went! Their absence is causing us great ... ahhhh ... discomfort! And we would greatly reward anyone who could tell us where they were!"
  He turns to leave, then remembers something. "By the way, they were all wearing pink ribbons when they left. This may help." He then turns to go back to moping.
============
Easter Exile - Special
  You return to Fort Exile, the point at which all arrivals to Exile (including you) once teleported in. Now, however, the Empire has stopped sending new people down, and the fort is now much less important. It is currently begin used to house refugees from the destruction of Cotra, to the west. You visit, for a short time, and find the place overrun with dispirited Exiles, being helped somewhat by a small group of overburdened guards. You look for a way to help, but there isn't much to be done. Demoralized, you depart.
============
Nephilim Fort - Specials
  To the north, you see that a band of Nephilim or Nepharim (or both) have burrowed a fort out of the living rock of the cave wall. Even from here, you can see guards patrolling in front of it.
------------
  You reach the entrance to the Nepharim fort, and see a wide variety of the savage creatures inside, working, sharpening weapons, standing guard. They're heavily armed, and ready for defense.
  Scattered among the hulking, healthy Nepharim are a few scrawny Nephilim, armed with rough weapons. They don't look happy to be fighting.
------------
  You slay the fortresses chieftan. It doesn't take long for word of what you did to get out. You hear berserk screams, as the Nephilim slaves suddenly turn on their guards!
------------
  You star through the bars and see a shocking sight - Nephilim, enslaved by their own people. There are dozens of the creatures beyond the bars, half starved, fur-matted, watching you carefully.
  The normally clean and finicky creatures have only filthy, thin pallets to sleep on, warmed by one small, smoky fire. The smell is nose-burning. The creatures watch you carefully, waiting to see what you do. Although they're weakened by their conditions, they're milling about anxiously, clearly waiting to spring into action as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
------------
  This is an imposing stone door, with a huge padlock. You smash away at it, but you can't get the lock open.
  You find a tiny hidden room. There is a peg coming out of the north wall, perfect for hanging a key ring off of.
  This is an imposing stone door, with a huge padlock. On a hunch, you try your bronze key in the lock. Sure enough, it clicks open.
  There is a thick iron lever in the floor. With effort, you could pull it. (pull)
  You hear a clanking noise coming from outside the room.
  You hear running and wild howling outside the door! You look through the nearby window, and see what's going on ...
  Many of the slaves had weaponry hidden in the nooks and crannies of their cave - crude, make shift knives, clubs, even a rusted sword or two! They're now charging out, making a break for the exit, protected by the chaos you've caused.
  As they flee, a few of them stop and bow to you in thanks. It is no secret tho them who is responsible for their freedom.
------------
  You are at the entrance to the Nepharim's slave pit. None of the imprisoned Nephilim remain. All that's left are the smoky fire and the thin pallets.
  In the confusion of the escape, this hidden cache of supplies got forgotten. Food and weapons, carefully squirreled away, are carefully stacked throughout the small cavern.
------------
  The giants live in here. The cat-people tend to live in very clean chambers. In contrast, this place is filthy. You can almost hear the fleas and ticks marching towards you.
============
Silvar              (name)
  He turns his round, glittering eyes to you. "I am Awrmm."
Silvar              (mission)
  It purrs happily. "We thank you for your good efforts in this. My people thank you and wish to help in your war. Goodness to you!"
--------------
Silvar              (name)
  "I'm Captain Arlen, Commander and Acting Mayor of Silvar. I'm quite busy. What can I help you with?"
Silvar              (mission)
  He stands and shakes your hands. "I've heard that you led a success revolt. Well done!" He shows you a scroll. "I'll send this to the Castle. This will help you gain a higher clearance. On behalf of Exile and the Nephilim, I thank you."
============
Great Cave - Specials to Castle
  The way to the Castle, capital of Exile, is blocked by a huge stone wall, assembled by muscle and magic. You pass through a gate in the middle, guarded by well-armed and armored troops. They're well-equipped, but their eyes betray a great weariness. Things can't have been going well lately. You move quickly past.
------------
  A weary band of Exile troops is camped here. They greet you cordially, but distantly.
  You meet a boisterous band of Exile raiders. They welcome you in to join in their brawling and boozing. You take them up on it for a while. 
  There are several mages and priests sitting around this fire, meditating and restoring their powers for battles to come. You decide not to bother them.
  A weary band of Exile troops is camped here. They greet you cordially, but distantly.
  You meet a boisterous band of Exile raiders. They welcome you in to join in their brawling and boozing. You take them up on it for a while. 
------------
  The only reasonable approach to and from the Castle, now as always, is up a steep, narrow stretch of ground flanked on either side by sheer, imposing pits. You cross the bridge, approaching the mighty edifice that is the Castle.
  Along the way, you pass several large groups of Exile's finest troops, guarding the path. Each questions and inspects you as you pass, ready to kill and die to keep a spy from entering or leavint Exile's capital.
  Finally, winded, you approach the end of the path.
------------
The Castle - Special
  This dusty room is packed ceiling high with dressed blocks of stone, cement, and other building materials. The Castle is definitely ready to quickly repair any breached walls.
------------
The Castle          (look)
  You meet a burly, grizzled old veteran, wearing heavy, pitted chainmail. He only has one arm, but that arm holds a large barrel up on his shoulder.
The Castle          (name)
  He grins toothily at you, not letting the barrel down from his shoulder. "I'm Ackroyd."
The Castle          (job)
  "Well, I'm quartermaster for the Castle, ya' know? I look after storerooms and stuff? Cause, ya' see, I got wounded, and they needed somewheres ta' stick me."
The Castle          (wounded)
  "Yeah, the Empire? One of their assassins nailed me? It got infected and poisoned and stuff, and it had to come off. I'm bitter, but hey, I got stuff to keep busy with, ya' know? Oh well."
  He puts the barrel down, and picks up another. His remaining arm is frighteningly well muscled.
The Castle          (storerooms)
  "Yeah, I look after the storerooms? And did ya' see one of 'em was empty? You could keep your stuff in there, ya' know? I'll look after it. Put it in the room with the webs in it." 
------------
The Castle - Special
  You have a hard time remembering when you've seen so much paper - heaps, stacks, reams of it! And all covered with tightly written lists, records, and other bureaucratic wheel-spinning.
------------
The Castle          (look)
  A happy woman with brown, frizzy hair sits behind the counter, blissfully shuffling forms back and forth, tabulating numbers, and doing other obscure bureaucratic things.
The Castle          (name)
  She stands to shake your hands. "I am Gilda, head record-keeper. Welcome to my domain."
The Castle          (job)
  "Oh, you wouldn't find most of it very interesting. Someone has to keep all the information straight. Of course, I do have to deal with adventurers."
The Castle          (adventurers)
  "I'm generally in charge of evaluating and rewarding security clearance. If you ever feel you've earned a new clearance, come see me."
The Castle          (clearance)
  Gilda smiles condescendingly. "No, you aren't ready for a higher clearance yet. Go do a few more missions, and we'll see."
------------
The Castle          (look)
  You meet a small, delicately featured woman with a sweet smile. She wears snowy white robes, and radiates a constant, unmistakable power. A gold ankh hangs from around her neck.
The Castle          (name)
  "My name is Arbanel. Welcome."
The Castle          (job)
  "I am an Exile, the last Exile. I came here on my own after the Empire stopped sending people down, because I realized you were on the side of justice."
The Castle          (justice)
  "I fought for the Empire once; it shames me to admit it. I even sent those like you down here. But redemption is always possible, and is never as hard as it seems. My mission is to atone."
The Castle          (atone)
  "I can provide healing for you. You can also purchase spells from me, which the Empire does not want you to have."
  "Alas, I must ask a fee for my help. Worry not - the tithe will go to the needy, and to the good fight."
(Priest Spells - Resurrect, Divine Thud)
------------
The Castle - Special
  The long, winding passage ends in a short, dimly lit corridor. It's dusty. Nobody comes back here much, now.
------------
The Castle - Special
  Before you is a marble pedestal. On the pedesteal is a thick velvet pillow, and on the pillow is dust. This was the resting place of the Orb of Thralni before it was stolen.
------------
The Castle - Special
  This is the chamber where the Exile council, the mayors of the six (now 5) great cities of Exile, come to meet. It's a solemn place, and slightly dusty. It would seem the Council hasn't been able to come together for some time.
============
Central Exile - Special
  Leaning back against a tree, you find all that's left of a human body. Someone wasn't quite able to outrun a few cave lizards.
  In a mushroom patch nearby, you find a couriers satchel. It would seem the corpse nearby was, in life, an Empire messenger. Empire army packages are often trapped, but are also often valuable. Search the satchel? (Search)
  The satchel has four scrolls in it. You reach for one of them, but then they change! With a blur, they seem to rearrange themselves in the satchel! What's more, they all look so similar you can't tell them apart. The best you can do is grab one of them and hope. Which one do you take? (pick randomly until you get the one you want)
  It's a dispatch from some garrison somewhere to some other garrison. It says that the new access word for the "Auxiliary Caches" is "Skulls." When you finish reading it, you suddenly feel strangely compelled to replace the scroll in the bag.
============
Isolated Island - Special
  Wandering around this seemingly barren cave, you stumble upon a cunningly concealed tunnel. You peek inside, and see a host of Empire soldiers staring back at you. They don't look pleased at being discovered.
------------
  The desk contains plans and records regarding the recent attack on Cotra. The Empire was cunning - first, they built this hidden base and filled it with crack soldiers. Then, they made an alliance with a group of eye beasts from the western caves - half of the spoils of Cotra in return for their help destroying it. The papers are interesting and give a good idea of what happened, but you can't find any current troop rosters or accounts of movements or anything that would be useful back in Exile.
  You do find one very interesting thing, though - a blue Empire pass!
============
Central Exile - Specials
  Interesting. There are a bunch of carved poles here, out in the middle of nowhere. They depict lizards, dragons, and other reptilian creatures.
  Suddenly, a bit of fake floor falls out from under you! You fall down a deep, slippery hole and land in an painful, undignified heap in a small cavern far below.
============
Secret Slith Fort - Specials
  You look wistfully up at the slick chimney leading back to Exile. You would love to climb it, but you can't manage it. You'll have to find another way out...
------------
  You are at the entrance to a cavern filled to a depth of several feet with foul, stagnant water. Covering the spurs of rock pocking above the water are many small snakes. The tunnels echo with the sound of hissing.
------------
  You have seized control of the slith's nursery. In the pools all around you are clutches of eggs of all size, and baby Slithzerikai, looking at you with fear. If you were so inclined, you could easily kill them all right now, doing this hostile clan incredible harm. (Kill them)
  You move swiftly among the pools, smashing the eggs and slaying the slith young. It's terribly easy. Before long, all the children are dead.
  As you prepare to leave, you are struck with a feeling of deep disquiet. Enemies or no, it's hard to take satisfaction in wiping out a bunch of children.
------------
  After making your way down a long passage, you eventually emerge outside. You look back, and find the passage you emerged from is gone! The magic concealing the slith's lair is strong indeed.
------------
  This passage start to get darker to the south. Not less light, but eerier, and colder. You cannot help but feel chilled, and suspect someone is watching you.
------------
  The passage in front of the dock has long lines of runes and religious pictograms on the floor, walls, and ceiling. You try to walk past, but you suddenly feel an irresistible compulsion to turn back. Gritting your teeth, you do so.
------------
  At the end of this chamber of horrors, you find an obelisk. Covering it and the walls around it are tiny, cramped inscriptions. A brief inspepection reveals that they describe rituals, but not good ones. Cruel, sinister, magical rites.
  They look dark, but they look interesting too, almost compelling. Do you read them? (Read)
  You read the runes, slowly at first, then more intensely, unable to turn away, gripped by the detailed, compelling descriptions of corrupt, foul rituals, and horrifying rites. You even find yourself muttering some of the incantations to yourself.
  Fortunately, you finally reach the end of the dark litanies. You feel ill, however. Disturbed, and almost unhinged. You're eager to leave.
------------
  There is a pool of water here. It is stagnant and smelly, but doesn't look actually poisonous. The floor before it has two depressions, as many creatures have knelt before it. (Bathe)
  Cringing, you rub the foul water over your arms and hands. Ugh.
(Do this in the other two pools. then go back to strange secret passage)
------------
  The passage in front of the dock has long lines of runes and religious pictograms on the floor, walls, and ceiling. Interesting, but not very. You walk past.
------------
  The island is dominated by the statue of a huge male slith, the standard two-tined spear raised above its head in a pose of triumph. An inscription at the base says his name:
  "Sss-Thsss"
  At the statue's feet are several huge piles of skulls, from all sorts of creatures. humanoid and not. You look through a few of them, but give up when your gorge starts rising.
============
Fort Duvno          (name)
  He looks you over. "I am Captain Johnson. What can I do for you?"
Fort Duvno          (mission)
  You report what you did. He grins viciously. "Well done! That'll show those worms to oppose us!" He has you brought a bag of gold. "Here's your bounty, and, on top of that, I'll even send word to the Castle saying what you did. They'll like that."
============
Ft Dranlon - Special
  A guard peers through a crack between two of the barries, and demands your names. You give them, and holes are opened in the barriers to let you through.
  Fort Dranlon is a grim place, battered vanguard in a long series of wars. The walls show signs of having been blasted, patched and rebuilt many times. The passage ahead leads into the core of the fort. Arrow slits face into the passage, and lines of ominous glyphs stretch across the floor.
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  There is a young woman with long blonde hair sitting at the table. She clearly hasn't slept in days, and her face, which which seems naturally made for smiling, is creased with sorrow and worry.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  "I'm Nance."
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  Her voice is dull and lifeless. She struggles to be polite. "I fled Cotra when it was destroyed and came here. Now I wait, and stay out of trouble."
Fort Dranlon        (elspeth) (remember her words from silvar)
  She looks at you warily, and asks you why you said that. You tell her, and a look of profound relief crosses her face. "If you see Elspeth again, say 'Labris' to her. It's a code word we made when the war started. And thank you."
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  A neat-looking, ferret-faced man hunches behind a desk.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  He looks you up and down. "I'm O'Rourke."
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  "I'm an Exile agent, out here on the front."
Fort Dranlon        (agent)
  "Well, I'm supposed to be doing covert work and such, but stepping outside this fort is a sure way to invite quick death. Unfortunate - there is a serious matter that needs taking up with the giants." 
Fort Dranlon        (giants)
  "The Empire is no more fond of the giants than us, and has driven them into the caverns to the north. I have a quest regarding them, with rich reward if you can complete it."
Fort Dranlon        (quest)
  "Giants we've questioned have said that they have three icons, very ancient, made of a strange gray stone. They're owned by giants living to the north. We'd like to get them, to examine them and break giant morale. Bring them to me and be rewarded."
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  The counter is being polished by a middle-aged, heavy-set man with short black hair and a very neat moustache.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  He shakes your hands. "I'm George. I'm the quartermaster."
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  "I'm the quartermaster here, such as it is.  Plus, I run the commissary."
Fort Dranlon        (quartermaster)
  "We don't get many supplies, but enough. I keep track of them."
Fort Dranlon        (commisary)
  He indicates behind the counter. There are some supplies there. "For what few adventurers we get passing through. You can buy stuff if you want. We also have rations. This is all we got, and we wouldn't have that, but for the cache!"
Fort Dranlon        (cache)
  "Empire supply cache. They got 'em all around here. Fresh supplies, teleported from the surface. We don't get much of it, but we can make do!"
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  There is a striking woman praying at the altar. Her long, dark hair contrasts sharply with her snowy white robes.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  She stands to welcome you. "I am Caitlin." It takes a single look to tell she is very tired.
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  "I was just completing a very long series of prayers. But my regular work is spell-casting."
Fort Dranlon        (spell)
  "I help maintain the barriers sometimes, but that isn't important. What is important is that I can heal you, if you wish it."
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  There is an aging, thin mage here. He's directing energy into a magical barrier blocking a hole in the wall. As you approach, he finishes up the section he was working on and turns to you.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  "Postlethwaite."
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  He scratches his neck. "Oh, defending the fort. I'm a refugee, you see, but I wanted to do useful work."
Fort Dranlon        (refugee)
  "From Cotra. It was destroyed. I taught magic there."
Fort Dranlon        (magic)
  "Yes. I still do sometimes. There's a quick spell you can buy from me, if you're interested."
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  This solidly built blonde woman can't seem to stop moving. She moves from barrier to barrier and fortification, looking for something to repair or augment.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  "I'm Wendy. I'm a mage here."
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  "Just working the barriers. Needs doing."
Fort Dranlon        (barriers)
  "Walls take time to repair, and Empire mages hit us with fireballs all the time. They're much worse than the sliths."
Fort Dranlon        (slith)
  "That's who we fought before the Empire came down here. Well, that's what Fort Dranlon fought before the Empire came. I wasn't here, I was with the Scimitar."
Fort Dranlon        (scimitar)
  She smiles proudly. "Underground warriors against the Empire, back when their agents among us were covert. We fight with the army now, mostly doing stealthy stuff. But when one of us is needed somewhere, we go."
  She claps you on the shoulder. "We're all in this together!"
------------
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  A small, beautiful woman with long, curly brown hair is sitting behind the desk. She wears simple velvet robes, and bears the staff of a wizard.
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  She nods to you, and smiles blazingly. "I'm Commander Mairwen." (Pronounced Mire-When.)
Fort Dranlon        (job)
  Her smile falls a few notches. "I run this fort. It's pretty bleak."
Fort Dranlon        (fort)
  "Fort Dranlon. Been here seven years now. We're always the first to be attacked, and the last to be relieved!"
Fort Dranlon        (bleak)
  "The Empire's been hammering us non-stop for months. The barrier didn't help things. And adventurers rarely come here anymore."
Fort Dranlon        (adventurers)
  "Used to be, there were always adventurers coming through here, doing missions for us. Great help. Now, I rarely  get anyone to do missions. Plus, I can't bribe them as easily."
Fort Dranlon        (bribe)
  "I'm not allowed to teach dispel barrier to people anymore. I can only offer gold and a good word to the government for those that do missions."
Fort Dranlon        (mission)
  "This mission is a dangerous one, indeed. To the north of here is an Empire tower, filled with mages, led by an archmage named Elderan. We need him dead, and have been trying to find a small band to infiltrate his tower and slay him."
Fort Dranlon        (elderan/tower)
  "It just appeared, almost overnight, up river to the north, a few months ago. It's run by a mage named Elderan, and launches nasty, nasty raids. It's an important place, though."
  "If you could hit it hard, it'd really stick it to the Empire."
============
Silvar              (name)
  She starts to sharpen a knife. "I'm Elspeth, adventurers. What do you want?"
Silvar              (labris)
  You say 'Labris' to Elspeth, and then tell her where you met Nance. She seems beside herself with relief. "I'll go there as soon as I can! And, in thanks, something I saved from my shop..." She gives you a small, wicked looking dagger. "Thank you!"
============
Central Exile - Special
  Suddenly, several humans appear, surrounding you. You pull your weapons, but one of them steps forward unarmed, saying "Wait! We're Exiles!"  (Wait)
  You hold your blow, and the woman who approached says "We're in hiding, but we know you. We've heard of you. Come to camp with us - we have things to tell you."
  Cautiously, you follow them to their cunningly hidden camp, and find twenty of them. They're not refugees, however, they're fighters, well armed and skilled in stealth. Upon arrival, the woman who greeted you straps on several long knives.
  She says "I am Caitlin, of the Scimitar." You've heard of the Scimitar - a formerly underground group fighting the Empire, who now work for the Exile army doing stealthy (and vicious) missions.
  "We've heard of you, visitors to the Vahnatai, and we know you travel. We are looking for several Empire supply caches in this area, hidden and trapped. And, we have been given rewards to give to those who help us destroy them."
  "If you find and destroy any, return and let us know." You agree. "And join us in a meal, so we may hear of your adventures!" You agree to this too.
  And, after a friendly meal and a long talk, you depart.
============
The Castle          (clearance)
  Gilda lurches to the counter and summons up a flurry of paperwork. After a few minutes, she pops up from a cloud of airborne scrolls and hands you a small certificate. "You are now of Magi Clearance. Congratulations!"
------------
The Castle - Special
  You slip into one of the cells, where Empire prisoners are brought for extra-intensive questioning.
The Castle          (look)
  A thin, pale man lies rigid on the floor, a blue field engulfs him from the neck down. It doesn't take long to figure out what the field is for - it is holding him paralyzed. The man whimpers and stares at you in terror.
The Castle          (name)
  "Zed! Zed! I'll tell you what you want!"
The Castle          (job)
  He turns his head weakly around to look at you. The rest of his body is held utterly still. His voice is a terrified shriek. "Please! Please! I've told you everything I know!"
The Castle          (know)
  He whimpers. "I was just a foot soldier. It was join them or they kill me! They blasted the Abyss. I didn't wanna' die. They have lots of troops, but they never told me anything. I only know their mission."
The Castle          (mission)
  Tears slide down his face. It's a pathetic sight. "They're going to do to Exile what they did to the Abyss. Giants, sliths, Nephil, humans, everyone. They're going to kill us all. Nothing more, nothing less."
  "Now release me. Please, let me go." Even if you wanted to, you don't know how.
------------
The Castle - Special
  This is a room for meditation. Mages can sit on thick rugs, surrounding a glowing, multicolored runic design on the floor. You all feel somewhat pleasantly light-headed as you look at it, too much so to feel comfortable.
The Castle          (look)
  A woman with long, dark hair and severe features sits staring at the sparkling runes before here. When she sees you, she smiles and motions for you to sit with her.
The Castle          (name)
  "I am Curtin."
The Castle          (job)
  "Well, this is where I come to rest. The rest of the time, I perform research on teleportation."
The Castle          (teleport)
  "A difficult, but powerful field. Some of my work is on the shelves in the library nearby. What's more," (and she beams with pride as she says it) "I helped work on the portal."
The Castle          (portal)
  "The portal in the Tower of Magi. It enables one to flash to anywhere in Exile, if they but know the right coordinates."
The Castle          (coordinates)
  "Three three letter words, which tell the portal where to send you. They are difficult to find, but very useful. I have found two interesting sets of them, for the Castle and Erika's tower!"
The Castle          (castle/erika)
  "The coordinates for the Castle are Ain Eff Wyx. That was a week of work. Finding the way to Erika's tower was an accident - we were trying to find a route to near Solberg's tower. The coordinates are on a pylon near there."
  "Be careful not to tell people these coordinates. The portal would be dangerous in the wrong hands!"
============
Isolated Farmland - Special
  Most of the Great Cave is inhospitable to edible sorts of mushrooms. This area is a pleasant exception. The healthy, happy farmers of this corner of the cave welcome you into their growing town, and invite you to dine with the mayor this evening. (Accept)
  You trade news about the war. You talk about what happened in the northern caverns when you were last there, and they tell you how savage battles at the other end of the Great Cave have been stretching everyone's resources to the limit.
  One woman mutters something about "dirty refugees", but you can't quite make it out.
  After a fine meal and a night's entertainment and rest, you depart refreshed. Before you leave, you are warned to be careful to the north - "A bunch of filthy rabble have settled in."
============
Refugee's Cavern - Special
  There is a large stone fence blocking off the entrance to this cavern, guarded by a motley assortment of humans, Nephilim, and Sliths. Most of them have bows, and most of those have arrows nocked. A young, muscular woman walks out and motions you forward. She may want to talk to you, and she may want to draw you within range... (Talk)
  You are not attacked. When you reach her, the woman introduces herself as Janis and explains who they are. The people in this cave are refugees from the Abyss, a large cave well to the west where people too rowdy or difficult even for Exile were placed.
  The Abyss was taken over by the Empire. Many of its residents were killed, some were enslaved and the rest fled to other parts of Exile. Many came here, to subsist and prepare to defend themselves when the end comes.
  "You can come in," Janis says. "We want to be good neighbors. But don't cause any trouble - we're tougher than we look." A gate in the fence is opened, so that you can pass. The guards give you dirty looks as you do.
------------
  There is a small, ramshackle hut leaning against the wall of this isolated corner of the cavern. When you approach, a man comes out and welcomes you inside. He introduces himself as 'Scab'.
  Inside the cramped hut are all manner of thieves tools, poisons, and other crimve accessories. Scab immediately sets about trying to sell them to you.
============
Brigand's Madhouse - Specials
  This is very odd. You've heard there are brigands in these caves. Yet, the magical traps hiding the entrance must have required more magical skill to create than most brigands possess. Very odd indeed.
------------
  Living underground for several years tends to inure one to beautiful natural formations. The gorgeous, glittering quartz crytals sprouting from the walls would have really impressed you ten years ago. Now, you have better things to think about.
------------
  You hear a loud 'RUTCH' to the north.
------------
  Emerging into this cavern, you manage to figure out where these brigands were getting their magical help from. Hovering over a band of the ruffians, you see a gazer, eye stalks waving eagerly at the prospect of combat. It mutters a brief command, and they rush to attack.
------------
  The gazer dies, its corpse still bobbing gently in midair. This band of brigands just became a lot less threatening.
============
Mertis              
  "I'm Commander Lynn," she says. "I'm in charge of this fort."
Mertis              
  She nods and takes some notes. "Well done. I'll pass news of your deed on to the Castle, and it'll count towards you getting a higher clearance."
============
Grim Cavern - Specials
  You immediately get a very bad feeling about this cavern. It's too dark, and too quiet, and too cold. Something evil lives here.
  It could be your imagination, but you would swear the cavern is becoming darker.
  The darkness is definitely becoming deeper.
  The air here is icy cold. Frost forms long, delicate traceries on the walls.
  The darkness becomes absolute and all-consuming.
  You find a band of adventurers, unpleasantly killed and well-preserved in the icy cold of the cavern. All their valuables have been stripped away.
  Beyond the barrier, you see a field of slaughter. The dead soldiers before you wear the armor of the Empire, but at least a century old. Many of the frozen bodies have wounds, but many don't. You feel hostile spirits flit through the air around you.
------------
  You sense there is something dark and magical about this spot in the caves, this particular spot, and you approach it. Suddenly, a wave of psychic energy pours out, making your face sting and your eyes water. The walls of the cave suddenly begin to glow, bathing everything in a sickly, disturbing light. Worse, around you you feel spirits beginning to stir, coming back to avenge themselves on those who disturbed their rest.
  After a few moments, the magical wind dies down, and an image plays in your mind. You see Empire soldiers, a century dead, fleeing into this cavern, chased by Slithzerikai warriors. You see the mage leading the band cast a powerful spell, destroying all around and infusing this cavern with dark magic and, worse, the spirits of those who died here. It is in this spot that the soul of the mage who cast the spell lies trapped, creating undead and wreaking havoc, until someone comes along and exorcises it.
  (Cast ritual of sanctify)
  When you begin the holy chant, screams echo throughout the caverns. The screams are furious and terrified, appalled at the thought of going into the dark unknown. However, they are also howls of joy, of celebration at finally being released from their grim, cold existence. The howls fade one by one, as they leave the endless cycle of begin brought back, again and again, as undead. Finally, not with a howl, but with a pathetic, wounded whimper, the spirit of the mage who unwittingly created this dark place floats up and away.
  The dark magic of the Grim Cavern has finally been dispelled.
------------
  The cold is still there, and the grim green glow is still on the walls (although fading). However, the dark core of this place is definitely gone.
============
Tower of Magi - Special at X's room
  This room is remarkable and ancient. It is a library, old and dusty, filled with books, a rarity in Exile. Most of them are clearly from the surface world, but some were laboriously created down here. They're all esoteric and all magical.
Tower of Magi       (look)
  There is a highly deranged and disconnected man sitting at the end of the table. Fortunately, he doesn't seem very dangerous at the moment. He's clearly a tower mage, and his robes are a rich, deep purple.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "X."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  He looks around, as if looking for spies. Then he turns to you. "I'm looking for a spell that will drop an anvil on someone far away. I'd have it by now, if the triad didn't keep pulling me away."
Tower of Magi       (anvil)
  "I'm still working on it. I may be able to get it someday. But I keep having to teach people too! It's frustrating!"
Tower of Magi       (teach)
  He looks at you angrily. "Yes! People want to buy spells all the time! I teach them, for the good of Exile, but damn! It gets to where I have to hide back here to get any work done. You don't want to purchase spells, do you?"
  He has a neurotic gleam in his eye.
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You meet a short woman with dark skin and a radiant smile. Her raven black hair disappears into a rich, purple velvet robe. She stands to greet you.
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I am Mahdavi, of the Triad. It's good to have adventurers here."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "My Triad responsibilities, in part. And partially, I'm pondering a great threat to Exile."
Tower of Magi       (triad)
  "The Tower of Magi is run by the Triad, me, X, and Solberg. But Solberg is long absent, and X is, well, strange. So most of the responsibility falls to me."
Tower of Magi       (solberg)
  "The Empire has him trapped in his tower, southwest of Formello. I wish he was here - we could use his wisdom."
Tower of Magi       (wisdom)
  "The Empire has not destroyed us for one reason: it takes great energy to teleport people down here. But we know now that they are building a mass teleporter, to flood us with troops. If it is completed, we are all doomed, every one of us."
  "We need a group of adventurers, who can find out where this portal is and how to destroy it. If you are willing, I can help."
Tower of Magi       (help)
  She looks hopeful. "If you are truly serious about destroying this dangerous teleporter, I will help you as best I can. Return occasionally to ask me for help, and I will tell you what I have learned and what I think you can and should do."
Tower of Magi       (help)
  "First, we need to know how to destroy it safely - portals are very unstable and powerful things. Alas, Pyrn was our expert on such things, and he is away and hidden. However, I can help you with his discovery. Ask him about the teleporter!"
Tower of Magi       (pyrn)
  "His bedroom is south of here. He told me that he left directions to find him in his dresser. He said to see them, you needed to do this ..." She makes a quick series of hand motions. (You take note of them.) "Using them, you should be able to find him."
------------
Tower of Magi - Special when search dresser
  You make the hand motions Mahdavi taught you. Sure enough, after a few moments glowing letters appear on the top of the dresser, and fade again.
  They said, simply, "Ell Pit Esk."
------------
Tower of Magi       (look)
  You startle an aging magic user, lost in thought. He looks very relieved when he sees you aren't about to kill him. 
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "Vidrain."
Tower of Magi       (job)
  "Just being jumpy at the moment."
Tower of Magi       (jumpy)
  He seems to be only half there. "Being near the portal does that to you, I'm afraid. And then there's the demons."
Tower of Magi       (portal)
  "Hmm. I suppose you have the clearance to know. We have a controllable teleporter! It could be a huge weapon against the Empire. We could send attackers anywhere down here, and maybe even on the surface." 
  "Unfortunately, it's not happening yet, because using it is tricky."
Tower of Magi       (tricky)
  He twitches. "It works off coordinates, but the coordinates are hard to calculate. You call them out when you step in and you get sent somewhere. But figuring out what to call to not end up in solid rock is hard!"
Tower of Magi       (coordinates)
  "The coordinates are three syllables, each three letters long. We know a few of them, but not enough to do much at the moment. And then there's those damned demons!"
Tower of Magi       (demons)
  "After the portal was up for a while, a few demons came through it. They're in there now, and we don't have the strength here at the moment to flush them out. Nothing we can do until we get it."
------------
Tower of Magi - Specials to telporter room
  This is a narrow passage looping around a central room of black stone. Protective runes fill the corridor, and the air crackles with energy. It's exciting, but it doesn't feel entirely safe - it's no wonder the mages don't spend much time in here.
---
  The central chamber glows and crackles with power, all of it emataing from a huge glowing portal, twice you height, dominating the room.
  When you enter, a demon steps out of the teleporter. He sees you and laughs! Then, more hellspawn appear around him and attack.
---
  You now stand directly before the portal. The energy it puts off makes your skin feel like it's cooking, and the odd wind coming from it makes you hair writhe like snakes.
  So. Want to try to use this thing? (Enter)
  You approach the portal. A deep voice calls out to you "Speak you destination, and enter." (Ell Pit Esk)
  Sparks fly off of the portal as you move towards it. Waves of force fly out, trying to push you back. Eventually, however, you struggle in and through, to find yourself ...
============
Barrier Tower       (look)
  You meet a wreck. The man before you is unkempt in the extreme, distracted, clearly has been without sleep for some time, and (as your nose indicates) has not bathed for some time. His wizard's robes are crumpled and stained.
Barrier Tower       (name)
  He notices you. Well, he turns somewhat in your direction, and his eyes focus on the wall behind you. "Pyrn," he says. Then, he says it again, and again. It's as if he forgot he told you.
Barrier Tower       (job)
  "Demon."
Barrier Tower       (demon)
  His eyes continue to fail to focus on you. "Demon. Every hour. All time. Must focus."
Barrier Tower       (focus)
  "Demon will control. Strong. Must battle and battle."
Barrier Tower       (battle)
  "Should not talk. Must focus. Sometimes he controls me. Must focus. Must control it." His face suddenly started twitching, spasms racing back and forth across his face. Slowly, he regains control.
Barrier Tower       (teleporter)
  He suddenly starts to struggle, trying to gain a few moments of lucidity. He looks at you. "Third bookshelf from west. Red book." Then his eyes glaze over. He groans and grips his head, then moans. It takes some time for him to regain control.
------------
Barrier Tower - Special
  The pentagram is very delicate looking - simply a thin tracing of some whitish powder, with a slender lit candle on each point of the star.
  It would only take a moment to disrupt the pentagram. The question is ... should you? (leave)
------------
Barrier Tower       
  A frail man is wizard's robes lies prone inside the pentagram. His robe is torn, and scratches and burns cover his body. He moans.
Barrier Tower       
  He looks up at you, barely able to turn his head. "Pyrn. Must not talk."
Barrier Tower       
  "Must gain control. Must be free."
Barrier Tower       
  "Demon. Control demon."
Barrier Tower       
  The words suddenly become much more painful to say. "Over there. Don't ... let ... him ... fool you. Mustn't talk. Too much energy. Need help." 
Barrier Tower       
  For a moment, it's as if it didn't hear you. Then it says "First kill demon. Then."
------------
Barrier Tower - Specials
  You flip through the tome. It is clearly on demonology and other grim topics. It's hard to make things out, however, because the book has become defaced. The pages are covered (and smeared) with all manner of deranged ravings.
------
  You reach for one of the books, but sparks start to dance around them as your hand gets close. One of them leaps off and severely burns your finger. You back off before you get killed.
------
  On the top shelf, you see a slender red book, carefully set apart from the other books. You carefully reach for it trying to avoid the sparks that start coming off the other books. Finally, you retrieve the tome, avoiding the magical trap on the books around it. You open it and start reading. It is a treatise on teleportation portals, their creation and destruction and the dangers involved. Most of it is beyond even adventurers as talented and knowledgeable as yourselves.
  One ritual, however, near the back, catches your interest. It is a brief, intricate incantation for closing a portal that has been disrupted and about to catastrophically explode, an almost impossible task. The ritual isn't discussed in great detail, because it requires possession of a specially prepared scepter made of onyx. Such scepters are very rare and difficult to make. However, you carefully copy down this ritual, just in case it comes in handy.
============
Ogre Lands - Special
  In a clearing in the fields of tall, spindly mushrooms and cavewood trees, you find a crude ogre village. Dozens of the harsh beasts mill about, making stews, preparing lizard hides, and fixing weapons. Their young, almost as tall as you, run and play while their mothers try to keep them under control. Several ogre magi watch over the scene.
  Then you are noticed. Instantly, the children vanish from sight and more warriors appear. You are watched carefully, but no hostile moves are made. (approach)
  The ogres watch you warily as you approach to speak with them. In a brief, hard to understand conversation, an ogre mage tells you they have nothing to offer you and would prefer it if you left peacefully. Eventually, you oblige.
============
The Castle          (look)
  There is a very tall, thin woman pacing about. She carries several large, parchment maps about, and occasionally stops and spreads one out on the floor to look at it.
The Castle          (name)
  "My name is Lorraine."
The Castle          (job)
  "I'm working on a bit of research. That's what I'm here for."
The Castle          (research)
  "Oh, not on magic. I'm working on something else, to take a break from all of that. I'm trying to figure out where the Sphere of Thralni ended up."
The Castle          (thralni)
  "It's an artifact! It enables its bearer to fly! We had it here, but it was stolen. But I think I know who the thieves were."
The Castle          (thieves)
  She shows you the maps. They are of the caves west of Fort Remote, a ways west of here. "There is a huge nest of Empire mages in there, doing research. After the orb was stolen, troops in Fort Remote thought they saw some people fly over."
  "The mage fort southwest of Fort Remote. I would bet that's where the Sphere ended up. Now if only someone would get it."
------------
The Castle          
  Gilda shakes her head. "Magi clearance is one thing, but Royal clearance - that's really tough to get. You haven't quite made it yet. Sorry."
============
Near Remote Lake - Special
  You see, to the north, the Remote Lake, a broad body of brackish water. No boats are sailed on it - there's nothing on the other side but sheer limestone. Still, it's a pretty sight.
------------
Camp Samuels        (look)
  You meet an armored soldier, practicing feints with a heavy steel sword. The movements are sure and skilled.
Camp Samuels        (name)
  She turns to you, sweat pouring off her face. "I'm Lieutenant Faulkner. Welcome to the Camp!"
Camp Samuels        (job)
  She grins proudly. "I build soldiers!"
Camp Samuels        (soldiers)
  She points at the western building. "They're all in there, resting. Then I'll drill them with live steel at three-quarters speed for, I dunno', six or seven hours." She beams with pride. "And they can take it."
  "Sometimes, it makes it worth being Exiled."
Camp Samuels        (exiled)
  "This is why I'm down here, ya' see. I tried to get in the military up surface. I was proud of my land, then, and wanted nothing more than to fight for it. But where I lived, they wouldn't allow it."
  "So I made a stink. And you know what happened when you made a stink."
Camp Samuels        (stink)
  "You end up down here. Where nobody will keep you from fighting, and there's always plenty to fight for."
------------
Camp Samuels        (look)
  You meet a small, sturdily built, highly attractive woman. She takes off her helm to greet you, revealing a pleasant smile and short hair.
Camp Samuels        (name)
  "Lieutenant Mariann. What brings you to Camp Samuels?"
Camp Samuels        (job)
  "I head the training here at the camp."
Camp Samuels        (training)
  "I take the kids who're ready to fight for their home, and put them through the paces. Punish them, in other words."
Camp Samuels        (punish)
  She grins evilly. "Oh, you know! Weapons drills from sleep to sleep, rough food, runs through the tunnels. They're in there now, recovering from the last forced march. Castle and back, with boulders on their backs."
  "Between you and me, I pity 'em. But I admire 'em too."
Camp Samuels        (admire)
  "Ya' see, the Empire knows we're here, and they've sent raiders at us twice. And each time, the raiders got killed. All of 'em. And it was the kids who killed them. Exile grows people tough, and they learn fast."
  "Plus, they got a big advantage."
Camp Samuels        (advantage)
  "Simple. Empire fighters, they fight 'cause they were told. 'Cause they have to. But us, we got something to fight for!" She grins. "Magic helps. Steel helps. But some things are unbeatable!"
------------
Camp Samuels        (look)
  A young, red haired man with long, nimble fingers works behind the counter bending wire. He seems to be making a lockpick of some sort.
Camp Samuels        (name)
  "I'm Foulk."
Camp Samuels        (job)
  "Well, they need tools around here. Need 'em for training, need 'em at the castle, need 'em everywhere. So they brought in a toolmaker."
Camp Samuels        (tools)
  "They brought me in to make tools. Set me up here, near enough to the Castle to be useful." He holds up a lockpick. "Beautiful pick, isn't it?"
Camp Samuels        (pick)
  "I often complained how hard it was to get fine locksmithing tools down here. So I started making 'em." He leans close. "Look, I'll make a deal with you."
Camp Samuels        (deal)
  "Most of my tools are boring. Cutting knives, hammers, screwdrivers, intricate things. I can't sell those - the army needs 'em too much. But my lockpicks are works of art, and there isn't too much call for 'em."
  "So if you want to buy some, you can."
------------
Camp Samuels - Special
  This camp also boasts a very-well appointed forge. In the corner is an anvil and a white hot fire, of sufficient quality to work steel weapons. A rare thing, down here.
------------
Camp Samuels        (look)
  You meet a man with harsh features and the blackest hair you've ever seen, long onyx sheets of it reaching halfway down his back. He is sharpening a rapier, and purple sparks fly from the blade as he runs his stone down it.
Camp Samuels        (name)
  "My name's Ray."
Camp Samuels        (job)
  "I'm the smith here. They wanted someone making weapons near the Castle, someone really good, so they got me. I work steel." 
Camp Samuels        (steel)
  "Hard stuff to work down here. I'm one of the few that has the skill and equipment to do it. Plus, what's better, I know some magic."
Camp Samuels        (magic)
  He mutters a few words, and the steel of the rapier blade begins to glow red hot. He starts running the stone down it again. "I can make a weapon sharper than any you've seen. If you want to buy improvement for one of your blades, let me know."
============
Fort Emerald        (look)
  You meet a woman wearing rough clothes, and an equally rough expression.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  She nods. "Call me Therese."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I'm a merchant, see, and I'm waiting for my current shipment to be approved so I can head out."
Fort Emerald        (shipment)
  "Yeah, four hundred pounds of iron rats fer' Fort Emerald. Then on to Dharmon." She says the word Dharmon with great lack of enthusiasm.
Fort Emerald        (dharmon)
  "Yeah, Dharmon, westernmost city of Exile, and city nearest to where all the real bloodshed is going on. I got to take a load there, and then I'm getting back east, where it's safe!"
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  You meet a Captain of the Exile army. When he sees you, he walks over to greet you.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  "Welcome to our fort, adventurers. Nice to see new faces. I am Captain Schnitzius."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I'm preparing for another raid. That's what I do, mainly."
Fort Emerald        (raid)
  "We're all fighting the army of Limoncelli here. I'm on another raid to try to penetrate his defenses."
Fort Emerald        (limonchelli)
  "He lives in Fort Dolthar, on an island to the northeast, and runs all his raids from there. We're just trying to find a way to get at him." He pauses, then continues, grimly. "Of course, even if we did reach him, he's a ... well ... unusual warrior."
Fort Emerald        (unusual)
  "I don't know how much of this is rumors and how much is fact, but it would seem that Limoncelli has been altered in some way. He's fast! He moves faster than a hasted person, and is that way all the time!"
  "I don't know how he got that way, but let me tell you, it doesn't make me too happy about the prospect of fighting him."
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  This man has taken a nasty wound recently. His ribs are wrapped in a broad, gauze bandage, and you can see blood is slowly starting to seep through.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He looks up at you and groans. "I'm Varn. What do you want?"
Fort Emerald        (job)
  He starts to sit up, winces in pain, and lies back down. "I do recon. That's how I ended up this way."
Fort Emerald        (recon)
  "Reconnaissance. Spying. Watching the enemy. Real risky." He winces in pain again. "See, my patrol was on a boat trip, up northeast, and when we landed, we got ambushed."
Fort Emerald        (ambushed)
  "Empire soldiers. They're all dead now. But one of 'em got me across the ribs with his sword. I'll be OK. I hope. Better off than him, anyway." He touches the bandage gingerly, then winces.
  "And you know what burns my butt? I say what I saw on my recon, and nobody believes me! Nobody!"
Fort Emerald        (belives)
  "Yeah. See, we brushed near Limoncelli's fort to take a look, and I saw a bunch of those tall, skinny, weird guys landing in a boat. Those weird guys with the barriers. What were they called?"
Fort Emerald        (vahnatai)
  "Yeah! Those freaks. I saw a bunch of 'em talking with Limoncelli's troops, right outside his fort! I don't know why they'd be there, but I don't trust 'em!"
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  A miniscule woman is loose clothes sits cross-legged on her chair, staring into the glowing, green crystal.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  Her gaze flickers up to you for a moment. "I am Tessa. What brings you here, strangers?"
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "Preparing for my next raid. Move fast, strike hard, that sort of thing. We're heading north."
Fort Emerald        (raid)
  "There's an Empire fort being built to the north, then a ways to the northwest. Way on the other side of this huge, rubble-strewn cave. We're trying to disrupt things, and maybe come up with a pass."
Fort Emerald        (pass)
  "We've been trying to get our hands on a blue pass. You know, the passes the Empire folks use to get places. They've been having lots of supplies shipped into the new fort, so we think they must have some passes there."
  She focuses into the crystal. "But it's very dangerous, and I need all the power I can get."
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  You meet a priest in white robes, staring into a large, green crystal and meditating.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He leans back from the crystal, highly relaxed, and turns to you. He's a middle aged man, with very sparse hair. "I'm Buck. Welcome to the fort."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I'm doing my meditations before going back to my healing."
Fort Emerald        (meditations)
  He points at the green crystal which dominates the room. "We don't know where it came from, or who made it, but it regenerates our power very quickly. You should try it - it's a wonderful sensation."
  "It's an amazing crystal. We wish we knew who made it. It's very strange, sometimes, though."
Fort Emerald        (strange)
  He looks nervous. "I don't like to talk about it, and people laugh at me for saying it, but sometimes, sometimes, when I feel the energy from the crystal, I almost think it's trying to talk to me."
  He smiles nervously. "Just the stress of the war, I'm sure."
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  A strong, weathered man stares piercingly out the window, watching for movements. He wears the insignia of a general.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He doesn't look away from the window. "I am General Landren. Welcome to my fort."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I lead all the troops in this area."
Fort Emerald        (area)
  "The army in this area is run out of this Fort. My fort." He smiles briefly in pride, but doesn't stop watching out the window. "And my responsibility."
Fort Emerald        (responsibilty)
  "I am fighting Limoncelli, of Fort Dolthar. He is the Empire commander, and a deadly, vicious warrior, and my sworn enemy. If any adventurers were willing to undertake a mission in this regard, I would reward them."
Fort Emerald        (mission)
  "I want you to go kill Limoncelli. Find a way to his fort, get in, and slay him. Do it, and not only will I try to get you a promotion, but I'll tell one of my mages to give you the dispel barrier spell. And that ain't easy to get!"
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  This woman is staring intently out the window, watching carefully for attackers. She wears mage's robes, and seems ready to fling a spell at any moment.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  She doesn't stop looking out the window. "I am Silverio."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I'm watching for an attack."
Fort Emerald        (attack)
  "We all takes shifts watching for Empire raids. They can appear in seconds, blast our walls, and get away. We then have very little time to make repairs."
Fort Emerald        (repairs)
  "We have to plug any holes in the walls with magic barriers, before any attackers can climb through them. The barriers are our most powerful  defense."
Fort Emerald        (barriers)
  "Even when the enemy smashes a hole in our defenses, we can plug it up right away! Without that ability, this fort would have fallen long ago."
------------
Fort Emerald        (look)
  You mean another mage of Exile. His robes have been charred recently, probably by a stray spell. He's looking at a magical barrier, trying to figure out what to do to it.
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He turns and nods to you. "I am Beadle. Greetings."
Fort Emerald        (job)
  "I am currently dispelling some barriers. It needs doing, sometimes, when we want to build a wall somewhere and the fields we put up to repair things are in the ways." He sighs. "It's tedious, but it's my responsibility."
Fort Emerald        (tedious)
  "Before I joined up to fight the war, I was doing research at the Tower of Magi. That seems a long time ago."
Fort Emerald        (research)
  "I was trying to create a spell to scry large areas of the outdoor, much as Magic Map maps small areas, such as towns. Alas, a spell to see a large area is a terribly difficult thing to create, and even harder to summon up the energy to cast."
  "But we still have hopes that such a thing may be available in the future."
Fort Emerald        (barrier)
  He shakes his head. "We're not supposed to let other have that spell, unless absolutely necessary. The barriers are too useful to let slip how to get rid of them too easily."
============
Blosk               (look)
  A worn down man in mages robes stares at you apathetically. You don't feel welcome here at all.
Blosk               (name)
  "I am Bartholomew. What do you want?"
Blosk               (job)
  "I am doing magical research for the benefit of Exile."
Blosk               (research)
  "I am certainly not at liberty to tell you about it."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  A small, powerfully built Moor takes a group of archer trainees through some rather grueling muscle-building exercises. As they puff and moan, he comes over to speak with you.
Blosk               (name)
  "Welcome to this place of learning. I am Oliver."
Blosk               (job)
  "Knowledge is what we offer here, in return for gold and effort. And knowledge is what you'll need, so near the front."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  The counter here is covered with food, lots of it, and booze, lots of it. Behind all of it reclines a heavy-set woman with long, frizzy brown hair and an imperious look.
Blosk               (name)
  She smiles in a mildly sincere way. "Hello, darling! Welcome to my humble little shop! You can call me Eddy."
Blosk               (job)
  She lurches forward. "Look, darling, look at all of this! I have the most fabulous rations in all of this stinking hole!"
Blosk               (hole)
  She jumps up in fury, taking a bottle of ale along to steady herself, and swings the door open. "Look at all of this! Just look at it darling! Mold and fungus as far as the eye can see! No shoppes! No culture! Just little gross things every-bloody-where!"
  "And the Empire, they did this to me! Sent me into this Exile, or whatever you call it!"
Blosk               (exile)
  "For frivolity. Can you believe it? They thought I was a parasite! ME! And annoying too, they said. Annoying. What sort of a crime is that, I mean ... , I mean really, darling?"
  "So they sent me and my friend Patsy down here. Bastards, the lot of them."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  You meet a sad looking woman. She turns to speak with you, although she doesn't seem pleased by the prospect. She has a flute at her belt.
Blosk               (name)
  "My name is Allisandre."
Blosk               (job)
  "I was a travelling musician, but not of late. Lately, I've been staying with Leith."
Blosk               (leith)
  "My dear, dear friend. That is why I am so worried. He was more a sage, but lately, his work has grown very dangerous."
Blosk               (dangerous)
  "He is trying to find a spy living in Blosk. More than that, I cannot say, although I fear such work is very dangerous."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  There is a tall, thin, blonde woman working busily behind the counter. She is doing her best, considering that she seems to be drinking one mug of ale for every mug she serves.
Blosk               (name)
  "Welcome, welcome! I am Patsy! Welcome to my alehouse and inn!"
Blosk               (job)
  "Well, we can give you a poor room for 5 gold and a fabulous room for 15. Depends on whether you want to be eaten by lice, eh? Also we have the finest grog in the Great Cave, only five gold a round!"
--------------
Blosk               (look)
  There is a person in heavy black robes kneeling before the altar. His or her face is completely obscured by the hood.
Blosk               (name)
  "I am Mondrian." It's a male voice. He doesn't turn his face from the altar as he speaks.
Blosk               (job)
  "I am the priest of secrets." His head doesn't turn as he speaks.
Blosk               (secrets)
  "We are all people of secrets, secrets we keep because we want to or we must. And when people find it hard to hold their secrets inside, they come here for strength."
Blosk               (strength)
  "Strength to continue to hide what they must. They confess their secrets to me, and I give them the strength to keep them, to keep their privacy. Because people are defined as much by what they don't say as what they say."
  "But I sense you have no things to confess. So I ask you leave me."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  There is a young, severe-looking woman with long brown hair tied up into a tight bun. She nods solemnly to you as you enter.
Blosk               (name)
  "My name is Saffron." She looks slightly embarrassed about that fact.
Blosk               (job)
  "I'm working as a sage at the moment."
Blosk               (sage)
  "I'm going to learn to be a mage, at the Tower. There's no space for new students, now, so I'm earning money by doing identifications."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  You meet a large, affable man, walking about the city and, seemingly, enjoying looking at everything. If he wasn't wearing priest's robes, you'd think he was mad.
Blosk               (name)
  "I am Justin. Welcome, my friends."
Blosk               (job)
  "I am Justin, priest of the Temple of the Flying Spirit. I'm not usually there, though. It seems a shame to be cooped up in a musty shrine, when there is so much beauty outside the door!" Beauty? Where?
Blosk               (beaty)
  "Yes! Beauty! We of the Flying Spirit are wanderers, travellers, determined to see the world and appreciate it as best we can! For example, I soon plan to shut up the temple and take a jaunt down to Patrick's Tower."
Blosk               (patrick)
  "Some distance to the south, and led by the venerable and wise Patrick the archmage. It is the center of learning and knowledge for all of Exile. If there are things you wish to find out, where better to go?" He starts looking around again.
  "This is a beautiful place, you know. Filled with much ugliness, true, but if we don't also appreciate its wonders as well, who will?"
------------
Blosk               (look)
  A buxom blonde woman wearing a sash of office sits at the end of the table. She stares at its polished surface and the papers covering it with undisguised antipathy.
Blosk               (name)
  She stands to greet you. "I am Mayor Vicky of Blosk, high and esteemed mayor of the city of Blosk. You can call me Vicky." She plops back down again.
Blosk               (job)
  "What do you think? Running Blosk, in all its glory."
Blosk               (blosk)
  Her chest heaves with an ample sigh. "My job for the last ten years. Before that, I was, blissfully, an innkeeper. Now I hold this city together and marshal its forces against the Empire."
  "And, of course, I need to use all the resources I have. That is why I sometimes seek adventurers to do a mission."
Blosk               (mission)
  "I will be brief and clear. Blosk has a spy within its walls. I want you to unmask him, her, or it. Ask Bruce about it - he can tell you more. And when you have evidence of the villain's identity, let me know. I will do nothing without proof."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  You meet a heavy-set man with a chainmail jerkin and a bow slung over his shoulder.
Blosk               (name)
  He shakes your hands. "I'm Bruce, master archer and assistant to her Ladyship."
Blosk               (job)
  "Well, I'm an archer much of the time. My skills are needed often enough. In addition, I have been friends with her Ladyship, and have been assisting her with certain, umm ..., difficulties."
Blosk               (difficulties)
  He frowns. "Her Ladyship and I are trying to find a spy. We recently found papers, giving instructions to an unnamed party here to find what he or she or it could about our defenses. We have had no luck learning who this letter was addressed to."
  "Some advice - speak to Leith. He has been helping us in our quest. He could help you. Ask him about the search."
------------
Blosk               (look)
  You meet a tall, skinny man with a long rapier hanging at his side. He watches you warily as you approach.
Blosk               (name)
  He nods cordially. "I am called Leith."
Blosk               (job)
  He shakes his head. "I'm sorry, my friend, I have no time to talk."
Blosk               (search)
  "Ah! You are on the same quest! Sadly, there is little for me to tell you. Empire spies are very good at covering their tracks. However, I have been collecting much knowledge that may be useful in the hunt."
Blosk               (knowledge)
  "My home is in the northeast corner of town. Look in the library there, and you may find something that is useful to you."
------------
Blosk - Specials in leiths room
  You find a lot of books and notes on stealth and espionage. You notice one thing has been circled - "Burning a paper does not make it forever unreadable. Often, an identify spell can elicit the words from its damaged surface."
  You find, among the empty journals and works of fiction, a sheaf of Leith's note from his travels. One of them mentions: "The Wand of Carrunos, used during the hunt to make the prey more powerful. Hunters often need a challenge!"
  You find Leith's notes on his observations. He's spent some time trying to find a spy in Blosk, and hasn't had any luck. He does mention, however, that he suspects an attack on the storehouses in Almaria is imminent, and that they should be searched.
============
Almaria             (look)
  You meet a heavy-set Moor with a variety of weaponry. He eyes you and your gear, and seems to approve of what he sees.
Almaria             (name)
  He grants you a broad smile. "Greeting, adventurers! I'm Monty."
Almaria             (job)
  "I'm heading on over to Blosk, you know, about a  hundred miles west? They have a need for good fighters there."
Almaria             (blosk)
  "The Empire's started attacking there a lot since the barriers came down. They're  starting to learn their way around the caves. Good place for a merc to be." He thinks. "Just between you and me, though, if you go there keep your eyes open."
  "Word is, there's some spying going on."
Almaria             (spying)
  "That's just the rumor, that Blosk has a lot of trouble with that. Means they need good men all the more."
------------
Almaria             (look)
  An immaculately groomed Nephar stands proudly behind an immaculately clean bar. He looks nervous, as if he expects you're going to hate him on sight.
Almaria             (name)
  He bows. "I am Hmurr. Welcome to my inn." His speaking is unusually clear for a Nephil or Nephar.
Almaria             (job)
  "I own this inn - how it happened is an odd tale. But it is mine, and I run it with pride. You may buy my fine rations, or get a room for a mere five gold."
Almaria             (tale)
  "Rhiannon, a kind lady, ran this inn before me. She took me in when I was but a kit, during the wars 'tween your people and mine. She raised me, and when she died, may she find rest, the inn was left to me."
  "People  feared me at first, but they got used to me quickly enough. And now I own this inn!" His lithe form stands proudly.
------------
Almaria             (look)
  You meet a woman with the look of having travelled from one end of Exile to the other. She is perched on top of a stool tuning an amazing rarity - a guitar!
Almaria             (name)
  She stops tuning the guitar. "Hello, travellers. I'm Gypsy!"
Almaria             (job)
  "Travelling and playing, same as I always do. I just came over from Dharmon."
Almaria             (dharmon)
  "Ever been there? Big city, under a hill, well to the west. Probably the busiest place in Exile."
Almaria             (busiest)
  "Never seen people move faster in all of Exile than there, now. You see, the big front between us and the Empire is just north of there. Lots of action, lots of fighting. I'm staying away from there for a while. Want to live to keep playing." 
  With that, she plays a rousing song on her guitar. You stand entranced - it's been a long time since you've heard surface world music.
------------
Almaria             (look)
  You meet a short, round woman clad in rough mage's robes, designed for travelling.
Almaria             (name)
  "I'm Laura. Well met."
Almaria             (job)
  "My familiar and I are heading back to the Tower of Magi - I want to learn more about the Vahnatai, and there seems the best place."
Almaria             (vahnatai)
  "Oh, yes! Everyone's talking about them, but especially mages! A whole new people to learn about, to learn skills from. Pity so many of them hate us. Still, they're on everyone's mind."
  "A soldier at Fort Emerald, he even claims some of them were nearby!"
------------
Almaria             (look)
  There is a buxom, smiling woman with long black hair sitting behind the counter. A long row of bottles, filled with brightly colored fluid, are arrayed before her.
Almaria             (name)
  "I'm Rosemary."
Almaria             (job)
  "You can purchase fine potions here, and sell pretty much anything. This is a time of great demand."
Almaria             (demand)
  "Almaria has become the big supply storage place for the whole army. They're always needing new equipment, and they often come to me. I'll buy all sorts of stuff!"
------------
Almaria             (look)
  There's a tall, skinny guy sitting behind a counter polishing a shield. He's really pale, like all citizens of Exile, but not as pale as most. He even has a tiny bit of color in his cheeks.
Almaria             (name)
  "Hi!" He greets you with a wide smile. "I'm Jay!"
Almaria             (job)
  "Well, you can buy all sorts of armor here. And then, if you want weapons, you can get them nearby."
Almaria             (weapons)
  "Yeah, Shannon sells them next door."
------------
Almaria             (look)
  You meet a woman with short curly hair and skin pale even by Exile's standards. You would think she was born here.
Almaria             (name)
  She puts down the rapier she was sharpening to greet you. "I'm Shannon."
Almaria             (job)
  She waves at the weaponry surrounding her. "You can buy all of this, if you got the cash. It's tough getting good weapons and armor in these times, but we're clever."
Almaria             (clever)
  "Well, Jay and I only came down here two years ago, but we were good scroungers on the surface world, and we're better here. Thing about lots of fighting, there's plenty to salvage."
Almaria             (salvage)
  "We search the passages around here for battlegrounds. It's grisly work, but Exile needs weapons more than scruples."
------------
Almaria             (look)
  You meet an aging, dark-skinned man, who moves around with uncommon grace.
Almaria             (name)
  He bows deeply to you, at the waist. "I am Julio."
Almaria             (job)
  "I train those who would be adventurers after me. Those who still have the youth to explore."
Almaria             (expolore)
  "I've been down here fifteen years now, most of that spent wandering, and most of that spent looking for an exit to the surface."
Almaria             (exit)
  "Never found one. But someone else did, in the last place I was going to look! Can't get to it now. Empire owns that land. Hear they sealed it up, but good. Total waste."
  "Still, another exit will be found one day, though not by me. And when it is, I'll walk there, even if I'm a hundred!"
------------
Almaria             (look)
  A tall, thin blonde woman sits cross-legged in front of a brazier, from which incense smoke billows. When you approach, she turns a serene gaze up to meet you.
Almaria             (name)
  "I am Miranda. Welcome."
Almaria             (job)
  "I seek a way for peace and tranquility, when all that is around is death."
Almaria             (peace)
  "All people do is try to find ways to kill one another. I see it in them, I see it in you, I saw it on the surface. All I can do is heal them when they fall, in the hope that they gain some wisdom in their recuperation."
  She sighs, and a half-smile flits across her face. "Heavens, I sound naive. Oh well."
------------
Almaria - Special
  You find a small, private military dock, from which supplies and soldiers are shipped to the northern cities. Looking around, it is clear that Almaria is a supply hub for the entire Exile army.
------------
Almaria - Special
  You've heard rumors of places like this, where Exile keeps creatures that may come in handy in attacks on the Empire. These pens, however, are unguarded. Odd. Best tread lightly.
------------
Almaria             (look)
  There is a very small woman sitting at the table, blissfully reading. She seems oblivious to your presence.
Almaria             (name)
  She looks up at you regretfully. "I'm Abby." She returns to her reading.
Almaria             (job)
  She looks up at you, somewhat irritated. "I'm really quite busy. I'm sorry." She looks back at her book.
------------
Almaria - Special
  Suddenly, the stillness of this dusty warehouse is broken by the loud popping noises of teleportation. Dust flies outward as Empire soldiers start appearing at the north end of the warehouse! It appears to be some sort of surprise raiding party, skilled and well-equipped. And, judging from the looks of irritation and surprise on their faces, they didn't expect a band of adventurers at the arrival point.
  The nearby guards call for help. The attackers charge. The guards behind you ready missles. And you, as usual, are in the middle... (Oh boy.)
  The leader of the raid falls. You see he was carrying a small satchel slung over his shoulder. When it falls, several small items fall out of it, including a scroll. Interesting.
------------
Read Empire orders
  The scroll provides directions for reaching an Empire safe-house in Almaria. It says go to the end of long alley in the southeast corner and push the blue stone.
  It's odd this seemingly suicidal attack would come equipped with information on on Empire hide-away on the other end of town. Maybe they would have escaped through there if you hadn't stopped them...
------------
Almaria - special
  Interesting. Set in the wall at the end of this long dead-end passageway, you notice an odd blue stone. You give it a light push, and the whole wall slides away! There is a room to the north.
  This Empire hideout comes complete with magical traps! The demons that appear don't seem too enthused about having to fight you, but attack anyway.
------------
Almaria - Special
  Clearly, some books have recently been pulled off the bookshelf - the piles ot tomes spilled to the ground are a clear testament to that. Still, some of the tomes are from the surface world, and quite valuable down here. Nothing magic, but some stuff is still worth cash. Take a few? (take)
------------
Almaria - Special
  You rifle greedily through the papers in the desk, looking for some valuable information on Empire activities. Unfortunately (and predictably), they were too smart. The place was quickly and cleanly stripped.
  Just as you're about to give up, however, you spot a sheet of paper on the floor behind the desk. It's a brief note, which reads...
  "Denrius -
  Our contact in Blosk is working great for us! Information is being left in the statue. Password - 'Worms.' I'm off for the raid. Wish me luck.
  - Porl"
============
Blosk               (look)
  How odd! You've seen paintings of people in which the eyes seemed to follow you, but this statue's eyes are definitely following you!
Blosk               (worms)
  The statue speaks! "Greetings, agent! You have your directions. Act on them soon, or things will go very badly for you. Also, we've been losing important papers lately. Be sure everything we give you ends up in a brazier."
  "Praise the Empire. That is all."
------------
Blosk - Special in Bruces brazier
  The coals of this brazier are almost out. You notice, resting in the ashes near the edge, half a sheet of paper. It's very blackened. (Take)
  (cast identify on the paper and use)
  You eagerly read the now-restored sheet of paper. Although you only have the upper half of it, it is still very valuable indeed. It says:
  "Bruce -
  The info you've given us was helpful, but still not enough. To take Fort Emerald, we still need to hit in from the back. How can you get us [bit missing] or concealed by Gnass? [rest is gone]"
------------
Blosk               (name)
  She stands to greet you. "I am Mayor Vicky of Blosk, high and esteemed mayor of the city of Blosk. You can call me Vicky." She plops back down again.
Blosk               (proof)
  She reads the paper. You turn to look at Bruce, and see he has a knife in is hand. Before he can leap, however, a guard's spear pins him to the wall. Vicky says "Thank you. You will be rewarded. I will tell the Castle of the service you have done for me."
  She stands, and give Bruce's body a vicious kick. "That is for betraying me!" The body is carted away.
============
Gnass               (look)
  A slith with a large, carved staff is keeping an eye on the mushroom fields. She doesn't do very well at it, though. She seems lost in thought.
Gnass               (name)
  She looks pleased to have human visitors. "I am Othoss. Welcome."
Gnass               (job)
  "Well, normally I am a mage and stone shaper, but instead I am forced to watch the fieldsss."
Gnass               (fields)
  "The servantsss need watching, and their master is off fighting the Empire."
Gnass               (servants)
  "Alasss, many slithsss reach adulthood without intelligence. These are used as servantsss, for growing food and simple jobs, with us looking after and helping them. That is what I am doing now."
Gnass               (shaper)
  "I mold stone into statuesss. These stone forms of our ancessstorsss are our way of paying homage to them. Our statuesss have greatessst value to usss."
------------
Gnass               (look)
  You meet a tall, dignified slith. It bows in greeting.
Gnass               (name)
  It speaks in a deep, sibilant voice. "I am Assotho, of the Slithzerikai. Welcome to Gnass."
Gnass               (job)
  She slowly shakes her head. "I have been looking after and aiding the refugees that have been fleeing here."
Gnass               (refugees)
  "The Empire is moving from Slith village to Slith village, killing all of our people they find. A few of them, the lucky ones, make their way here. The rest end up in mass graves."
Gnass               (graves)
  "Yes. As hard as you humans find it to believe, the Empire is killing all of us, every last one. One day we will be able to prove it to you, although we hope it happens before we are all gone."
------------
Gnass - Special
  This stone dome is filled with deep pools, each teeming with small fish. The sliths have constructed a hatchery here! Fascinating!
------------
Gnass - Special
  For a people unaccustomed to building things, the sliths have done a good job here. This solid stone structure holds as good a forge as you've seen in Exile.
Gnass               (look)
  A massive slith emerges from the smoky haze that fills this long, low building. Huge muscles ripple under his leathery skin, and huge hammers hang from his belt.
Gnass               (name)
  "I am Orho."
Gnass               (job)
  He grabs a newly made steel two-tined spear from the wall and holds it out. "I forge weaponsss to fight the Empire!
Gnass               (weapons)
  He gives you a toothy grin, and twirls a spear effortlessly. "Yesss. The traditional ssspearsss of the Slithsss! The weaponsss we have used ssssince timesss lossst!" He  shows you the beautiful weapon reverently.
  "In the name of peace, we have been letting some humansss buy our weaponsss. Jussst asssk." 
Gnass               (empire)
  His face is typically expressionless, but his eyes glint with fire. "I make my weapons to slay thossse of the Empire. They have no other purpossse."
------------
Gnass               (look)
  This mighty slith paces the town, keeping a watchful eye on everything. He's huge, and keeps a mighty steel spear handy at all times.
Gnass               (name)
  He looks you over. "Welcome to my village, humansss. I am Toth-Thsss."
Gnass               (job)
  "I am chief here. I take the responsibility for these people."
Gnass               (chief)
  "We sliths have chiefsss, who tell the people what to do, then they decide whether or not to do it. Much like what you humansss have."
Gnass               (responsiblity)
  "The Empire wishes to slay usss. The Exilesss wish to fight with usss. And my tribe has their own wishesss."
Gnass               (wishes)
  "Our priessst wishesss to recover a holy charm our people brought with us when we fled our ancessstral home. He isss Pathass. You should ask him of it."
------------
Gnass - Special
  This low-ceilinged dome contains this villages greatest treasure - the pools in which the slith eggs hatch and in which the slith children grow until they gain the ability to breath out of water. All of the children watch you with fascination.
------------
Gnass               (look)
  This small, delicately featured slith woman watches you very nervously.
Gnass               (name)
  "I am Eth-Ath." She is careful not to get too close to you.
Gnass               (job)
  She thinks it over, then decides to tell you. "I am our brood-keeper, humansss. I look over our younglingsss."
Gnass               (brood)
  She looks protectively towards the young playing in the pools, then gives you a look as if to say that if you want to do anything to them, you'll have to kill her first. She says only "I guide our children."
Gnass               (children)
  "Our people are being killed by you humansss. Our children are our only true hope."
--------------
Gnass               (look)
  You meet an ancient slith, green scales faded, sitting wearily at this table.
Gnass               (name)
  He nods solemnly to you. "I am Pathass."
Gnass               (job)
  "I am the priessst for thisss village. It isss a great labor."
Gnass               (prist)
  "Yesss. We slithsss are a religiouss people."
Gnass               (labor)
  "Yesss. We worship our godsss, kind godssss, as besst we can. Many of our bretheren in these caves worship dark godsss, of war and blood. We do not. It saddensss us, for they possesss our holy charm."
Gnass               (charm)
  "Our people in these caves have a holy artifact - an amber charm of a lizard, ancient and very valuable to us. We are sure some of our people in these caves have it. Return it and we will reward you. There is a ritual I can give you to help you."
Gnass               (ritual)
  He mutters a brief chant, then repeats it several times. "When you find a place where the charm may be hidden, mutter this chant and it will hum in response to you. The charm is the only chanting stone in these caves." (You take note of this.)
------------
Gnass - Specials
  This slender stone bridge leads to an island out in the lake. You can see a large white statue on it.
  From here, you see the white statue is the centerpiece of a small, open-air shrine.
  There is a shallow depression in the cave floor. At the bottom is a tile basin, filled with several inches of crystal clear water. (touch)(repeat for all three pools)
  The shrine is dominated by a huge white marble statue of a slith female, towering above you with open arms. The statue radiates an aura of tranquility. (Pray)
  You offer a brief homage to the god of these strange creature. As you pray, you begin to feel energized, a little at first, then more and more. You feel touched by divine gratitude for the respect you have paid. Then, you back away, feeling rejuvenated.
============
Almaria             (look)
  The secretary for city hall snoozes gently behind the desk, almost totally obscured by the huge stacks of papers before him.
Almaria             (name)
  He isn't paying attention. The plate on his desk says "Duckworth."
Almaria             (job)
  When you ask, he grumbles and shifts slightly in his chair.
------------
Almaria             (look)
  A huge, bearded, bear of a man sits at the end of a table, staring at a scroll with distaste. The chair he sits on and polished table before him are unusually opulent for Exile. He would seem quite out of place, were it not for his mayor's sash.
Almaria             (name)
  He looks up. "Ah. Adventurers. Hello. I'm mayor Bevan."
Almaria             (job)
  "Staying out of the way of the military, mainly."
Almaria             (military)
  "Almaria is the safest town in Exile, and the most central. So we're the supply depot for the whole army!" He waves at the ocean of paper before him. "It's a nightmare of paperwork, but at least we aren't under attack."
  He looks across the table at you. "Adventurers? Hmm. You're probably looking for a mission."
Almaria             (mission)
  Mayor Bevan begins to look very somber. "One of our more unstable mages, who went by the name 'Sixus', suddenly started to believe we wanted him dead and disappeared."
Almaria             (sixus)
  "What's more, he took lots of records with him. If the Empire caught him, it would be a disaster. Not to mention the harm he could do in his paranoia. We need you to either convince him to return, or, failing that, kill him."
  "Do this, and you will be rewarded. If you accept, go ask Abby about Sixus. She knew him. She's somewhere around the supply bins."
------------
Almaria             (look)
  There is a very small woman sitting at the table, blissfully reading. She seems oblivious to your presence.
Almaria             (name)
  She looks up at you regretfully. "I'm Abby." She returns to her reading.
Almaria             (job)
  She looks up at you, somewhat irritated. "I'm really quite busy. I'm sorry." She looks back at her book.
Almaria             (sixus)
  Her head pops up. "Oh! You're going to try to find poor Sixus? Poor fellow. Good mage, but not quite right in the head. Thinks we want him dead, too, not just the Empire. So he packs up and runs and takes lots of secret stuff with!"
  "Odd fellow. I hope you don't have to kill him. He's very bright. And secretive."
Almaria             (secretive)
  "Secretive, in that he wanted to build a hidden tower way out in the middle of nowhere, with no help from anyone. Bright, in that he did it. Magically. He's probably in that tower now."
Almaria             (tower)
  "He never told anyone where it was, not even me and Bevan, his only friends!" She thinks. "Actually, he did tell me something. He said to get there when building it, he had to take a boat north from Almaria, and follow the coast around to the east."
  "He also said it was near a chasm, in a really isolated place. Hope this helps."
============
Near Huge Chasm - Special
  Perched precariously on the lip of a huge chasm, you find the ruins of a tower. You can't tell how long it's been there, but it's clearly been decaying for some time. As you get close to it, you detect a noticeable chill in the air. It wasn't that cold elsewhere, but long icicles hang from the tower's ramparts. (Enter)
  Inside the tower, you find a lot of small ice puddings, slowly slithering across the floor. In another room, you find a dead pudding - half eaten. In the next room, you figure out what sort of creature would eat ice puddlings...
============
Tower of Sixus - specials
  Odd. You would swear the large passage to the south is shimmering, like the air above a campfire. Then, abruptly, the shimmering ceases.
  When you get close to the end of the passage, it seems like you cross an invisible line. On one side, you couldn't see the tower right in front of you. On the other side, you can...
------------
Tower of Sixus - Special
  Right here, someone blasted a hole through the tower wall with a strong application of magical force. Rubble is strewn for some distance beyond the gap.
------------
Tower of Sixus - Special
  The door opens on the tower foyer. It is currently being used for something other than greetings - a large contingent of Empire soldiers have set up camp inside. 
------------
  There are soldiers possessions scattered all over the floor. In a pack here, you find something fascinating - a journal describing the soldier's time here. It would seem they're here looking to capture a mage names Sixus and his private papers.
  However, this tower is very densely trapped, and they've had considerable casualties penetrating as far as they have. The writer, however, believes they were quite close to the mage's chambers.
------------
  Beyond this door, the floor disappears. Instead, a gaping pit yawns before you. A thin strip of floor runs around the pit - it looks like the floor opened out from under someone. Nasty.
------------
  There is a body-sized depression in the wall here. Someone or something impacted here with considerable force.
------------
  You work your way around the tables, getting closer to the throne overlooking the romm. When you reach the halfway point, a cloud of sulpurous smoke pours down the length of the room...
------------
  When you get close to the altar, blue beams of light spring from it and wash over you. You feel like you're being probed. Then, suddenly, they fade away. You seem to have passed the test. Piles of dust on the floor indicate that not all are so lucky.
------------
  At first, you think the statue in this room is designed to look like its eyes follow you wherever you go. After a few moments, you realize it isn't an illusion - the statue's eyes are following you.
------------
Tower of Sixus      (look)
  The statue before you is of a mage, dressed nondescriptly and of average height and build. The only exceptional thing about the statue is that it is alive - it's watching you carefully.
Tower of Sixus      (name)
  It shakes its head. "I have no name, just a purpose."
Tower of Sixus      (job)
  "Fulfilling my purpose."
Tower of Sixus      (purpose)
  "I speak with those who wish to meet with Sixus."
Tower of Sixus      (sixus)
  "My master. He and his followers have fled to a truly secret place. I may tell you where, if it would be best. To do so, I need information."
Tower of Sixus      (information)
  "To show you are not hostile. I can tell your truth and falseness. Beware. And tell me - Who sent you here to find Sixus?"
Tower of Sixus      (bevan)
  The statue nods, and you hear a soft chiming noise. "That is a name I know. If you must speak with Sixus, search to the north to find how. Beware. He will not want to see you."
------------
Read Map
  The letter reads:
  "This place is too unsafe. Death follows me constantly. If you may be needing to speak with me, use this map. I have gone north, to a swamp.
 - Sixus.
(shows area where sixus tower is. note the monolith with SX on it and the caption below:
  Lev: with pictures of levers pointing in different directions. rrlrrl.)
============
Secret Sliths (II) - Special
  You stand at the base of a huge statue. It depicts an enormous, implausibly muscled Slithzerikai warrior, holding an enormous spear over his head. At the base of the statue is carved, simply, "Sss-Thsss." At the base of the statue are piles of skulls, hundreds of them, mostly of animals but some of humanoids too.
  You remember what the sliths of Gnass told you, and guess this may be a good place to search for the charm. You mutter the incantation, and indeed, you soon hear a soft humming coming from a pile of giant lizard skulls. You search the pile, and find a small amber charm inside one of the skulls. It is in the shape of a small lizard. (Take)
============
Big Swamp - Special
  You find a slith village in the middle of this swamp. When the warriors see you aren't Empire soldiers, they approach you with hands open in a gesture of peace.
  They tell you Empire soldiers have been killing sliths indiscriminately to the northwest, and they came here to flee the violence and prepare to defend themselves. You wish them luck, and depart.
============
Near Hall of Traps - Special
  The cave to the north is even fouler and smellier than the cave to the south. There's little alive besides thick clots of mold and algae.
============
Trapped Halls - Special
  You try to walk down this passage, but lightning flashes across its entrance, forcing you back. The bolts fade away, and you hear a soft clicking noise coming from the levers to the south. Then all is quiet.
------------
Trapped Halls - Special
  This large room is spit into thirds by two wide chasms. Scattered about the room are several giants. They are strange creatures, though - their flesh has a waxy, artificial cast to it. The monsters are, however, definitely hostile.
------------
Trapped Halls - Special
  Suddenly, the two huge granite statues of lizard men come to life! The hulking forms whirl towards you, looking down upon you comptempuously. Then one begins to speak...
  "Hsssss ... Humans ... Delicious humanssss ..."
  The other says "Foodssss ... I smellsss foodsss
  "Let ussss have your foodsss ... or you cannot passssss!"
  These things are truly huge - you don't seem to have much of a choice. You hope that you cn trust them... (give food)
  As soon as you open your food bags the statues go mad with hunger, leading forward, ripping your food from your hands, and devouring it. Then they back away and resolidify. You check your possessions. Oh dear - all your food has disappeared!
------------
  Interesting. The walls of the passage to the west drip water and are crumbling slightly. The ground must be unstable in this area of the caves.
------------
  The door next to you is large and well-constructed. What is more, is has several rings of runes of magical protection. Interesting.
------------
  The room is very dark, but you're sure you see a figure huddled up in the shadows by the opposite wall. It bolts upright when it sees you.
  You start to reach for your weapons, when the figure says, in a thin, tired voice, "Who sent you here? Who told you to come?"
  You reponde: (bevan)
  The figure nods quietly. Then he says "I sense you speak truth. Dare not try to decieve me!" His voice has a desperate, panicked quality. "And is your mission to kill me?"  (if necessary)
  The figure nods, and stands. "Then I will endeavor to make such a step unnecessary." He steps forward, and you see an old man in mages's robes. He bows to you, and says "I am Sixus."
  You start to speak, but he motions you to be silent. "We cannot stay long. You have broken our defenses - the Empire may attack soon. I tell you this, though, so you can tell Mayor Bevan."
  "I fled with my assistants because several Exile soldiers attacked me. When the Empire assaulted me at my tower to the south, I realized my earlier attackers were, most likely charmed."
  "I will return, but not yet. First, we need to hide more. It is not yet time for us to join the fight, but soon. Thank you for being brave enough to come here and see me." He points at the south wall. You can find a reward hidden nearby."
  With that, he summons his assistants, four young mages, two male and two female, and they gather their things together. Then, with thanks from all of them, they cast a spell together, and depart.
  It's time to return to Mayor Bevan. You have succeded in your mission.
------------
  You reenter the spartan former living quarters of Sixus. He took everything with him but his simple bed.
------------
  These scrolls are covered with magical incantations in an obscure runic language. Fortunately, you manage to decipher them. They're descriptions of interesting rituals - you now know the spell Force Barrier.
------
  These is a tome on magical barriers here. It's pretty dry and theoretical, but makes one interesting comment - some magical barriers may be resistant to the dispel barrier spell, but could be brought down by being near quickfire.
------
  You find a journal of the notes of the sinister archmage Garzahd, powerful leader of the Empire forces invading Exile. It concludes that his defenses are incredible, but a mage living near Formello, Solberg, may know how to deal with him.
------
  A scroll mentions three Empire installations in the caves southwest of Dharmon - a tower filled with sinister mages doing weird experiments, the caves of Sulfras the dragon, and, largest of the three, the fortress Akhronath.
============
Almaria             (name)
  He looks up. "Ah. Adventurers. Hello. I'm mayor Bevan."
Almaria             (job)
  Bevan looks profoundly relieved when you say what you did. "Wonderful! His services will aid us greatly! I'll let the Castle know right away, and..." Has an aide fetch you a large bag. "Here's silver. A lot of it. Fair reward for what you've done!"
============
Gnass               (name)
  He nods solemnly to you. "I am Pathass."
Gnass               (charm)
  You hand Pathass the charm, and he bows deeply in thanks to you. "In return, I will teach you one of our most guarded and powerful spells." He patiently instructs you in a new magical ritual. You now know the spell Protection.
============
Remote Island - Special
  You find, beached on this remote island, the wreck of an Exile boat. It's been struck with several spells, and is no longer seaworthy. Strangely, there are no bodies around. Most everything in the boat has been looted. You do find one thing of interest, however - a small, water stained package. It has been partially ripped open; you see it contains unfamiliar herbs. The ink on the label has run, but you can make out one word - 'Dharmon'. (Take)
============
Subterranean Sea - Specials
  You find the ruins of a slith village. The stone huts were torn to the ground, the totems were smashed, the breeding pools were shattered, and everyone was taken away. You wonder where.
  At the end of this passage are several long, narrow fissures, natural holes in the cave floor. An unpleasant smell comes from them, so you move cautiously forward to take a look.
  The pits contain dead sliths, hundreds of them, covered in a thin dusting of lime. They've all been killed, and brutally, and there can be little doubt of who is responsible for this massacre. You turn away, sickened.
============
Central Exile - Special
  With a lump in your stomach, you realize you have just stumbled upon the beginnings of a massacre. A heavy force of Empire troops are marching into a small slith village. Even the slith children are arming themselves, pathetically waving small clubs. It's clear, however, that their defense is futile and they're doomed. Unless... (help)
  Everyone is cheered by your charge, the sliths, because they have aid, and the Empire, because they get to try to kill more Exiles. The young and infirm sliths flee to safety, and the battle is joined...
  The Empire flees, routed, and the sliths begin packing up to leave for safer caves. They promise to spread the word of your kindness and courage to other slith villages - saying maybe they could assist Exile and you have aided them.
============
Central Exile - Special
  You find a heavy stone door, set rather incongruously in the cave wall. (open)
  Letters suddenly appear in a tracery of flame on the smooth surface of the door. They spell a simple, grim word:
  "Password?"
  You say: (skull) ( remember courier pouch west of cotra)
  The door swings smoothly open, and you pass into the cave beyond. Inside, you find supplies, heaps and bags and boxes of them. Food, arrows, darts, melee weapons, armor. Even spell components, all neatly stacked and bagged, all beargin the symbol of the Empire. You've won entry into an Empire supply cache. Now what? (burn it)
  The Empire may have placed defenses to keep the stuff from being stolen, but they were notably lax when it came to making it indestructible. Much of the stuff burns. That which doesn't es easily melted with a few simple spells. Within minutes, the supplies, laboriously brought from the surface, are soot and rubble.
------------
Central Exile - Scimitar folks special
  Caitlin greets you and listens to your account. "Well done!" she says. She gets a pouch for you. It contains several small jewels. "We haven't been having much luck finding other caches - any more aid you can give will be a great help!"
( there are five caches - repeat the last two sets until the last one. Then...)
------------
Central Exile - Scimitar folds special
  Caitlin beams. "Five caches - that's one more than we had thought there were! Our work here is done!" As her troops begin packing up, she brings you a horn, wrapped in lizard skin. "We were given this for our own defense, but I feel you should have it now. Blowing it will summon you aid. Thank you again!"
  They each shake your hand in gratitude as they leave, almost maniacally happy. Then you realize - they've been searching enemy territy, and there are only ten of them now. None of them expected to get back alive.
  Then, with a final wave, they head back to safety.
============
Central Exile - Specials near Giants fort
  You have no idea what it would be doing here, out in the middle of nowhere, but on the floor right out in the middle of the corridor here is a crumpled length of pink ribbon.
  Interesting. At the side of a crude path here, you find a small shred of pink ribbon.
============
Giant Village - Specials
  There is a large skewer suspended over this firepit. You hope you don't end up on it.
  Sitting on the altar is a small statue of a giant, a little over a foot high. It's a surprisingly delicately crafted work. What is most unusual about it, however, is not the workmanship but the material. The statue is made of a beautiful opalescent white material. It's slightly translucent, and almost seems to glow from an inner light. It's smooth and warm to the touch. It's very interesting, and probably very valuable. (Take)
  You lift the statue carefully off the altar and carefully secure it in one of your packs. Disaster fails to occur.
============
Northern Exile - Special
  Nestled in this corner are the ruins of what was once a small, elegant white stone settlement. There were once small farms nearby, with crops and lizard pens. It's all been ruined now. The walls and roofs have been smashed in by large, thrown boulders. Human skulls are mounted on poles. It's hard not to get angry - this peaceful settlement was clearly savaged by giants.
  It's even worse, because you've heard of this place. It was a monastery, filled with monks dedicated to the healing arts, calm, peaceful people. This devastation is an outrage.
  You look around. A little ways away, you see several large stone huts. (investigate)
  The huts are home to a small clan of giants, who see you almost immediately. Thinking you as easy a target as the monks of the monastery, they rush to attack.
============
Giant Cave - Specials
  You trip a deadfall set by the giants. You jump forward, just in time to avoid being crushed by a lot of boulders. You're now trapped inside.
  There are two large doors set into this wall. However, someone has sealed them shut with huge, iron spikes. You could possibly get them open, but only if you spent more time than you have.
============
Giant Fort - Specials
  There is an oppressive air hanging over this fort. You get a sense of dark magic, and darker rituals. You can't be sure, but you would guess that hint of sulphur in the air is not entirely natural.
  There is a recently dead human chained to the wall. It wears the shirt of an Empire courier. The giants would seem to be no friends to the Empire.
  There is a dead slith chained to the wall. The smell is oppressive. You back away.
  There is a thin, pale human woman with close-cropped hair chained to the wall. She's trembling with hunger, and looks at you desperately. "Please! Break the chains! I can run for the exit! I won't slow you down! Please help me!" (help her)
  As the chains fall off, you notice they have small runes on them. The woman leaps up energetically, a vicious, fanged smile appearing on her face. You now know why she looked so hungry... (she's a vampire)
  In this chamber, you find the grisly tribute the giants have been giving to the haakai. Horrifying.
  The corridor is blocked here by several chalky-looking pillars of stone. As you approach them, darts fly out of the wall...
  One the floor kicked in the corner here is a pink ribbon.
------------
  You are at the entrance to a long, low-ceilinged cave. It is filled, from to back and wall to wall with gremlins. They are all female, and all unconcerned about their imprisonment. A few look at you apathetically. (approach)
  The gremlins eye you contempuously. A few of them mutter, in adorable, high-pitched voices, how they should probably kill you. Then one of them says "Wait! They can tell the men to rescue us!"
  This suggestion is met with great enthusiasm (and not a little amusement). One of the says to you "We're all the women in a gremlin tribe to the south! We all went for a walk, and those nasty giants captured us."
  "We'd have escapted by now, but we're waiting for those worthless mates of ours to get off their scrawny hinders and show us they care!" Several of the gremlins make ominous Harrumphing noises.
  "If you see them, tell them they better come rescure us, or else!" And with that, they turn from you and prepare to be rescued. Some of them are getting gifts together. Some are crafting stone clubs. Odd creatures.
  At any rate, you decide to slip away before harm comes to you.
-------------
  The gremlins are still gleefully (and with lots of maniac laughter) preparing to be rescued. You try to avoid thinking about such things, but you still can't help but wonder where the rolling pins and frying pans came from.
============
Eastern Exile - Special at Gremlin Grove
  You reenter the glade, and explain triumphantly what you have found. The gremlins whoop for joy, not only because they know where their women are, but because they get to go and make some creature's life a living hell. They immediately set about preparing for their women's return - combing their hair, straghtening their beanies, and shoving piles of dirty gremlin laundry under big mushrooms. In the confusion, you would have no trouble entering their glade.
  There is a small patch of crypt shrooms here. (take)
  The gremlins are still preparing to to rescue their women. They're sure taking their sweet time about it. You can still enter the glade to the west.
============
Fort Dranlon        (look)
  He looks you up and down. "I'm O'Rourke."
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  O'Rourke collects the statues from you. "Excellent!" He examines them. "Yes, this is a very strange material - it may have valuable properties. and, in fair trade..." He removes a shiny helmet from his desk. "Here you are!"
============
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I am Mahdavi, of the Triad. It's good to have adventurers here."
Tower of Magi       (help)
  You discuss what you learned. She nods. "You need to find the onyx scepter - I can't help you with that. For now, we also need to find where the teleporter is. Fortunately, I can help. I know that the Empire has a certain tower north of Fort Dranlon."
Tower of Magi       (tower)
  "The Empire has a nest of mages in a tower built north of Fort Dranlon. It was a spy we put there who found out that the Empire was building the portal. Then, alas, the spy died. Badly."
  "Still, there should be information there, just waiting for you to find it."
============
Tower of Elderan - Specials
  From this large chamber, you can hear moans and angry howls. The sweat and stench of strange creatures hangs heavily in the air.
------------
  You see a huge, black altar, splattered with spots of blood and other unpleasant things. (Approach)
  With several small clouds of sulphurous smoke, demonic beings appear to defend the altar.
------------
  It doesn't take long to figure out what this thing is. A brief inspection of the runes indicates it's a magical cage, in which captured beasts (and humans) may be held for study (or worse). At the moment, it's inactive, and nothing is held in it.
------------
Tower of Elderan    (look)
  You meet an archer of Exile, imprisoned in this cell. His captors haven't even bothered to strip him of his bow, arrows, and armor.
Tower of Elderan    (name)
  He seems glad to see you, but not very. Odd. "I'm Bill."
Tower of Elderan    (job)
  He looks strangely vacant, as if there was no point in talking to you. "Waiting."
Tower of Elderan    (waiting)
  "For Elderan to deal with me."
Tower of Elderan    (elderan)
  "Elderan isn't really evil, you know? Just dedicated." He thinks. "No, that's wrong. He is evil. Dedicated, and evil." He continues to be strangely detached.
Tower of Elderan    (waiting)
  He lifts his hair from his forehead, revealing an odd symbol. "I'm cursed. I can never leave this tower. I die if I do. My commander, Houghton, tried it."
Tower of Elderan    (commander)
  "I saw him die. He tried to run, but didn't get three steps before he keeled over. So I came back to my cell, to make my peace."
Tower of Elderan    (peace)
  "With death. I'm ready to die. I just hope it's not in an experiment."
Tower of Elderan    (experiment)
  "Don't ask. You don't want to know."
------------
Tower of Elderan    (look)
  An unwatched, scruffy man sits hunched in the corner, his mage's robes hanging loosely from his emaciated form. His fingers trace idly over a glyph on his forehead.
Tower of Elderan    (name)
  He looks up as if unsurprised to see you. "I'm Bill. Hello." 
Tower of Elderan    (job)
  "Trying to break this curse."
Tower of Elderan    (curse)
  "Elderan puts it on all his prisoners. If we step out of the tower, we die. I'll live the rest of my life in here. So will Bill. But until then, I can try to be useful."
Tower of Elderan    (bill)
  "In the next cell. Two of us named Bill. What are the odds?"
Tower of Elderan    (useful)
  He grins evilly. "Useful to Exile. For example, did you know that this tower used to be used to store records?"
Tower of Elderan    (records)
  "Elderan was the chief record keeper. All sort of information passed through here, all about the Empire's forces down here. But not long ago, I overheard the records were moved!"
Tower of Elderan    (moved)
  "To one of the northern islands, a bunch of scattered islands to the northwest. Hard to get to. In Empire territory. Still, it's interesting knowledge."
Tower of Elderan    (knowledge)
  "Imagine what harm someone getting in there could do!"
------------
Tower of Elderan - Specials
  For a powerful fortress of the Empire, things are eerily quiet. You've interrupted nobody going about their studies, and no guards stand on patrol. You cannot imagine you could have gotten this far without them knowing you're here...
------------
  You reenter the spartan former living quarters of Sixus. He took everything with him but his simple bed.
------------
  You are at the entrance to the roof of the tower, which is a large courtyard with a glittering fountain. The courtyard is surrounding by a high wall, and is tiled with large, smooth granite slabs.
------------
  Suddenly, the western wall of this room slides into the floor! With a roaring noise and a blast of heat, flames pour out from behind it, racing towards you! (haste and pull the lever)
  White motes of light fall from the ceiling, causing the room to cool down.
------------
  To the north is a huge, elaborate laboratory, filled with tools for performing dark magic, huge networks of tubes, alebemics, and other alchemical equipment, and magical wards for holding in imprisoned creatures. It's a powerful, ominous place.
------------
  The Empire archmage Elderan falls. The loss of his skills is a severe blow to the Empire army.
------------
  To the west is a large depression in the floor, filled with molten metal. The blast of heat when you open the door almost singes your hair off. You can't imagine what sort of experiment would require something as difficult to make and dangerous as this.
============
Fort Dranlon        (name)
  She nods to you, and smiles blazingly. "I'm Commander Mairwen." (Pronounced Mire-When.)
Fort Dranlon        (mission)
  Mairwen nods. "Well done! You have done far better than expected!" She hands you a heavy pouch of gold. "I have also sent word of your deeds to the Castle. You should go there soon - you may have a higher clearance!"
============
Subterranean Sea - Special
  How interesting. On this ledge, far from any settlement of any sort, you find a small, cozy cottage, with rows of mushrooms growing in from. You approach to investigate, and see the door open to greet you.
  Strange, though - nobody makes themselves visible. What's more, inside the hut you see bowls and plates moving through the air, but cannot see who is carrying them. Do you step in?  (Enter)
  The hut is intensely cozy, inside, the sort of cushy, cramped little home you haven't seen since you were above ground. What is amazing, however, is not the hut but its servants - an uneaten dinner is currently being cleared away by invisible beings. Some of them are taking away plates, and scraping and washing them in the well-equipped kitchen. More interestingly, several pairs of invisible hands are making ready several comfortable looking beds.
  On one hand, you could take advantage of these beds while you have them. On the other hand, you could loot the place, searching ofr the magic necessary to create it. Or, you could just leave. (loot the place)
  You start ransacking the place, opening cupboards and looting dressers. As you touch more and more things, their appears changes - they waver and grow less distinct. Then the illusion fails entirely, and the creatures who created it attack...
  You look around the hut. The illusions covering it have faded, revealing a broken-down hovel, ruined by years of neglect. Who built it out here is it unclear, but you know you don't want to linger to try and figure it out.
============
Fort Dolthar - Specials
  This is a statue of a gaunt, severe looking man. A plaque at the base reads "Emperor Hawthorne - May he rest powerfully."
  This is a statue of a middle aged man in the robes of an archmage. He is short and powerfully build, and his expression is one of supreme confidence. A plaque at the base reads "Garzahd."
  This is a statue of a young, smiling woman, looking almost touchingly innocent. Strange. The plaque at the base reads "Empress Prazac - Long may she reign."
------------
Fort Dolthar (L2) - Specials
  From here, you have a commanding view of the lake to the south. The smooth, glassy waters reflect the fort perfectly in the constant, green, fungal light.
------------
  One of the scrolls on the bookshelf is a summary record of the actions of the fort's commander: Limoncelli. How odd - it would seem he has been dealing directly with some Vahnatai! There are subtle references to his buying "Magical goods" from them.
  It mentions that a band of rogue Vahnatai have set up quarters in this very fort, and while they are away, the quarters are looked after by something called a "Naga".
------------
  Amazingly, this room shows was clearly furnished by Vahnatai. Their small, light chairs and bunks are folded up against the walls, and the tilework and wall mosaics definitely came from their hands. There are no Vahnatai here, however. Instead there is something wors. It is a serpent with the head of a woman, rearing up to a height of eight feet. She grins a vicious, fanged grin, and her eyes glow with a feral light. She is surrounded by snakes of all sizes, some tiny, some huge. None of them seem well disposed towards you. She howls a blood-curdling battle cry, and the battle begins ...
------------
The cabinet is full of records and agreements, both Vahnatai and human. They record a series of agreements and trades between the Empire forces in Exile and a rogue band of Vahnatai, led by someone named Gaddika. They have exchanged weaponry, skills, and magical spells, most of the trades orchestrated by Limoncelli. It's very unsettling - it's not as if the Empire didn't have enough advantages over you.
  Flipping quickly through the papers, you find one of them to be very valuable indeed! It's a standard Empire form, used to record an item or piece of info received from an outside source. This sheaf of papers describes recieving a "Soul-Containing Crystal" from one "Gaddica", on a date about six months previous. It describes the "Place of Analysys" for the crystal as "Pyrog's Cave".
  You have always known the Empire had a compulsive need to keep huge quantities of forms and record. This tendency has just provided you with proof that them Empire stole one of the Crystal Souls.
  You roll up the scrolls, and store them safely in your pack.
------------
  This meeting chamber is high ceilinged, lavish, and grim. Guards are everywhere, wielding their blades with an unsettling level of competence. The mages and archers backing them up seem no less skilled. Easily the most alarming foe, however, is the man at the head of the table. At first glance, he seems just another soft, fragile bureaucrat. He has a relaxed, affable face, and a middle-age spread. He also wears no armor. However, when he stands and draws his blade, you can only stare in disbelief. He moves fast! It's as if time is warped around him ... he moves as if he as recieved many haste spells, one on tope of the other. In a blink, he has his sword in one hand and a Vahnatai razordisk int the other. Then they attack. (Hoo boy.)
  You at last wipe the smile of Limoncelli's face. You note that his corpse even falls to the ground quickly. Garzahd will need to find a new commander for this fort.
============
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He doesn't look away from the window. "I am General Landren. Welcome to my fort."
Fort Emerald        (mission)
  He grins. "I hear you slew Limoncelli! As a reward, track down Beadle. He's around here somewhere. Ask him about the dispel barrier spell, and he'll give it to. And I'll send word to the Castle of what you did. Good work!"
------------
Fort Emerald        (name)
  He turns and nods to you. "I am Beadle. Greetings."
Fort Emerald        (barrier)
  He nods. "Landren told me what you did you us. Such skill and strength should be rewarded." He teaches you the Dispel Barrier spell.
============
The Castle          (clearance)
  Gilda looks at her records. Then she looks at them again, checking and rechecking her figures. Finally, highly surprised, she says "Amazing! You've reached Royal clearance." Then, with a brief burst of paperwork, you get a scroll stating the fact.
------------
The Castle          (look)
  Micah, wise and revered king of Exile, sits on his throne. He is a large man, but the pressures of events and his responsibilities seems to be slowly pressing him down. He looks up from the scroll he was perusing.
The Castle          (name)
  "I am King Micah."
The Castle          (job)
  He shakes his head sadly. "I work to defend our ravaged land. And I try to figure out how to defeat our nemesis."
The Castle          (land)
  "After Erika killed Emperor Hawthorne, curse her, they really had no choice but to attack. Now, they're bringing more and more troops down here, and they may well wipe us out. They don't have much land now, but they're building their strength."
  "Plus, they have one powerful ally who works day and night towards our defeat."
The Castle          (erika)
  "She is the cause of many of our problems, and yet she is still our best ally. Her hatred of the Empire is intense and her powers are great. Her tower is beyond the battle-lines, but maybe someone can figure out how to reach it."
  "Just, please. If you so see her, try not to help her do anything too outlandish."
The Castle          (ally)
  "I speak of Garzahd, archmage and leader of their forces in Exile. I am looking for a way to have him assassinated. Dishonorable, I know, but we may have no choice."
The Castle          (assassinate)
  "He is down here now, but we know not where he is or how to reach him. Or how to kill him if we could reach him. But perhaps, if we are lucky, someone will figure out how."
  "In the meantime, we do have some knowledge."
The Castle          (knowledge)
  "We have some information. Erika and Solberg knew Garzahd once. They may know how to deal with him. We know also that he was skilled in creating guardian runes. Those will need to be dealt with."
  "Finally, he is a wizard skilled in summoning, and an attacker would need defenses."
The Castle          (solberg)
  "He is trapped in a tower near Formello. He cannot leave, for fear that Exile's foes will strike him down. He told me once he had an idea for how to kill Garzahd."
The Castle          (runes)
  "The court wizard, Rone, says he may know a way to break even the strongest guardian rune. Ask him about them."
The Castle          (summoning)
  "Garzahd has summoned demons for Empire attacks. Lots of them. His fortress, wherever it is, is probably filled with them. To get far, one would probably need Demonslayer. If we could spare it."
The Castle          (demonslayer)
  Micah thinks hard, then shakes his head sadly. "No," he finally says. "It is too precious a prize to risk losing it to the Empire. But ..." He thinks more. "Restore two of the crystal souls to their proper places, and I will grant you Demonslayer."
------------
The Castle          (look)
  The ancient wizard puttering about this room has paper thin skin and thin, wispy white hair. He seems to barely acknowledge you're here.
The Castle          (name)
  His mind is travelling elsewhere. He mutters "Rone" absently.
The Castle          (job)
  He shakes his head, as if to clear it of your interruption. "Mulling. Just mulling."
The Castle          (mulling)
  "I concentrate on bringing aid to Exile. Magically. It is hard to concentrate, and you help not." He turns his back on you.
The Castle          (runes)
  He turns back to you, his gaze suddenly alert. "Yes, I know of those!" You see flashes of anger in his eyes. "Runes on the ground that sear anyone passing. But we of Exile had a Blessed Athame, which could break them."
The Castle          (athame)
  "A small blade of great power. We hid it in a guarding cave in a maze of waterfalls west of Fort Dranlon, to keep the Empire from getting it. They found the cave, and couldn't get in, but they perverted the defenses."
  "Now, nobody can get at the Athame, and that suits the Empire fine, curse them."
============
Egli                (look)
  An aged Vahnatai sits here, polishing an intricately carved piece of smoky quartz. He wears a silver headband. His skin is very dull and dark gray, with many flecks of black.
Egli                (name)
  He looks up at you very slowly, his hands still moving automatically over the crystal. "I am Oth-Ihrno. I welcome you to Egli."
Egli                (job)
  "I am the Ihrno here, the ... the speaker of Egli. Bon-Ihrno has spoken to me, saying we are to offer you help and information."
Egli                (help)
  "Bon-Ihrno thinks you are beings of honor, and though I am filled with anger at your kind, I am filled more with respect for Bon's judgement. We can offer you knowledge of our magical ways, and help with understanding us."
  "However, I cannot guarantee Rentar-Ihrno will help you, I am afraid."
Egli                (rentar-ihrno)
  He shakes his head. "Rentar is the greatest of the Ihrnos awake. She created the barriers in your land, and she has no love of humans at this point. She has agreed not to harm you, but I don't think she will give you much aid."
Egli                (knowledge)
  "Seno has agreed to teach you a small amount of our magic, both out of a desire to share and so you can grasp some of our power. Be sure to speak with Lith. He can tell you of the importance of crystals to us."
------------
Egli                (look)
  You meet a somewhat short Vahnatai male. He is reading a scroll while walking around. Even though he doesn't seem aware of his surroundings, he deftly steps around chairs and away from walls.
Egli                (name)
  He looks up at you. "Welcome, humans. I am Seno."
Egli                (job)
  "I am an instructor here. I teach the magical arts to visitors."
Egli                (magical/arts)
  "We Vahnatai haven't the physical strength of your people, but our magical skills are greatly advanced."
Egli                (instructor)
  "I instruct visitors in the powerful Vahnatai magical arts. In return, we of Egli request a donation to continue our researches. Let me know if you wish to purchase skills."
  "By the way, to use the spells I can teach you, you will need a soul crystal."
(Mage Spells - Capture soul, Simulacrum)
------------
Egli                (look)
  This Vahnatai is carrying a large bowl of pungent gray liquid. Its bright robes are speckled with tiny bits of food. 
Egli                (name)
  He bows. A little of the fluid in the bowl spills over onto floor. He pushes his robe into the fluid with his foot to mop it up. "I'm Crean," he finally says.
Egli                (job)
  "I am the cook and custodian for Egli at the moment. I also spend my time trying to get the mages to wake someone to help me."
Egli                (cook)
  He proffers the bowl. "Here. Taste some of this broth." You do. It's nasty. He notes your reaction. "Trust me, it tastes no better to us than you. The mages woke many warriors and the like, but very few people to simply keep things moving."
  He holds up the broth proudly. "But if this doesn't get them to wake help for me, nothing will!"
Egli                (wake)
  "Many of us are still in the Resting, sleeping in their crystals. Waking them all and rebuilding our cities are enormous jobs. The most important of the people get woken first. But some not so important ones need be woken too, eh'?"
------------
Egli                (look)
  This Vahnatai's skin is very smooth, and has a shiny, almost waxy sheen. Possible, that means he is younger. He wears the typical glowing robe and scant clothing underneath, and carries a double armload of scrolls.
Egli                (name)
  He nods. "Welcome, humans! I heard of your arrival. I am Clodeca."
Egli                (job)
  "I am still only an apprentice here." He indicates the scrolls.
Egli                (apprentice)
  "I am only an apprentice, not a crystal to my name. For now, I spend my time on these herb catalogs." He looks at the scrolls with distaste.
Egli                (herb)
  He emits a Vahnatai sigh, a long, painful hiss of air from between clenched teeth. "In the storerooms here, we have samples of every herb, lichen, mold, moss, mushroom, and other plant ever found in these caves, powerful or not, rare or not."
  "I keep track of what is where and how fresh. It is both time-consuming and worthless. Looking for anything?"
Egli                (borgia) (remember lithgow at patricks tower wants some)
  He rummages through the scrolls. "Yes, we do have Borgia toadstools, not too fresh, but still usable. They're in the northeast storeroom, second shelf, in the back." (You take note of this.)
------------
Egli                (look)
  There is a Vahnatai sitting at the table, grinding up some lichen.
Egli                (name)
  "I am called Oratem, humans. Welcome to my shop."
Egli                (job)
  This Vahnatai's robes are covered with quartz dust and bunched in about his waist by a tool belt. He is currently buffing down a sheet of blue glass.
------------
Egli                (look)
  "I am Lith. Welcome."
Egli                (name)
  "I am a crystal-smith, and this is my work." He holds up the blue glass.
Egli                (job)
  "I am a crystal-smith. I create soul crystals and crystal souls, the core of Vahnatai magic."
Egli                (crystal/soul)
  "There is a big difference. Crystal souls are the physical manifestation of our spirits, they are what was stolen. Soul crystals are what we store energy (and other things) in. To ever perform any of our special magicks, you will need one."
  "One called Abra said he would give you one, but he had to leave. Maybe you should find him."
Egli                (abra)
  "He had to go to the east to reawaken more Vahnatai. Difficult, but rewarding work."
------------
Egli                (look)
  There is a Vahnatai woman sitting cross-legged on her bed, staring deeply into a large, glowing crystal. Things are unusually warm around her.
Egli                (name)
  She continues to focus on the large crystal. It's as if she's in communion with it.
Egli                (job)
  Motes of light float from her into the crystal. Other, smaller motes float back. She ignores you.
------------
Egli - Special
  The cabinet contains dozens of small vials and jars, each containing a different reagent. You search though the containers until you find the one marked 'Borgia Mushrooms', and take one.
------------
Egli                (look)
  This Vahnatai lady has robes of incredible delicacy and richness, and a mien of utter confidence. Many tiny crystals are set into her jewelry.
Egli                (name)
  Both her eyes and her crystals glitter as she sweeps her eyes over you. "I am called Rentar-Ihrno, human."
Egli                (job)
  Her mouth crooks in a half-smile. "I am a mage. Nothing more, nothing less."
Egli                (mage)
  "A mage, yes. My modest skills enabled me to create the barriers in your land. My minor knowledge is helping me find ways to bring tons of rock down on the homes and cities, husbands, wives and children of those who dared to steal our crystal souls."
  "I am a mage, humans, and I have little else to say to you."
============
Resting Cell #4     (look)
  A Vahnatai warrior sits near the fire, sharpening a razordisk. She looks up at you grimly when you approach.
Resting Cell #4     (name)
  "I'm Bohen." She watches you carefully.
Resting Cell #4     (job)
  "I'm guarding Abra. And he's trying to make my job harder."
Resting Cell #4     (harder)
  She looks at the entrance to the caves. "There's more hydras in there than I've ever seen. We gotta' sneak in there to perform the awakening. We sure could use some help."
Resting Cell #4     (help)
  "Talk to Abra about it. He could pay you."
------------
Resting Cell #4     (look)
  There is a mage sitting here, meditating and moving his limbs in elaborate, hypnotic patterns. The Vahnatai are many-jointed,  but never has it been clearer than now.
Resting Cell #4     (name)
  He opens his eyes and looks at you. "Welcome, humans. I am Abra."
Resting Cell #4     (job)
  "I prepare to meet my doom." His voice is appropriately grim.
Resting Cell #4     (doom)
  "You see that door over there?"
Resting Cell #4     (door)
  "Yes, that one. Beyond it are some controls I need desperately to get at. There are also hydras, dozens of them."
Resting Cell #4     (controls)
  "Don't ask me what for. All I can tell you is that they would cause you great harm were you to try to use them."
Resting Cell #4     (hydra)
  "It is my duty to sneak past them and use the controls, even if it means my doom. I prepare myself now." He looks at you slyly. "Of course, with your assistance, my job would be easier. There would be a reward."
Resting Cell #4     (reward)
  "These icy caverns to the north are occupied by a huge hydra nest. The alpha nestlings are two ice hydras. Kill them, and the nest would begin to disperse, and we could sneak in. Kill them, and I will give you a Soul Crystal."
------------
  These caverns are icy cold - frost covers everything. There are scales and claw marks everywhere, and lizard reek hangs heavily in the chill air. Hisses echo through the caverns. These chambers must contain an extensive hydra nest.
------------
Resting Cell #4     (name)
  He opens his eyes and looks at you. "Welcome, humans. I am Abra."
Resting Cell #4     (reward)
  He nods, smiles, and pulls a Soul Crystal out of his pack. He hands it to you. "You are now the first humans to be able to use our magic. Power to you." He begins to prepare to enter the caves.
============
Olgai - Special
  You look deep within the crystal, and see images of caves, and Vahnatai towns, and actual Vahnatai. However, you can't control the image, so it simply moves about randomly, jumping from place to place and giving you a headache. When you pull away, head spinning, one image stays with you strongly. You saw a castle, perched at the edge of a chasm. Outside it, Vahnatai were practicing fighting - with human weapons.
============
Vahnatai Fortress - Specials
  To the south is a chasm, miles deep. To the north is a cliff, which stretches upwards and curves outward over the chasm. Above you, you see thick stone walls set into the cliff face. Someone has created a considerable fortress here.
------
  This is a narrow, graceful, natural stone bridge, arcing over the chasm here. The pit below inspires a rich sensation of vertigo.
------
  The key you found in Avit unlocks the door. You can open it now.
------
  You have to look twice to believe what you're seeing. Human furniture, human clothing, human food over on the tables, human weapons and art on the wall. But what are humans doing with the Vahnatai?
------
  You find a variety of papers, some written in human, some in Vahnatai, mainly records of the goings-on in the fort. There is nothing, however, addressed from the Vahnatai to the humans or vise versa, and definitely nothing about the Crystal Souls.
------
  This is a practice area. Interestingly, not all of the wooden weapons are Vahnatai. There are mock-ups of human weapons as well.
------
  This ancient room is all that is left of whatever ruins this fort was built over. Dust hangs heavy in the air, and coats the ground in a smooth, undisturbed sheet. 
------
  You wipe the dust off the crystal, and see something astonishing. There are glowing words moving around under the surface. You concentrate, and see that, after all these years, the messages are still readable. (read)
  You all bend forward, and read the words as they pass. You miss most of them, but after a while they start to repeat and you can try again. After a few passess, they make sense. You now know the spell "Wall of Blades".
  You look at the device in amazement - it's a magical teaching crystal! You can't help but wonder what marvelous knowledge is buried deep within the stone, waiting for someone who knows how to let it out.
------
  There is a statue of a mighty Vahnatai warrior here, the same warrior depicted at the other end of the room. You look for signs of who this mighty figure might be, but find none. The statues, however, seem very old.
------
  With a final, decisive blow, Gaddika, traitor to the Vahnatai people, falls. The Empire has now lost a valuable ally. Good for you.
------
  Inside the cabinet, you find several thick sheafs of papers. You start reading through them and find, much to your surprise, that they contain writing in both human and Vahnatai tongues. You start reading through them, and find, much to your horror, that they are documents detailing an alliance between the Empire and this band of Vahnatai. There are lists of supplies, information, and spells traded in either direction. In the bottom of the cabinet, you find the most chilling thing. It is a letter, from "Archmage Garzahd" to "Gaddika-Bok", thanking Gaddika for his help in obtaining "three intact Crystal Souls, which will be great informational aid."
  Along with the letter is a map, indicating the way to a place called "Ornotha Ziggurat", and a note saying "Caffren was brought here. His powers may be very useful." You pack up the scrolls to take them with you. They provide clear proof of who stole the Crystal Souls, and where one of them was taken. You look, but find no information on the other two.
============
Olgai - Council room
  You tell the council of your battle with Gaddika and the rebel Vahnatai, and show them the letters from Garzahd and the other humans. As you speak, the Council grows angrier and angrier, until it seems like their heads will split with fury.
  Prossis can hardly believe it. "Vahnatai, sellint out our greatest treasures, our greates birthrights to the humans! Trading our people's honor for magical trinkets! They are better off dead!"
  Elohi seems ready to go out killing himself. "Caffren-Bok must be rescued. There is no doubt of that. This ziggurat the letters mention - the map shows it as near Fort Haledon."
  Maps are brought, and planning begins. "Fort Haledon has been awakened," Glantris says. "It could attack the ziggurat, creating a diversion for a small group to slip in and get the Crystal. It would be bloody, but no price is too high."
  Prossis write something on a scroll and gives it to you. "These are orders for Fort Haledon. Should you decide to rescue Caffren-Bok for us, Fort Haledon is fart to the west, beyond the Spore Tunnels."
  "Take these orders to the commander there. He will know how to get you into the ziggurate. From there, the spirits help us all."
============
Tower of Elderan - Treasure Chambers
  This room has three huge, leather bound books on malachite pedestals. You stand in front of one of them now. (Read)
  The book is fascinating! It describes powerful, elaborate rituals, in a clear, concise manner! You now know the spell Recharge.
  The tome describes bizarre, horrifying rituals. It takes some time to build up the strength to do so, but finally you slam the book shut, your minds reeling and numb. You feel a little bit less sane.
  The grimoire describes, in detail, how to open up a magical portal and draw mighty beings through it. These creatures will follow your every command. It's very interesting. You now know how to cast Major Summoning.
------------
Tower of Elderan - Inner Sanctum
  The bookshelf is mostly empty, and what few scrolls left on it are either blank or filled with meandering, worthless notes. Someone has quite thoroughly cleaned these shelves out.
  Most of the valuable papers have been removed from this desk. One letter, however, immediately catches your eye...
  Elderan -
  It is no longer safe keeping so many records there. Your tower is too exposed, and it would be a disaster if the map the portal was lost, especially as it nears completsion. The documents will be stored in Fort Legov, on the northern island, from from prying Exile eyes. I have enclosed you key to access. Guard it well - few of them exist.
  - Garzahd
  A map is included. Fort Legov is on one of the islands to the northwest, nort and slightly east of someplace called "Pyrog's Lair".
  You search more carefully and, sure enough, under a loose pile of writing supplies, you find an ivory key. (Take)
============
Subterrean Sea - Special
  Up close, you see a narrow tunnel through the stone wall. It would be a squeeze, but you could go see what's at the other end... (Go)
------------
Dark Tunnel - Specials
  You step farther into this dark, chill cavern. On the floor nearby, you find blood stains, and not old ones. There was a fight here recently.
------------
  You find the body of a human, slain by a powerful fiery blast and stripped of possessions. The smell is horrible. You don't linger.
------------
  At the west end of this cavern, you see where the blood stains came from. You see the remains of a force of Empire troops, who made the unfortunate decision to explore these tunnels and paid a bloody price.
------------
  A damp, chilly wind blows from the north past you. You look, and see an enormous shaft, stretching far above and far below you out of sight. A narrow ledge circles the wall of the shaft in the clockwise direction.
------------
  To the north is an enormous granite spire, which juts out of the shaft wall. It meets the wall fifty feet below you, and is a full eighty feet high. A narrow stone bridge extends across the pit towards a small opening in its side.
------------
  A few feet inside the stone spire is a red stone door, set in a black wall. This structure is clearly ancient, and Vahnatai designs (which you don't understand) are engraved in the door.
------------
  Motes of light appear in the air around you. Their effect is not beneficial. You start to feel sluggish.
------------
  The lich howls in pain and fury, and dissolves away. Its shriek hangs in the air long after the millenium old beast is gone.
------------
  There are several long rows of Vahnatai runes on the wall, traced onto it in glowing, green letters. You think if you spent some time, you could understand them. (Read)
  You understand the runes. They are the result of Heaven knows how many centuries of the magical work of the lich, and are very instructive indeed. You now know the spell Ravage Spirit.
------------
  What in intriguing trophy! A mighty two-handed battle axe is suspended on two pegs on the wall, its steel blade glinting in the dim light. (Take)
------------
  There are several long rows of Vahnatai runes on the wall, traced onto it in glowing, green letters. You think if you spent some time, you could understand them. (Read)
  You read the runes. You read them silently at first. Then without noticing, your lips move as you read. Then you're reading aloud, then chanting. By the time you realize what's happening, it's too late.
  The odor of sulphur fills the chamger. You turn, and see an enormous demonic beast with a band of assistants. They aren't here to serve you...
------------
  You hear a grinding noise to the east. You look across the chasm, and see a wall sliding open in the side of the spire. Then, quickfire pours out, roaring across the chasm towards you!
============
Tower of Magi - Behind barriers in Temple
  The book is filled with arcane rituals and hly chants. It is open to a page with an illustration of a body being prepared for burial. (Read)
  The rituals being carried out on the body are highly intricate and the chants you're supposed to say over it are ancient and hard to follow. However, you manage. You now know the spell Raise Dead.
============
Halls 0f Chaos - Specials
(Start in the chamber to the south east.)
  Suddenly, huge clots of the vegetation in front of and behind you start moving! The lumps quickly slide across the floor, melding into each other. Soon, large, clumsy plant masses are lumbering towards you.
------------
(Go into the treasure room. Kill the efreet and the doomguard. Kill the basilisks.)
------------
(read the runes on the wall)
  Silver runes in the wall: Pull lever to get access words. First give statues their gifts.
  Silver runes in the wall: I wish a crate.
  Silver runes in the wall: I wish a barrel.
  Silver runes in the wall: I wish some webs.
(in the chamber to the north, there is a special that when you cross it will pop up a barrel or a crate, depending on which side of the hall you are on. Push it to the appropriate statue. Cast goo spell on the rune that wants webs. Pull lever.
(after giving gifts)
  You pull the lever, and the runes in front of each of the statues momentarily glows brightly.
  The first statue says "Plor".
  The second statue says "Fump".
  The third statue says "Quib".
------------
(Now get rid of the crate and barrel by pushing into the water in the first part of chamber. Make sure there are no more crates or barrels around. Go to place where these things pop up. When you cross the special, one more will pop up. Go to north end of hallway, go into combat mode, send one (hasted) PC to push the object into the river, and then exit combat mode. He will return without hitting the special. Go to the left chamber, through the secret passage, diagonally through the fire to the other secret passage. Down the stairs, send one PC thru teleport to get the steel key and return to the stairs. Back through the fire, go to the chamber on the right. Again through secret doors, fire, stairs. Maze of teleports. Go thru the teleporter. This takes to a room with two teleports. Go through the right teleport four times, then the left one. Get the iron key, go up stairs. Exit room in north center of first level. Go to SE chamber, down stairs, kill a bunch of imps looking for passages that open up in front of you. Get to the big chamber with the gazers, and take the stairs to the NW up. This takes to the room in the NW chamber of the first floor where the athame is. Speak one of the passwords you got from the statues to get the athame.
==============
Solberg's Tower     (look)
  You meet an aging, highly unkempt man. You think he's wearing mage's robes, but all the stains and tears mage it hard to be sure.
Solberg's Tower     (name)
  "Visitors! Wonderful! I am Solberg, of the Triad. Welcome to my humble home."
Solberg's Tower     (job)
  "Well, I am a officially a member of the Triad of the Tower of Magi. Normally, however, I fight boredom in my exile within Exile."
Solberg's Tower     (triad)
  "The Tower of Magi is, following the custom for such towers in the surface world, run by three mages. Normally, the system works. However, several years ago we had a disaster."
Solberg's Tower     (disaster)
  "Linda was on the Triad then. She came up with an insane scheme to capture a demon lord and bind it to her will. She imprisoned anyone who questioned the scheme. I came here and built this tower, so that I could repair any damage from a safe distance."
  "Fortunately, the beast was slain."
Solberg's Tower     (slain)
  "It's a long story. But then, after the demon was slain, I still had to remain here."
Solberg's Tower     )remain)
  "This tower is where I must stay. There is a simple reason. If I leave, I will very likely be assassinated."
Solberg's Tower     (assassinated)
  "Don't think I am being paranoid. Hordes of demons orbit this tower, day and night, waiting for me to leave the safety of my wards so that they may devour me. Would you like to know who their sender was?"
Solberg's Tower     (sender)
  "Well I'll tell you. Forgive me if I'm a bit windy. I so seldom get to talk to people. You see, all the most powerful mages in Exile, me and Erika and Aimee and Patrick, we were colleagues on the surface world. Us, and Garzahd."
Solberg's Tower     (aimee)
  "I haven't seen her in years. She's a recluse now, travelling the planes. In spirit, of course, not in body."
Solberg's Tower     (patrick)
  "He's still alive, thank the Heavens. Won't be for long, I fear. A more loyal servant our nation couldn't hope for."
Solberg's Tower     (erika)
  "Damned foolish woman! She was the one who masterminded Hawthorne's assassination! She brought this mess down on our heads. We weren't ready!"
Solberg's Tower     (garzahd)
  "Yes, Garzahd. Poor, foolish, paranoid Garzahd. He worked and learned with us, but could never stand the thought that others could have as much power as him. He also was the only one of us who developed political connections."
  "And he used those connections. Oh yes."
Solberg's Tower     (connections)
  "He envied us our skill. He thought us a challenge to his aspirations. So he spent his time, he and Hawthorne, getting each of us exiled one after another. He did that, and spent years developing protective spells for himself."
  "Such a bright mind, wasted in such petty pursuits."
Solberg's Tower     (protective)
  "Years he spent, infusing himself with protective magicks, down to the marrow of his bones. Fire, cold, poison, hostile magics, I don't think any of them can affect him anymore. Blades? Probably not."
  "And that's why he wants to kill me. I'm one of few who can strike him at his weak point."
Solberg's Tower     (weak)
  "I am a master mindduellist. No spell known can shield a mage from a mindduel. It's a price we pay for our powers. I could kill him if I got close to him. Any good mindduellist could. It would help, of course, if your power was augmented."
Solberg's Tower     (augmented)
  "There is a magic item. It's called a Ring of Will. Very rare. It was created to protect from dumbfounding. It has a side-effect. Its wearer is much better in a mindduel."
  "Patrick said he has a Ring of Will. Ask him about it."
Solberg's Tower     (mindduel)
  "If you don't know how, ask around the Tower of Magi about the Mindduel spell. I'm sure someone could teach it to you."
------------
Solberg's Tower - Special
  The bookshelf is crammed with magical treatises, most of them written by Solberg. The bulk of them are beyond you, but one of them is very useful indeed. You now know the spell Major Blessing.
============
Tower of Magi       (name)
  She nods. "I am Suzanne. What do you want?"
Tower of Magi       (egg)
  You hand over the egg. She looks it over, and smiles. "All right then! Whenever you want to learn Mindduel, ask me for a bargain!"
============
Erika's Tower - Specials
(teleport from mages tower - keyword "Kav Ait Bon". Fight past the empire guards around the tower. First portcullis, pull lever and go straight in. Second portcullis, weave between the pillars after pulling lever. After second portcullis, when going through zig-zag path, move diagonally only; don't move into the corners. Secret passage to left of room with pillars; pull lever to keep from setting blade walls. This also releases several barriers around the corner to have to fight through monsters. Get around to statues.
------------
(need only pass one each of first and second pair of statues)
(first northern statue)
  You pass in front a statue of a tall, imperious female wizard. Suddenly, a barrier is blocking your path. Then, the statue speaks:
  "Answer this:
   Under my ring sits only one.
   My golden points take all his fun.
  What am I?" 
  You respond:  (crown)
(first southern statue)
  You pass in front a statue of a tall, imperious female wizard. Suddenly, a barrier is blocking your path. Then, the statue speaks:
  "Hear my words, and hear them well, or you shall never pass me."
  Words - 3
  Well - 7
  Never - 11
  So what is Me?"
  You respond: (13)
------------
(second northern statue)
  You pass in front a statue of a tall, imperious female wizard. Suddenly, a barrier is blocking your path. Then, the statue speaks:
  "Answer this:
  I await all at the end. I start as nothing, then and full of nothing, then am full.
  What am I?"
  You respond: (Grave)
(second southern statue)
  You pass in front a statue of a tall, imperious female wizard. Suddenly, a barrier is blocking your path. Then, the statue speaks:
  "Answer this:
  1
  11
  211
  4211
  84211
  1684211
  231684211
  28231684211
  What is next?"
  You respond: 3828231684211 (sum of all digits of last result =(38); catenate to front of last result
------------
Erika's Tower       (look)
  You meet the infamous Erika. She is a tall, imposing woman, with long, raven-black hair. She watches you with eyes that seem to pierce far inside you, evaluating the strength of your material and your use to her.
Erika's Tower       (name)
  "I am Erika, of the Redmark clan." She says it with the air of one who dislikes saying the obvious.
Erika's Tower       (job)
  "I wait here in my tower, watching my defenses. I also prepare assaults against the Empire. Important assaults."
Erika's Tower       (defenses)
  "This is my home, and I will not leave it, although my enemies work day and night to slay me. The Empire wishes me dead like no other." She thinks. "By the way, you have passed my tests, and shall be rewarded."
Erika's Tower       (empire)
  "The Empire will stop at nothing to slay me. It was I who engineered the assassination of Hawthorne." She pauses. "Of course, for that, some fools resent me!"
Erika's Tower       (reward)
  "You have reached the center of my tower once. The next time will be easier." She casts a brief spell. "There is a portal near the entrance. Now, when you step into it, you will appear before me." (You take note of this.)
Erika's Tower       (assaults)
  "Two missions occupy my mind. They are desperately important, but nothing can be done without adventurers who can leave here and strike the actual blows. Still, I can provide invaluable information."
  "I speak of recovering the crystal souls, and of the destruction of Garzahd."
Erika's Tower       (souls)
  "I know not where a Crystal Soul is, but I believe the dragon Athron does. He is west of Mertis. If he asks who sent you, tell him 'Redmark.' He knows and respects me, and may let you in. When you learn what he knows, return and ask me of crystal souls."
Erika's Tower       (garzahd)
  Her smile is chilling. "Oh, sweet Garzahd, the man, the vermin who sent me down here. Now he is in Exile, and I want him dead! And I have several leads on how it may be done."
Erika's Tower       (leads)
  "To slay Garzahd, you will need to be able to reach him, and be able to kill him. Someone named Thompson might help with the former, and Solberg might help with the latter."
  "And, of course, for what it's worth, you may want to see King Micah."
Erika's Tower       (thompson)
  She sniffs. "A lesser mage, but he knows a lot about teleportation. That seems the best route to reach Garzahd. Ask people about him is Blosk - that was where I knew he was last. You may have to ask a lot - he was a quiet one."
Erika's Tower       (solberg)
  "A worthy mage. Alas, he is trapped in his tower as much as I am. He lives southwest of Formello. Ask him about Garzahd - they knew each other. He might know something."
Erika's Tower       (micah)
  She shakes her head. "A good man, but he's up against the greatest foes the Empire has to offer. Fortunately, his resources may have uncovered something necessary to slay Garzahd. You should see him."
------------
Erika's Tower - bookshelf
  There are several journals of notes about  goings on in Exile. Most of them seem irrelevant to you, but one note is interesting: "I believe someone at Patrick's Tower has a Ring of Will. It's worth asking about - it would be a great help in a mindduel."
  One of the books is a spellbook. You examine it. It takes some time and effort, but you decipher Erika's magical scribblings. You now know the spell Major Summoning.
  One of the books is a spellbook. You examine it. It takes some time and effort, but you decipher Erika's magical scribblings. You now know the spell Wall of Blades.
============
Honeycomb - Special before Athrons lair
  Two enormous statues of lizard men tower up on either side of you. They each stand fifty feet high, molded like clay out of the stone of the cave walls. These behomoths cannot have been created by hand. Magic was involved - powerful magic. This is very unnerving, as the expressions on their faces are clearly hostile.
  You can continue walking between them, if you dare... (continue
  On one hand, the statues remain inanimate as you pass between them. On the other hand, the creatures living up near the statue's heads seem to find you an attractive target for an ambush.
============
Athron's Lair - Specials
  When you reach the dead end, you hear a loud, low growling from behind you. You turn, and see the enormous spectral image of a dragon, staring at you balefully. It speaks...
  "Ill met, mortals. I am Athron, and you are not welcome in this place. I have no time for your petty desires, or your petty conflicts. Going further will bring death to you." Then the image fades.
------------
  There is a glowing portal here. (Step in.)
  Having no other options, you approach the portal. When you do, you hear Athron's voice...
  "You intrude on my home. I do not know you, and you are not welcome. Who sent you?"
  You respond: (redmark)
  The voice groans. "Not again! I told her I did not wish to speak with her, and I meant it. Perhaps this will dissuade you from disturbing my privacy!" You are teleported...
  (the trick is to open all the portals. step on the runes to open/close portals until all opened. Go through portal at other end and return to entrance cave.
------------
  There is a glowing portal here. (Step in.)
  Having no other options, you approach the portal. When you do, you hear Athron's voice...
  "You intrude on my home. I do not know you, and you are not welcome. Who sent you?"
  You respond: (redmark)
  "Not you again! You are starting to irritate me! Pester my minions instead..." You disappear.
  With a loud grinding noise, the walls to either side of you lower slowly into the floor.
------------
  There is a glowing portal here. (Step in.)
  Having no other options, you approach the portal. When you do, you hear Athron's voice...
  "You intrude on my home. I do not know you, and you are not welcome. Who sent you?"
  You respond: (redmark)
  "Aaarrr! Why are you so insistent on disturbing my privacy! Take this, and suffer..."
--------------
  There is a glowing portal here. (Step in.)
  Having no other options, you approach the portal. When you do, you hear Athron's voice...
  "You intrude on my home. I do not know you, and you are not welcome. Who sent you?"
  You respond: (redmark)
  The voice sounds resigned. "All right. I will reward your persistence. Come see me, but beware. Disturb my inner sanctum, and I will slay you!" You are brought before Athron...
------------
Athron's Lair       (look)
  You finally stand before the dragon Athron. He towers above you, three times your height, and looks down upon you with distrust and grim distaste. When he exhales, little flames comes out.
Athron's Lair       (name)
  He growls. "I am Athron the dragon. This you knew. Quit wasting my time."
Athron's Lair       (job)
  For a brief moment, his expression turns from anger to pride. "I am looking after my brood." The anger returns. "And I deal with disturbances."
Athron's Lair       (brood)
  "For the first time in five centuries, new dragonlings are about to hatch."
Athron's Lair       (centuries)
  "The five dragons of these caverns were the last brood to be hatched anywhere near here, centuries ago. My siblings."
Athron's Lair       (siblings)
  "Senile Motrax. Defeated Sulfras. Dead Pyrog. Servile Khoth."
Athron's Lair       (motrax)
  "Imprisoned in his weak mind. I pity him."
Athron's Lair       (sulfras)
  "The mightiest of the five, now held down and ordered about by Empire wizards. Her vengeance will be mighty."
Athron's Lair       (pyrog)
  "Dark and cruel. He was slain a few years ago. He had it coming."
Athron's Lair       (khoth)
  A rumbling voice emerges from his throat. "Dishonorable Khoth! He now serves Garzahd! Curse his name!"
Athron's Lair       (garzahd)
  "Commander of the Empire forces down here. A mighty mage. Hopefully someone will kill him soon."
Athron's Lair       (empire)
  "Exile is annoying, but the Empire would be more so."
Athron's Lair       (dragonlings)
  His voice swells with pride "The mighty spawn of me and my mate, who rests on the other side of the world. A dark doom awaits any thief who would interfere with them."
Athron's Lair       (thief)
  His voice trembles with potential violence. "There are many who would use our eggs for sinister purposes. I promise you, this will not happen."
Athron's Lair       (disturbances)
  "You went to great effort to see me, mortals. You passed mighty trials to gain the knowledge I possess. Of what do you wish to know?"
Athron's Lair       (crystal/souls)
  Athron cocks his head and thinks. "Yes, one time when my spirit was travelling, it detected another spirit in distress. I went to it, but could not get close. It had been stolen from its home, and was definitely Vahnatai. And I know its hiding place."
Athron's Lair       (vahnatai)
  "A dignified and wise people, who know how to respect a being's privacy."
Athron's Lair       (hiding/place)
  "It was in the Empire fort Akhronath. I can tell you little more." (You take note of this.)
============
Blosk               
  "I am Bartholomew. What do you want?"
Blosk               
  Bartholomew looks surprised. "You know of Thompson? He's not here. He's disappeared. We were working on secret research together, but one day I woke up and he was gone. And all he left me was this useless message!"
Blosk               
  "He left me a note saying he left a message on the back of his dresser. I found the message, but I can't understand it!" (You take note of this.) He shakes his head. "The work goes slow without his help. I hope someone finds him soon."
Blosk               
  "He left me a note saying he left a message on the back of his dresser. I found the message, but I can't understand it!" (You take note of this.) He shakes his head. "The work goes slow without his help. I hope someone finds him soon."
------------
  You pull the dresser away from the wall, and indeed find the message, written in a magical code developed in Exile (and thus impossible for an Empire spy to read).
  It reads, simply, "Found something I shouldn't know, and the Empire knows it. I must flee before they get to me. The Scimitar has a hideaway in Fort Remote - I am going there."
  "If you absolutely must find me, go there and ask Fraitus of me. You will need a key - I hid it in the lair of a tine undead cult west of Formello, in a room with no doors. Good luck, my friend. - Thompson"
  You move the dresser back against the wall to reconceal the message.
============
Dharmon             (look)
  Even by Exile standards, the woman behind the counter is pale. Her skin is a pure, unblemished ivory. It almost seems to shine brighter than the polished shields on the counter in front of her.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Rippel. Welcome to my shop."
Dharmon             (job)
  "I do a brisk business here. You can buy armor, and sell me anything you have. Thanks to the front, we take all the loot we can get."
Dharmon             (front)
  "Up north, there's been vicious fighting, back and forth, for months. Nasty, draining fighting. Our best supplies have come from the fallen foe - fine metalwork brought down from the surface."
  "I buy all the stuff I can, fix it up, and pass it on to the army. We ain't picky. Sometimes, we can't afford pride."
Dharmon             (pride)
  "We'd rather use our own goods than blades stolen from the corpses of our foemen. But we can't. It's just that simple."
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  There is a surprisingly young woman sitting behind the counter - only in her late twenties. She is salvaging feathers from Empire arrows to place on shafts of her own.
Dharmon             (name)
  "Julie. Julie the fletcher."
Dharmon             (job)
  She grins. "I do what I've done since I was little - archery. You can purchase my work. It's modest, I admit, but it'll do the job."
Dharmon             (fletcher)
  "I came with my parents into Exile when I was six. Since then, I've always been fascinated by archery - the elegant curves the iron-tipped shafts make as they pass through the air, the satisfaction of an arrow sent true."
  "And now, when our people need arms more than anything, I am honored and proud to be able to help."
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  This man's skin seems permanently mottled by a life working with all manner of acidic and unpleasant dyes and chemicals. His hands are covered with green and black spots, which are slowly creeping up his arms.
Dharmon             (name)
  He raises his hand to his blue-speckled cheek self-consciously. "I am Largo the alchemist. Welcome."
Dharmon             (job)
  "You can buy potions from me. But that is a sideline. I am, at heart, an alchemist."
Dharmon             (alchemist)
  "Oh, yes indeed! Exile is an unpleasant place, but an inherently magical one! Every plant down here has been magically shaped in some way in order to enable it to survive! The result is flora of unusual alchemical power."
  "I have been able to do years of meaningful research on ember flowers alone!"
Dharmon             (ember)
  "Rare, wondrous blooms! Hard to find, but only matched by graymold in their healing properties. And, since you seem wise folks, I will sell you two of my recipes using these blooms, if you wish."
------------
  This is the Temple of the Crossed Swords, the largest temple in Exile. For years, warriors have come from all over to pray for safety and honor in battle. With the coming of the war, the shrine has been bombarded with visitors.
  The floor in front of the altar is covered with broken weapons, shields, tunics, and other trophies taken from slain foes. There are also scrolls, each naming a friend lost to battle. You pay your respects, then leave this solemn place.
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  The woman inside these robes is almost totally obscured. All you see of her are her eyes, and that's all you really need to see. You've held many knives, but none of them have been as sharp as the gaze she levels upon you.
Dharmon             (name)
  The eyes look you over. "I am mother Sarah, keeper of the Temple of Crossed Blades and friend to all honorable warriors."
Dharmon             (job)
  Her voice comes from deep within the hood, strong and sad. "I am walking away from the temple today, to see the soldiers."
Dharmon             (temple)
  "The Temple of the Crossed Blades, mightiest temple in Exile."
Dharmon             (soldiers)
  "To the north is the front. These soldiers are the cork, that prevents the Empire from springing from their caves into the Great Caves, and then into Exile. I walk among them, to watch them, and give them my support, to lend them strength."
Dharmon             (strength)
  "That is my purpose. I help by leadership, by prayers, by kind words, and, when need be, through my magic."
Dharmon             (magic)
  "I can cast many powerful spells. What is more, for a donation, I will teach them to those who support us. If you ever wish to purchase my teaching, let me know."
(Priest Spells - Guardian, Mass Charm, Protective Circle, Pestilence)
------------
Dharmon - Special
  This is the Dharmon Arms, the largest and most luxurious inn in Exile (which, granted, doesn't say much). There aren't many people besides soldiers here now - non-soldiers have been heading east as fast as they can.
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  The innkeeper looks very depressed, a depression only mildly alleviated by seeing you.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I'm Messner. How can I help ya'?"
Dharmon             (job)
  "I run the Dharmon Arms, and believe me, we got plenty of vacancies. Things've been real slow. But we have the nicest rooms in Exile, only fifteen gold, and the best meals, sizzling lizard steaks, only six gold. Let me know if you want a meal or a room."
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  A small, pregnant woman with black, curly hair sits in the corner. She holds another child, a small boy. His face is flecked with red, and he looks very ill.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Malka, and this is Daniel," she says, indicating her son.
Dharmon             (job)
  "Oh, I'm so worried, I don't mind telling you. My boy, Daniel is very sick. Some cave disease." 
Dharmon             (disease)
  "A rare one. Graymold doesn't work. A cure disease spell barely helped. There is a package of medicine coming, but, well, I'm not sure we'll get it."
Dharmon             (package)
  She shakes her head sadly, and look up at you with anxious eyes. "Medicine was being sent from Formello for my boy. My family sent it. But the package never arrived. I don't know what could have happened to it. If you ever find out, let me know."
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  The mayor is sitting behind her desk, fingering her sash of office. She is not much older than you, and has a calm, organized demeanor. There are very few papers on the top of her desk.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Mayor Radner. What can I do for you, adventurers."
Dharmon             (job)
  "At the moment? Enjoying a few minutes peace. And thinking about a few of our problems."
Dharmon             (peace)
  She indicates the lack of papers on her desk. "One contingent of troops just headed out. The new one hasn't arrived yet. Things are, for the moment, calm. In this business, you learn to stop and take a breath when you can."
Dharmon             (problems)
  "We have recently been attacked by bands of giants. Not normal giants, but mutated giants, misshapen, stronger, and deadly. The Empire is creating them. That is why I am looking for some adventurers to undertake a mission for me."
Dharmon             (mission)
  "In the caves west of Fort Remote is the fortress Kothtar. There, the Empire carries out bizarre magical experiments, many involving giants. Go there, sneak in, find records explaining what they were doing, and bring them here. I will reward you." 
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  A very young, quite muscular woman in rough, prisoners garb sits on her crude bedding.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Lieutenant Agate, of the army of the Empire." She watches you nervously, wondering what you're going to do to her.
Dharmon             (job)
  She looks you over. "You aren't my usual questioners. I was telling them about the southwest quadrant. That's where you got me."
Dharmon             (southwest/quadrant)
  She thinks for a moment. She's very calm, as if she doesn't believe you'd hurt her. "It's west of your Fort Remote. We have three forts there. Three mighty forts. Better than anything you have, that's for sure."
------------
Dharmon             (look)
  You meet a burly, graying mage, who is looking very irritated at your intrusion on his privacy.
Dharmon             (name)
  "I'm Starcap. What are you doing here?"
Dharmon             (job)
  "Trying to protect my privacy." He watches you carefully, seemingly watching for some move which would give him an excuse to blast you.
Dharmon             (privacy)
  "Yes. And if you weren't Exile soldiers, you'd be dead already. Now why have you interrupted my knowledge seeking?"
Dharmon             (knowledge)
  He starts to get angry at your impertinence, but then calms down. "I might as well say. I'm scrying to find the onyx scepter."
Dharmon             (scepter)
  "It's a very powerful artifact, which was lost some years back. It was given to the dragon Sulfras."
Dharmon             (sulfras)
  "The mightiest dragon in these caves. He lives in the tunnels to the west of Fort Remote, but our spies say that he has been subdued by the Empire forces. I am trying to tell if the onyx scepter is still in his lair or if the Empire has moved it."
  "There. That is what I am trying to find, and I've had no luck. Now leave me in peace, so I can restore my defenses."
============
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  You meet a heavy-set Moor with an air of total self-assurance. His hands and garb are covered with the stains of actual dirt!
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  His voice is deep and sure. "My name is Cochran."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  He picks a fleck of dirt from his clothes and show it to you. "I'm the gardener here."
Patrick's Tower     (gardener)
  "Before this, you see, I did much research of Crypt Shrooms. You see, there's a large patch of them between here and the Tower of Magi, north of the lava fields. I developed two simple recipes for unleashing their magic."
  "If you would like to buy them, let me know."
(Alchemy - Strong Poison, Weak Energy)
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  You meet a young, blonde woman, lost in thought. Her fingers are stained with ink, as if she's just been doing a lot of writing. She has a bow slung over her shoulder.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  She shakes your hands, getting ink on them "I'm Rita, of the Cskany clan." (Cskany pronounced Chah-kahn-yah.)
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  She smiles wearily. "I'm doing research. It's what I'm best at."
Patrick's Tower     (research)
  "I study magic items. It's actually a big help in the war. We get lots of weird magic, and I figure out what it does and how we should use it, and then a write a paper and it ends up on our shelves."
  She takes the bow off her shoulder and shows it to you. "Lately, I've been doing some archery."
Patrick's Tower     (archery)
  She shows you the bow. "This is called a Bow of Kag. At least, that's what the Empire had labeled the ones we captured from them. I'm been shooting it a lot, trying to figure out how accurate it is, but it hasn't been working."
  "You see, while I'm shooting it, I keep losing my arrows! I'm so absent minded."
------------
Patrick's Tower - bookshelf specials
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Wand of Vorb - Devastates user. No other effects. Probably product of failed attempt to create another wand.
------
  You grab one the the thinner of the forgotten, dusty books. It's an unfinished novel about life in Exile, written on lichen paper. It's about a dock-worker. One thing you notice: it mentions him getting rid of barrels by shoving them into big chasms.
------
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Potion of bliss - Heals and blesses together. Highly beneficial.
------
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Runeshield - Shield very useful for mages - very light and unobtrusive.
------
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Ruby and Onyx Charms - Very protective. The former, against fire, the latter, against magic.
------
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Orb of Thralni. Allows flight for long distances. Stolen by Empire, believed taken west of Fort Remote.
------
  This dusty chamber contains the books that there weren't any room for and were deemed non-useful. It seems a shame to treat something as rare as a book this way.
------
  You find a paper on magical items, by someone named Rita, of the Cskany Clan. The summary: Feldspar and Ivory Charms - Yin and yang. One makes the wearer more vulnerable, and one protects.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  There is a woman in mage's robes sitting at the table. She has short black hair and a distracted manner, and has several books on the table in front of her.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  "My name is Kelli. With an 'i'."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I am a mage of the tower. At the moment, I'm doing a little research."
Patrick's Tower     (research)
  "What else? I'm here to dig up dirt on several sorts of monsters. Forewarned is forearmed."
Patrick's Tower     (monsters)
  "The Castle wants me to look into two sorts of monsters: mutant giants and doomguards."
Patrick's Tower     (giants)
  "I don't know much about these, but I do know this: normally, the Empire has been killing all the giants they could find. However, some other giants have been fighting with them, larger, stronger, misshapen giants."
  "We don't know where they're from, but they're deadly."
Patrick's Tower     (doomguards)
  "Her expression darkens. Legendary creatures, who we're starting to think exist. They're suits of armor, almost impervious to damage. And, when you actually do manage to damage them, they just split into two!"
  "Of course, the rumors may just be that - rumors. I hope so."
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  You meet a big, beefy man, mixing up some goop in a metal bowl. His cheeks are flushed - a ruddy glow penetrating the paleness that is the mark of all Exiles. Unusually, the food he's mixing smells delicious!
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  "Hello! I'm Marco. I'd shake, but well..." He shows you his hands. They're covered with bits of dough.
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I'm the chef here at Patrick's tower, and, let me tell you, it's darned difficult!"
Patrick's Tower     (chef)
  "I want to cook good food! It's what I take pride in! But what do I have to cook with? Mushrooms and mold! And bits of stringy lizard meat." He grins. "At least, that's what it was like until recently."
  "Ya' see, it all got better when the Empire came!"
Patrick's Tower     (empire)
  "They brought food with them, and we captured it! They brought dirt too, and we got some! I got actual, genuine garlic cloves! And fruit. And we got some other sorts of animals."
  "Want a taste?"
Patrick's Tower     (taste)
  Marco puts some of the dough he's mixing in your mouth. It's cookie dough, made of real flour. "Most of the captured food went to Dharmon, but some came here. If you want a real meal, at last, Dharmon is to the west. That's where to go!"
  You barely hear what he says; it's just too wonderful tasting real cookie dough again.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  There is a bitter looking soldier slouching behind the desk. He has a three-day growth of stubble on his face.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  He looks at you blankly. "I'm Captain Rabin."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I run the garrison here. Such as it is."
Patrick's Tower     (garrison)
  He chuckles. "Yes. I take good care of my smattering of soldiers."
Patrick's Tower     (soldiers)
  "We have a few troops. Not many, and mostly green. All the seasoned troops are at the front, where I should be."
Patrick's Tower     (front)
  "You may think I'm stupid, wanting to be at the front, where I could get chopped, instead of at my nice boring job here. But think on this! We break at the front, and we all die! The Empire will butcher us all!"
  "If I'm going to die, I want to be up there, where I can help prevent it. It's that simple." He grimaces in frustration.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  You meet an aging woman. Despite her increasing years, her waist-length black hair doesn't show the slightest sign of gray. As she walks, she embroiders.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  She curtsies. "I am Hathwisa, lady of this tower."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I assist my husband, Patrick."
Patrick's Tower     (patrick)
  She sighs. "The poor dear works himself too hard. But not as hard as he did before my illness."
Patrick's Tower     (illness)
  She continues making stitches as she speaks. "A deadly fever afflicted me a few years ago. I would have died, but for a band of adventurers, who brought graymold salve and healed me."
Patrick's Tower     (graymold)
  "Remarkable stuff. I hear the recipe for it is on a shelf around here somewhere. It can heal practically any disease." She brushes her hair out of her face and looks at you solemnly. "I owe my life to it." 
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  This room's desk is covered not with papers but with herbs and toadstools, bowls and powders. Sitting behind the desk is a large, affable man, staring at his reagents.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  "I'm Lithgow. Welcome."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I'm the person who coordinates what the mages here do with what the Castle wants them to do. But that's not what I'm worrying about now. I'm worrying about a potion."
Patrick's Tower     (potion)
  "Yes. I can't tell you what it is for, but I can tell you I'm short on ingredients. But I see you're adventurers. I can reward you well if you can obtain certain substances for me."
Patrick's Tower     (substances)
  "Ah! You'll help? Wonderful! The first thing I need is a borgia toadstool. They're very rare - they only exist in the lower caves. Perhaps some grow in Vahnatai lands. It's worth a look."
------------
Patrick's Tower - Special
  This is the solemn, beautiful conference room of Patrick's tower. It is done in the Vahnatai style, although the tiles and such do not appear to be of Vahnatai make. The glow crystal doesn't actually glow, for example.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  You meet a very old, very famous man - Patrick the archmage, master of this tower. He is currently staring down the length of this long, marble table, lost in thought. When you approach, he turns and nods at you.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  He says simply "I am Patrick."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I am pondering our brothers below."
Patrick's Tower     (brothers)
  "The alien brothers you yourselves introduced us to - the Vahnatai. I think about our relations with them, and our experiments."
Patrick's Tower     (relations)
  "Life in these caves is such a fragile thing - nothing should be able to live down here, but we manage, because of magic. It is their magic that created the glowing fungus that gives us light, and thus life."
  "But I have spoken with this Rentar-Ihrno, and I am worried."
Patrick's Tower     (rentar-ihrno)
  "She is the greatest mage of the Vahnatai - I went there myself to meet her. She showed me the deadly magics she would gladly release to protect her people. What, I ask, will happen when we compete with them for limited space and resources?"
  "Remember - she knows how to create quickfire!"
Patrick's Tower     (quickfire)
  "Yes." He thinks. "Come to think of it, the Vahnatai were eager for your help. You might ask her about it - she may be willing to sell you the secret of it's creation!"
  "We're trying to discover the secret of quickfire ourselves, in our laboratory."
Patrick's Tower     (laboratory)
  "Oh! It is well hidden. I should tell you how to reach it. Go to my office, and search my desk. There is a button in one of the shelves. Press it, and the way shall become clear to you." (You take note of this.)
------------
Patrick's Tower - Special
  You search Patrick's desk for the button he told you about. You find it easily, and press it. Sure enough, a section of the bookshelf slides out of the way.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (look)
  There is a small woman with red hair wandering aimlessly among the tables, alebemics, and barriers of the laboratory. She makes a soft humming noise as she floats around the chamber.
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  Irritated, she pauses her humming. "I am Jade."
Patrick's Tower     (job)
  "I was, before you interrupted me, performing my concentration exercises."
Patrick's Tower     (concentration)
  "I was trying to improve my mindduelling skills. And I would like to resume my exercises."
Patrick's Tower     (mindduel)
  She sighs, exasperated at your persistence. "Yes. It takes great intelligence and purity of concentration to master the mindduel. It would be easier if I had a Ring of Will, but I don't."
Patrick's Tower     (ring)
  "A rare magical artifact that improves one's skill in a mindduel. Only Baktris has one, and he was slain by rakshasi."
Patrick's Tower     (baktris)
  "Baktris was slain by a band of the foul, illusionist tiger-beasts. There is a colony of them to the west, and they took his Ring of Will. It is a shame, but we don't have the strength to slay them, so that is that."
  She begins to resume her humming.
------------
Patrick's Tower     
  Most of the tomes are highly obscure and esoteric. Looking at them isn't doing much good. However, one of them contains a recipe, which you eagerly copy down. It is the recipe for Graymold Salve!
------------
Patrick's Tower - Quickfire room
 ( dispel barrier at the corners only, check quick fire for chests (open them). There are two, one of them worth 500 gold.)
============
Great Cave - Special
  You see, farthter down the passage, some sort of melee going on. One group of humanoids is blasting another group with spells. You try to decide whether to get involved, but the decision is made for you. The group that is getting blasted flees, heading straight towards you. You see they're Exile soldiers, being chased by several humanoids with the heads of tigers. Before you can get out of the way, a battle is swirling around you!
-----
  The beasts decided to eat half the soldiers, and hunt the rest for sport. Then, tired and terrified, the soldiers head for home.
============
Tiger's Den - Specials
  The pungent smoke of exotic herbs assails your nostrils. The room to the south is richly decorated with all manner of soft rugs and pillows, arranged around low, burning braziers. There is no shortage of hookahs, pipes, and other objects of leisure.
------
  You find scrolls of rakshasi magical writings. Most of them are very alien to you, but one scroll contains the beginnings of the translation of a human spell, complete with a description of the original. You now know the spell Major Cleansing.
------------
  The bridge you are standing on vibrates and blurs. You are terrified for a moment - afraid that the surface is about to disappear out from under your feet. However, when the blurring stops the bridge is still there, only different.
------------
  This room is filled with magical paraphernalia, some human, some Vahnatai, much alien to you. The stuff is arranged about the room haphazardly - your eye detects no order in its placement.
------------
(in order to get past the doors that seal up when you approach them, go into combat mode. This keeps the doors open until after you pass.)
------------
  You reach the exit of the rakshasi's lair, only to find a band of their pets waiting to avenge their masters!
============
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Malka, and this is Daniel," she says, indicating her son.
Dharmon             (package)
  Malka describes the package, and you show her the box you found. She almost faints with joy. "Thank you!" She opens it, and, indeed, it contains three small bottles of medicine. In gratitude, she takes a ring from her hand and solemnly hands it to you.
============
Fort Remote         (look)
  What a rare sight! It's a Nephilim, wearing an immaculately clean apron.
Fort Remote         (name)
  He bows to you. "I am Mawrrr."
Fort Remote         (job)
  "I am honored to do the cooking at this fort."
Fort Remote         (cooking)
  He makes a soft purring noise. "This is where I ended up. I wanted to leave my people, to do travel, you see."
Fort Remote         (travel)
  "I wanted to see this land. I travelled this Great Cave everywhere, but with the battles, I needed a place to stop. I ended here, where I earned employing." He gives you a proud, toothy grin.
Fort Remote         (employing)
  "I cook. It is strange, working for human tastes, I do do OK. Though sometimes people are joking."
Fort Remote         (joking)
  "They say I like wanting to put rats in the stew. But I would not do that. The rats here are not good enough." You can't tell whether he's joking or not, and you decide not to think about it.
Fort Remote         (rats)
  "I would not serve rats to humans. They would not be liking them, and I want all of them to myself!" He purrs hungrily.
------------
Fort Remote         (look)
  The first thing you notice is the long steel blade, shining and sharp enough to cut granite. The next thing you notice is the man sharpening it: short, muscular, and with a wickedly pointed black beard. He gives you a momentary glance.
Fort Remote         (name)
  He continues running the sharpening stone along the edge of the beautiful blade. "I'm Blademaster Deltarian."
Fort Remote         (job)
  "Sharpening my sword."
Fort Remote         (sword)
  "That was what Master Kevtar told me to do - always keep my blade sharp."
Fort Remote         (kevtar)
  "The finest bladesman I've ever had the pleasure to know. A sad story, really. He finally tired of the bloodshed, and retired."
Fort Remote         (retired)
  "He lives in solitude now, hidden away in the ruin to the north. I will go visit him soon - He taught me well, and I owe him that much."
Fort Remote         (visit)
  "He's a solitary man, but he often welcomes visitors and potential students. He sometimes even teaches those with the willingness to learn and the money to pay."
------------
Fort Remote - Special in small shrine
  It is customary for Exile forts to have a small shrine. This one, as usual, shows signs of frequent visitaion. A bowl of fresh mushrooms has been placed in front of it as on offering. However, it's ankh is only crudely carved granite. You suddenly have an intense urge to replace the stone ankh with your (much nicer) bronze ankh. Do you do so!? (replace Ankh)
  With a feeling of great satisfaction, you replace the crude ankh with the much more beautiful bronze one. It's strange how overpowering the desire was. It definitely feels wonderful to satisfy it.
  As you trun to leave, you would swear the bronze ahkh flashes brightly for a moment. You turn to look at it, but it looks just like it did before. Odd. Must have been your imagination.
------------
Fort Remote         (look)
  You meet a holy woman. She paces about, praying silently to herself. She seems agitated.
Fort Remote         (name)
  "I am Mother Madge."
Fort Remote         (job)
  "I am preparing myself. People here need my protection."
Fort Remote         (protection)
  "There are strong warriors here, and powerful mages. However, I am the only one who can heal. Let me know if that is something you need."
------------
Fort Remote         (look)
  There is an aging wizard here, reading rituals from a dog-eared spell book. When you approach, he closes the book and looks up at you.
Fort Remote         (name)
  "I am Fraitus."
Fort Remote         (job)
  "I am preparing spells of defense."
Fort Remote         (defense)
  "Nothing complicated. Mass hastes, strength spells, and such. Things for when the Empire attacks."
Fort Remote         (empire)
  "This fort is well-defended enough to withstand their assaults, especially because of the runes."
Fort Remote         (runes)
  "The central hall is filled with runes enchanted with powerful defensive magic. I helped create them. When we wish, anyone touching them is blasted to dust. Our walls are magically hardened as well."
  "This fort can fall, but it will take a mighty blow to defeat it, probably too mighty."
Fort Remote         
  Fraitus looks startled. He looks around, then bends close to you. "Yes, he came here. He is in hiding below - he is convinced the Empire wishes to destroy him. He came here one night, and the next morning he disappeared."
  "Before he was gone, though, he told me the secret of his hiding place, should an Exile need to find him."
Fort Remote         
  "He said that, to find him, you must look behind the painting in the eastern guest room." (You take note of this.)
------------
Fort Remote         (look)
  You meet a middle-aged woman with very long, very curly scarlet hair. She is sitting at her desk, poring over maps. Oddly, she is dressed in a simple dress, with the symbol of a Commander embroidered on the shoulders.
Fort Remote         (name)
  She looks up and smiles guardedly. Her eyes, piercing and analytical, sweep over you. She says "I am Commander Lori, daughter of Rourke. Welcome."
Fort Remote         (job)
  "I command this fort, as my father did before me. I organize our defenses, and prepare for the Empire attack."
Fort Remote         (father)
  "My father was slain when a horde of demons destroyed the old Fort Remote. You can still find the old fort's ruins, just to the east.  When he died, I joined the army, and rose up to this position in order to take his place."
  She looks down at her unusual garb, and smiles. "As you can see, I've made my way in my own style."
Fort Remote         (style)
  "I don't like uniforms, and I don't like uniform thinking. The Empire's forces in this area are unusual, and we this fort needs to be unusual to deal with them."
Fort Remote         (empire)
  "They haven't attacked in a while, which is strange, since, while the Empire doesn't have many troops to the west, if they broke past us they could run wild through the great cave. So I'm preparing our defenses, and looking for opportunities to attack."
  "That reminds me, I'm always looking for adventurers to go on missions."
Fort Remote         (mission)
  "The Empire can get small groups past us - we don't know how. We, in turn, want to send spies west. To do this, I need to see a Blue Pass, so I can make forgeries. Bring one to me, and I will try to earn you a promotion."
Fort Remote         (mission)
  You show your blue pass to the commander. She takes it away for an hour, then returns it to you. "Thank you very much! I will send word to the Castle of what you have done for us! Hopefully, they will reward you with a higher clearance."
------------
Abusive Trickery - Special
  The door is locked, and the keyhole is surrounded by runes. You try your keys, and find that the key you found in the ruins west of Formello unlocks the door!
------------
Abusive Trickery - Room of pillars
  (from the space north of the door into the pillar room:
   W6, N2, E2, N4, W2, N2, W2, S4, N4, E2, S2, E2, S4, W4, S2, W2, then north)
------------
Abusive Trickery    (look)
  You finally reach Thompson. He is a small, harried looking man, who seems profoundly relieved you're not about to kill him.
Abusive Trickery    (name)
  "I am Thompson. Welcome to my hideaway."
Abusive Trickery    (job)
  He bows his head. "Hiding here. Cowering, like a vole."
Abusive Trickery    (hiding)
  "I'm not paranoid. Coming here, I was one step ahead of my potential assassins. But I'm safe here, and I can tell you what I have discovered."
Abusive Trickery    (discovered)
  He sits. "You see, I was doing research for the Tower of Magi. I was trying to discover coordinates for their portal."
Abusive Trickery    (portal)
  "A wondrous creation. It can send you anywhere, if you only know the right thing to chant when you step into it! I was trying to discover the chants. I'd developed a special technique."
Abusive Trickery    (technique)
  "I can travel with my mind, all over Exile. And I figured out a way to match coordinates with the places where I end up. But that's technical and not very important. What is important was that one day, when travelling through the ether, I became lost!"
Abusive Trickery    (lost)
  "I travelled too far away to be safe. I wandered for hours, looking for a landmark. And, eventually, I ended up outside a huge fortress, black and surrounded by lava and chasms! And when I was there, the master of the fort detected me!"
Abusive Trickery    (master)
  "It was Garzahd! It was his fortress! He detected me, and I fled, before he could disrupt me. I finally found my way home, after many more hours, but it was too late. I had the forbidden knowledge."
Abusive Trickery    (knowledge)
  "I detected the coordinates to reach Garzahd's fortress, and he knew it. That's why he will stop at nothing to kill me, and anyone who finds him out. And that is why I must tell you that they ..." He takes a deep breath.
  "The coordinates are Vag Obb Tor." He sighs. "What a relief."
Abusive Trickery    (relief)
  "I'm still probably a dead man. At least now the secret won't die with me."
============
Kothtar (L1)
  One of the scrolls on the shelf contains a note from one mage to another: "Gibbrik - Prepare for next set of experiments with orb. You will be flying this time. Remember - orb MUST be returned to the lowest level, not to the lab. - Varnob."
------
Kothtar (L2) - Specials
  The tome is, unsurprisingly for this magic-filled place, a spell book. The magical dialect is a strange one, but you do understand it. Most of the spells are actually very basic, but one is very intriguing. You now know the spell Revive All.
------
  Having penetrated the considerable defenses of this fortress, you have come to thick, drake-skin bound tome, chained and double chained to a marble pedestal.(Read)
  You page through the book, slowly at first, then faster. It's fascinating stuff - it's an account of the bizarre magical research that has been happening at this fort since it was constructed, in secret, three years ago! Most of the experiments, such as the attempts to interbreed viscous goos and other creatures to create warriors who would split when struck, met with failur. However, two experiments are cleary significant.
  One of the two was a success - a way to modify giants to not only make them stronger and tougher, but to make them mindlessly receptive to Empire commands. Such giants are now being produced very quickly, and not just here.
  The other experiment involve the Orb of Thralni, which is somewhere in this fort. They are trying to unlock its secrets so that they can create armies of flying soldiers. They have not yet succeeded, but they think they might.
Someone in Exile might be very interested in this information. The book is very well secured to the pedestal, but that doesn't stop you from ripping a big wad of pages out of it. You pocket them.
------------
Dharmon             (name)
  "I am Mayor Radner. What can I do for you, adventurers."
Dharmon             (mission)
  You hand Mayor Radner the plans. She eagerly searches through them. "Wonderful! This will be invaluable in dealing with them!" She fetches you a large sack of  gold, and takes some notes down. "I will tell the Castle what you have done!"
============
Totem Tunnels - Specials
  Whoever lives here has been killing your people for sport, and putting their remains on display. This foul behavior has to stop.
------
  You make your way along the narrow ledge, just barely keeping from falling into the lava. You see similar ledges line the flow for some distance to the north.
------
  There isn't anything valuable in the Vahnatai cabinet. What's interesting is that this is definitely a Vahnatai cabinet, in human hands. Odd.
------
  The desk is covered with a jumble of papers, most of them meaning nothing to you. However, one of them, shoved carelessly into one of the stacks, gets your attention. It's an official document, edged with gray trim. (take)
============
Sulfras Lair - Specials
  The bookshelf contains an account of the interrogation of Sulfras - the tactics used to get him to talk, and the information gained from him in return. They haven't been having much luck.
------
  You find a key hanging from a leather thong on a peg on the way. The key is a beautiful work of art, carefully carved from a single piece of malachite. Written on the wall below it: "DO NOT TAKE WITHOUR AUTHORIZATION UPON PAIN OF A PAINFUL DEATH."
------
Lair of Sulfras     (look)
  Before you sits a mighty beast, a green and red lizard fifty feet long, with huge, leathery wings folded in at his sides. He does not rise at you approach - his left foreleg is shackled to the floor by a huge steel chain.
Lair of Sulfras     (name)
  His voice is a rumbling from deep within his massive body, and comes from his mouth in a clouds of flames and sulphur. "I am Sulfras."
Lair of Sulfras     (job)
  In a brief burst of fury, the dragon jerks at the chain that holds him down. The force of the tug makes the ground vibrate, but the chain remains undamaged. "I am ... I am kept a prisoner here."
Lair of Sulfras     (prisoner)
  He breathes a burst of searing flame directly onto his chained claw. The ground beneath it melts, but the chain remains perfectly intact. Sulfras turns back to you, furious. "I dealt with the Empire humans, like a fool, and they betrayed me!"
Lair of Sulfras     (empire)
  "They wanted me to help fight you, But tricked me into chains instead. Then they tore down my beautiful home, and raised this ugly fort in its place. I want to kill them all."
Lair of Sulfras     (betrayed)
  "They offered me treasures, treasures from the leader, for my help. I let them into speak with me. Then they tricked me into this bond. Garzahd tricked me! ME!" He roars in fury, until you think he'll bring the room down on your heads.
  Then he settles back down. "But I do not like speaking of it. I think instead of rewarding those who give me freedom."
Lair of Sulfras     (reward)
  The dragon looks down at the chain. "If you can get this thing open, I will give you what little of my treasure remains. I swear it to you."
Lair of Sulfras     (treasure)
  "Most of it was stolen by the Empire. But if there is anything you want I still have, it will be yours." He looks at the scattering of items around him. "Look at these pathetic leavings!"
Lair of Sulfras     (sceptre)
  The dragon's eyes flash red with fury. For a moment, you think he'll attack. Then he calms down. "You humans! You are a foul and greedy breed. It would be better if you were forever gone from existence."
  "But we are stuck with you, and I need your help. If you free me, I will give you the onyx scepter."
------------
  You stand before Sulfras, and the point where the massive chain that holds him down is bolted to the ground. You notice the cuff around the dragon's claw has a keyhole. Examining the keyhole, you think the malachite key you found would fit. (unlock chain)
------------
  When the key enters the lock, the mighty dragon's face lights up in joy and anticpation of violence. When it turns, he stands up tall. When the chain comes off, he roars. Behind you, some cries out in horror. You turn, to see a lone Empire soldier, who came to see what the noise was. His expression is that of one who is trying to convince himself he not about to die.
  You turn back to Sulfras, and see that he has created a small ball of fire, hanging in midair. He looks down on you and says "Return later for your reward." Then he roars again, in joy, leaps into the air, and disappears!
  Several things happen at once. You hear the guards shouting outside. You recognize what the ball of fire in front of you is. And it begins to expand, ready to consume everything.
------------
  You flee the flames, hearing them consume everything behind you. Desperate, agonized screams follow you. You watch the destruction for some time, eventually hearing the roars of a dragon joining the din.
  Within two hours, the flames are gone and the fort is a ruin. Not one Empire soldier got out alive.
  From the fort's entry, you see that quickfire and dragon's claws have devastated this place. Only a few small sections of wall remain standing. The rest is blackened rubble.
  You return to the lair of Sulfras, and find that the fury of the dragon within has been fully and gruesomely unleashed. The buildings have been blasted to the ground, and everything within seared to cinders. Charred bodies are everywhere. 
------------
Lair of Sulfras     (look)
  You again meet the dragon Sulfras. This time, he stands tall and proud, and looks down at you as if you were insects. He holds his massive wings above him - they almost touch the roof of the dome.
Lair of Sulfras     (name)
  The dragon smiles, and his rumbling voice is even deeper and stronger than before. "I am Sulfras, mightiest dragon in these caves."
Lair of Sulfras     (job)
  "I am rebuilding my lair, and reaccumulating treasure."
Lair of Sulfras     (lair)
  "It is a massive job. Those humans razed my beautiful palace to the ground to make room for their squalid fort. But I will rebuild it, grander than before!"
Lair of Sulfras     (treasure)
  He grits his mighty teeth in fury. Smoke trails up from one of his nostrils. "They stole my treasure. They took all of it that wasn't hidden away. But I have started building a new trove, starting with the gold and weapons I stripped from their corpses!"
  "I must get treasure, if I am to have status in the eyes of my siblings."
Lair of Sulfras     (siblings)
  "Khoth and Athron. And Motrax. I am stronger than all of them, but I will have no status in their eyes if I don't have a trove."
Lair of Sulfras     (Khoth)
  Sulfras shoots flames in anger. "Quisling! She aids the Empire! I suspect it was she who told them how to catch me! I will have pointed words with her before all of this ends."
Lair of Sulfras     (athron)
  "The recluse. I have not spoken with him in a long time."
Lair of Sulfras     (motrax)
  "Motrax is my brother. We come from the same brood. Yet, some dragons age more quickly than others. I hope he passes on soon - his weakness gives our kind a bad name."
Lair of Sulfras     (scepter)
  Sulfras sighs. Enough flames comes out with the sigh to kill any one of you. "Yes. You rescued me, and I give you fair repayment. The scepter is beyond a secret door there." He points at the west wall of the dome.
  "This discharges my debt. Ask more from me, and die."
------------
  There's a bunch of rubble at the end of this passage. You dig about in it a bit, and it doesn't take long to get your reward. It's an onyx scepter, three feet long and intricately carved. (Take)
============
  You have heard of this place - this was the fabled sole-remaining exit to the surface. At least is was, before the Empire came down and collapsed the route under thousands of tons of rock. Nothing left here but a lost opportunity.
============
Olgai - Council room (when finally get here with empire evidence from fort Dolthar)
  You show the  map you got from the Empire fort to the Council. It definitely gets their attention. "Pyrog slain?" Glantrix says, "Nobody will mourn. Now that we know Jekknol-Bok is there we can plan on getting her out."
  He orders maps brought. The ones that arrive are ancient, bits flaking off at the gentlest touch. He pores over them carefully. "The place will be heavily guarded, but look here..."
  He indicates a narrow tunnel heading from the water to the back of Pyrog's cave. "If you took a boat around back of Pyrog's cave to the north, you could find this secret passage and enter the fortress from the rear."
  "The passage will be well hidden, and the old lizard's traps may still be there. Still, it seems the easiest way to slip in and get the crystal."  You take note of all of this.
  "If only someone could be found to resuce Jekknol..." All three look at you hopefully. "The rewards would be great."
============
Harston             (look)
  You meet a man with the flushed look of a recent arrival from the surface world. He looks at you disdainfully. He holds a rake, and is quite dirty.
Harston             (name)
  "I'm Packrin."
Harston             (job)
  He snorts. "I'm tending a crop of your foul mushrooms, that's what I'm doing."
Harston             (crop)
  "They sent me out here to grow crops for the troops. Me, a soldier, tending food fit only for maggots and Exiles."
Harston             (maggots)
  "Yeah. Hey, listen to this one. What's the difference between a maggot and an Exile?" He laughs. "Wanna' know the answer?"
Harston             (answer)
  "The maggots dig their own holes!" He laughs nastily. You refrain from killing him. This is probably the kindest of the abuse the Exiles near the Empire receive. "Pretty funny, huh?"
------------
Harston             (look)
  A burly man with the pallid look of an Exile stands behind the counter. He watches you with distaste.
Harston             (name)
  "I'm Carswin. This is my inn." 
Harston             (job)
  "Well, working for the Empire must be tiring work." There is a constant edge of contempt in his voice. "I have rations for you, and a room is five gold."
Harston             (empire)
  "Oh, yes. We get plenty of Exiles working for the Empire here. Round here, there's two sorts of Exiles - dead ones and trai ... uhh ... ones working for the Empire." He watches you warily, as if afraid you might attack him.
------------
Harston             (look)
  A wretched, pockmarked man sits behind the counter, hoisting a mug of strong, foul mushroom ale to his lips again and again. His hands twitch constantly.
Harston             (name)
  His voice rasps out of him. "I'm Scab."
Harston             (job)
  He looks up at you, and his bleary eyes focus on you. Then they widen in surprise. Then they fuzz over again. All he says is "Hello, Exiles."
Harston             (exiles)
  His voice grows very low. "Exile. You're from there, aren't you? Travelling?" You notice his hands aren't twitching.
Harston             (travelling)
  "You're a long way from Vahnatai lands." He lifts the mug to his lips, but you can see, now that you're looking, that he isn't drinking.
Harston             (vahnatai)
  He mutters a few slurred words loudly, and then speaks very softly. "You've been there. Your description's gotten around. Find Delaria. Ask her about the Scimitar. Now go."
  He lifts the mug to his lips, and takes a deep swig. Then he starts twitching again.
------------
Harston             (look)
  A dark skinned woman sits behind the counter, making notes in a lichen-paper notebook. She wears clothes that have been patched and patched again.
Harston             (name)
  She smiles. "I am Renee. Welcome."
Harston             (job)
  She indicated the crude paper she uses and the rough state of her clothes. "Making my way in hard times. It's rough going for a sage in a war."
Harston             (hard/times)
  "I'm out of the Abyss. It got very nasty there, so I came here, The Empire tolerates Exiles here."
Harston             (sage)
  Her face lights up. "You're interested? If so, I can identify items for a small fee!"
------------
Harston             (look)
  A tired-looking woman with the pale skin of an Exile sits behind the counter. As you enter, she moves a pitiful collection of copper coins below the counter.
Harston             (name)
  "I am Suzanne."
Harston             (job)
  "I just reopened shop."
Harston             (shop)
  "I fled the Abyss. I don't have much stock left, but you can sell me your goods." 
------------
Harston             (look)
  A man in the armor of the Empire sits at the desk. He has an almost alien appearance to you - he's not deathly pale.  He must have come from the surface recently.
Harston             (name)
  He looks you up and down arrogantly. The pallor of your skin betrays you as a native. "I'm Captain Anthony. I'm in charge here. What do you want?"
Harston             (job)
  He laughs. "What do you think? I run this place. And what's your story? You turncoats?"
Harston             (turncoats)
  "We wouldn't be able to do so well down here if it weren't for you Exiles. Everything we don't know, you help us with! All it takes is a little incentive."
Harston             (incentive)
  He pats his sword meaningfully. "Still, I don't have any work for you now. I already got forty adventurers running errands for me. So you'd better be movin' on."
  "Exiles we don't know, they tend to end up in accidents."
Harston             (accidents)
  He grins. "Well, ya' know, some Exiles who work for us, I show them to the guards and say they can be around safe. But the others, like you, well let's just say if some guard takes a dislike to you, I'm not gonna' sweat about it."
  "So move on. I hear they need a few of you folks for scut work at Pyrog's Cave."
Harston             (pyrog)
  "It's to the northeast. Tell 'em Anthony sent you. They'll let you clean or somethin'."
------------
Harston             (look)
  There is a thin, middle-aged woman behind the counter, wearing a heavy leather apron and holding a pair of iron tongs. Sweat pours down her face.
Harston             (name)
  "I'm Sharon, but people around here call me 'Mother.'"
Harston             (job)
  She spits into the forge angrily. Then she smiles in a not entirely sincere way. "Making weapons for the Empire. And sometimes I do repairs."
Harston             (weapons)
  She gestures at her shop. "They brought me here, built this big shop for me, let me live, and all I have to do is forge for them." She smiles sadly and shakes her head.
  "But you're Exiles around these parts. You know the score."
Harston             (repairs)
  "About the only thing I can do on my own, for my own money. But they're very special repairs. They make a non-magical weapon even better."
------------
Harston - Special
  Most of the books on these sparsely filled shelves are fiction, heavily worn. There are also a few scrolls of notes on the war - idle observations, mainly. Nothing of any military value. You notice many of the scrolls have scimitars drawn in the corners.
------------
Harston             (look)
  You meet a short, very stocky woman with closely cut black hair. She eyes you carefully.
Harston             (name)
  The word abrasive doesn't begin to describe her voice. "I'm Delaria. Jeez, don't feel the need to know or anything!"
Harston             (job)
  "I sit here and write."
Harston             (write)
  "Just stuff to pass the time. Could you be a little bit more nosy?"
Harston             (scimitar)
  Her voice quiets down, but only a little bit. "Yeah, yeah! That's right! I'm part of the resistance ... not much of us left out here. Not after what happened to the Abyss. Big, ugly mess, that."
  "I don't have much information for you, but I have a little."
Harston             (information)
  "First, don't go west. The troops will kill you for sport. Second, Pyrog's Cave is northeast. Big Empire fort. Has a big magic lab, doing all sorts of weird things with weird things. Don't know what. Real well guarded, though."
  "Third, I know some things about the northern islands!"
Harston             (islands)
  "Islands. To the north. Real remote. But the Empire has a dock to the northeast, past Pyrog's Cave. Well guarded, but with some boats! I'm not sure what's on the islands, but the Empire thinks it's real important! Lots of stuff being taken up there."
============
Northern Islands - Special
  After several miles of marching, you reach a dead end in the passage. You start to turn away, disappointed, when a glowing figure begins to materialize. You draw your weapons and wait, but the figure makes no hostile move. It grows more distinct, and you see if is a very small woman with short, curly hair. She wears robes, and has a very peaceful expression.
  She begins to speak. "Greetings, Exiles. I am Aimee. I have left this land, fearing for my life, but I wish to leave behind some aid. Stay and listen, so I may speak into your mind."
  Hmmm. That's pretty weird sounding. (Wait)
  The shade moves towards you. She says "I am Aimee, of Exile. I lived in the islands before the Empire came, travelling the worlds with my mind. Now, I have left, and will not return until it is safe again."
  "Until I return, I leave a gift for you poor souls, fighting and dying for your land." Words and symbols start appearing in your mind, flying in like darts and lodging there. "This spell is my gift to you. Good luck." You now know the spell Death Arrows.
============
Empire Archives - Specials
  You find that there is an odd, invisible barrier at this doorway. On one side, the air is superheated, sulphurous, painful to breathe. On the other side, the air is cool, comfortable, and quite dry. Very odd.
------
  There are runes on the north and south walls. You notice, under the north rune, an ivory keyhole. You insert your key,  turn it, and walk past the runes.
------------
Empire Archives     (look)
  You find a small wizened man, terrified, huddled in the corner. He wears long silk robes, with the sword and crown symbol of the Empire on the chest.
Empire Archives     (name)
  He stutters badly in his terror. "I ... I ... I ... I ... I'm Vik ... Vik ... Vikner. P .. P .. Please don't hurt me!"
Empire Archives     (job)
  "I ... I'm the archivalist ... archivist ... I keep the records."
Empire Archives     (archivalist)
  "I ... I .. I'm just a librarian. I didn't want to come to Exile! Please don't hurt me!"
Empire Archives     (exile)
  "I'd never even heard of it until I was br ... br ... brought down here! I'll help you! D ... D ... don't hurt me!"
Empire Archives     (records)
  "That's what's here! Archives! All sort of records, most of them b ... b ... boring!"
Empire Archives     (boring)
  "Ledgers and forms. We have to s ... save them! But there are prisoners, too!"
Empire Archives     (prisoners)
  "I d ... d .. didn't want prisoners here. I'm just a librarian. But they wouldn't listen. There are two mages downstairs."
Empire Archives     (mages)
  "In the cells. They're Exiles. That's all I know. Please don't hurt me."
------ 
  You find the card catalog for the archives - hundred of little cards saying what is in the library, and where. You search through them for useful things, but don't find anything interesting in this particular section.
------
  This is a card catalog for the archives. You look through the cards, and find something interesting: "Type - Map, Contents - Teleportation Augmenter and Path Thereto, Location - L1 (23,14), shelf 3, scroll 18." You take note of this.
------
  This is a card catalog for the archives. You look through the cards, and find something interesting: "Type - Ritual, Contents - Teleportation Augmenter Access Ritual, Location - L2 (31,38), shelf 1, scroll 35." You take note of this.
------
  Fascinating - these are scrolls of rituals, physical and magical, from procedures to clean walls, to directions for cooking, to  passwords to disarm traps. However, there is no order, and the descriptions are poor. You don't find anything useful.
------
  You find the shelf listed in the index, and indeed you find what you're looking for: "Magically Oriented Procedure (MOP) 1243A: Circumventing Augmented Wall on Augmented Teleporter Augmented Path."
  "Find Empire Symbol in cavern NXB143S. Press sword, then crown three times, then sword two, then crown four. Then, to pass the guardians, [DELETED]."
  The bit about the guardians has been covered with a thick black goo. You can't make any of it out. Still, it's very useful information. You take note of it.
  However, you still don't know where Cave NXB143S (or whatever) is. Maybe there's some maps buried somewhere in all these records.
------
  There is a huge, leather bound book chained, locked, and double chained to this pedestal. The chains are kind of in the way, but you could still read it. (read)
  It's a spellbook! It's clearly filled with all manner of spells, but you find when you try to turn the pages, they won't budge. Odd. Still, the spell on the open page is useful enough, and you spend some time perusing it. You now know the spell Shockwave.
------
  There is a huge, leather bound book chained, locked, and double chained to this pedestal. The chains are kind of in the way, but you could still read it. (read)
  You start by trying to read the book, only to find that you can't get the pages to turn - they won't budge! Unfortunately, the open pages are the middle of the instructions for some sort of infernal summoning. This is one area where a little knowledge is definitely a dangerous thing. You back away.
------
  Following the directions in the index, you find the map you're looking for: "ACCESS PATH TO TELEPORTATION AUGMENTER: CAVES NXB143S, NXB144S, MXB144T."
  You peruse it for a while, matching it up to what you know and where you are, and you come up with coherent directions. Take your boat from here and go west past all the northern islands, then past a checkpoint requiring a blue pass. You will then be on a river, which you must take to the west, and then to the south. When you find a ledge covered with swamp, land at it. A secret passage conceals the beginning of the path. It's odd though - one spot on the path is marked with a fort symbol, and the words "Obstruction: Augmented wall. See Hall of Rituals for passing instructions."
  Hmm. This may be important...
------
  Inspecting this bookshelf, you find it's somewhat loose. You pull it, and find that it swings away from the wall.
------
  This room looks like it's filled with ledgers, accounting sheets, payrolls, and other tedious economic records. It's all pretty dusty.
------
  This room is plenty dusty - it is clearly the place where old forms go to die. There is a huge pillar in the center of the room, thirty feet high, covered with shelves of tightly bound forms, filled out, placed here, and forgotten.
------
Empire Archives (L2)(look)
  You meet an unkempt, unshaven man. He wears travelling clothes, and is armed, and yet was still trapped here. He looks very glad to see you.
Empire Archives (L2)(name)
  "Greetings, friends! Well met, indeed! I am Aydin!"
Empire Archives (L2)(job)
  "I and my lady were captured and brought here by the Empire."
Empire Archives (L2)(lady)
  "Josie. My partner and fellow mage. We were both brought here. She's in the next cell. We must escape together."
freeing us! We'll be gone soon."
Empire Archives (L2)(empire)
  "The Empire caught us to get vengeance on us."
Empire Archives (L2)(vengeance)
  "We are traitors to the Empire, and gave Exile information which helped them assassinate Hawthorne. For that, they had planned a vicious punishment indeed."
Empire Archives (L2)(punishment)
  "They were going to leave us here for the rest of our lives. But it didn't work - now we can escape!"
Empire Archives (L2)(escape)
  He smiles. "Now that you've broken the cell, I can take Josie and teleport away. Thank you for 
------
Empire Archives (L2)(look)
  You meet a woman with long, unkempt hair, a torn dress, and a wild, relieved grin.
Empire Archives (L2)(name)
  "Welcome! Welcome! I am Josie!"
Empire Archives (L2)(job)
  "I and my husband were imprisoned here, until now."
Empire Archives (L2)(husband)
  "Aydin. He's in the next cell."
Empire Archives (L2)(imprisoned)
  "We lived on one of the northern islands, in a well guarded tower. We were a great help to Exile. But when the invasion came, when we fled the tower, they caught us."
  "But it doesn't matter! We can escape now."
Empire Archives (L2)(help)
  "We told them how to get assassins to the surface to slay Emperor Hawthorne. It worked. So I guess the invasion is, in part, our fault." She sighs. "Now that you've helped us, I wish I could assist you."
Empire Archives (L2)(assist)
  "Alas, we will need all our power to get to safety, and we know nothing about this fortress. I am sorry."
Empire Archives (L2)(fortress)
  She grins. "The cell door had a magical lock to keep me and Aydin from breaking free. Now that it's broken, we'll be gone soon. Thank you!"
============
Northern Exile - Special
  The short passage ends in a sheer granite wall. Remembering what the Vahnatai said, you search the wall, and, indeed, you find a secret passage at the base of it. It was well hidden and the wall was large - you couldn't have found it without their help.
============
Pyrog's Lair - Specials
  You approach the wall, and it slides open in front of you. You now have access to the fort.
------
  Before you is a huge and awsome display, carefully suspended and carefully arranged. It is the mortal remains of the mighty dragon Pyrog - his skeleton, arranged as it stood in life. Not all of the bones and teeth are there - clearly some have been taken for experimentation. However, what remains is enough to give you chills. When it lived, it must have been a fearsome beast indeed.
------
  The rich, heavy musk of burning incense wafts from the room to the west. It is set up very comfortably, with piled pillows and thick rugs, all of them recently brought from the surface (and, alas, too bulky to carry).
------
  This is the final resting place of many of the soldiers who descended into your land. You hope that you don't join them in never seeing the sun again.
------
  You find a spell book on one of the shelves, and read it eagerly. It describe the motions to cast a simple, but powerful spell. You now know the spell 'Flight.'
------
  The room to the south is large, empty, and somber. Its only feature is a suit of armor, somewhat on the large side, with a helmet on top and, oddly, blades coming from its guantlets. As you enter, however, the armor begins to move, slowly at first, then faster, moving with a speed and nimbleness that seem to indicate there isn't a person inside. And it is moving towards you in a definitely menacing manner.
------
  On this pedestal is a very large crystal, colored a deep, rich blue, intensely beautiful and shining with an inner lighe. As you approach, you begin to sense a presence in your minds. It is feeble, and gentle, and simply says "Save me. Save me." The crystal is bulky, but not so large you couldn't take it with you. (take)
============
Olgai - special
  The council questions you briefly, but finds nothing it needs to speak with you about right now. "Remember, humans," Prossis says, "if you find a Crystal Soul, take it to the shrine, and if you find evidence, bring it here."
============
Vahnatai lands - special
  The guards on the bridge reach for their weapons when they see you approach. However, when you show them the crystal soul, their attitude changes. They back away, heads bowed, and let you pass.
============
Shrine of Crystals - specials
  You arrive at last at the Shrine of Crystals. It is a strange building, rounded and misshapen, bulbous alcoves growing out of a huge central dome. Despite your good intentions, it's easy to feel like you really don't belong.
------
  In the corner here, you find a scrap of chain mail with a bit of an Empire insignia on it. Pity. If you had been here and seen this some months ago, a lot of misunderstandings could have been prevented.
============
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  You see a young Vahnatai man, sitting by his fire reading a scroll.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "Welcome, humans. Sit by my fire a bit. I am Mentos." His friendliness is a fresh experience.
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I am a mage in training. I'm here to study from Wilvron."
Shrine of Crystals  (mage)
  "One day, I'll not be called Mentos, but Mentos-Te. It is my hope." He proffers several small pieces of Vahnatai candy to you. You try one. It's pretty good.
Shrine of Crystals  (wilvron)
  "He teaches spells to those lucky enough to be sent to him. I am a Pilgrim all the way from Mancuso."
Shrine of Crystals  (mancuso)
  "Twas' a long journey. Mancuso is a small village, far to the east. I hope they're doing well without me - I'm their only mage."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  This Vahnatai warrior whips out his wave blade the moment he sees you approach. He doesn't attack, though.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "Crysa-Te, Vahnatai blademaster, and I'm sure to take a few of you with me!"
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I'm here to see the Crystals! They say we're protected from humans, but I'm not ready to try it out!"
Shrine of Crystals  (crystals)
  "They say there are spells for if humans attack someone here again. I believe them, but I don't trust it."
Shrine of Crystals  (humans)
  "They say you're not all bad. It's not my place to say. Just stay away!"
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  A Vahnatai child sits by the fire, looking rather forlorn and alone. Strangely, she doesn't seem threatened by your presence.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  She stands and bows. "I'm Ruis."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I'm a pilgrim to see the crystals."
Shrine of Crystals  (crystals)
  "They give us advice. I'm trying to find out what I should be. Some think I should be a mage, and some a Ponder."
Shrine of Crystals  (mage/ponder)
  She smiles broadly. "They say I'm smart! Some want me to be a mage, and some think I could be wise and think stuff! I don't know, though. That's why I'm here, so the elders can help me."
  "I've been here a week, and still no luck. But I have high hopes!"
------------
Shrine of Crystals - Specials
  You look out into the domed interior of the Shrine of Crystals, the Vahnatai people's most sacred place. It is a very old building. The walls have a strange, waxy appearance, as if they were pliable. They bend and warp in such a way that they look as if they weren't so much built as grown. Around the outside of the central dome are seven alcoves, which look like they expanded out of the stone like huge bubbles. From each alcove, you see the glint of a large crysta. The dome itselft is dominated by a large lake, with an island in its center. The place also contains statues and glow crystals, placed seemingly randomly. It's very chaotic, very disorienting, and very solemn.
------
  You find a beautful, intricately carved marble pedestal. On it rests a large, many-faceted quartz crystal. However, this crystal is clearly dead. No lights glimmer inside it. You look closer. The crystal is only resting on the top of the pedestal. It isn't fixed there. This must be the former resting place of one of the stolen souls.
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  You approach the Crystal Soul. You sense it is paying attention to you.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "I am Lorta-Bok."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I am a historian."
Shrine of Crystals  (historian)
  "We Vahnatai are a long-lived people. Because of our great spans of life, we tend to forget."
Shrine of Crystals  (life)
  "I lived 524 years before I shed my physical form. A cruel accident took me. I had served as Bok for 200 years, and should have had 200 more."
Shrine of Crystals  (accident)
  "Bad mushrooms. I choose not to speak of it."
Shrine of Crystals  (forget)
  "Think of things you did ten, fifteen years ago, things you did when you were five. Things we did when we were a hundred seem that way to us when we are four hundred. We have much more to remember, but our memories are no better than yours."
  "But my memory us strong. I record what my people have done and been. Tedious to you, priceless to us."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  You approach the crystal. You hear in your mind "Come closer, humans. You are welcome here."
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "I am Wilvron-Bok, a teacher of the Vahnatai people."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "In life I was exceptionally skilled in magic, even for a Bok. In this form, I choose to teach the magic I learned in life."
Shrine of Crystals  (magic)
  "Beings pilgrimage to see me. It is a great honor to them, and to me. In return, if they are worthy, I show them spells."
Shrine of Crystals  (spells)
  "After working so hard to help us, you deserve a reward. Come here and kneel." You do. It speaks to you of magical incantations to fill oneself with holy power. It is fascinating and helpful.  (You now know the spell Avatar.)
------------
  You find a beautful, intricately carved marble pedestal. On it rests a large, many-faceted quartz crystal. However, this crystal is clearly dead. No lights glimmer inside it. You look closer. The crystal is only resting on the top of the pedestal. It isn't fixed there. This must be the former resting place of one of the stolen souls.
  Suddenly, you start sensing something very strange. You start having an incredible desire to place the Crystal Soul you carry onto the pedestal. It feels, inexplicably, like the right thing to do. (Place crystal)
  You replace Jekknol on its pedestal and wait for it to awaken. For a long while, nothing happens. Then you hear in your mind "Here? Where am I? What is this place?"
  "Home? ... Who says that? ... You say I'm home? ... No, home is gone. Crushed and scattered. That is what ... no, this is another trick, my people are gone ... this is a trick. Another trick. I will not listen anymore."
  And with that, there is silence. Sadly, though you have returned Jekknol-Bok to its people, its suffering seems to have not yet ended.
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  As you approach Jekknol-Bok, disembodied flickers of words pass through your head like ghosts.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "No."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I will not listen."
Shrine of Crystals  (listen)
  "I saw them die. I saw all my people die. Die slow. The humans could not keep me from seeing. Or maybe they helped. I don't know. You are humans."
Shrine of Crystals  (humans)
  "Humans help me. Humans hurt me. None of this is real. My people are dead."
Shrine of Crystals  (people)
  "This is all a lie, all this is simply a lie, a human trick. I have my dignity. I will not let myself believe this is real. I have beat you. Now leave me. I have no more to say."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  You approach the Crystal Soul. It scries you - you feel a magical inspection of your bodies and minds. You can only guess it finds nothing harmful - you're still living.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "Greetings, humans. I mean you no harm if you mean me no harm. I am Eos-Bok.'
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I must protect myself, as I have great importance to my people. I dispense justice.
Shrine of Crystals  (protect)
  "All of us Crystal Souls had great powers in life, and those powers have increased since. Humans took us by surprise once. It will not happen again."
Shrine of Crystals  (justice)
  "When a problem is too thorny for living Boks to deal with, they turn to me for impartial judgement. This only happens rarely, though. What happens more often is that a criminal comes to me to confess and receive my punishment."
Shrine of Crystals  (confess)
  "When one wants to confess privately, they may be punished by me. If the living then find of the crime, the criminal has atoned. I have thieves return goods, slanderers return the good, and murderers spend their lives trying to undo their harm."
  "When one truly wants to atone, I help them do it in the best possible way. It has only failed once."
Shrine of Crystals  (once)
  "Just before the last resting, centuries past, a thief told me he stole a ring, felt guilty, hid it behind a stalagmite outside, and came in for atonement. I told him to return it to the owner and confess to her. He couldn't face the shame of doing so."
  "He left the shrine, the caves, and the tribe. He never returned. Sad. He was young. He didn't deserve that."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  There is a Crystal Soul here. You hear in your mind "Approach, and kneel." You do so.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "I am called Aichael-Bok." (Like Michael, without the 'm' sound.) "Welcome."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I continue to ponder what I pondered for two centuries before the Resting: the nature of our beings."
Shrine of Crystals  (ponder)
  "We are not crystals with souls inside them. Our spirits, when they return from the beyond, create crystal around us from nothingness. It is strange, though - it would seem possible to create a flawed crystal."
Shrine of Crystals  (flawed)
  "Our spirits return from the beyond with the help of the living Vahnatai, who call us with long, elaborate rituals. However, two of the Crystal Souls brought back were flawed."
  "Poor Dahris-Bok, and poor Delrin-Bok. If only they could be healed."
Shrine of Crystals  (dahris)
  "He could not stand our presence and demanded being moved to a crypt in the lake region. He would give advice to the living in return for tribute, but if he did not get tribute, he would become angry and hostile."
  "Sad and ungraceful. But at least he helped his people, unlike Delrin."
Shrine of Crystals  (delrin)
  "Delrin-Bok formed with a flaw. He blamed the living for it, claiming it scattered his thinking. It was nobody's fault though. I just happened. Still, it DID scatter his thinking - he went mad, and had to be removed for all our sakes."
  "The poor soul lives to the west, in the spore caverns. Avoid him - he is very deranged and very dangerous."
============
Olgai - Council chamber
  Glantris-Bok stands and bows to you. The familiar look of fury contorts his features, but for once it is not directed at you. "We thank you for returning the Crystal Soul of Jekknol-Bok to us."
  He quivers with anger. "They tormented our ancestor's spirit! They told stories of invasions of our lands, of the death of our people! They nearly drove Jekknol mad!"
  His voice turns cold and quiet. You struggle to hear. "They will pay for this, they will pay a thousand times. I promise it. They will pay with lives, and they will pay for years!" At this, Elohi and Prossis nod solemnly.
  "But for now, the rescue is complete and the healing may begin. Your reward awaits you in the eastern chambers. We, and the Vahnatai people, thank you."
============
Spore Tunnels - Specials
  You enter the spore tunnels. They are accurately named - tiny airborne bits of fungus and lichen clog your nose and sting your eyes. You don't see many mushrooms, though, the plant life is mainly mold and lichen.
------
  You find the pitiful, crumbled remains of a bridge. The river runs quickly here - no way to cross.
------
  This was a flat stone bridge, suspended over the river by thick pillars. To the south, the bridge is gone, but the crumbling pillars remain. No way you can get across here.
------
  This is a just-barely usable ford over the river. The water threatens to tear you off your feet, but you remain standing.
------
  This is a natural stone bridge, arcing over this enormous chasm. When you are almost to the other side, you hear hissing from the nothingness to your right and left. You look, but see nobody there.
------
  There is a band of Vahnatai sitting around a campfire just ahead. They haven't noticed you yet. (approach)
  Your approach startles them, but you soon convince them you mean no harm. There's about a dozen of them, warriors and mages. Over a shared meal of stew, they explain what they are doing here.
  "We're here to scout out these caverns. You see, a few Keepers were sent ahead, hasted and invisible, to awaken Fort Haledon. That's way west. They made it there, but only half made it back. You see, on the way, they awakened Delrin-Bok. He's a Crystal Soul, but twisted and insane. We're scouting to try and figure out where he is, so we can deal with him. If you head west, watch it. He's very dangerous."
  And with that, they get up to pack and leave. You bid them farewell. They don't look optimistic about their chances.
============
Tomb of Delrin-Bok - Specials
  You find, chained up on the floor in front of you, a Vahnatai mage. He is asleep, his robes are tattered, and he is emaciated even for a Vahnatai. As you approach, he awakens adn weakly holds up his hands. He seems to want you to free him from the shackles. (free him)
  You loose him from his bonds and give him some food and water. After a time, some of his strength returns.
  "Thank you, humans. You were the last sort of being I would expect to aid me. My name is Skyler-Te."
  You ask him what happened to him. "I was part of a band whick when to wake Fort Haledon. On the way back, a band of guardians ambushed us. I held them off, and the rest of us escaped. The vicious creature put me in here to starve, but I got out. Then I made my mistake - I tried to see Delrin-Bok, to speak reason with him. He lives in a maze in the center of this place. I tried to get in. I never got to him, and only managed to get recaptured. But I found something interesting! In a secret room in the maze, there were markings, that I think were a clue of how to reach him."
  He prepares to leave. "It is beyond me, though. I need to get home, and help my people. Thank you again." You give him some more food, and he departs.
------------
 (special in maze- there is a map in the secret room depicting the center maze. In each of the four corners there is a symbol depicting a lever position. There is a lever in each of the four corners of the tower. Only two need to be switch, NW and SE.)
------------
  Delrin-Bok's crystal shatters. His spirit rises up from it, freed, and then dissipates. Hopefully, his tragic tale has now come to an end.
============
Fort Haledon - Special
  You stand outside the entrance passage to Fort Haledon. It is guarded by thick granite walls, laced liberally with spikes. Slits for missles (and worse) dot the walls of the passage. It is not a large fort, but it seems well prepared for the enemies in these remote caverns.
------
  You pass through the gate of the fortress, and are greeted with many looks of distrust and hatred barely held in check. You cannot avoid the feeling that the orders you carry are the only thing keeping you alive.
------
  This room is in the process of being converted from a chamber with Vahnatai sleeping coffins to another barracks. The are several of the large blue crystals to the west, most of them empty and being dismantled.
------
Fort Haledon        (look)
  A Vahnatai mage watches you carefully, and with great distaste.
Fort Haledon        (name)
  "I am Haineux."
Fort Haledon        (job)
  "I guard the gate."
Fort Haledon        (gate)
  She looks at your orders through the narrow window. She looks dubious at best, openly hostile at worst. But she does make a hand signal. You hear a click from the door.
Fort Haledon        (gate)
  "The gate is open."
------------
Fort Haledon        (look)
  A Vahnatai mage stares into the glowing crystal with fierce concentration. He seems to be trying to move or create something with his mind. After a few minutes of this, however, he stops.
Fort Haledon        (name)
  "I am Strossen-Ihrno."
Fort Haledon        (job)
  He shakes his head irritably. "You have interrupted my creation, human."
Fort Haledon        (creation)
  He looks at you in disgust. "Leave me, human! Deliver your spurious orders and leave me alone!"
------------
Fort Haledon - Special
  The barracks had seemed suspiciously empty, and you now know why. Several Vahnatai rise from their concealment behind the northern beds. One of them says "No more tricks, human scum!"
  Then, silently, lethally, they move to attack.
------------
  You enter the commander's office. He sits at his desk, looking at you with fear and distrust. You cannot believe he did not hear or know of the fighting outside. He stands and moves towards you, clearly nervous and ready to draw his blade. He gives you the briefest of half bows, and says "I hear you have orders from the Council."
  You show him the orders. He reads them, then reads them again carefully. Then he casts a brief spell on them, looks surprised, and reads them again. Then, he looks up at you, his face twisted in horror and shame.
  "You really are from the Council! And we ... we thought ... we tried to ..." He falls back in his chair, overwhelmed. "I'm sorry. I am so sorry. We were sure you humans were trying to trick us again."
  He takes a minute to regain his dignity, and stands again. "Fort Haledon is now at your command, as per these orders. We will attack Ornotha Ziggurat, giving our lives if need be to help you enter and obtain the Crystal Soul. When you are ready, go to the entrance of the fort to give the order. The moment you are ready, we will be too."
------------
Fort Haledon        (look)
  You speak with the commander, who is still overwhelmed with shame.
Fort Haledon        (name)
  He bows his head. "I am Mahr-Tel."
Fort Haledon        (job)
  "I command this fort. It is a difficult job, because of its great remoteness."
Fort Haledon        (fort)
  "Fort Haledon, westernmost outpost of our tribe, and easily the most remote. It has become very important, because of the humans."
Fort Haledon        (remote)
  "We get little news, tragically little, from our people. All we knew of you humans was that you stole our Crystal Souls and were terribly dangerous. Then you suddenly show up with orders. We were surprised!"
  He shakes his head sadly. "Several were convinced it was a trick."
Fort Haledon        (trick)
  "The ones who attacked you thought you were evil beings come to fool us. I wanted to stop them but not, I confess, not enough. I lead here. I am to blame."
Fort Haledon        (blame)
  "I am guilty of the attack on you, and of their deaths. And that is all there is to say." He hangs his head, and his arms fall limply to his side.
Fort Haledon        (humans)
  "To the west is a tunnel, blocked by magical barriers. Just beyond it are human lands, choked with the forces of what you call the Empire."
Fort Haledon        (empire)
  "If they broke down the barrier and passed through, we could not stand against them. However, we could hold them off long enough for our people to prepare their defenses. That is our mission. Or, was our mission."
Fort Haledon        (mission)
  "Now, our mission is to aid you."
------------
Fort Haledon        (look)
  There is a Vahnatai woman here, inventorying supplies.
Fort Haledon        (name)
  She looks up. "Selar."
Fort Haledon        (job)
  "I'm the quartermaster here."
Fort Haledon        (quartermaster)
  She looks from her records. "I look after the supplies of the fort. It's hard to keep everything stocked."
Fort Haledon        (supplies)
  "We're too far away from everyone. It's hard to get what we need. However, in your case, we can be generous."
Fort Haledon        (generous)
  Her expression sours. "The orders say you are to be given all you want. No offense, but we have very little to spare. Still, help yourself to our limited resources. Please. Take all you want."
  She doesn't sound the least bit sincere.
------------
Fort Haledon        (name)
  "I am Strossen-Ihrno."
Fort Haledon        (job)
  He shakes his head irritably. "You have interrupted my creation, human."
Fort Haledon        (creation
  Resigned to the interruption, he shakes his head. "I am attempting to create quickfire."
Fort Haledon        (quickfire)
  "The deadliest and most powerful of the magical barriers."
Fort Haledon        (barriers)
  "A wondrous secret. But alas, only Rentar can make it."
Fort Haledon        (rentar)
  "Rentar-Ihrno. I asked her to show me how to make it, but she refused. Her price was too high." He shakes his head. "A selfish woman."
Fort Haledon        (price)
  "She wanted me to go on some deadly mission. It isn't worth that much to me."
------------
Fort Haledon - Special
  When you reach the entrance, Vahnatai guards come out and watch you carefully, wondering if it is time to attack Ornotha Ziggurat. (Begin attack)
  The moment you give the word, the forces inside the fortress leap into action. Weapons are sharpened, supplies are loaded, and platoons are assembled. The Vahnatai were prepared - the force is ready to leave inside of two hours.
  Marh-Tel approaches you. "We will march ahead, clearing away resistance and opening barriers. The tunnel to the Empire lands is to the west. Pass through it. From there, the ziggurat will be south, then west. We will hide near the ziggurat as long as we can, and then attack. You must catch up with us by then if you are to profit from our distraction. For sure, we won't be able to hide for more than two days. When you reach the ziggurat, enter it and we will join you. Good lock, and hurry." And with that, the small but lethal force, rich with skill and magic, leaves the fort.
============
Barrier Tunnel - Specials
  The last stragglers are leaving the fort. The attack is well under way.
------
  When you approach the barrier, a tunnel opens through it in front of you. You could pass through single-file.
------
  There is a desiccated Vahnatai corpse here, carefully laid out and unimaginably old. You respectfully step around it.
------
  You see that someone has drawn a blue crystal on the cave wall. Looking around, you see a concealed passage heading west.
------
  You catch up with Fort Haledon's troops. They are pleased to see you, and Mahr-Tel shows you the preparations they have made, and the magic their shapers can unleash. If you reach the gates of the fort soon, they will attack with you, helping you enter. 
------
  You are at the west end of the secret passage. From here, you have a clear view of the Empire Ziggurat. Its smooth, huge granite looms high above the cave floor, and many guards patrol around it. 
------
  You arrive at last at Ornotha Ziggurat, powerful Empire fort and hiding place of one of the three lost Crystal Souls. Between you and the fortess, however, is a broad plan. The plain is covered with Empire troops, ready to kill or die to prevent intruders from entering Ornotha. And they see you instantly.
  Before the Empire troops can charge you, however, the call of a horn echoes through the valley. You look behind you, and see the Vahnatai warriors of Fort Haledon, running impossibly fast over the plainst towards you.
  The Empire troops think the Vahnatai are more of their traitorous allies, and back off. They are extremely surprised when the Vahnatai run past you and charge them!
  They are heavily outnumbered, and out-gunned as well. And, in probability, doomed. However, their attack may be just the distraction you need to enter the fort.
  Then, before you can move, there is a bright flash of light at the north end of the battlefield. A wizard has appeared. He is short, stocky, and hunched over, and weard impossibly black robes. And, from the way the other soldiers act, this man is totally in command.
============
Guardian Plain - Specials
  Garzahd decides he's had enough of this combat. With a few mumbles words, he disappears. His troops are horrified at losing their leader, but their desperation drives them to fighting with redoubled ferocity.
  The Vahnatai have brought a variety of supplies with them. It is unlikely they would mind if you took some of them.
------
  You pass the guardian plane, and move quickly up the hill towards the Ornotha Ziggurat.
  Behind you, you hear the scream and sounds of battle. The Vahnatai fight well, but they will be lucky if any of them get out alive. Aware of the magnitude of their sacrifice, you move purposefully towards the fortress.
  The smooth stone walls of the Ornotha Ziggurat loom above you. Every Exile soldier has heard of this place - it is where the best of the foe's troops are trained, equipped, and sent from. It is a place of steel, and strong arms, and hatred for you.
  No guards are nearby at the moment. Odd. You're confident you will meet plenty of soldiers before too long.
============
Ornotha Ziggurat - Specials
  You run into a barrier, trapping you inside! You hear a man's grim voice, which says "No, you don't! You've done too much damage - you are trapped in here with us until we destroy you! Surrender now. So speaks Garzahd!"
------------
  This barracks is currently unoccupied, and the light layer of dust indicates it probably hasn't been used for a few weeks.
------------
  The barriers to the north disappear. You have a hard time being happy about it...
------------
  In the middle of the room is a huge pedestal. On the pedestal is a huge, many-branched blue crystal, which glows with its own inner light. When you approach, you hear a voice in your head: "Atlast. Rescue me, brave humans! Make the sacrifice of my people worthwhile. Take me from this place!"
------------
  As soon as you remove the crystal, the west wall explodes, filling the chamber with granite shrapnel! You look through the window and see a flying wizard! He shouts "I am Garzahd, scion of the Empire, and you will pay for your intrusion!"
  He points his finger and quickfire fills the chamber you're in! Then he flies out of sight, leaving you with roaring, spreading flames to one side, and a hole in the wall on the other side.
  You jump onto the shattered section of the wall and leap from the ramparts, as sections of the fort burst into flames around you! Fortunately, the roof of the lower section of the Ziggurat is not far below. You land on it, and prepare your escape.
  Garzahd is still flying above. He laughs wildly, and points his finger. With a roar, towers of quickfire appear to either side of you. You look south, and see a group of Empire soldiers looking for you.
  Beyond them, you can see another short drop to the ground, and escape. All you need to do is reach it...
  Behind you, the quickfire spreads. The soldiers have to cut their search short abruptly - the start constructing firewalls in order to keep the flames from consuming Ornotha.
  In the confusion, you easily slip through the crowds of rushing troops, past the plains where the Vahnatai gave their lives, and out. After a brief, satisfying pause to watch the flames attack the fortess, you start the long trek home.
============
Shrine of Crystals - Special
  You find a beautful, intricately carved marble pedestal. On it rests a large, many-faceted quartz crystal. However, this crystal is clearly dead. No lights glimmer inside it. You look closer. The crystal is only resting on the top of the pedestal. It isn't fixed there. This must be the former resting place of one of the stolen souls.
  Suddenly, you start sensing something very strange. You start having an incredible desire to place the Crystal Soul you carry onto the pedestal. It feels, inexplicably, like the right thing to do. (Place crystal)
  Caffren-Bok's crystal begins to glow bright red before it even reaches the pedestal. As soon as it touches down, you sense a burst of questions coming from it, addressed not to you but to the other crystals. The exchange of information continues at a furious pace for some time, and then dies down. Caffren speaks to you.
  "Thank you for my rescue. Garzahd planned to use my powers for the Empire. He is a wicked and mighty one - I fear he may have one day succeded. Something should, must, be done about him."
  "I wish to rest and rejoice, but there is no time. I am ready to act."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  Caffren-Bok's crystal still glows with a vital energy.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "I am still Caffren-Bok, humans, how could you forget after risking so much to save me?"
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "I contemplate Garzahd."
Shrine of Crystals  
  "He may have been able to do the impossible - compel me to use my powers at the front of the Empire army, to fight for them. He must die. I have been working with Rentar-Ihrno towards this aim."
Shrine of Crystals  (rentar-ihrno)
  "She and I are trying to figure out how one of his power may be slain. We are at a loss."
Shrine of Crystals  (loss)
  "Perhaps you humans may find a way to deal with a human magician. Should you do so, go see Rentar-Ihrno and ask about attacking him. We will give you all the help we can."
Shrine of Crystals  
  "She and I are trying to figure out how one of his power may be slain. We are at a loss."
============
Olgai - Council Chamber
  Prossis stands when you enter and bows to you deeply. "Welcome, humans. We have heard of your return for Caffren-Bok to us. We will refrain from more than a simple thank you. Your reward rests in one of the eastern rooms."
  "We are more concerned now with this, this Garzahd, this powerful archmage who steers and fuels the Empire's efforts. A good bit of bit of our vengeance should fall on his head."
  "We saw how you dealt with him, and we believe it is possible you may be able to assassinate him, with our help. Rentar-Ihrno is the greatest of our mages. She lives in Egli. She has agreed to help you, and says that, should you ever find out where Garzahd's lair is, you should go to her and ask her about attacking."
  "If you never decide to take on this horribly dangerous task, we will understand. However, if you ever want to strike the Empire a true and lasting blow, you know with whom to speak."
============
Egli        (attack)(ask of Rentar-Ihrno)        
  She nods. "I will help you. I savor revenge against that surface worlder fool who dared insult us. Go to Garzahd's fortress. I will watch you. When you get there, I will go to you and give you aid."
============
Erika's Tower       (name)
  "I am Erika, of the Redmark clan." She says it with the air of one who dislikes saying the obvious.
Erika's Tower       (souls)
  You tell her what you learned from Athron. "Akhronath! Of course! A powerful and deadly place, and I know much of it. It may at last be time for that fortress to fall."
Erika's Tower       (souls)
  "To get the crystal soul from Akhronath, you will need to things. You will need to be able to pass the fort's wards, and you will need a way to pass the magical barriers you will find there."
Erika's Tower       (akhronath)
  "The fort is very hard to get into - there are statues in front of it that block entry. However, there is a mage named Ostoth who knows how to reach it."
Erika's Tower       (ostoth)
  "I spoke with him once. He said he knew some sort of 'Teleportation code' to reach the fort. If you meet him, you should ask him about Akhronath. He know how to get to that fortress."
Erika's Tower       (barriers)
  "I know some rakshasi there who were working on a new sort of magical barrier that was immune to normal dispelling. It was originally created by Garzahd. There is a woman named Enla who knows more about it than me."
  "If you meet her, ask her about Garzahd. She may help you. Then again, maybe not."
============
Isolated Home       (look)
  You meet a graying woman carrying a shovel in one hand and a large mushroom in the other.
Isolated Home       (name)
  "I'm Tori. Welcome to this safehouse."
Isolated Home       (job)
  "Well, I live and think here. That's what the safehouse is for."
Isolated Home       (safehouse)
  "The Empire has been hunting down and killing Exile mages, assassinating them by magical and non-magical means. Because of that, many of us have gone into hiding."
Isolated Home       (hiding)
  "Solberg is in his tower to the southwest of Formello. I am here. Erika is in her tower. And poor Thompson, nobody knows where he has gone."
Isolated Home       (thompson)
  "He was researching in Blosk, trying to find new coordinates for the portal. Then, he left, overnight. He went into hiding, and nobody knows where. It's passing strange. His friend Bartholomew is beside himself with worry."
Isolated Home       (bartholomew)
  "They were doing  research in Blosk. You can still find Bartholomew there - he may know something about where Thompson is."
------------
Isolated Home       (look)
  There is a young, irritated-looking woman sitting at a table, making some sort of mushroom mush. She wears a battle axe at her belt, which is somewhat at odds with the runes that cover her clothes.
Isolated Home       (name)
  "I'm Ethridge. Hi." She continues to concentrate on the mixture.
Isolated Home       (job)
  "I'm working on some poison."
Isolated Home       (poison)
  "That's right. It's a recipe Erika taught me, years ago."
Isolated Home       (erika)
  "I studied under her. Powerful, deadly woman. They way this war is going, we could really use her knowledge."
Isolated Home       (knowledge)
  "She hates the Empire, absolutely hates it. And she has the know-how and the power to do something about it. If only we could reach her tower."
Isolated Home       (tower)
  "Well, the Abyss is north of Dharmon, and her tower is west of the Abyss. And, the Abyss is solid Empire territory. The only way you could get to her would be to use the portal."
Isolated Home       (portal)
  "Ask Tori about it. She never stops talking about it."
Isolated Home       (recipe)
  She looks up at you. "You're Exiles. I'll teach you the recipe, if you want. It's a good one, using Asptongue Mold. If you want to buy it, let me know."
(Alchemy - Killer poison)
------------
Isolated Home       (name)
  "I'm Tori. Welcome to this safehouse."
Isolated Home       (portal)
  "She lives in Empire lands, but you may be able to use the portal to get to her. Find people who have been trying to find portal coordinates - one of them may be able to help you."
  "Try looking in the Castle! I know some people were researching this stuff there."
============
Cave of Motrax      (look)
  Sitting in the depression before you is an enormous reddish-green lizard, fifty feet from head to tail. Time, however, has not been kind to it. It's scales are fading and wrinkled, and scars line its body. It looks like it can barely walk.
Cave of Motrax      (name)
  It looks at you, straining to see. "Ah, humans! Welcome! I am Motrax. The dragon." It is strangely happy to see you. It's voice has an empty, rasping quality.
Cave of Motrax      (job)
  "I ... I ..." He is at a loss for words. His head is bowed low, and the words struggle to emerge. "I ... I help the humans as best I can. For protection."
Cave of Motrax      (humans)
  "I've always helped people. I liked them. I had many friends. But then the attack came, and I had to be protected, and I don't see my friends anymore." The enormous creature looks at the horrible wounds on his chest and legs.
Cave of Motrax      (attack)
  "The Empire sent a force in to kill me. Me! Who only wanted to learn, who was always a friend to humans! I never lost a battle in my life and didn't lose that one! Blood of their soldiers ran thick through these caves. But I was wounded, so wounded. "
  "I cannot fight a battle like that again. Now here I am, near-crippled and alone. And my siblings fare no better."
Cave of Motrax      (siblings)
  "I like humans. They are strong and good. But they have not been good for dragonkind. Foolish Pyrog was slain by adventurers years back. Athron hides in her lair, growing in bitterness and hatred. Khoth is the same."
  "And Sulfras, mightiest of us all, serves the Empire to protect herself. Ours is a sad lot now."
Cave of Motrax      (information)
  "I provide information. I know a lot. It is fuzzy, at times, it gets that way. But the wizards come and ask me questions." He sighs, a long, ragged, sulphurous sigh. "They're all I get to help now. They're the only people I ever see. I miss my friends."
Cave of Motrax      (friends)
  "I had many friends here once. They came to talk to me from all over. Guards to talk to, and sages and just the curious. Now I only see the wizards and the golems."
Cave of Motrax      (wizards/golems)
  It's head lowers in shame. "Put here for my protection after the attack. I help them. They ask me questions for hours in return for the protection. I have to take it. What can I do?" 
------------
Cave of Motrax - Special
  You are at the entrance to a small but very well-equipped laboratory. Cauldrons bubble and splash to the south, and flasks and pipes crowd a long table at the east side of the room.
------------
Cave of Motrax      (look)
  In the middle of a cloud of acrid smoke, you see a short, heavy-set woman. She carries and maneuvers several vials with agile, practiced hands.
Cave of Motrax      (name)
  She keeps fiddling with the vials, barely seeming to hear your voice. "It hardly matters. Call me Enla."
Cave of Motrax      (job)
  "I try to heal Motrax. And I question him."
Cave of Motrax      (motrax)
  She adds some moss to a vial. It fizzes. "Motrax was horribly wounded in an Empire attack. He barely held off the invaders. The wounds are weakening him. I'm trying to save him so he can answer our questions."
Cave of Motrax      (questions)
  "I question him about the Vahnatai. They're probably a horrible menace. He says he doesn't remember anything about them, but I don't believe it.  It'll take time, but I'm sure I can get something valuable about them from him."
  "Don't question him too much. We need him to have all the strength he can get."
Cave of Motrax      (garzhad) (remember erika told to you ask enla about him)
  She looks up at you, actually paying attention. "Yes, before I was exiled, I knew him. He frightened me. He also wanted me. When I refused him, I found out how much power he had. The political kind. I ended up here. I hate him."
  "I don't know anything about him, really. All I know is that he has a knack for research."
Cave of Motrax      (research)
  She nods. "When I knew him, he was working on this new sort of magical barrier - very difficult to create, but very strong. It could only be brought down by being next to quickfire."
  "Garzahd is down here now. If you're in an Empire fort and find a strange barrier, try quickfire. But be careful!"
------------
Cave of Motrax      (look)
  A pale, bent spider of a man hunches over the table, spindly claws rearranging pieces of paper.
Cave of Motrax      (name)
  His heads snaps around to see you. He's very old, but he's also very agile, and very alert. "I'm Ostoth," he snaps. "What do you want?"
Cave of Motrax      (job)
  "I'm here to question the lizard. What else? I'm very glad to give information we've obtained, if I think you should have it." Desire to help and irritation at interruption are very precariously balanced in this one.
Cave of Motrax      (information)
  "I ask him about the underworld, trying to find out things about these caves that can help us against the invaders." You notice his papers are covered with maps. "If there's anything interesting, then troops can be teleported there to investigate."
  "We've found a few things, but I can't tell you about them."
Cave of Motrax      (invaders)
  "The invaders of the Empire hold half of Exile to the west, but nobody fully understands these caves. There must be something down here we can use against them."
Cave of Motrax      (akhronath) ( erika told to ask ostoth about it)
  He nods. "Ah, yes! Fort Akhronath. Empire outpost. Place of magic and torment. You have to go there, do you? Bad luck. I can help. I found the teleporter code to get there before I came here. It's in my quarters in the Tower of Magi."
  "The key is in a secret room of my quarters here. You can have it. If you're going to Akhronath, you need lots of help."
Cave of Motrax      (teleporter)
  He looks at you suspiciously. "I know you have at least Magi Clearance, but that's it. Look. There is a portal in the Tower of Magi that can send soldiers places, places all over Exile. But that's all I feel safe telling you. Don't try to find out more."
------------
Cave 0f Motrax - Special
  This room is lit with grim red light from four firepits. The foul smoke is almost suffocating. You can barely see a large pentagram to the northwest. Fortunately, it's empty.
------------
Cave of Motrax      (look)
  The woman before you is clearly young. In years, anyway. However, experiences have blasted her in a horrifying way. Her young body is topped by a worn, weary, mottled face and gray, sparse hair. 
Cave of Motrax      (name)
  "I am Linda. Of the Triad." Her voice is flat. Her eyes don't focus on you.
Cave of Motrax      (triad)
  "I am of the Triad."
Cave of Motrax      (job)
  Her voice is monotone, detached. "We ran the Tower of Magi. I was just sent here. Just sent. For a little while. I will find what went wrong."
Cave of Motrax      (wrong)
  "At the Tower, we did a summoning. It didn't work. The demon had to be killed. But it can work again. Against the Empire. I will find out how."
Cave of Motrax      (demon)
  "Adze-Haakai. I can say the name. And I don't hear him anymore. Saying the name is safe. Safe" Her monotone voice drones on. It's as if she doesn't know you're here. "We lost control though. When we caught him. He had to be killed."
  "They killed him. The next time it will work. If only I had the scepter. If only we had it."
Cave of Motrax      (scepter)
  "We didn't know what it did. Now we do. Hold it out and touch a dimensional rift with it, and it closes. The rift does. Very powerful. It heals space. If only I had it. But it's gone."  (Very interesting. You take note of this.)
============
Tower of the Mages - Special
  Odd. This book is blank. You flip through it. Well, mainly blank. Someone wrote inside the back cover: 'Owa Tah Ful.'
============
The Castle          (name)
  "I am King Micah."
The Castle          (demonslayer)
  Micah nods. "Your honorable deeds done for the Vahnatai people in the name of Exile show you are a worthy bearer of the blade Demonslayer. Go to Rone and ask him of it. He will tell you where it may be found."
------------
The Castle          (name)
  His mind is travelling elsewhere. He mutters "Rone" absently.
The Castle          (demonslayer)
  He gains a small amount of alertness. "You seek Demonslayer? Ah, we have hidden and guarded it well. Hmm. Where was it? Hmm. Oh, yes! Patrick possesses it!"
The Castle          (patrick)
  "In his tower, to the southwest. I hid it there myself. There is a fountain there with two shrubs flanking it. Behind each pot is a button. Press both buttons, and the way will be made clear." He returns to his thinking.
============
Patrick's Tower - Specials
  You try to move the potted plant out of the way, to see what's behind it. When you shift it forward, however, you hear a clicking noise. Then, smoothly, silently, a block of stone rises from the floor of the fountain to the surface, forming a bridge.
------
  You try to move the potted plant out of the way, to see what's behind it. When you shift it forward, however, you hear a clicking noise. Then, smoothly, silently, a block of stone rises from the floor of the fountain to the surface, forming a bridge.
------
  You look at the statue carefully, and notice it isn't attached to the floor. You give it a light push, and it smoothly swings out of your way.
------
  At the north end of the entry hall is a glowing portal. Runes on the floor at its base read "The test of Demonslayer - one alone may enter!"
------
Glowing letters on the wall:
  Here lies the mighty blade Demonslayer
Glowing letters on the wall:
  Those who would wish to wield it must first pass the test.
Glowing letters on the wall:
  Only those well prepared for combat fierce should proceed.
------
  You find an altar on white marble, adorned only by a simple ankh, with no runes or other symbols. It's a simple block of carved white stone. Sitting in front of the ankh, however, is the thing that truly grabs your attention. It's a two handed sword, in a long leather sheath. The handle is wrapped in leather and gold wire, and the bit of the blade you can see is Damascus steel.
  You reach for the weapon, but hear a voice: "Beware! To take the blade is to be tested! Be sure to prepare!" (Take)
------
  You grab the blade, and all hell breaks loose - literally. With eruptions of sulphurous smoke and flame, demonic creatures appear all around you - and thus your test begins.
------------
Patrick's Tower     (name)
  "I'm Lithgow. Welcome."
Patrick's Tower     (ingredients)
  You hand over a borgia toadstool. He accepts it gratefully. "That is the first ingredient I need. Now I need another."
Patrick's Tower     (ingredients)
  "I need some graymold salve. It's difficult stuff to find, but if you could get the toadstool, you could get the salve. Good luck!"
Patrick's Tower     (ingredients)
  You give a dose of graymold salve. "Now I can create my potion! Thank you!" She gets a flask from her desk and gives it to you. "Here's another, quite powerful potion. Also, I will send word to the Castle letting them know how useful you were."
============
Akhronath - Special
  You bump, nose first, into an invisible barrier. Suspecting a trap, you turn back, and sure enough, another barrier has appeared behind you. Having little choice, you wait and see what's about to happen to you. You don't have to wait long. Creatures inside the fort are moving towards you. There are three humans, so withered and ancient you can't be sure what sex they are. Behind them are rakshasi, and efreeti, and three naga. Eleven creatures, led by a twelfth.
  The twelfth steps out towards you. It is a lich. It watches you with its glowing red eyes, and then speaks, in a voice heavy with the countless centuries it has existed. "I am Midori. I rule this fortress. You are our prisoners, and we will do with you what we will."
  "I decree that you be thrown into the battle p it. Those of you strong enough to survive will have their knowledge ripped from their screaming minds until the beg for death."
  "Now. Let your doom begin." The floor falls out from under you.
------------
  You slide down the slick, spiraling chute, slowly at first, then faster. As you fall, the mocking laughter of the Twelve echoes around you. Then you fall through the ceiling of a large, low room, and land on a pile of garbage. Now what?
------------
  Suddenly, a roar pierces the chamber! Startled, you look around, and see that several hydras have appeared out of nowhere! They charge.
------
  Vigilant now, you watch the walls of the room, and your attention is rewarded. Several gazers and eye beasts have teleported in.
------
  A slavering horde of ghouls materializes from thin air. They move very quickly.
------
  Exhausted, you groan as more monsters appear. You groan again when you see what they are - golems, and lots of them. How much more of this can there be?
------
  You see yet more monsters appear. Whoever is doing this to you is getting serious: it is a band of mutant giants, boulders in hand, hunger and hatred covering their faces.
------
  Exhausted, you groan as more monsters appear. You groan again when you see what they are - golems, and lots of them. How much more of this can there be?
------
  The portcullis to the south slides open. It would appear your testing has come to an end.
------
  There is a portal in front of you. It seems to be the only exit from this chamber of horrors. (enter)
  You step into the portal. Then you are floating in darkness. Then, you again hear the voices of the twelve, forming a cacophany of surprise, anger, hatred, and contempt.
  The voice of the lick, Midori, cuts through the mess, stilling all the other voices. "They are strong, these Exiles! Thay have powerful magic! We will put them in a cell, and leave them until they starve, and strip their skills from their souls. Agreed?"
  The other voices, one after another, give their assent. Then, you find yourself in a cell. Abandoned. Abandoned to die.
------------
  How interesting! You look behind the pillar, and notice that the stone is cracked. You pick at it, and a little bit of stone swings back, revealing a tiny red button. (Press)
  You press the button and hear a tiny click from the north wall.
------
  As you move through the secret door, you hear a whispering voice from the darkness: "Don't all come! If you do, the golems will detect it, and we'll all end up dead! Only send one in!"
------
  Beyond the secret door, you find a tiny tunnel heading into darkness. One of you could probably squeeze down it. (Go)
------
Akhronath           (look)
  You are in the prison with a floating insubstantial figure. You look at it closely - it seems to be the ghost of a man.
Akhronath           (name)
  The ghost sighs. "I was Quinby."
Akhronath           (job)
  "I was a mage of high renown. Then I was brought to Akhronath."
Akhronath           (mage)
  "Well, somewhat high reknown. I did all right. Not well enough, though."
Akhronath           (akhronath)
  "The heart of darkness. The twelve questioned me, and then I received the standard fate for prisoners here. Escape is not an option."
Akhronath           (twelve)
  "This fort was created for twelve powerful creatures, so that they could,  in quiet and safety, perform cruel and twisted acts, and create foul magic to aid the Empire. That is why they take so many prisoners."
Akhronath           (prisoners)
  "Prisoners are brought here to be experimented on. If they're lucky. Some, like me, if they know about magic, have their minds drained. Then they are left in their cells to starve. In constant agony."
  "The twelve are evil beyond redemption."
Akhronath           (escape)
  "I was a mage. I could have unlocked my door, but I didn't have the power to bring down the golems beyond it. If someone could defeat them, though, the doors could be opened."
Akhronath           (doors)
  "There is a lever somewhere outside these cells. Pull it, and all the doors will come open. I only found out about this after my death, but I hope to be avenged by telling you."
Akhronath           (avenge)
  The spirit glows red briefly. "I want the twelve to die. They let me starve to death in this cell, as they have so many others. I want them dead."
------------
  You hear distant clicks and whirrs. All around you, doors are coming unlocked.
  You quickly run back to your party, still waiting there in their cell. Whatever is about to hit you, you don't want to face it alone.
------------
Glowing runes on the wall: Prison of Vyvnas
------
Glowing runes on the wall: Safety Wall
------
  This door is locked. What's more, it's covered with protective glyphs and sigils of clear and threatening power. There is a keyhole, but you don't have a key which comes even remotely close to fitting.
------
  To the south, you see a huge, shining dome. In the middle are four pillars, with shining red barriers strung up between them. The barriers are unlike any magical barriers you've ever seen before.
------
  This door is locked. What's more, it's covered with protective glyphs and sigils of clear and threatening power. There is a keyhole, but you don't have a key which comes even remotely close to fitting.
------------
  You hear chuckling, coming from voices in the air around you. A naga says "So you have escaped. Good! We are watching you! We are waiting for you! Come to us, come and fight! Come, and let your futile struggling come to and end. We wait!" The voice fades.
------------
  You approach the accursed trapped portcullis. As you do, the head of Midori appears in midair in front of you. There is a keyhole in the skull's forehead. Having no key, you try to move around it. The barrier still blocks your way - you're trapped.
------------
  Human voices come out of the air around you, ancient voices: "We watch every step you take, Exiles. We see your every motion. And we are ready for you. Your actions are futility itself."
------------
  You suddenly hear a female voice, human and yet inhuman, deep and sibilant: "Ah, yessss. The humanssss. Come to ussss. We will give you a merciful end, the bessst you can hope for. You cannot defeat ussss!"
------------
  You don't know why there would be a book of holy rituals in such a dark place, but you know enough to give thanks for small blessings. You now know the spell Ravage Spirit.
------------
  This is the lair of the Empire wizards of the twelve. The decor shows the clear signs of a Vahnatai hand - yet more evidence of collusion between the Empire and factions of the alien humanoids below.
------
  This is the sleeping chamber of one of the three wizards. They rested their frail bodies rested on one of the Vahnatai's delicate silken beds.
------------
  You finally reach a basalt ledge, and climb onto it for safety. Looking around, you find a huge ruby emgedded in the wall! (take)
  The books contains instructions for unleashing deadly energies in an awe-inspiring variety of ways. Most of the spells are beyond even you, but one is not. You now know the spell Death Arrows.
------------
  You hear a voice that is darkness itself, slow, icy, careful and filled with endless hate: "Yes. Come to me now. Come and die. Come and die, and serve under me in undeath. I am waiting."
------
  You can't be sure, but you believe you know what the last expression on the face of Midori the lich was: surprise. Then, in a cloud of dust and a flash of fire, she reaches her final rest.
------
  There is an iron key on the pedestal. It has a fanged skull at one end of it. It looks like like the head of a lich. (take)
------------
  The passage is blocked by a huge, shimmering magical barrier of a sort you've never seen before. It's edges exactly match the cave walls. Whoever or whatever made this has a lot of power, and really wants to confine the humans here.
------------
  You approach the accursed trapped portcullis. As you do, the head of Midori appears in midair in front of you. There is a keyhole in the skull's forehead. You insert the key you found and turn it, and the barrier disappears. You're free.
============
Egli                
  Both her eyes and her crystals glitter as she sweeps her eyes over you. "I am called Rentar-Ihrno, human."
Egli                
  "Yes, I can create quickfire. You could too. But I can control it, and you couldn't. But, if you want to destroy yourself... To the east and then far to the north, there is a ruined fort. There is a magical tome there. Bring it, and the spell is yours."
============
Caves of Filth - Specials
 In the corner of this cavern, someone has piled stones and rubble in a large ring, forty feet in diameter, twelve feet high. You can't make out what's inside, but it wouldn't be hard to climb inside. (Enter)
  There are, fortunately, no nasties inside. It's some sort of Chitrach shedding area or graveyard or something. Mummified bodies and shedded skins are piled waist high, mouldering and adding to the stink of the caves. In the center of the ring, you find something interesting. Small insects, carefully wrapped in some weblike material, carefully laid out in rows. There's plenty of them (Take - repeat two more times)
------------
  You find, much to your surprise, a small dock, poking out into the lava. It's made of a strange material, like bronze mixed with marble, or perhaps the other way around. It is very strange, and very ancient.
------
  In this isolated, basalt cavern, you find what looks like a small shrine, unimaginably old. It's bizarre, angled twisted structure, seemingly worked and molded out of the porous black rock it rests on. (Enter)
  The small building is dominated inside by a statue, worked in blackened, pitted iron. It looks like it was first made carefully, and dipped in lava. It is a statue of a huge chitrach. On the floor in front of it are three offering bowls. (Make offering)
  Taking a guess, you place an insect body in the bowl. It disappears. Nothing else happens.
 (Do this three times and all your players strength goes up one value.)
============
Lava Dome - Specials
Bronze letters set into the wall:
  Dome of Sastor - Intruders will be damned.
------------
  You stand at the entrance to a huge, basalt dome, lit by glowing veins in the stone above you. Inside, the smell of sulpher and the distant howls of the damned make you feel somewhat faint.
  Most of note are a series of rooms circling around the wall of the dome, each at the top of a spire of stone, each higher than the one behind it. The lowest is at the northwest end of the dome, and the highest is at the southeast.
------------
Lava Dome           
  An imp stands behind the table, polishing a long, twisted, wicked-looking sword. When you enter, she puts it down and smiles at you.
Lava Dome           
  She bows and smiles unctuously at you. "I am Goosenargh. Welcome to my humble Shoppe."
Lava Dome           
  "I make fine imp weapons for Sastor." She picks up and displays the sword. "I take great pride in them."
Lava Dome           
  She looks around, to make sure nobody's spying. "That old stiff? That pompous imp with delusions of grandeur? He runs this place. For now. He only rules because he's hidden himself so well."
Lava Dome           
  "Yes. But Sastor has been slow getting them. You can purchase some if you want. They may be helpful if you want to see Sastor." She winks at you saucily.
Lava Dome           
  "Hidden very well." She leans close to you. "But I can tell you how to get to him. You need to get into the room north of the hordling pit. There's a hint for how to do it, I hear, hidden under one of the hordling's filth piles."
  "Why don't you go look? If you can kill Sastor, you'll be rich!"
Lava Dome           
  "Gems! Gold! Magical tomes! You'll never know until you go!"
------------
  You hear screeching laughter behind you. "Surprise!" the creatures about to try to kill you shout gleefully!
------------
  You've never experienced a smell as bad as this. This pen is the home of the dome's hordlings, the lowest and filthiest of demonkind. This is where they spend their time, thinking evil thoughts and wallowing in their own sick.
------------
  You find that the filth here is actually not too deep. Clearing away a little bit of it, you notice that there is writing on the floor underneath. It says: "Search the northeast bed."
------------
  How pleasant! Someone has placed a rather nice bedroom here! Six cozy looking beds line the walls of the room, and a highly relaxing lilac smell fills the room.
------
  You start feeling very sleepy.
------
  You start feeling very sleepy.
------
  When you get close, you see that there is a sheet of paper wedged between this bed and the wall. You read it - "Look at the outside wall to the northwest. When you go, stay close to the wall."
------------
  Bronze letters set into the wall: Search the pillars.
------------
  You look behind the pillar and find written: "Goosenargh hates the word 'fish.'"
------------
Lava Dome           
  She bows and smiles unctuously at you. "I am Goosenargh. Welcome to my humble Shoppe."
Lava Dome           
  He slaps his hands to his ears irritably. "Ow! Stop that!"
Lava Dome           
  He winces. "Don't say that!"
Lava Dome           
  He stumbles back. "Please stop saying that!"
Lava Dome           
  "OK! OK! I give up! You can get to Sastor now! Just stop saying that!"
------------
  You carefully enter this, the highest room in the dome. There is a huge brass throne nearby, but nobody sits in it. In fact, the whole place seems rather empty.
------------
  As you greedily approach the loot to the south, you hear a rumbling "Ahem!" from behind you. Somewhat reluctantly, you turn, and see that the throne room is no longer abandoned. A mighty Haakai sits in the throne, flanked by several demonic creatures. He idly pets his pet basilisk, and stares at you hungrily.
  "Normally, I'd give you a chance to grovel and beg for your lives, but today I'm just too busy. Kill them." His servants proceed to oblige him...
------------
  In the corner, you find a crude book. It consists of several broad sheets of mica, carefully etched with diagrams and sigils. You can't make heads or tails of it, but who knows... it might be valuable. (Take)
------------
Lava Dome           
  She bows and smiles unctuously at you. "I am Goosenargh. Welcome to my humble Shoppe."
Egli                
  Both her eyes and her crystals glitter as she sweeps her eyes over you. "I am called Rentar-Ihrno, human."
Egli                
  She takes the tome and nods. "I am a being of honor, and your reward is here." She passes her hands over the tome and shows it to you. You read it. From it you learn the secret of Quickfire. She takes the tome. "Should you need to see it again, return."
============
  At the center of the dome, you find a pedestal with a beautiful, blue crystal on top. As you approach, you feel energy coming from it, strange energy, mental energy. The crystal is radiating fear, and pain. It is large and bulky, but you could take it with you without too much trouble. (take)
============
Empire Lands - Special
  There is a steep shaft of smooth stone leading steeply down to the south. The sides are covered with moist, slippery slime - you could easily go down, but you probably won't be able to come back up. (climb)
============
Shrine of Souls - Special
  You find a beautiful, intricately carved marble pedestal. On it rests a large, many-faceted quartz crystal. However, this crystal is clearly dead. No lights glimmer inside it.
  You look closer. The crystal is only resting on the tope of the pedestal. It isn't fixed there. This must be the former resting place of one of the stolen souls.
  Suddenly, you start sensing something very strange. You start having an incredible desier to place the Crystal Soul you carry onto the pedestal. It feels, inexpicably, like the right thing to do. (Place crystal)
  You move the dead crystal already there, and place Vyvnas-Bok back onto his pedestal. It begins to glow, bathing the alcove in a clear blue light. "Home, at last!" you hear in your mind.
  The voice in your mind continues, soft, but filled with passion and energy. "At last! They tried to take our knowledge, and failed! They tried to defeat me, but we Vahnatai are strong!"
  "Humans, thank you for saving me from your fellow's cruelty. The Empire defiles these caves with its presence, but you risk your lives to attone for your race's crimes."
  The glow dies down, and a sense of calm fills the chamber. "Again, I thank you. And now much needs to be done."
------------
Shrine of Crystals  (look)
  You stand in the presence of a Crystal Soul you returned.
Shrine of Crystals  (name)
  "Welcome, humans! I am glad at your presence. I am Vyvnas-Bok."
Shrine of Crystals  (job)
  "Right now, I prepare for battle."
Shrine of Crystals  (battle)
  "Some of our spend all our centuries in this form in the shrine, gathering and dispensing knowledge. Some of us, on the other hand, become more active."
Shrine of Crystals  (knowledge)
  "I do not disparage these pursuits. They are as valuable in times of strife, sometimes more so. However, there must always be those who go out to actually fight. Soon, this is what I will do."
Shrine of Crystals  (active)
  "Some of us are carried into battle. We cast our spells to fight our enemies. There are legendary tales of battles between Crystal Souls in the name of their tribes. At this point, it does not fall to me to gather information."
------------
  There is little here to reward a looter, nothing for the hardened barbarian. All you see before you is a table, littered with rough, ancient bronze tools and fragments of blue crystal. In terms of money, this island is worthless. But you can sense the power in this place, and you feel that, to this Vahnatai, this is the most valuable place in the world. You feel the energies being aimed here by the seven Crystal Souls, now reunited, and you know what this place is. This is where the Crystal Souls are "born". This is where the Vahnatai shapers help their most valued ancestors adopt physical form to continue to live with them. This is where their people's greatest treasure originates.
  There is little you can do here, but one thing is clear. Letting you step onto this island is one of the greatest honors the Vahnatai could extend to you.
============
Olgai - Council Chamber
  The faces of the Council light up in joy at your arrival. Elohi stands, looking at you with happiness rather than the customary hatred. "You have returned the spirit of Vyvnas-Bok to us, and for this we thank you with all of our beings."
  "Vyvnas-Bok has told us how the foul Empire tormented him, trying to elicit secrets of Vahnatai magical powers. If you had not arrived, soon he may have had to dissolve himself to keep from aiding them."
  "Imagine! A being who lived a thousand years, and may yet live ten thousand more, slain in such a pointless way!"
  "But it did not happen, and our race thanks you. There is a small reward waiting for you in one of the rooms to the east. And again, a thousand times, we thank you."
------
  Then, with great ceremony, all three Council members walk around the table, approach you, and bow. Their respect and gratitude is obvious.
  Prossis says "When I argued that you humans be permitted here, I never imagined, never dared to think it would work out so well. Our Crystal Souls are returned to us. Our honor is saved, our people's spirit is whole again."
  Glantris-Bok joins in. "Exile is now a friend to the Vahnatai people, and we stand at the side of our friends when blades are drawn."
  Elohi-Bok says "The spells thate were directed at you now have new targets. The researches aimed at harming you will continue with doubled effort to harm them. Our vengeance will be long and hard, and all because of your efforts."
  The council goes back around the table, and begins to discuss battle plans. You watch and listen for a long time, satisfied. For the first time, ever, Exile has an ally.

  CONGRATULATIONS! You have completed a victory condition of Exile II - returning the Crystal Souls to the Vahnatai. Well done!
============
Northeast Exile - specials
  You are at the south end of a very secret passage. A crude path has been marked out with stones, heading north. Wherever you're heading, a lot of people have been this way before.
------------
Guard Post - Special
  Interesting. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, someone has placed a fresco ot the symbol of the Empire on the cave wall here. The design is a horizontal sword over a crown. You examine the symbol, and find, when you touch the sword and the crown, that they give slightly under your fingers. They are buttons!
  If you want to press the buttons a certain number of times, enter a c for each crown press and an s for each sword press in the space below. For example, to press the crown three times and the sword once, enter 'cccs' and hit return. You press: (scccsscccc)
  You press the buttons. The wall in front of you shimmers briefly.
------------
Second Guard post - Specials
  There is a flash of light and a bone-jarring thunderclap! You look around, and see that two suits of armor have appeared. The gauntlets of the armor are covered with long blades. Then, the armor starts moving towards you...
  You pull the lever. You hear the distance clatter of a portcullis opening.
------------
Portal Fortress - Specials
  You descend into this valley, set in the middle of a huge, desolate wasteland. As you climb down, you feel strange energy in the air, and your hair starts to stand on end. You must be approaching a place of amazing magical power.
------------
  Water seepage has greatly weakened this wall, and it doesn't look like anyone's gotten around to repairing it yet.
------------
  Most of the stuff in the desk is pretty uninteresting - inventories of materials, work schedules, etc. There is a mention that instructions for operation of the portal are being kept in the concealed library in the west wing.
  You're about to quit searching the desk and resume searching the fort, but you decide to give the desk one more search. Your effort is rewarded. Inserted in the middle of a thick stack of forms, you find a slender glass key. (take)
------------
  One set of scrolls is written in one of the Empire's magical scripts. Fortunately, you can understand it. It's about the Surface Portal! It's a set of directions for activating one of its functions - creating something called a Demi-Portal.
  As far as you can tell, it's a portal that doesn't go anywhere, but is waiting for a portal at the other end to connect with it. It takes an awful lot of energy to do it.
   It says "To instruct the device to create the Demi-Portal, approach the Activataion panel and intone 'Khali'. Then approach the Direction panel and intone 'Bestas'. Finally, approach the Stability panel and intone 'Vrain'. The resulting portal will fade in a minute if no philotes are extended to it." None of the rest of the scrolls makes any sense.
------------
 The energy in the air is a palpable presence here. You hairs seem to almost be trying to jump off your bodies. You are getting close to the Surface Portal.
------
  You find an impossibly large blue quartz crystal - seven feet wide and twenty feet high! It has a twin a short distance away, and they lean in slighty towards each other. The portal must appear between them; they're probably here to focus the energies which create it. (Break it)
   It's an incredible stroke of luck - this crystal has not yet been magically strengthened. With several mighty blows, you put a hairline crack in this crystal. If a lot of energy was focused into it now, it would be destroyed.
------
  This spot, halfway between the two focusing crystals, must be where the portal appears when it is created. At this moment, however, there's nothing here.
------
  You find an impossibly large blue quartz crystal - seven feet wide and twenty feet high! It has a twin a short distance away, and they lean in slighty towards each other. The portal must appear between them; they're probably here to focus the energies which create it. (Break it)
   It's an incredible stroke of luck - this crystal has not yet been magically strengthened. With several mighty blows, you put a hairline crack in this crystal. If a lot of energy was focused into it now, it would be destroyed.
------------------
  Unbelievable. It's a blue quartz crystal, eight feet wide, twenty-five feet high! It's impossible for such a crystal to develop naturally - it must be a magical creattion! It leans slighty in towards the pad where the portal would appear, and hums with energy. It must be a power source for the device. (break it)
  You attack the crystal with all your might, trying to damage it in some way. You have no luck - it must have been magically strengthened. You fail to even scratch it.
------------
  This heavy, steel door has a crystal lock. The glass key you found in the fortress fits it quite nicely.
------
  You enter the control room for the surface teleporter. Three large windows on the east wall give you a commanding view of the portal to the east. In from of each of the windows is a pedestal with glowing lights on the top of it.
------
(southern special)
  You stand before one of the control panels of the Surface Portal. Out of the window in front of you, you can see the portal itself, its huge, magical crystals gleaming and ready.
  Directly in front of you is a black pedestal with a flat surface. Bits of the upper surface glow - strange, dim, flickering lights, just below the surface of the stone. You touch them, but nothing seems to happen. You think about it. Maybe the pedestal respondes to command words... You say: (Khali)
  The glowing spots on all three panels flash red briefly, then return to their former, very dim state.
------
(northern special)
  You stand before one of the control panels of the Surface Portal. Out of the window in front of you, you can see the portal itself, its huge, magical crystals gleaming and ready.
  Directly in front of you is a black pedestal with a flat surface. Bits of the upper surface glow - strange, dim, flickering lights, just below the surface of the stone. You touch them, but nothing seems to happen. You think about it. Maybe the pedestal respondes to command words... You say: (Bestas)
------
(middle special)
  You stand before one of the control panels of the Surface Portal. Out of the window in front of you, you can see the portal itself, its huge, magical crystals gleaming and ready.
  Directly in front of you is a black pedestal with a flat surface. Bits of the upper surface glow - strange, dim, flickering lights, just below the surface of the stone. You touch them, but nothing seems to happen. You think about it. Maybe the pedestal respondes to command words... You say: (Vrain)
------
  With that last command, all the lights on all the pedestals begin flashing in a coruscating rainbow of colors! With a rumble, the four corner crystals of the portal charge up. They glow green, then yellow, the a fiery, blinding white! And then, in an instant, the built up energy flies from the corner crystals into the two center crystals! More and more power flows into the center, to be focused, refined, channeled.
  Soon, however, something goes wrong. A portal begins to glow between the focusing crystals. However, it's not the familiar green - it's a pure, hateful black. And it's growing! A pillar of burning energy appears around the black portal, and the crystals putting off the energy being shot through with veins of black as well. And, worst of all, the black tear in your universe doesn't seem to be fading. It's only growing blacker, and slowly expanding. If nothing is done, every living being in Exile will be lucky to get out alive! (Oh dear.)
------------
  A wind of magical energy buffets you, making your skin burn and your mind ache. It feels as if every muscle in your head is constricting around your skull. To the north is a tower of flame and energy, at the center of which is a shimmering black portal.
------
  The air around you is sparks angrily. The roar from the portal is becoming louder. If something isn't done about soon, you don't want to think about what would happen.
------
  You stand before the black portal, and feel it start to tear you apart. It simultaneously throws energy out at you to try and fry you, and sucks on you to pull you into eternal oblivion.
  Suddenly, a piercing keen sound out, audible even over the roar of the portal. You look around, and see that the onyx scepter, normally quiet and inert, is vibrating and making a loud keening noise! Hmmm. It is possible that this object could be used to close the portal? Or is this just a weird coincidence designed to get you wait here while the portal tears you apart? (close portal)
  You quickly, precisely move the scepter in the motions you learned. Nothing happens! Force walls tearing at and burning you, you do it again more carefully. The scepter turns from dull black to pure ivory white, and light pours out from it, and...
  ... and the portal disappears. The hole has been closed up. But it's not over ... both of the northern power crystals explode, sending a wave of heat flying outwards! The air is starting to catch fire around the portal. Perhaps you should leave...
------------
  The enormous blue crystal has a glowing, pulsing black spot in its center. The stone is putting off intense heat - you can't get too close.
-----------
  A wind of magical energy buffets you, making your skin burn and your mind ache. It feels as if every muscle in your head is constricting around your skull. To the north is a tower of flame and energy, at the center of which is a shimmering black portal.
------------
  As you climb out of the valley, you hear a new set of explosions. The energy from the portal crystals is fully unleashed in an awe-inspiring forestorm! Looking over your shoulder, you see the fortess and control tower melt away. You make it to safety, and continue to watch. The fires die down eventually, leaving nothing but a ruin. To replicate all this work will takes months and months, if it's possible at all. The Surface Portal is gone. Your actions have dealt the Empire a critical blow. They will continue to have to send down troops and supplies a little bit at a time, and the fight will be a lot more fair.
  You haven't guaranteed Exile victory here. However, suddenly, it seems a lot more possible you could actually win. Congratulations! You have destroyed teh Surface Portal, and thus completed the second victory condition of Exile II: Crystal Souls!
------------
  You climb down into the valley. This once proud fortress has been utterly devastated. Nothing is left but char, rubble, and ash. So much for the Empire's vaunted Surface Teleporter.
============
Tower of Magi       (name)
  "I am Mahdavi, of the Triad. It's good to have adventurers here."
Tower of Magi       (help)
  She smiles. "I heard of your deed. Well done, well done indeed! I have been authorized to give you this ..." She pulls a staff out from under her desk. "... as a reward." She give it to you. It is a beautiful, polished oaken staff.
============
Outside Garzhad's Fortress - Specials
  You are at the entrance to a very well-concealed secret passage. From here, you see a horrible, blasted wasteland of sulphur and ash. Bats and imps circle, howling overhead. To the north, past an enormous chasm, you see an enormous black fortress.
------------
  You are at the south end of an enormous, narrow, twisty passage of basalt. At the north end is a sight that makes you think you must be in Hell: a fortress, smooth, angular, and black, surrounded with skeletons, skulls, and small hordlings.
------------
  On the ramparts of the fortress, off in the distance, you see a lone figure, watching you cross. As you reach the end of the bridge, it waves what looks like a staff, and a massive magical barrier springs up before you, blocking your path. Before you can react to this, however, something else appears on the bridge, between you and the barrier. It's Rentar-Ihrno, Vahnatai arch-mage. What's more, she is holding the crystal soul of Caffren-Bok.
  She holds the crystal aloft, and, for the first time, you see what power resides in the Vahnatai's ancestors and what the fuss was about. It starts to glow like a tiny sun! Then, Rentar-Ihrno start to glow as well, but not as brightly. Their glows merge, and attain blinding brightness. Then a beam of light and fire flies from them into the barrier, and through it, slashing into it, cutting it right down the middle.
  The assault is too much for it. It dissipates. The glow disappears. Rentar turns to you and says, "This is my assisttance. Go now, and slay Garzahd, and I will aid you again." And then she disappears. You look for the man on the ramparts, but he's gone. (oh boy...)
------------
  You reach the other end of the stone bridge, and stand before the towering black walls of Garzahd's fortess. Suddenly, with a deafening runble, the bridge behind you twists and buckles. Massive stalagmites no blocking your escape. Alarmed, you look around, and soon see your foe. Hovering above you is the insubstantial form of Garzahd, archmage and supreme commander of the Empire forces in Exile.
  The apparition speaks: "Welcome, fools! Welcome to my home! You have eluded us well and done much damage, and for that I commend you. In return, you will have the honor of dying at my hand."
  Garzahd fades, leaving his final words echoing in the air: "So come to me. You have no choice!"
------------
  Exhausted, covered in blood and ichor, you finally reach the inner sanctum of this fortess. It is the throne room of Garzahd - the chamber from which the war on your people is waged. At first,  you don't seen anyone there. You are horrified by the possibligity that, after all your fighting, your foes may have just fled. Then you hear laughter. Mocking laughter and lots of it.
  Slowly, bizarre and powerful creatures become visible. They are sitting in the chairs, staring at you with comtempt. Sitting at the head of them is Garzahd, the stunted, twisted archmage who has slaughtered so many of your people. His eyes are wild with anticipation - he is overjoyed to be able to battle you at last. His protective spells cloak him in fiery energy.
  You stare at each other for a long moment, sizing each other up, getting used to the fact that you are finally face to face. Then Garzahd makes a short chopping motion with his hand, and battle is joined.
------------
  Garzahd crumbles, overcome. Your attack may have been fatal, maybe not. It doesn't matter - in his moment of weakness he loses control of the intense defensive magic he wrapped himself in. The delicate balance of his spells disrupted, their power tears loose. In the end, the strength of his defenses and the force of his paranoia proves his undoing. As Garzahd's shields flay apart, he is torn limb from limb before your eyes. As his anquished dying scream echoes through the halls, you hear his few remaining servants teleporting away. Soon, you are alone in this chamber, trapped, with nothing around you but blood and walls of blades.
  But then there is a chiming noise! You look around, and see the disappearing form of Rentar-Ihrno! Behind where she was, there is an opening in the wall. Perhaps escape is possible.
  You look at Garzahd's corpse. His brilliance will no longer serve the Empire, his awesome power will no longer send terrible foes against your people. Their army has lost its head. now, perhaps, the body may soon follow.
  Congratulations! You have slain Garzahd, commander of the Empire forces in Exile, and completed the third victory condition of Exile II!
------
  When the Empire invasion came, it seemed that Exile was doomed. It seemed impossible that a few bedraggled rebels scuttling about in caves could defeat the mightiest nation your world has ever known. And, alas, you nation may still lose. The forces the Empire has in your lands are still mighty, highly trained and well-equipped with steel and magic. You are strong and skilled, but even you cannot defeat a whole army single-handedly.
  This day, however, something has changed. Your actions have shifted the balance, so that both sides of the scale have equal weight:
  The Empire has allies, but now so do you, in the Vahnatai.
  The Empire has more forces than Exile, but now that their teleporter has been destroyed, they will have great difficulty getting them supplies and reinforcements. The sides will now be much more even.
  Finally, though the Empire has more wizards and priests than Exile, their leader has been lost. Their greatest mind has disappeared from the Earth. With Garzahd's genius gone, their edge over you is greatly diminished.
  Acting alone, through skill, strength, and unbelievable persistence, you have done the impossible. Your small band has single-handedly shaped the course of a war. Exile owes you an awesome debt. You have handed the Empire a devastating punishment for its arrogance. And, really, what more could you have hoped for?
  Congratulations! You have, through great intelligence and endurance, completed all three conditions of Exile II: Crystal Souls! Well done, indeed!
  And yet, the story is not not truly done. Your people are still trapped in the Underworld, and now there is yet another race to share the limited space of the caves with. The Vahnatai are strange and alien, and they still have not taken their revenge on the Empire for the theft of the Crystal Souls. No, all is not settled with them. Yet. But such mysteries can wait. You have struck your blows. Now, at long, long last, is the time to rest.
============
Formello            
  He thinks. "Well, there is someone that needs killing. To the west, there's this cult in the ruins of an old Nephilim fort. All we know about them is - they make undead. We don't know how. Destroy whatever they use to make the undead."
Gnass               
  It speaks in a deep, sibilant voice. "I am Assotho, of the Slithzerikai. Welcome to Gnass."
