(M-IC) Quest for the Restoration

[GodlyD&D]

The land was inhabited with scattered cities, and villages remained unchanging between them. Some of the country between and around those was still wilderness. The society of people, the mantypes, elves, dwarves, and half-giants, remained without an industrial revolution, and always would, for metal was not abundant enough. The metal in these places was all just the exotic metal, most of that which was hard to obtain was megamite, a quite heavy but strong metal. This is a distinct world. There is no metal here but that hard to obtain exotic metal, mainly megamite, hard enough to obtain that it is highly valued, and still is used for needed things including blades, nails, buckles, and coins. Most material used is still wood and stone, and materials from plants and animals. Megamite is used with crafting it at very high temperatures at which it is softer. Such an exotic metal as megamite is in fact found from what were meteorites.

The lower class has almost nothing of metal, just a few coins they manage acquiring and using those to acquire things, and any among them having very few other small metal items of use. So homes are not made with use of metal items. The upper class will have structures still made with use of nails, and most stores will be this way. A very few privileged will even actually have a hammer with a head of megamite.

There are still stone hammers, and stone tools are not a lost art here. There were a number of meteorites coming to this world with exotic metal, over previous ages. Nothing more than one meteor hit was known in history, 1700 years earlier, where it was found by some then consisting of exotic metal and a special class working with hidden knowledge has kept this secret knowledge that objects falling from the heavens can hold exotic metal, including megamite, and are among other things that come known just to them. More metal was acquired from other previously arrived meteorites, all exotic metal and most by far megamite, so metal is known about by all the people still.

Supernatural things yet happened around this country, which incuded Triovala, Tenoba, and Terricana, which many only understood as magic. Almost no one but a very few select individuals who specialized in that could have any control over any of those things. Such individuals were regarded by all as wizards, or any of a few being trained by those.

A terrible supernatural work had fallen on a number of people in one of those cities, Quadick, changing them a whole lot in undesirable ways. They would be stuck with that, if it were not rescued from that.

In the land of Tenoba, a gang was hired a couple of years ago by a wizard, Diragusher, who meant to have the control of that city Erpedoben continue, in the wake of divisive challengers causing instability to it. Those in the gang had passed tests, that limited their membership to the most agile and athletic in the community. When that was found to not be enough, that wizard selected those most trusted to his cause to carry small powerful artifacts, orbs, or rods, each with defining ability for those using them. And they were trained for supernatural activity. But lately there was more trouble heard of abroad. Some would have to be sent off from that community, for dealing with these things, including Arapegol with his friend Eyriconer.

Arapegol carried a medallion of exotic metal on him which identifies his order, that appointed gang. He carried a rod, with a glowing tip, freshly acquired and useful for alteration, and a glowing orb, freshly acquired and useful for teleportation. He had his bag of coins on his belt, the bow and arrows with him, and carried the bag with the orb, the rod, a few food items, and a blanket adequate for comfort wherever he might stop.

Arapegol left that city of Erpedoben mostly under control with the supervision of that wizard, commissioned by him and accompanied by Eyriconer of the appointed gang, a slightly younger though large and wider man, in their travel out to where the main road went by the Primal Forest with deep dark spaces within it where no people had ever gone. Here there had been disappearances lately, and they were actually the second two sent out from the wizard this way. They would both need the devices they were trusted with, to deal with whatever danger they found in that area.

A monster surprised them on the road where it went along the edge of the forest, shooting a tentacle out and withdrawing Eyriconer before either could react, but Arapegol shot at the monster presumably killing it. But Eyriconer did not respond to his calls and came out no more from there.

After a journey some way beyond the Primal Forest, Arapegol came to another city. He saw an inn, and came to it. Arapegol came in, looked around, and walked to the bar, letting out his grief. He came to some sense, he inquired and received directions to where he could by maps, to help him get his bearing. At this time there a was an attempted robbery on a carriage as it was pulling out. As Arapegol heard noises from that as he was coming to the door of the place where he had bought maps, he saw one of the gang there about to attack a female elf riding her mount from behind, he used the teleportation to cast that attacker far away. He ran to where the robbers were surrounding the carriage, and he cast more far away with teleportation. But just then as one who was leading the robbers held up some crystal gem claiming it was a powerful artifact he would threaten those there with, there was another there with a weapon that shot right at that artifact, and it shattered, and that other shot that robber until the robber fell. Other robbers had fallen too. But at the shattering of the artifact a supernatural event happened right then, and the minds of a number of people in that area were swept into others bodies whose minds had also moved to others. The mind of Arapegol went to the body of the woman within the carriage where the robbery was attempted. Others there were affected, who with their minds in new bodies had to find their original bodies. And so one party of altered characters, after the deputies of the law came and there was an account of the events and a reward for dealing with the leading robber, needed to find a safe place for where they would spend the night. They then went to choose a place for themselves. Arapegol though had used the rod of alteration to make a duplicate of his own body on the woman's body his mind was in, and went quickly on to hurry back on the road to his home city Erpedoben, after the rod of alteration was stolen away from him by a fiend that was kept as a familiar. Along the way he found his friend Eyriconer who had been knocked unconscious but had recently crawled out from that Primal Forest, where he lay along that road, and Arapegol helped him up and continued along the way where they returned to their city, where Eyriconer was brought to his home. Arapegol went to see the high wizard Diragusher who had appointed them to go.

The wizard Diragusher told him he had information on the artifact that could reverse the exchange of minds, which could be found, and gave instruction to Arapegol for going with more power he would hold. He would have to go back north past the Primal Forest, on his way to seek and acquire that artifact for the reversal in Terricana, and where he would likely find some of those who had also been altered. With Iperanton who now went with him Arapegol again carried his bag with his items including the glowing orb, and with his bow and his arrows, and a sharp blade on him that he knew how to use, and Iperanton with him similarly equipped, they left the city of Erpedoben on the road that went past the dangerous Primal Forest. They found one of the party who Arapegol had met, Jaydeen who was now altered to the body of the female elf who Arapegol had met, needing to be rescued from one of the tentacled monsters of the Primal Forest. They went on together to Quadick, though Jaydeen in the new body had been somewhat injured. When they reached this town, they went to a healer who treated Jaydeen. They afterward went to a nearby inn in Quadick, for a meal they would need and to plan then for the needed quest the next day to reach the nearest city in Terricana to the north, which was in the vicinity of where the amulet must be, after they would sleep at the room they had provided for them. While they were speaking with each other, there were certainly others sitting nearby with an interest in what was discussed.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol said to Jaydeen in the elfin body, "We really need to get on north from here in the morning to reach Terricana, where the article of power must still be, where it was taken from the great wizard there. You are clearly healing, Jaydeen, I can tell now. You have as much interest as anyone to continue with us and help us get hold of the artifact, with which we will reverse the alteration that had the minds from us and a number of other people here come into each other's separate bodies, so that we will all have the restoration to how we should be. So I do expect that after we have rested tonight, after this dinner, you will go on with us and find whoever took that artifact of power."

Arapegol then noticed again individuals from the nearby table not saying anything and glancing often in the direction where Arapegol, Jaydeen, and Iperanton sat. He considered saying something to have those ones mind their own business.

Right about then the server came with their orders, for which they were each hungry.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol, Jaydeen, and Iperanton ate from their bowls of soup hungrily, not saying anything just then. They were almost done, when one woman from that same table where there were some paying attention to those three came over.

She said, "Excuse me, but we heard you would all go together somewhere in the north, and get access to an artifact to reverse the change that had some people's minds go to others' bodies. We could not help being interested. I am Lucion, I was the man you see sitting over there, and that man has the mind of this woman, who was Trysina. There are others around here with this same circumstance of being switched to other different bodies. We are not happy with this, and it seemed to be a curse. If there is a way we really can go back, well, I want that, those at the table there want that, and I am sure many others want that. I and that man there who I had been really want to be help for this really happening, and we would support it all the way."

Arapegol had stopped from finishing what was in his bowl, listening with surprise. He said then, "The three of us want to do what we can for that. This elf lady here and I have been subject to that change and understand that. But it is evening now and we have traveled on foot a long way this day, and we are recovering in some ways, one of us from really being hurt. So if you are really interested to help with our pursuit, we would welcome you joining us and your help. You would then need to plan for being here early in the morning. We will come from our place of rest provided here, and pick up refreshments here, and proceed to go northward toward where we expect that artifact could be found, that we can take it. You would then be able to join us that morning."

This woman who said she was in the mind Lucion said then, "I will be here, and will have made preparations to go along with you, that one with my body would surely want to join with you and help for this too."

Arapegol said, "Great, then. These two others have finished the meal provided, and I would finish mine, for we want to go get our rest now. But hopefully you will be here when we come back in here early in the morning, we would see you and have you join with us when we go, then."

That woman agreed to that, and Arapegol quickly finished what he had been served, and joined the two others with him who stood then, to head toward their suite for the night.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol, Jaydeen and Iperanton were all led to their suite for this night, right after that meal. Once in the nicely furnished suite, Arapegol closed the door to it for their privacy that night, and looked about that large room. It had the great bed for newlyweds that would come and have this suite for them. There was now also a small bed in addition which had been brought in. There was also a small table with two chairs, a shelf, where there was a small ornament and a couple of not very large books. There was a door, open right then, to a small room with shelves, possibly to hold food items, and there was another door which would be to their bathroom facilities.

Arapegol said, "Well, we shall have to figure out our sleeping arrangements for this night. Two of us would certainly share the large bed while the other will have that small bed."

Iperanton said, "I would not want you to get the wrong ideas with me in the large bed with you. But what does Jaydeen want, for the bed to have for sleeping?"

Jaydeen reminded the two others that Jaydeen was the mind of a human male that had been switched to this female elf body. It would be to awkward to try anything for suggesting activity. Jaydeen just needed to rest and sleep to recover fully, as would happen with the healer's involvement, by the next morning.

Arapegol said, "Though really, you are very much healed already, as we can see from how you walked here to this suite. But you certainly need rest, as we all do. So I know you are mentally male, and the mind which rightfully belongs with this elf body is not here, and we should respect the body which should join with that mind, while with us before it can be restored. If I take the large bed with you, Jaydeen, you can be sure we will do nothing but get sleep we need. If anything is considered inappropriate there still, we agree you are free to trade and have the one in the small bed move out for you to take it, while that one moves to that large bed instead. Would you share the large bed, with me or with Iperanton, or do you say it is better that I share the larger bed with Iperanton, while you already get the small bed to start with?"

Jaydeen looked at the beds for a little more than a moment, and then at Arapegol and Iperanton, before knowing what was preferred and letting them know.

[GodlyD&D]

Though none of the three realized it enough to admit it to themselves, each was tired enough to promptly fall asleep when getting to bed as they did soon, and not having energy for any activity each of them did not wake until daybreak the next morning.

Once they were up and making their preparations to leave the suite with the things they took and go on along their journey to the north, Arapegol soon remarked, "Jaydeen, you are moving like nothing happened to you at all. That is a real healing."

Jaydeen acknowledged it. "If I was still half as bad as I felt yesterday there is no way I could go on with you. But it is necessary that I do. Your quest for the restoration is too important to leave it to you when my help might be involved making a difference for success. So I will go on with you, but heaven forbid that there are any more strangler rotmonsters along our way to interfere with us any further."

Once they gathered at the tables of the inn, they found that mixed up man and woman, Lucion and Trysina, they were happy to see.

The woman who Lucion was now spoke first. "Do you think you and both of us will walk all that way to Terricana? I know where we can get good mounts, better than any which you would find anywhere. If that sounds good to you, follow us, and we will go to where we can each have such a mount to ride going there."

Arapegol, Jaydeen and Iperanton agreed to that, and right after they bought bread and drink they could carry along they followed those two who carried a bag each over a shoulder out from the inn where they had stayed.

They went along this avenue further into Quadick to corner where there was a high fence, and a gate around that corner. The man who Trysina now was called out, "Arigor, there are five of us really needing the fine urban camels you can provide us with, for our needed journey."

[GodlyD&D]

The gate soon opened. A brawny man in overall clothing stepped into view. He looked at those who gathered, and then carefully at the one who had called out. He said, "Lucion, is that you? But what happened?"

The man who called out said, "No, I am not Lucion, but this is his body. I am one of those unfortunate ones who were affected the other day when there were minds of some people going into the bodies of others, whose minds also switched to another body. I am Trysina, Lucion is right there in the body that was mine. We are going on an important journey, and so have need of the urban camels you can provide, Arigor. This man over here who we will go with has been sent by a high wizard to obtain the artifact he knew about which can rectify this great mix up we are suffering. So it is that we must go, to do all that can be done for this great problem to us to be fixed."

Arigor said, "I see. This is really important. Unfortunately the urban camels are very costly, both to obtain them to be available for people to have use for them, as they are extremely useful, and to maintain with feeding and caring for them. I normally would let any one of them go for twenty megamite coins each. I see how this is so important. I will let five of them to you especially then for thirty megamite coins for five of them all together. I can't afford to lose more than that."

Arapegol said, "They must be really special mounts, then!"

Arigor said, "Come in, this way, and come have a look." He ushered the five there in through that gate, closing it behind them. They were now in a narrow walkway, outside of another fence which they were all able to just look over. On the other side of this fence they looked over there was a wide space. Huge animals were there, moving around in the space, some around feeding stations, with long necks with which they reached eight noble feet at the top of their heads. They were beautiful strong looking animals, with thick legs that must be really muscular.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol said, "These are urban camels? I had heard of them, but had no idea they were just like this. I imagined they would be like other camels that are in desert places and kept there by people who dwell there. These must be really good mounts. But I must consider what coins I brought along." Arapegol looked into his bag for a little while. He told Iperanton, "If I were to pay half of what he asks for us to have the five urban camels, it would leave just a very few coins to me, which will not be enough for use on other things we are certain to need. What do you have for spending? You were not spending coins already as much."

Iperanton looked and counted coins in his bag. "If I spent half of what was asked for, I would have ten coins left."

Arapegol said, "That would be more than I would have left." He looked then toward the man and the woman accompanying them, Trysina and Lucion. "Unless either or both of you are also paying with coins with us for the mounts for us, we may have to consider going on in some other way without them."

The man said, "I have six megamite coins on me I would pay with for them."

The woman, with Lucion's mind, said to them she had that much as well.

Arapegol said, "That would be twelve coins from them, leaving eighteen coins needed from us. As you have twenty five coins on you, Iperanton, you need to be willing to spend ten coins if I spend eight. I don't have enough for spending more than that, we would certainly have more unexpected expenses."

"I agree there will be unexpected expenses. I do not think I would afford more than eight coins myself, and you need more than you would be leaving yourself, as well."

The elf witch with the mind of Jaydeen spoke up, and let them know that she was carrying five megamite coins as well, and those could be used.

Arapegol said, "Great then if we can all pay for these, we can get the five urban camels to go on where we need to."

[GodlyD&D]

Coins from each were counted out to Arigor. As coins of the rare metal were of really high value, this was really a huge investment, yet the amount being less than what Arigor said the coins he might have traded the urban camels for indicated these huge strong animals were really worth it to them. And it was these that Trysina wanted and called for saying they were the best mounts for them.

Arigor then led Arapegol, Jaydeen, Iperanton, Lucion, and Trysina to a narrow gate along the inner fence, and they entered the space within where these large animals were. He selected five from the more than a dozen in this space, with reins put on them then. He brought one of the urban camels at a time to one after another of those five who would ride north for the quest for the possible restoration in Quadick, and put the loose reigns In their hands. The large animals came closer to those ones now holding their reins, bringing their muzzles near them then, nostrils open certainly for smelling them.

Arigor said, "Treat the urban animals well with compassion, permitting them to feed right when they show they would do so, for they will go quite a long way and will only show that when they really need to, and if you show kindness to them they will faithfully serve you. I have spoke to them with names, but those were not names I was told for speaking to them, you may as well name each of them as you will. Come along here where there is a pedestal stand, go up the steps and from there climb on to mount. You will ride far, but when you need to dismount pat the urban camel you are riding right back there, and the animal will kneel, and you can dismount, and when you are kind to that urban camel the animal will kneel for you to mount again."

The five all mounted soon enough, with what they carried including their much lighter coin bags, and Arigor guided them on the animals to another side, where there was another gate, which he opened, where they went out right along the road right outside.

Arigor said, "I wish you success, for the restoration is really needed. Fare well."

The five now mounted on these strong animals each spoke their thanks, and as they used the reins they held to guide the urban camels they were on right toward the way out from Quadick where Arapegol, and Iperanton had entered the previous day. No one was along this road going out from Quadick, and they saw no one that way, until they came to the intersection with that road from Erpedoben.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol was answering questions from Trysina and Lucion about his search for the amulet of power that could bring restoration of the people who were mixed up in other bodies in Quadick. To the north from the city of Diodun, the Jearius' Amulet was what must be found. It had been with powerful wizard who had it and another amulet of such power hidden separately in his cart in a caravan and as he and all those of the caravan traveled on, bandits overtook them by surprise and by stealth they killed the powerful wizard before he would effectively defend himself, he apparently had been at ease sleeping. The search of his wagon produced for the leading bandit that one other hidden amulet of power, but since that was all he was working with and in his confessions at the end never mentioned any knowledge of another amulet the wizard had with him, the Jearius' Amulet must never been noticed, and taken. They had to track where the wizard's cart of that caravan went after that.

But here at the intersection of the roads, they saw that far off along the road that would lead to Erpedoben, there were some approaching, on this side from where the Primal Forest went along that road. There was one in the form of a large beast. An apparent half-giant walked along side it, while another figure was on the large beast holding on, as if riding it.

[GodlyD&D]

Arapegol said quickly on noticing those who approached, still a pretty long way from them, on this road from Erpedoben, "Look! There are these strange others approaching! How did they come this way from Erpedoben past that dangerous Primal Forest?"

The others had stopped with Arapegol with the urban camel he was mounted on, and looked. The large beast with those others came still closer, and the urban camels became uneasy, as if preparing to bolt with their riders still on them.

Jaydeen with the female elf body, now fully recovered, said, "Hold on! They are familiar!" He paused, for a dramatic moment. He said then, "I think those are the ones I went with, ones that were also changed!"

Arapegol looked carefully. "Hey! Those are the ones I saw in Quadick?"