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Chapter 7: The Castle U.S.S. Enterprise

The Barren Wasteland
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Mad Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Four. Dawn. March 28th, 912 CY
Sunny, hot, dry








No rest for the weary. Testing the limits of human and inhuman endurance, the adventurers set out without food, water or sleep, trying to cover as much ground as possible across the barren landscape before the unforgiving sun reaches its zenith.

They trek into inhospitable territories unknown, hoping to reach a river they spotted from the plateau of Xygax's skyscraper. Tullia the ranger uses the sun as a marker in the featureless wastes to keep true to their chosen course. But she knows that with every hour, fatigue, heat and thirst erode her wits.



Near midday, the adventurers summit a low ridge and spot something reflecting the sun in the distance. In desperate need of shade and rest, the exhausted travelers cautiously make for it.

An hour later, just as they feel they can go no further, they reach the elusive, shimmering shape.

They stare in disbelief. It beggars description: an astonishing citadel the likes of which they've never before seen!



From their vantage 100 yards away, they see no sign of life on or around the incredible castle.

Inscribed across its monolithic fortifications are ancient cuneiforms of the dawn-timers of 'Earth That Was.' Adrock finds it almost meaningless but he can decipher one word: Enterprise. Neither the erudite historian-priest, nor his companions, have ever heard the name before.

The drained adventurers see water pooled in the shadow under the strange fortress' vast circular battlement, unless this is all some fantastic mirage; fevered imaginings borne of heatstroke and exhaustion!


Actions?!



Island Map Detail:

White X = the approximate location of the adventurers.





PC Status:

• Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
  Hans the Shrewd: Mole-Man Cleric/Thief 2/2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/16, Spells: 0/4 1st level
  Jack: Wolf-Man Cleric 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 25/25, Spells: 0/4 1st level, 0/1 2nd level
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/14, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Moniqua: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 32/32
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/31

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

It appears we are going where no man has gone before.

adrock will go and sniff the water

Ko-Nan scans the horizon and feels the devastating heat. He hesitates resting in the shade of such a ancient and magical construct. He will watch it carefully, scanning it's metal skin. If nothing is seen to move, he will concede that shade and rest is necessary - even under the cover of such devilry.

Hans the Shrewd

So much metal. Between the impressive Moniqua and this titanic silvery leviathan of the desert, Hans has never before beheld such smooth perfection. Awe - and his need to escape the cruel sun and spare his pink skin any more of its punishment - overpowers whatever fear resides in him.

"Be bold, be amazing," he mutters in prayer and begins to advance toward the ship, his instinctive caution giving way to desperation and curiosity. How could such beauty exist in a place absent of flowers? Does Iithius hold any sway in this torrid landscape?

Maskelyn
Maskelyn hurries into the shade of this monolith, his mouth open in amazement. I hope the master of this place don't mind visitors.
His speculation on the might live here doesn't slow him. Barring an active attack, he won't stop until he can drop his pack in the shade.

Tullia

Checking around for any footprints, she moves cautiously into the shade. There, she stops to listen, to discover if she hears anything stirring within the strange metal thing.

She thinks,
More metal, I wonder where the creatures who fashioned this found all the materials?

I think this thing must have been here for quite some time.

After she rests for a while and cools off, she will begin examining the edifice more closely. But first... rest.

Jack

This is an odd looking castle! Who knows what wondrous things may be found inside? I am interested in exploring, but not until we have had a chance to rest and I can ask Akela for more spells. He will accompany the others into the shade beneath the castle walls, sniffing at the water to see if it seems potable.

Fiefo will lope directly for the shade. If something attacks then something attacks. If it's a trap its a trap. As always, there is no real choice in life: either die right now or keep scrabbling forward, inch by inch.

Moniqua

Moniqua follows the platinum blonde woman she had earlier identified as a < FRIEND > into the large shadow cast by the gigantic otherworldly structure. The robot feels no thirst, hunger or tiredness but several fans within her metal frame whir continuously in a desperate effort to keep her internal circuitry from overheating. The small glob of cream the curious man-mole placed on her torso before they departed has long since bubbled away, her surface temperature having soared under the scorching sun.

She waits dutifully, standing watch over the others as they recover.

< SCANNING. THREAT DETECTION SUBROUTINES INITIATED. >

Castle U.S.S. Enterprise, The Barren Wasteland
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Mad Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Four. Midday. March 28th, 912 CY
Sunny, hot, dry







The adventurers choose to believe in the impossible mirage of the miraculous Castle U.S.S. Enterprise. Some reckless, some cautious; all advance toward the vision and only then do they comprehend its inconceivable scale. The colossal stronghold is larger than a city.

They walk beneath the dizzying minaret and make for the shade under the immense, angled disk-rampart. Therein lies a large pool of clear water. Adrock and Jack test its scent and find it clean.

All remains quiet. There is still no sign of life on or around the amazing fortress. Tullia finds neither tracks in the shifting sands, nor sounds emanating from the gigantic iron bulwark.

Where the immeasurably vast, slanted circle-shield meets the pool, there is a ruptured gash in its smooth metal wall. As large and black as a cave mouth, the gaping maw extends below the water line.


Actions?!



Island Map Detail:

White X = the approximate location of the adventurers.






PC Status:

• Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
  Hans the Shrewd: Mole-Man Cleric/Thief 2/2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/16, Spells: 0/4 1st level
  Jack: Wolf-Man Cleric 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 25/25, Spells: 0/4 1st level, 0/1 2nd level
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 0/5 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/14, Spells: 0/2 1st lvl, 0/1 2nd lvl
  Moniqua: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 32/32
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/31

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)

Hans the Shrewd

Part burrowing animal, Hans is wary by nature. Giant snakes, centipedes, and worse inhabit the dark, unexplored tunnels of the underworld. He knows that the entrance to one often narrates to the trained eye what lies within.

Using his eyes as well as his nose, the wrinkly footpad is hunched over as he scans the ground in front for tracks, and checks the mouth of the portal for defensive snares.

Ko-Nan investigates the pool. After taking a much needed drink to quench his parched throat he watches the water for signs for life - or food - in the pool. He avoids looking directly at the unholy darkness of the crack in the castle wall....

Maskelyn
As soon as the water is pronounced drinkable, Maskelyn drinks his fill. He sprawls in the shade, trying to cool himself. For the moment, he's carefully avoiding thinking about the castle and the obvious entrance.
He raises his voice in prayer as he lies in the shady sand:

Hey, Doc! Thaks loads for the shade- and for the water! You know, I always try to do your work, and I appreciate it when you decide to prank someone else!

Adrock takes a drink.

we must investigate this product of antiquity. he will go to the hole and look inside

Jack

Jack drinks his fill of the water.

Tullia

Water, glorious water. She will drink a good quantity of water.

This place is silent, I cannot hear anything from the inside. She will go over to the crack in the side, and examine it. Along with Adrock, she tries to see into it.

Not caring to linger near the water’s edge, Fiefo will fill his helmet, then scurry off to drink well away from the pool and the opening, while remaining in the shade. “We should set a watch,” he says, fighting the urge to lie down and sleep.

Jack

I'll be happy to take first watch, unless someone else wants it.

"I'll watch with you. Might as well get it over with," says Fiefo.

Castle U.S.S. Enterprise, The Barren Wasteland
Forbidden Island of Xygax the Mad Wizard, Land of One Thousand Towers
Day Four. Midday. March 28th, 912 CY
Sunny, hot, dry






In the shadow of the breathtaking citadel's vast, slanted battlement-disk, the adventurers eagerly slake their thirst. Ko-Nan the barbarian finds nothing swimming in the clean clear water.

Hans shrewdly examines the jagged hole cleaved into the titanic angled wall, an unsightly gash that mars its perfect smoothness. The mole-man discovers no dangers lurking in wait. Adrock and Tulia peer into the black maw and find a steel chamber, empty, immense and silent, whose furthest walls lie beyond the light.

The travelers succumb to exhaustion. The watch rotates through uneventfully, with a wary eye held on the iron cavern and the pool. Long after sunset, the adventurers are refreshed. (Casters may select new spells)

Hans and Jack share the last of their rations with their friends (I assume); a third share for each of those requiring organic sustenance. Hunger still gnaws at them but starvation is averted for now.


Actions?!


Island Map Detail:

White X = the approximate location of the adventurers.





PC Status:

• Fiefo LeBratt: Rat-Man Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 26/26
  Hans the Shrewd: Mole-Man Cleric/Thief 2/2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 16/16, Spells: 4/4 1st level
  Jack: Wolf-Man Cleric 3: Move: 12", AC: 2, HP: 25/25, Spells: 4/4 1st level, 1/1 2nd level
  Ko-Nan: Human Barbarian 2: Move: 12", AC: 4, HP: 32/32
  L.L. Adrock: Half-Elf Cleric/Magic-User 2/1: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 8/8, Spells: 5/5 1st lvl
  Maskelyn: Gnome Illusionist 3: Move: 9", AC: 7, HP: 14/14, Spells: 2/2 1st lvl, 1/1 2nd lvl
  Moniqua: Robot Fighter 3: Move: 9", AC: 1, HP: 32/32
  Tullia Galena: Half-Elf Ranger 3: Move: 9", AC: 5, HP: 31/31

PC Magic:

• None currently

Player Resources:

• End of the World (game description)
  Strange New World (maps and realms)
  Memory Tapes (the story so far)
  Viewscreen (the story so far in images)