It's been a week since that strange dream, and you'd almost forgotten the message that followed, but this morning feels odd even as you open your eyes.
You wake up and you are in a strange room. The room is fairly lavish, and it seems that whoever designed it, took great pleasure in making sure it's resident would be absolutely comfortable.
There's no one in the room with you, but you notice all of your armor, weapons, or otherwise sitting arranged neatly in a corner.
As you sit up, you see on the bedside table, a note, in a familiar style.
"Good Morning! We're glad to see you're doing well, it's time to begin. Join us outside when you're ready, you'll find everything you'll need to get through the start of your new life in this room. We eagerly await your presence."
I sit up and read the note. I rub my head straining to remember why this felt familiar.
"Oh... that one weird dream... the one where I was a lizard person wearing scrap metal... That was an odd one" I mutter to myself while I get up and begin donning my armor, trying to think too much about it.
"Whaaa...? ... Oh. It's been awhile since I woke up in a strange place. I don't even remember drinking all that much." Penkus says to no one, he realizes.
Seeing the note, he begins to inventory his things and put them on.
I stretch a little as I look around the room, it had been a while since a room was sized for him, and even though he didn't recognize the room it didn't bother him so much.
After reading the note he let out an audible sign. New life? what exactly is that supposed to mean. I got up and dressed myself finding all my gear in order, I decide to open the door to "outside".
Rising with a groan as aching joints were forced into obedience, Khalaban rose from his bed. Looking around, he glanced back and the bed, and realized it wasn't his bed. Nor was it his chambers. Looking around, he considered the possibility that sleeping in the nude had not been the best decision he'd made, but he was too old to bother with much modesty. Even advanced as he was in human years, his body was still hard muscle and lean. Whoever had moved could have enjoyed the show, if they wished.
Finding his clothes, he dressed with more grounds that he would have liked, before spotting the note. Sitting, he pulled his glasses from a pouch and perched them on his nose, reading slowly to make sure understood the instructions.
So, he really had been selected. He'd been wondering if the tavern had simply been an odd dream, a hallucination of too much rich food and drink before sleeping. Or perhaps this was another dream. Maybe it was both? Khalaban shook his head slowly. His own magical gifts were not nearly enough to create a dream world for this competition, but that didn't mean that the organizers could not.
Although he was somewhat concerned by the 'new life' part of the message. That sounded...permanent.
Well, he wasn't finding anything out sitting here. Rising, Khalaban headed for the door, huge boots thumping on the flooring, and headed outside.
After donning my armor and my backpack, I walk outside. I squint as my eyes adjust to the difference in light level and I try to make out my surroundings.
Penkus put on his clothes with special care. Nearly each article had a special memory. The scarf he took from an Ice Sorceress a few months back. The gloves that were gifted to the entertainment troupe he was with at the time for a successful series of plays that turned the tide politically in favor of said king. The officer's long coat he had created once he had declared himself the captain of an airship. The hat he saw in a dream and crafted with an illusion. Of course, he puts on the armor and all that. He counts his lucky stars his amulet was not taken and that his staff is leaning against the headboard of the bed. Rod, backpack, it was all there. Good. Starting out on good terms, if a bit rapey.
"New life, huh? No new body, that's for sure. I hope this new life includes a hearty breakfast!" he said, a little too loudly, anticipating his seemingly-omnipotent captors to hear. Opening the door into the hallway, he peeks about before heading into the hall expecting stairs down to a common area.
Dan'drik leaps to his feat, rolling into a defensive crouch and drawing his sword from the corner of the room. After a few moments, he relaxes, telling his instincts to quiet themselves.
Waking up in a strange place—not good. This could be something dangerous. Or it could be harmless. Cautiously, he dons his breastplate and boots, and fishes around in his pack for a small stone idol of a winged serpent. Poking his finger on an armor spike, he draws a single drop of blood, which he traces in a circle around the stone before closing up his finger with a tiny drop of fire.
The stone wriggles and comes to life, stretching out into a snake-bird hybrid the size of a goose. From his pack, Dan hands the bird its trumpet, and it silently perches on the bed as he reads the note.
Sighing, he grabs his saddlebags himself. Without the cat around, he can carry them, but it's rather cumbersome between the large accordion and massive drums.
And so, sword drawn in one hand, Trumpeter Swan flapping behind him, bags rattling as they hang from his elbows and shoulders, he opens the door and steps through it.
As you all head outside, you are greeted with the bright light of the sun. As your eyes adjust, you find a series of doors in a large circle just like your own, all opening towards a clearing. There seems to be figures in the clearing, but most obvious, you see others exiting the door at the same time you do.
A voice fills your head. "Come everyone, no need for such worry, no harm is to come to you here. We've gathered you to explain what's happening and why you're here. Join us in the circle's center and we'll continue."
I walk immediately to the center. Not cautious of the other people. "It is a lovely day out." trying to make small talk and lighten the atmosphere.
Penkus walks out, looking to see if there are any other gnomes, and looking to see if any of the ones he met from the previous night are here. If they are, he will greet them with a wave and a tip of his hat.
I approach the figures in the clearing if not to get a look at everyone but to also to "join them in the circle".
Penkus will go see what the gathering is about.
Dan sheathes his sword. But he looks skeptical as he walks to the circle, and tries to find a part of it without any other people.
Shrugging his huge shoulders, Khalaban glanced over at the other people here and headed for the circle...although he chose not to enter first. Just in case something exploded. He had no great desire to find that this was a complicated trap of some kind, and that in the center there was a message stating something about preparing Explosive Runes.
As everyone makes there way to the center the figures in the center become clearer.
One of the figures steps out from the rest. A different voice fills the air than did your head. "Welcome everyone, glad to see you're all doing well. My name is Avoran, I'm just one of the wizards participating in this competition."
As he speaks you can see another wizard casting a spell, and in the next moment a stage rises from the earth below the wizards. Around the stage there are notations of separation, twenty different slots are marked on the stage.
A third wizard creates chairs in each of the sections, five seats to a section. The wizard also creates seating away from the stage.
Avoran continues to speak after this happens. "Please, take a seat if you would like, but leave our sectioned areas clear. These areas are for the champions selected for each wizard."
Many others take a seat still questioning what is going on, but preferring to sit rather than stand.
A new wizard steps forward. "Hello. I'm Erix. I'll be explaining the current situation and why you've all been gathered here today."
Erix takes flight above the crowd and a globe is created. The globe depicts your home world, but there are dividers placed along it. The world is cut into nine pieces. One piece holding a specially marked continent and a portion of most others. That piece is significantly larger than the other eight, which look to be about the same size.
Erix speaks again, but this time his voice seems to project much more and you can hear him clearly despite his distance. "This is the world you know, with some added notation. The notation dictates the world we know. These notations decide which Wizard overall has claim to which piece of your world, what resources they work with and otherwise, and typically minor matches are held to dictate whether a wizard drops from his position, but this time is different. Many more applicants want more positions, so it was decided amongst the nine current rulers that a competition would be held. All plots are available, and only the top nine wizards get a plot, the top wizard gets Viaru, a continent of arcane wealth beyond imagination."
Erix creates an image depicting the current nine rulers, and the eleven challengers. "These are the true contestants for this competition, but your place is vitally important. As with the number and power of the wizards involved in this competition, we can't just have a wizard's duel for this situation as it would tear the world asunder even in a small portion, and none of us are interested in that, even if our ideals conflict. You will all serve as our champions and participate in a game of survival, the game will consist of teams of five and we will choose in an orderly fashion for who will have what champions."
Erix dissipates the creations and descends once again. Another wizard steps forward. "Where we will not promise your safety in these times, nor can we say this will be a short matter, we can ensure your life will return to you as normal, unless you wish otherwise at the end of the competition or upon your demise within the competition."
The wizard looks around. "We have chosen the hundred of you as your personalities wielded great diversity and your spirit longed for adventure or power."
He begins pacing the perimeter of the stage and speaks again. "Of course, we're not going to just bring you here without any type of promise of reward. Besides the fact your life can resume as if you never left, if you place among the nine victorious wizards you will be given a prize based upon the means of their abilities. This means, the wizard who finds himself/herself with Viaru will be able to present his/her champions with virtually anything they desire."
The wizard stops pacing and smiles to the crowd. "So, a brand new life that you can do as you like for as long as you survive, and then resume your life afterwards with the possibility of great reward. Sounds fun, does it not?
Another wizard steps forward after the he finishes his question. She has a gentler, but still very firm voice. "My name is Orial, and I will tell you of your new residence. The world in which you'll be placed into is one of design by multiple parties. It has portals to different versions of itself. Each version is identical in make-up, but the world changes to suit what is needed. You may find cities in new places, and minor changes due to local residents of the area, but overall the worlds are the same with new challenges."
She creates maps and telekinetically hands them out to each champion. "This is a basic map of the general layout of the versions. It will aid you in navigation, but nothing more than geography is notated, so you will need to do the rest yourself."
Orial sits down in a chair above a section of the stage as Avoran steps forward again. "All residents in this realm are there by choice or birth and this realm has been around for many millenia. This is also not the first time the realm has been used for a purpose such as this, so you may find others with a similar outlook to yours that are not champions in this competition. Just as them, if you decide you like this place more than your old life, you may choose to remain there, but we will not be interfering with your life further after your choice. The only influence would happen if a new competition comes about during your lifetime."
Avoran looks upon you and the other champions. "Before we proceed, are there any questions?"
Most champions stay quiet, but a few ask trivial questions about their current lives and of potential prizes.
I step forward and say loudly "Will there be heretics?"
"So you say that if we die in the competition, we are not permanently dead but shunted back to our original reality?"
"Well, I just learned more than I ever wanted to about how the world works, and I can't say this gives me a lot of faith in the government," Dan mutters.
To the wizards, he asks, "So... do we pick our wizard from the nine, or have they already been selected? And are we expected to fight in teams?"
The monstrous Khalaban considered the issue for a moment. It sounded appealing - a low risk, high reward opportunity that could allow for significant fun as well. The towering man glanced at the others as they voice pertinent questions, and snorted a laugh at one of the comments.
Pulling a piece of dry, clean cloth from his pouch and rubbing his spectacles clean with it, Khalaban called up, "If defeat simply means a return to our old life and old world, does that mean defeat is a permanent exit from the competition? On my plane at least, there were potent magics that could return someone to life - is there an equivalent for the competition?" Although the Sphere casting he typically used could only revive the dead if they had been dead a few moments, he'd heard of stronger caster able to do significantly more.
A strange wizard from the back looks directly at Xanthous after the inquiry. "Folks bickering over their own beliefs vs another's? Absolutely, there's bound to be some you'd call heretics by yours."
Arovan looks to Penkus. "Something like that." He then looks to Khalaban. "Absolutely possible, no one returns to their life before the competition is over, of course, those who are.." He ponders a moment for the correct wording. "Not present, will not know of the time they're gone. To them it will be a flash, as if losing consciousness and then regaining it a minute later."
Erix walks over towards Dan'drik. "Quite the opposite, we'll be choosing you. As is, you are our champions, best we choose who we want to represent us, since we know you, and you may know very little of some of us. This way there's no biased in how wizard's are given champions."
Standing on one of the chairs raising my hand trying to get attention. Upon getting the attention "so ughm, when we get to that land, what exactly is our goal or objective, how do we 'win' this competition?"
then hearing
To them it will be a flash, as if losing consciousness and then regaining it a minute later.
"if we win, we do retain the memory I'm assuming?"
"Well, as long as I am not dying for someone else's amusement, it sounds good to me. A whole new pocket world to explore! This will make for good stories. I FEEL it in my bones. That, and early-onset arthritis."
Avoran turns back to the small waiving hand after answering a few other questions.
"Ah, the objective is simple, last team standing and of course you retain the memories, even if you perish the life you lived here is as real as can be."
"If that is the case, I have no further questions." drawing my warhammer out and standing ready.
"so if someone on our team dies does that mean we're permanently down a member?"
"Unless they are brought back in some way, yes." Avoran replies.
"Sounds a bit like 'slavery,'" Dan grumbles, "But whoever called me here probably knows what they're getting into. Very well, then."
Orial speaks to Dan'drik this time. "That's one way to look at it I guess, but your life won't be changing. At least not your normal life, that is, unless you wish to remain in the realm at the end of the competition. In any case, while you're participating, we'll not be influencing much, there'll be times that we'll be around, but we are not allowed to use our magic to help you, or hinder you. So your life is free, the only captivity part is your requirement to participate."
"Tried slavery," Khalaban said with a sour face, "And it was a lot less fun. Poor food, boring work, a lot more random beatings to make little men feel bigger..." The big human shrugged. "No more questions here, I'll try it."
"Just... as an estimate, how big usually are the rewards for doing well in this thing?" Dan asks, as a final question. "Because if the answer is 'more gold than I can carry,' well, there's a lot I could do with that, and I'm in."
Orial, again, responds to Dan'drik, "If gold is all it takes to persuade you, not only am I sure you will find plenty on your travels, you may request it as a prize for placing, and for winning, you can virtually have what your heart desires."
Rubbing his chin with a noise like a wire brush on iron, Khalaban considered what his heart desired. Wealth had long ago lost most of its luster - there was a reason he fought unarmed and unarmoured, with only a few magical items to help him - but there was someone who he had lost, someone who he had never stopped searching for...
Penkus's eyes nearly glazed over at the thought of all that he desired. Not gold, specifically, enough of that could be earned from taverns to courts of kings. No, it was all manner of magical items of great power flashed past the insides of his eyelids, as well as the covers of books written by him.
"Didn't say it was what I wanted. Just establishing a baseline for how much 'my heart desire' is worth—I've seen wizards promise 'the world' and follow up, cackling, with payment in the form of a wooden globe. So, no tricky hoodwinks, just a powerful conspiracy realigning the world's government. Got it."
As the questions die down the wizards take a seat in their respective placements on the stage.
Avoran speaks to the crowd once more. "Alright everyone it's time to decide who gets what champions. We will begin with the newest challenger and end with the current resident of Viaru. Each Wizard will select a champion in sequence till each wizard has selected their five champions. Please take your seat with your wizard as you are chosen. Begin!"
A wizard stands and looks to the crowd, the wizard is still robed and you've never heard him/her speak. The wizard eventually points, and selects his/her champion. A man's voice rings out, it sounds familiar, but you can't place it. "I'd like the kobold, I've seen his might and trust him as my champion."
The round of picks goes through, with each wizard stating their reason for the champion they are selecting and you hear of many fine warriors as well as tacticians being chosen. As the cloaked wizard's turn comes around again, he points to Khalaban. "A strong man in years I'd never allow myself to reach, a wise man who can be trusted to bring folks together. He is a perfect fit for a selection as my champion."
Another round goes by and the wizard again ponders. This time, he spends a bit more time on it. You hear a few other candidates yell at him for being too slow, and can almost hear him muttering to himself. He finally points again, this time his finger lands upon Penkus. "A tricky little gnome hidden among the field who makes seemingly impossible tasks more probable. As even the smallest person can change the future."
As the fourth round begins the wizard immediately selects a champion. He points to Dan'drik, "A large man, with a grand band. His merry ways will bring my champions joy in the most sorrowful of trials ahead."
With only ten champions left to be chosen the wizard looks out carefully, as if searching for someone he can't seem to find. As he scans the remaining champions one more time, he almost seems to jump as he points to Xanthous. "Lastly, this gentleman here, though not as scaled as I'd remembered him to be, his abilities are profound and his mastery of times unbeknownst to himself is a trait to be desired. He will make a fine pick as my final champion."
The wizards selection process comes to a close and Avoran speaks once more. "Well done, the parties have been selected, and I do hope you're all satisfied with your picks. As of now we will convene together in preparation for the beginning of the competition. Wizards! You have 2 hours to prepare your champions before the runes in your halls activate guiding them to the start of their new lives. Good luck, and to the best go the spoils."
As the sound Avoran's words fade, so does the look of the world around you. In all but a moment, you're in a room, with the cloaked wizard standing among you as an equal. He removes his hood and smiles to you, he's a young human, brown hair and green eyes. Hair is short and he so familiar you could almost choke upon his name as it sits upon your tongue refusing to come forth. When he speaks, you all instantly recognize him. "Hello friends, the name's Torrel, and I'm glad to see you all again!"
"That was a very odd dream indeed. I don't know why my sack was full of odd metals. Though to be frank, I'm not interested in any rewards, just purging the world of evil." I stand in the room, looking at the other companions. "But if my service is requested of me, I am happy to oblige."
During the announcements, Penkus paid close attention. The topic of discussion was his own fate, after all.
At the revelation of the wizard's identity, Dan'drik simply puts a hand on his forehead and sighs.
"I feel much more upset about threatening to kill you now."
Khalaban laughed at the revelation. "Well, I didn't see that coming...but at least now I can believe that you would teleport all that gold away!"
Torrel gives a hearty laugh, "No need to feel upset, I expected as much, but I didn't realize you'd have help and then manage to actually drink it all. Didn't even think you could lift it truly."
He turns to Khalaban, "No teleportation needed, I made the illusion disappear is all, I've dabbled very little into warp magic."
"Anyway, we haven't much time. What questions do you have for me? Beyond that I'm going to be working on a spell to enhance your abilities for this contest, it's the only thing we're allowed to do to assist you is during this two hours."
Dan puts both hands on his head, then wipes them across his face in a gesture of concentration.
"Tactical layouts would be helpful," he volunteers. "World map, major cities, important resources. If you know any of that, or have maps you can give us—or just words to memorize. Any rules that might not be obvious, unless this is just no-holds-barred find-and-killing. Wouldn't mind some magical loot, guessing that's off the table though."
"I have a question, but not only for you, but for my teammates as well. I pause a moment and give a little sigh before I speak, it's apparent that I don't like what i'm about to say. "how aggressive should we be in pursuing and... disqualifying our competition... or are we to assume that the world will be enough? Mage Torrel do you know how easy it will be to locate each other or how close we will be upon the competition's start? For instance I heard mentions of alternate planes or something..."
"Unfortunately Dan'drik, I can't provide a better map unfortunately, that's specifically left to you. However the rules are survive. No rules apply beyond that, be you good or evil, all you must do is outlive the others. Whether you choose to do that by force or attrition makes no difference to us."
Torrel looks to Mheral. "Torrel will suffice, no need to be so formal. On a more serious note the world can easily eat you and others alive if you're not careful. As for starting positions, the teleports are random, so I can't even give you that information."
Torrel completes casting his spell and you all feel your powers increase, to each their own unique styles.
Over the next hour Torrel explains the layout of the 'overworld' and explains the current status of the realm. From his explanations you learn that there's a certain dominance of humans in the land, but that remains only in the 'overworld'. He continues to explain that while there isn't truly an enslaved portion of the world there are certain races that are less liked than others in certain areas.
Torrel explains that the realm is very large in some cases attrition may be the only way to win in case others are waiting as well, but with the types selected this round most likely most won't be looking to wait you out.
One of Torrel's sentences sticks out beyond many of the others on this subject. "Many of the champions are bloodthirsty, it was decided to be this way to decrease the timeframe in which the competition would last."
Torrel also goes onto the idea of the alternate planes. He explains each realm has it's own set of laws, hardships, rulers, and layouts. Very few lands have cities in the same places and sometimes, certain areas are completely inhabitable within an alternate plane. He continues to say there are five major planes and a good section of subplanes that only copy portions of the realm.
He continues to state that each plane has an adjustment to magic of it's own like, this tends to be why you find certain types within each plane.
The major planes consist of the following:
After explaining the realms, Torrel takes a seat on a nearby bench, "One last thing I know about the realm, the land is the magic. All your magic comes from the land and if the magic within the land dissipates then magic will be useless in that area for a time. There are specific nodes of magic that emanate to areas around them to a certain distance and they require time to recharge to full. You'll find that if your spells fail and you're not sure, the land may have been run dry, by you or by others. Each node requires five days to recharge, and will remain inactive during that time. This is to encourage nomad behavior, however, major cities have developed method to siphon magics to keep the cities charged."
Torrel explains that each node is different and so the distances they cover vary, but overall, you'll know when you've entered a node with magic left if you're leaving one that is recharging.
"Hmm, very interesting." Penkus says, taking pages of notes as quickly as he could. The gnome language was very suited to this task, given that they tended to think much faster than they could write.
"Some questions. One, as dragonkind are disliked in most of the world, where does that leave our companion here?" he asks, indicating Mheral. "Furthermore, on the nature of our travel to this world and the competition therein: Do we all end up in the same place as a team? Or must we find each other? Do we end up in the 'overworld' or might we end up in a plane or sub-plane? Are the planes themselves shaded copies of the overworld, or are they separate locales accessible from the overworld? For instance, in the Wildlands plane, Elves are known to rule as you say. I assume that in the Eastern Wildlands, as the east normally has no ruler, the elves would rule. But does the wildlands trait of elf rule overrule the rulers of other lands in the north, south, and west?"
Taking a quick, deep breath (as his voice was becoming higher pitched due to lack of air on his last fusillade of questions, he continues, "And finally, on the nature of magical fuel: If we were, say, using magic to travel, and traveled into a zone of exhausted magic, would our spells die, or would they continue as they were cast in an area where they initially derived fuel from? Also, can magic not come from the sky? How close must we be to the land? In Aquol, does the magic come from the water?"
He looks to Torrel, eager to copy down answers.
"well, I'm Koldemar so I'll probably be fine in the south and east. Don't trouble yourself with it too much I'm used to various cultures having a sour attitude to scaled folk. Besides, I like deserts AND The Tunnels Dwarves are so fond of, as well. I say that gives us a 50/50 chance of it not mattering, at least for a little while."
I sit down and start counting my supplies. I do not make eye contact but simply listen. I go through my food rations That's 15 days of food, but some of it will go bad before hand. I could always use it as a projectile I guess. I hope we're not ordered to kill innocents, I won't able to comply with that.