Chapter 26 - The Planar Sphere

After a brief stop in Imnvesvale for horses and a few additional supplies, the adventurers headed north. The morning was a tense one. Valygar scanned the horizon like a hawk, and kept his eye on the rest of the party, still unsure their intentions were true. By the middle of the day, however, he relaxed a bit and was willing to disclose the exact location of the sphere.

“This valley” he said, pointing out an area on the party’s map. “According to family history, the battle with Lavok took place here, and this is where he returns each generation.”

They continued northward, then headed due east. The terrain flattened and they made good time. By sunset of the second day, they were near the forested edge of the valley.

Theodoric called the party to a halt.

“This is as far as we go today” he announced, dismounting. “We’ll set camp here and rest for the night.

Valygar frowned.

“What is it, Valygar?” asked Theodoric.

“I wonder if it wise to stop now, when we are so close?” he said. “Lavok is near, somewhere in the valley below.”

“It has been a long day, Valygar. If he is near, it would be best if we were rested before he comes.”

Valygar shrugged. “I suppose so. But I will not rest easy tonight.”


*


They set camp quickly, taking a few moments to feed the horses and to give them a bit of water before settling in themselves. It had been a long time since any of them had ridden, even Valygar and Theodoric. The rest their feet had gotten was offset by rather sore backsides.

“Oh, I am just aching!” Aerie said, trying to stretch a bit.

“The pain will pass, child”, Jaheira advised. “If you intend to spend your life as an adventurer, you will spend many nights more tired and sore than this.”

Aerie looked down, feeling foolish for complaining.


“Shall we build a fire tonight, Theodoric?” asked Neracer, rubbing his hands together. “It’s getting kind of chilly for my tastes out here.”

Theodoric shook his head. “A fire might alert our presence to the Cowled Wizards, or perhaps Lavok.”

“Well, if you say so, Theodoric. But I don’t think a single campfire will make that much difference. We mages have other ways of finding people, you know.” Valygar shot Neracer a disapproving look. “Er, sorry, Valygar.”

“I’m cold, too” Aerie said impatiently. Jaheira looked annoyed.

“Well, I suppose it wouldn’t hurt, Neracer” Theodoric admitted. “Only, we don’t have any wood.”

“Ah, that I can take care of”, the illusionist smiled. Reaching into his pack, he pulled out a stick about the size and thickness of his forefinger.

“That’s not going to make much of a fire” deadpanned Yoshimo.

Neracer smiled at Yoshimo, then began an oddly cadenced chant. He held the stick aloft while tracing intricate runes in the air with his free hand. When he finished, the stick vanished and at his feet was a small pile of firewood, neatly split and stacked.

“How the-?” Yoshimo said. “Is that an illusion?”

“No, at least not entirely”, Neracer replied. “It’s a sort of alteration magic, patterned on base materials and…I’m losing you, aren’t I?”

“Yes, I think you could say that”, Yoshimo said blankly.

“Oh, sorry. Well, suffice it to say that it’s real enough, for now. But maybe we should get a fire pit dug.”


*


The heat and light from the fire was welcome company on a chill overcast evening. Neracer dug into his iron rations with great fervor, washing it down with a jar of “Baalor Ale” he’d bought in Imnesville. He offered some to the others, but no one else cared to try the gnomish merchant’s pimento-flavored brew.

As he lay by the fire, Neracer tipsily fiddled with a pendant around his neck. The design was of a purple eye atop a pedestal, set into a pentagram.

“What is that?” Aerie asked.

“This? Oh, this is the symbol of my god, young one” he said absently.

“Your god?” Theodoric puzzled. “I’m sorry to be rude, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen that particular symbol before.”

“A story long in the telling, Theodoric” Neracer replied casually, deftly slipping the pendant back into his tunic. With an exaggerated yawn, he added “well, it’s late, I think I will get some sleep now.”

I hate it when he does that, Theodoric thought.



*


The morn greeted them with a cold snap and a drizzle. Valygar was the first to rise, aside from Minsc, who had had the last watch. Minsc had already started gathering rainwater in his helmet to top off one of his skins.

“I see I’m not the only ranger who does that”, Valygar said.

“It is a good trick for us rangers to learn” Minsc replied cheerfully. “Minsc likes to have extra water around in case Boo gets cracker crumbs stuck in his throat.”

Valygar looked at Minsc as if he’d grown a third eye, but said nothing.


The others rose quickly when the icy rain began splattering down on them. Aerie shivered and pulled her blanket around her. “Ugh, what a morning”, joked Yoshimo, thankful for the extra warmth of his furry armor. Jaheira walked over to Aerie and extended a helping hand to her.

“Come child, before you catch your death. You will warm up once we are moving.” Aerie didn’t look very happy, but grabbed Jaheira’s hand and pulled herself up.

Neracer was munching on a piece of hardbiscuit and seemed rather chipper, all in all. He’d bundled his bedroll up and had groomed himself already. “So, do we ride up or continue on foot, Theodoric?”

“We’ll leave the horses here, I think. They’ll be safer here, and we should be close enough that we can make it on foot. Valygar, do you agree?”

The swarthy ranger nodded. “It shouldn’t be far now.”


*


Valygar led them through a small wood and then down the hill, finding gaps and shortcuts in the undergrowth the others (besides Minsc) would not have found. They reached the bottom of the valley in less than an hour. There appeared to be nothing around but green grass and a few patches of wildflowers.

Theodoric looked around. “Valygar, are you sure this is the right valley?”

“I am, Theodoric”, Valygar replied, his muscles coiled like a snake ready to strike. “The sphere is here, I can feel it.”

“How are we supposed to find it, then?”

“My blood will guide me”, Valygar replied tersely. With that, he walked slowly forward, looking about carefully. “There” he said, pointing to his left.

The air in front of Valygar began to blur and shift. “Valygar, look out!” cried Theodoric. Unfazed, Valygar stepped closer to the distortion.

The air shimmered and in its place appeared a huge spherical structure, half-buried in the earth.

“By Silvanus” breathed Jaheira, awed at the mammoth structure.

“This is it, Theodoric”, Valygar said. “This is what the Cowled Wizards hired you to hunt me down for, what my ancestor Lavok has killed so many of my family for.”

“What mage would have power enough to create this?” Neracer marveled. “This Lavok must wield great knowledge.”

“I don’t care *what* he knows, wizard” Valygar said icily. “I *didn’t* come here to talk with him. Are you clear about that?”

“Ah, perfectly, Valygar” Neracer replied, with a look of chagrin.

“How do we get in?” Theodoric asked.

Valygar looked over the side of sphere and located what looked like a round door. “If I am right”, he said, “the presence of my blood will open the sphere.” Valygar placed a hand on the door, and it slid open with a faint hiss.


*


Beyond the door was a narrow and cramped shaft. It sloped steeply downwards, with metal ladder rungs on one of the gray metal walls, with square lights glowing dimly behind glass plates along the opposite wall. Metal panels were placed here and there on the other walls. Each of the panels had a series of strange runes painted onto them, and had some sort of lock. At the end of the shaft looked to be another door.

“Most unusual”, Yoshimo said, peering into the opening.

“Better let me go first, Theodoric” Valygar said. “You might need me to open the other door.”

“Okay, Valygar, but be careful.”


Valygar climbed down the ladder rungs, glancing around warily. He’d had to sheathe his katana, but held a dagger in his teeth. The shaft opened up into an alcove of sorts at its bottom.

“I’m down” Valygar called up. “I’ll see if I can open the door now.”

This door was similar to the one they’d used to enter the sphere. It was round, and marked with the same kind of strange writing as they had seen on the panels in the shaft above. Unlike the other door, however, this one didn’t open automatically. There was no handle on the door, but next to it was a short metal bar on long hinges set into the wall.

“Valygar!” called out Theodoric. “Any luck with the door?”

“Wait a moment” Valygar said. Seeing no other options, Valygar grabbed the metal bar and pulled on it. The bar moved stiffly on its hinges, swinging out perpendicular to its mounting. The round door reluctantly rolled open, slowly disappearing into the wall with a hiss. Valygar could see a curving passage beneath him.

“I’ve got it!” Valygar called up the shaft. “Come down, but be careful.”


*


The passage was of the same gray metal they’d seen in the shaft. Along the walls and ceiling ran a smooth white material that resembled seashell. Overhead were long, narrow glass panels with light behind them. Only about a third of the panels were lit, however. Debris was scattered about the passage and in several spots the walls and ceiling had been damaged.

“Not much of a housekeeper, is he?” joked Yoshimo. Valygar glared at him.

“I’m not sure what I was expecting” Neracer said, “but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t this.”

“There has been a battle here” Valygar said, squatting down to examine the debris. “Not a recent one, though.”

“Any idea who was involved?”

Valygar shook his head. “I don’t recognize anything here.” He held up a piece of twisted metal, feeling it with his fingers and smelling it before tossing it aside. He frowned. “But magic was involved.”

“How can you be sure of that?” Aerie asked.

Valygar pointed to the damaged areas of the walls. “Look at those marks.”

Where the walls had been damaged, the white shell material had slagged and was charred black. The surrounding metal had a layer of black soot on it.

“No weapon caused that”, Valygar said, his expression dark.


“Which way do we go now?” asked Neracer. The passage curved in both directions, apparently following the shape of the sphere.

“Valygar, do you have any sense of where Lavok might be?” asked Theodoric. Valygar again shook his head.

“I do not know the layout of this place. But I doubt his lair would be so close to the entrance. He is deeper within the sphere, I am sure of that.”

“All right then, we’ll try this way”, Theodoric said, pointing to his left.


*


The followed the passage around for a time. They found little of note, beyond a few more doors leading to exterior shafts like the one they’d entered through. Next to one of them was a small box of what appeared to be some sort of tools along with a flexible metal card inlaid with a large purple symbol. Neracer slipped the box into his pack and they continued on.


After several minutes, they came to a junction in the passage. Ahead it continued to curve around. To their right was a pair of gray metal doors. A large symbol was painted on the doors where they met. Valygar stepped forward to examine them and snapped his blade up when they slid open.

Beyond the doors was a small cylindrical room, made of the same metal as the doors. Valygar stepped inside warily. He frowned and waved the others in, after jamming the doors open with his dagger.

There were three odd looking chairs placed at either side of the tube-shaped room. And next to the doors was a black glass panel with faint runes etched in it, surrounded by a large circle. The panel had a metal-lined slot next to it. At the far end were another pair of metal doors, though these would not open when Valygar approached them.

“I *definitely* wasn’t expecting this”, Neracer said, scratching his head.


“What do you suppose this is?” Theodoric said to Valygar. The ranger shook his head.

“I haven’t the slightest idea”, he admitted.

Neracer examined the glass panel, running his finger along the etched writings. He examined the slot at its base carefully. Frowning in thought, he reached into his back and withdrew the small box they’d found earlier. He took out the metal card and matched it to the slot.

“I think this” he said, holding up the card, “is some sort of wardstone for this panel.”

“What does the panel do, though?” Theodoric asked.

“I couldn’t say without trying it out. Shall I?”

Theodoric nodded.

Neracer slid the metal card into the slot and the black glass was illuminated. A few of the runes lit up, as well as the surrounding circle. A faint hum could be heard coming from behind the glass.

The illusionist studied the panel for several minutes, taking care not to touch it this time. Nodding to himself, he at last spoke.

“I think I understand what this is, Theodoric. This is some sort of lift, like you’d find in a large mine. Only instead of pulleys and a crank, this one is powered by magic.” He pointed to the panel. “Look here. This is a layout of the sphere, and these runes are different locations within it.”

“Do you think it can take us to Lavok?” Theodoric asked. Neracer shrugged.

“It might, I don’t know. Only a few of these runes lit up. I might need a different wardstone to reach the other areas. The humming behind the panel continued, growing imperceptably louder.

“I don’t like this”, Valygar said.

“It should be okay, Valygar”, Neracer said. “I’m pretty sure I’ve got this thing all figured out.”

“We have not found any other means of negotiating the sphere”, Jaheira pointed out.

“No, we haven’t” Theodoric agreed. “Okay, Neracer, we’ll give it a try.”

Neracer looked at the glowing runes “any particular place we should go?”

“Try that one nearest the center” Valygar said, recovering his dagger. “If I were Lavok, I would put my lair in the center of the sphere.”

“Alrighty, then.” Neracer touched the rune, which beeped softly. The doors slid shut and the room began to gently move forward. Neracer smiled and made himself comfortable in one of the chairs.

“Nothing to it” he laughed.

The lift changed direction after a few moments, slowing and then gently moving downward. The humming behind the panel began to become quite loud, and the lights on the panel started blinking erratically.

“Neracer”, Valygar said slowly. “What is happening?”

“Er, I don’t know. It could be –”

At that moment, sparks began to shoot out from around the panel.

The lift suddenly accelerated, plunging rapidly before abruptly shifting direction. The adventurers were slammed against the walls of the lift.

“Grab onto the chairs!” shouted Jaheira.


*


The lift changed directions violently several more times, forcing the adventurers to cling to the chairs for dear life. Just as death seemed imminent, the lift began to slow, horrible grinding noises coming from outside the walls. It finally lurched to a stop and the doors at the far end slid open to another gray metal passage, as if nothing had been amiss.

“Damn this infernal machine!” Valygar swore as he got to his feet. He angrily wiped blood from a cut above his eyebrow. “I thought you said you knew what you were doing, wizard!”

“I did!” Neracer cried. “Something must have gone wrong with it.”

“No, really? ” Valygar said acidly. “I never would have guessed!”

“All right, that’s enough, you two!” Theodoric snapped. “Is everyone okay?”

“I will be sore for a couple of days, but I am not seriously hurt”, Jaheira replied. Aerie, Yoshimo, and Minsc indicated they had not received much more than a good scare as well.

“Where are we now?” Aerie asked. Theodoric looked at Neracer. The illusionist shook his head.

“We must be lower in the sphere, from all the falling we did. Beyond that, I don’t have a clue.” He tugged the card from the still smoking panel. The card was warped and melted around the edges. “I’m sorry.”

“So we don’t even know where the way out is right now” Valygar scowled.

“We’d better find out where we are, then” Theodoric said. “That passage has to lead somewhere.”

Valygar gave Neracer an angry look and took his place in formation.