Celebrating nine years, while the Chronicler explains the demise of Knightmare.
Nine years of
Dunshelm Diary
Hmmm... it's you is it? Thought so. Got bored did you? Want to hear some more about the dungeon do you? Well, it really is most inconvenient; I was just putting the finishing touches to a spell of incandescence but I suppose it will have to wait until tomorrow now. Hmmm...!
Well, the most important news is that Lord Fear has managed to destroy the Fliolanshield. What might that be? You may ask... Well if you're a little more patient I will explain. The Fliolansheld is (or perhaps I should say was) the ancient spellstone which Treguard discovered some eight or nine years ago in some far off country. Knowing that he was unable to enter the Dungeon himself, Treguard had to find a way of defeating those abominable creatures, spirits and ghouls who abide there without subjecting anyone to real danger.
The solution was the Fliolansheld, a stone told of in ancient books, so powerful that it might pull beings from an alternative reality into our own. Unfortunately, no-one really knew where it was. Some here at Dunshelm, including myself I must admit, were even a little incredulous as to the actual existence of such an incredible source of power. "Hmmm..." I said, as I recall.
However, after repeated attempts through spells of Sight and Discovery, potions of Greater Reach, and ointments of Knowledge, Treguard finally managed to locate the stone. The country where it lay was distant and unknown, but after a long and arduous journey in which many battles were fought, spells were cast and wine was quaffed, the Dungeon Master returned triumphant; the stone had been brought to Dunshelm!
The object's usefulness lay in a side effect of its ability to transfer beings from alternate realities. While a transferred person might die in our world, they could not perish in their own reality from a mortal wound inflicted in another, as the rules of two alternate worlds are completely different. This was the beginning of the 'dungeoneers'; humans like us (or at least most of us) here at Dunshelm, but with the added bonus that they could be sent into the dungeon without fear that they would be harmed, at least in the long term. Of course, once killed, these adventurers no longer had any real existence in our world, and must instantly return to their own before they dissipated, but we found that there was a steady supply of young people willing to aid us which made this problem a small one.
With the help of the dungeoneers, Treguard has kept the creatures of the dungeons at bay for almost a decade, but the latest evil power to emerge, Lord Fear, has somehow managed to destroy the stone, leaving us unable to pull dungeoneers into our world any longer. With their loss, the time has come for a new source to be found. Treguard has already put out a call into the surrounding countryside around Dunshelm for adventurers, and soon the time will come for the new campaign. It won't be like the old days, but Fear must be stopped, and even if a few lose their lives it will be better than letting that nincompoop ravage the land with his technomancy tinkerings. So you see it's not the end for Knightmare, it's just that your world won't be involved from now on. You should be pleased, it's not much fun being frazzled by a Fear fireball, I can tell you.
So it's time for a new campaign. I am of course impartial, being only the chronicler of what goes on here at Dunshelm, but I can't help thinking that Lord F is a bit of an idiot, for all his pompous posturing. At the moment he doesn't even seem to know that he has destroyed the stone. He probably did it by mistake, while messing about with his technomancy as usual. Well however he managed it, he's done it. The Stonekeeper apparently saw a large flash and when he looked at the Fliolansheld it was gone, leaving nothing but sand. Anyway, you can read all about what Fear's been doing lately. The fool doesn't even know that he's about to face the greatest challenge of his terrible misbegotten life. Oh well.. that can't be bad, can it? I'm impartial of course...
Elsewhere in this issue you will find letters from disappointed fans, who will no longer get to see their favourite programme on television. And believe me, some of them are pretty upset. You can also find Sly Hands' Top Ten New Year's Resolutions for 1995, and an article about a new project of Tim Child, the man who brought Knightmare to your world. It could be just the thing for grieving dungeon fans. There's also another instalment of Hugh de Wittless' endless search for Rapunzel, and plenty more as well including news of what your favourite Knightmare characters are doing on their visits to your world.
Now I must get back down to preparations, I'm afraid. When the forces of Good and Evil are about to be ranged against each other once more it makes life somewhat difficult for the poor fellow who has to write it all down! Anyway, you're starting to fade. I suppose this means that Ah Wok has sold me another dud Speak spell. I'll get that little Or... (fades)
Cadrighan the Chronicler
Knightmare - The New Series
DownloadFull issue 2 (3.6MB)
