INTERACTIVE STORY #2
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The few survivors surveyed the wreckage of their once proud dungeon home, the dog barked and growled which only fetched down more rubble from the ceiling, its master was nowhere to be found, neither was Mrs G his beloved mistress and no owners meant no bones. The Mage watched from within his shield as the dungeon came to a halt, it was almost completely destroyed. Treguard's anti chamber was visible from the Block and Tackle due to a newly made hole in the ceiling, it was clear Treguard and his helpers were gone.
The Spiteful sorceror surveyed the ruins of his liar, Marblehead and Goth were wrecked and Lissard, Raptor and Sly hand disappeared with the final lurch. His armies of miremen and goblins had fled long before and he appeared to be on his own. As useless as his minions were then he could've used them right now.
The Gruagach was satisfied with its victory, it surveyed its dungeon which it had finally reclaimed after so many years of waiting. It was so pleased it let out another hideous cackle and caused more laughter which rang out throughout the whole dungeon, striking fear into the survivors
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Now, fear was something which rarely struck the canine - it was normally bones or goblin limbs being thrown at him across the room - and the incredulous terror that jabbed him now had an unusual effect. A shuddering, a spluttering, a retching - and an undigested but messy Mally-bou came spiralling out of each of his mouths. They rotated in the grimy air, absorbing the carnage around them with whatever arcane senses they possessed; and if the canine's acute hearing hadn't been dulled by the cacophony of plummeting masonry, he might just have heard the Mally-bous quietly and calmly intoning, "No." They left the confused hound, and moved off in different directions.
Hordriss' finely-polished mind was thrashing this way and that, trying to free itself from his causality shield in a way that his body could not. He thought about Sidriss, her eyes, her walk; it was too late now to tell her who her real father was. The mage's mind was alighting on a momentous question so often asked by others within the now-fallen walls of the Dungeon - 'Where am I?' - when he felt a rhythmic tapping against the causality shield...
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Hordriss despelled his causality shield, the lurches had stopped now and too much longer in there would scramble his delicate mind. The tapping had been coming from some water, the cracked pool from where that irritating Jester took his yearly bath had been dripping its last few drops through his shield. He now knew where he was, in level two. To be very presise he could see two cat statues, one had fallen over and was heavily chipped and the other was missing a head. Neither of them were firing their projectiles anymore and the floor tile was firmly in place. Hordriss walked across the room when all of a sudden he heard a coughing and spluttering from under the rubble.
Emerging from under the rubble was, Hordriss sighed, Elita. Of all the rotten luck then this was one of the worst things to happen to him today.
"Well thanks for NOT helping, face-ache. You think you are so good with your magic but your a scumpot all the same"
Hordriss was seething and on the verge of casting a spell to trap her voice when she said something useful for the first time since Hordiss had met her. "I suppose you would like me to call Smirky for you?"
Hordriss gasped, the great wyrm has survived and this would make transport much easier. He grinned for the first time in the day and said, "One would be most pleased"
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(It looks like you have some ideas still to use. As far as I'm concerned, you can 'take over' the story for a bit, and I'll contribute again later if I can - as will others, I'm sure. :))
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Elita gave a shrill wisstle and called out "Smirky, Smerkinoff."Nothing happend.She called again "Smirky, Smerkinoff."
Still no dragon, Hordriss was starting to get impaciant. "Are you quite sure the Great Green Wyrm has survived Miss Elita."
"YES I AM FACE-ACHE." snapped Elita.
Hordriss was fumeing but controlled his anger and mearly said in a very dangerous tone.
"Miss Elita One wouldn't think that you would needed reminding That one has the power to silence that vile mouthe of yours..PERMENTLY. If You Catch One's Driffit."
Elita did catch Hordriss's drift and she had no intension of losseing her voice againe. She called out agine in a more desperet tone now begining to dout her own certinty that Smerkinoff had survived.
"Smirky, Smerkinoff. COME ON SMIRKY FLYING TIME. OH SMIRKY WERE ARE YOU."
Elita was on the verge of tears mabey Smerkinoff hadn't survived. Her one freind in the dungeon might be gone forever.Sudernly there was the sound of beating wings and the great wyme flew over there heads and landed.
"SMIRKY" Elita half shouted half scremed.
"Do You Mind Not Makeing that silly Noise Elita."Smerkinoff sighed
Elita had regained her self "WHAT KEPT YOU." "It's quite a task navigating through a dungeon that has progressed back to a era when I was not pressent. I only found you two on my third cricle of this area."
"I assume that The Might Hordriss The Confusser is looking for some transportation."
"One Is indeed looking for some transportation." Hordriss said.
"Well I'm Afriad I can't help you. Like I said it is nearly imposssibale for me to navigate the dungeon now with out some olne who has nollage of the dungon's third era." "Ha" Laugh Hordriss "One first enterd this dungeon during that phase so I have expert knowlage of its lay out."
"Corr Your Older Then I Thought" Elita chuckaled but a stern glanss from Hordriss shut her up. "Well Great Wyme do we have a deal."
"Well Ok sighed Smerkinoff BUT you had better give me good directions Hordriss or we've both had it.
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"Well Smerkinoff, I have had to remember immeasurable number of spells and unlike another famous wizard my memory is firmly in order!" Hordriss said before Smerkinoff took off. They flew around the rubble, Smirky was correct and the dungeon was clearly shifted into the third phase. However, no longer did dungeoneers wander and no longer did goblins and the mighty Mogdred await them. The dungeon was in ruins, one room was now a combination of two and puzzles and ledges cracked and broken. The stained glass had shattered. Hordriss continued to direct Smirky to his destination, the old sewers which in the older phases were to become Goth.
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"Hmmm This place dosen't improve with age dose it?"
Smerkinoff said survaing the futer sewers of Goth.
"No It Certanily dosen't" replied Hordriss "In Fact it gets worse."
Hordriss looked around him normaly the great Hordriss The Confusser wouldn't lower him self to treading in these parts of the dungeon but this was no ordinary time.
"Hmm Normaly One wouldn't Lower One's self to enter and treverse such a foul and unsuitable place for One of such worth as this. BUT this is an emergency."
"At Least The Miremen have fleed" Smerkinoff comented "Well One should be greatfull for small mercys." Hordriss replied. "You best depart Smerkinoff, fly around the dungeon and see if anyone or anything else has survived."
"Ok" and with a beating of wings and a rush of air Smerkinoff was airborne and in a few seconds out of sight.
"Now to buissnes" Hordriss said to himself. Survaing the scene he noticed that a boat was still moored to the jetty.
"Most fortunet." grinned Hordriss and climed in.
"SPELL CASTING" becan the powerfull Mage.
"R...O...W...E"
and with that the ores of the boat came to life and started rowing the mage across the slimy waters that were once home to Lord Fears aquatic henchmen the Miremen.
Onwards and onwards untill the boat arrived at the end of the sewere system.
Hordriss climed out with as much grase as he could manage. "That mode of transport is unbefiting one such as One's self" he grumbaled as he moved towards the exit in frount of him.
Befor he could reach it however a deep emontionless voice called out.
"Stay Human escape is not possible. I hunger for knowing things, feed my hunger or I feed on YOU."
Hordriss spun round.
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The Gruagach observed them from his Pool Of Veracity with annoyance and contempt.
"They should not be here," it spat. Their presence was indeed causing the Regression to collapse. More and more of them were winking back into existance.
The Gruagach set to work once more on his tiles. Faster and faster moved his hands until they were no more than a blur. It began to cackle.
"What is that doing here?" muttered Hordriss.
"I hunger for knowledge," rumbled the Brollochan once again.
Suddenly, the Brollochan's hideous laughter began to rattle around the ruins they were standing in.
"What's that?" asked Elita nervously. Hordriss did not reply, however. His face was frozen in fear.
The Brollochan finished rearranging the tiles. It gazed at the new pattern and chuckled.
"I should have known the Golden Ratio would be in it," it muttered to itself. It waved its hand over the tiles to activate the magic.
The wavefront spread out from the centre of the tiles. It expanded rapidly, encapsulating the entire Dungeon. Hordriss tried to spellcast but wasn't quick enough. Elita screamed as they were enveloped by it.
In less than a minute, the magic had done its work. The Dungeon had regressed. It had regressed so far back that, for all intents and purposes, Treguard had never mastered it. He had never killed the Gruagach.
The Dungeon stood empty and dark. Knightmare Castle, too, stood barren. The Gruagach, wearing a sinister grin, materialised in what might have become known as Treguard's antechamber, along with his board of tiles and Pool Of Veracity.
"That's better," it whispered to itself before breaking out into peals of hysterical laughter.
The Gruagach cast his eye over the Dungeon - every room, every corridor and every cavern. There was nothing. It was as if it had never been away.
In fact, there remained one person. He had been hidden inside an Existential Shield and, as such, was immune to the changes and totally undetectable. The Shield collapsed in on itself, as was intended, and Lord Fear emerged. He looked around in confusion.
"Dragon's Breath," he muttered.
The Gruagach, still making his Pool Of Veracity sweep of the Dungeon, sensed Fear's presence and brought his image up.
"What must one do to eliminate these pests?" it screamed.
Lord Fear's expression changed from one of confusion to amazement when the Gruagach's voice rang out across the cave he stood in.
"You are unwelcome in my Dungeon, technomancer," it spat.
"Who are you?" he called out.
"I am your worst nightmare," it chuckled menacingly.
"I see," replied Fear, non-chalant. "Well, I don't take kindly to people evicting me from my own tower, old thing, so kindly buzz off."
The Gruagach's scream of anger caused even Lord Fear to wince. In that moment, he realised what the Gruagach must be and was genuinely afraid. He knew that he had to get out fast. Away from the Dungeon and away from Knightmare Castle.
The Gruagach, shaking with rage, once again began to arrange a fresh pattern with its tiles.
"When I have finished with you," it growled, "you will be begging me to kill you."
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[Basically, the Gruagach (the evil character from the first book who originally ruled the Dungeon) managed to cheat death (Treguard slew the Gruagach when he mastered the Dungeon) by exploiting the paradox Lord Fear and Lissard created when they imported the Mally-bous across time to feed Festus. The Mally-bous were creatures that existed in the Dungeon during the Gruagach's reign but were wiped out - the reason for which we can explain at the end of the story in a nice, circular arguement. The idea is that the Gruagach observed Fear and Lissard stealing the creatures and investigated where they came from and discovered its fate. So, it changed time itself to stop that happening. The result is that Treguard never came to Knightmare Castle, mastered the Dungeon and slew the Gruagach. Another result of that is that none of the characters ever existed. The only exception is Lord Fear, who shielded himself from the effects. It is up to him to find Treguard (who will know nothing of this because he hasn't mastered the Dungeon) and get him to help. By destroying the Gruagach and his tiles, the damage will be undone and the Dungeon will return to normal. I need to reread the original book to get some details on Treguard's character and background, to avoid continuity errors.
Phew!]
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Lord Fear realised his mistake immediatly, the Gruagach spun around his tiles and a fresh pattern emerged, before Fear could even raise his hand he felt himself being swept away into the Gruagach's grip. Fear knew that he would've been better of being shifted out of phase than whatever would happen now. Meanwhile in an unknown location, a man named Treguard had awoken...
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[Fear must survive and solicit Treguard's help, otherwise there's no way the story can proceed.
I can't remember whether Treguard was a knight in the original book, or whether he earned his knighthood by mastering the Dungeon. I also hope that we can use characters from the original book, such as Brian of Gascony and Folly, plus nasties such as the Black Knight (I think?) and the Green Eye - but, again, I need to reread the book to get the exact details. I go home for the Christmas holidays on Friday so I'll be able to do that then.]
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The man called Treguard awoke and stretched himself, he dressed and got his breakfast, he began to eat it. He had no idea that many miles away then his future nemisis was in the clutches of the most fierced beast ever to stalk the land, the Gruagach.
Lord Fear was not used to being the one in the clutches of evil, it was usually hapless dungeoneers in the clutches of HIS evil. He finally knew what it was like for those stupid children who blundered through the dungeon only to be crushed in an instant. He didn't wish to go down without a fight though and as the Gruagach swung him around then he grabbed his wand from off the floor and spellcasted a very painful spell on to one of his clawed arms, the Gruagach let out ascream of pain and fear bolted out of the room before it could recover. The Gruagach's anger in the aftermath was so great the dungeon shook with his fury
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The BLINK spell had the desired effect and Fear emerged outside Knightmare Castle. This strange, new reality was one which he would have to come to terms with rapidly. He had read the fables. He had read about the reality of the Dungeon and the reality connected to it. There was only one thing he could do, loathe as he was to do it.
"I must find Treguard," he muttered.
Treguard sat is his gaol cell, a sad and dishevelled figure. His beard and hair had overgrown and his shabby tunic was filthy and torn. Every couple of days, a guard would toss his meal of bread and meat at him. He drank stagnant water. He was deliberately kept weak to make sure he wasn't a threat - these were Vestan's orders. He had asked why he wasn't to be put to death after his failed attempt to retake Knightmare Castle. His captors had decided to see him slowly rot away rather than enjoy the relative luxury of a quick death.
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Treguard coughed and a few drops of blood spilt onto the rancid floor of the gaol. The guard let out a snide comment but Treguard felt so nauceos he didn't hear it. He collapsed onto the floor and blacked out.
Lord Fear surveyed the new dungeon. He did not know which phase it was in but he thought it might be before even the first phase, anything between the first and third phase. He looked for some landmark for familiarity and saw the tree which marked the start of the road to Wolfenden. He followed the path and instead of finding Wolfenden at the end he saw.......
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...miles and miles and miles of forest. Trees stretching as far as the eye could see. Lord Fear blinked in astonishment- could this really have become Wolfenden? The trees must all have been eradicated and houses built in their places between now and the constuction of the town...but when did they go? Maybe this area was originally part of Wolfglade? What was the path doing there if it didn't lead to anywhere? So many questions, and he couldn't answer any- even if he had only the faintest idea about one of them, he might be able to find out where he is. But before he had time to think, a voice rang out.
"Hoi!" said this voice. "Who are you, and what are you doing standing there?"
Lord Fear turned to see this stranger. Could it be...
[Was checking some old threads and realised this story was never completed. Come on, folks, we can do it!]
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The eyeless sockets, the bleached white bone, it floated there, hovering sinisterly.
" What?" Cried Fear
The skull began to attack Lord Fear, repelling his magic, biting at him. More began to appear, their long dead faces content on killing.
" Noooo! You are supposed to serve me!" Yelled Fear, as he began to fall to the ground. His face was dripping with blood, before his head hit the floor and he breathed hus last breath.
" Ooh... Nasty." Came an amused voice.
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[Since the aim was for Lord Fear to find Treguard, team up with him to destroy the Gruagach and his tiles, and thereby resurrect the Dungeon, killing off Lord Fear somewhat prevented the story from continuing. This is a shame, as it still had potential. I'm going to try and give it an ending, because it deserves one. Perhaps not a widely pleasing one, but an ending nonetheless:]
"...Tea."
"Aa... wha...?" The man awoke - from a dream that had showed him the past, exposed the future, and depicted a present that could never be. And for all its detail and richness, the dream had ended in a moment, like the bursting of a bubble. A nourishing and refreshing concoction, but seemingly destined to be as ephemeral as its predecessors - the man's dream, then, was much like the tea he'd just been brought. He flashed a trademark grin at the lady (who'd seemed amused at the sight of him napping), before she left him to ten minutes of peace.
As the man sipped from the cup - the tea mingled oddly with the lingering taste of the Malibu he'd imbibed at lunchtime - something caught his eye on the table: one of the Knightmare books he'd borrowed from a friend. He smiled again, but far more knowingly this time. He'd salvaged the tapestry before all the stitches had unravelled; he'd saved the dream before it disappeared.
When the tea was finished, the man stood. He checked himself in the mirror, then he left the room. Corridors took him onward... then a portal... and then he was gazing upon his own fortress, absorbing the good-natured murmurings of his subjects, and watching the approach of his assistants. He was experiencing fortunes that the dream-Treguard failed to regain; but he wouldn't forget. The dream had shown him the depth, the power. Even if people never knew, even if people never understood, the man would have Knightmare sparkling in his mind like a multi-faceted jewel, fuelling his imagination and his passion for a long time to come.
Pat Sharp turned to the audience. "Welcome to Fun House, kids!"
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