Characters

Secros Herminides - a male human

Born Perdinan Gophett, You grew up a rather bright child of a middle class family in Perry, a small city north of East Lansing. Your father, Plelithgan, a cooper, wanted to train you up in the family business. Your mother, Zupina, wanted to enter you into clerical studies to gain the favor of the gods, such that they would bless the family with more children to take over a very successful business. A compromise was made that you, young Perdinan would take the scholarship exams for the School of Thoth, and if you succeeded, then you would continue on in clerical studies.

Thoth, the god of knowledge and wisdom, had many priestly scholars who taught at many schools. The entrance exams were tough enough, but only the brightest and wisest (or most blessed) could pass the scholarship exams.

When your parents left you in the hands of Master Corinar, the headmaster of the School of Thoth at Bloomfield, your father was gently comforting your sobbing mother, but you thought you saw a tear in your father's eye also. Even though you were only seven when you arrived at the school, and only had one week off a year at the Time of High Wind to visit with your parents, you never got homesick - not once. Your mind was constantly challenged by all the new learning, and was excited by the mysteries that needed to be solved. The logic and consistency of math was pleasing and strangely comforting. Language studies and philosophy kept you on your toes. Science and Alchemy, however, never ceased to amaze you. The theories of the elements (there are only four), and how they blend and mix with the primal energies (there are only two, positive and negative), kept all of your experiments fresh and new. There were other studies as well: Geography, Geology, Culture, Biology and History. Through it all you remained a top student.

Being a top student does not, however, guarantee popularity, and if there were any deficiencies in your school years, it was friends. It wasn't that you were unpopular, just that you seemed to enjoy your studies more than companionship, though you did have a few friends. Hans Evenruud was the guy you sometimes wished you were. He was a class clown that the priests paired with you, hoping your study habits would rub off on him (and now you think that maybe the priests hoped his garrulous nature might rub off on you too - a little). He could always brush away any frustration you had by making you laugh. Jaz Mirastar was an older female student. A true genius, no mental discipline was her better. She was very beautiful, and had some elven blood as well. She was fickle, however, and her interests changed seemingly with the season, but each new interest also brought unbridled enthusiasm. Every time she changed interests, she got a new burst of energy, more vibrant than the last time. She seemed to rely on your steadiness, and you drew off of her energy. Someday, you thought, you might marry. You mentioned this to her in your junior year, during the spring festival. She thought on it, but never commented on it to you. She didn't return for your senior year. Seventeen and heartbroken is not a good place to be, but you threw yourself into your studies, deeper and deeper with each thought of her.

The only other friend you had was Master Corinar, your schoolmaster. You tried hard to follow his example. His wisdom seemed limitless, and his calm during any storm or crisis seemed to make not only his thoughts clear, but the thoughts of those around him as well. He was a great man that passed away halfway through your senior year, and when you graduated, you decided to follow in his footsteps and commit yourself to Thoth as a priest. You entered the Thoth Theological Seminary.

There are four vows that a priest of Thoth must take: one at the beginning of each of the three years of seminary, and one at your ordination.

At freshman orientation you take the first vow: to accept instruction and wisdom with humility and respect. The first year is spent learning how the first vow will affect your life. One must not only accept learning, but the teacher, with respect. This doesn't mean to accept learning like a plant accepts manure, but to ask questions for the sake of learning and understanding, and not to show off one's own intelligence or to disgrace one's teacher.

The second year begins with your second vow: seek truth above all. Do not accept answers: continue to question theories, and constantly test and re-evaluate information. Do not get hung-up on 'pet' theories or instruction from charismatic 'masters'. Learning and knowledge are not about people and politics, egos or fame. They are about the truth.

The senior year begins with your third vow: pass on learning. Knowledge is dead if it collects dust in a cold leather-bound book lying on a wood shelf in a cold, dark library. Knowledge is alive when the world is changed and life is affected by its power. The true power of knowledge is in its use.

The final vow is taken during your ordination ceremony, and it is then that full clerical powers are granted upon the initiate. About half of all initiates do not take this vow and instead devote themselves as laypersons. Upkeeping libraries and copying texts are the extent of their 'normal' lives. The final vow is that of celibacy. One can not properly strive for new learning and knowledge, travel and test, and work late nights, teach and help local towns and lords construct more sophisticated sewers, defenses, etc... when one has to raise a family and please a spouse, or so the teaching goes. You never thought much on this vow, but now here it is, looming over the rest of your life, forever dividing the path of family and loneliness. When you think of the companionship of your lost love Jaz, you pause. Is this the life you want or is this the life you ran to? Did bitterness of a woman who left you cause this desire for the priesthood? You thought long and hard and did some serious soul-searching for one of the first times in your life. Finally, you felt it. Deep within your gut you realized that learning was your life. You thirsted for knowledge like a dry sponge for water. Jaz was a lovely, beautiful distraction from the solemnness of learning. In fact, being with Jaz was a sort of learning itself. In fact, for the first time since Jaz left, you hoped she was doing well. A small joyful smile came upon you, remembering those special times you had. Jealousy, anger and bitterness are left behind for contentedness and calm. The priesthood is not a shelter from your feelings; it is not a comfort zone of learning. It is, however, what you need. Suddenly, a craving for a life for Thoth is a blessing; something that cannot be passed on.

The ordination ceremony went well, with your mother sobbing, and several of your younger siblings fidgeting. You were given your name, 'Secros Herminides', translated from the ancient Lansing language meaning 'sacred vault of knowledge'. You were then given your first call, or assignment. You were sent to the small town of Flanders, which had been without spiritual guidance for about four years. When you first arrived there, as a young and inexperienced priest, the old townsfolk, farmers and blacksmiths mostly, were indignant. It was a difficult task to set the temple trappings back to a respectful setting, and you did not start to earn the town's respect until you discovered a new way to increase the blacksmith's furnace efficiency, and helped develop some new farming techniques. It was then, about a year after you arrived, that the falling star hit.

The town of Flanders lay at the foot of the Krinklekut Mountains, and traded with the dwarves of the mountains: food for metals. It was a peaceful existence, with the sullen dwarves keeping mostly to themselves, and the townsfolk pleasantly working out their day to day lives. You spent most of your time updating the temple library, recopying old decaying texts, performing marriage ceremonies and burial rites, and continually trying to explain the difference between knowledge and idle chit-chat to the local gossips. All this changed when the falling star hit.

It happened in the early afternoon, when some of the townspeople started shouting. You ran outside, as did most everyone, and marveled at this brilliant blue ball streaking through the sky. There was a high pitched wailing sound, combined with a horrible ripping, tearing sound. As you stared helplessly at this terrible sight, you thought you saw the very sky being torn open as this thing streaked overhead. It all happened very fast, as the thing hit beyond a near mountain, perhaps ten miles away. The ground rumbled and the mountains rung with the sound of a terrible blast and bolts of lightning flashed upwards from beyond the mountain for a brief moment. Then, all was still, at least until every townsperson bombarded you with questions. What was that? Where did it come from? Are we all doomed? Will it affect the crops? You busily calmed the crowd and told them that answers to their questions would take some research.

You spent the rest of the night and most of the next day pouring through the many various texts and tomes that filled the small library. Nothing like this was to be found, not in the town's history, or even in the 'Let's Talk About' series (although the temple library was missing quite a few volumes). That afternoon you decided to seek some help. The only knowledgeable person in this type of field even close to Flanders was in the small village of Oakwood. You packed some supplies for the two-day journey, and finally upon arriving, immediately went to the center of town, which was dominated by the park. In the center of the park was the sacred oak grove of Affeypole, the urban druid. Upon seeing him, you discovered that he was just on his way to see you. Affeypole was just as mystified by this situation as you. After discussing your two different observations, and catching up on some news and whatnot, Affeypole decided to return with you to Flanders, and perhaps mount an expedition to find the crash site.

The next morning, you left for Flanders, and after two days, you arrived. Something, however, was dreadfully wrong. The town was completely overrun with dwarves. Not that there's anything wrong with dwarves, it was just that normally only a few dwarves were in town, and only during trade meetings. Now it looked like there were almost a hundred, most of which looked wounded. Ferrendar, the village elder, and Bremick Coffar, the dwarven chief, briefed you on this dire situation.

It seemed that about a week ago, the dwarves felt a strange earthquake that originated from above, not below. You deduced this to be the impact of the falling star. The next day, goblins started swarming out from the lower caverns. Now, the dwarves had been warring with the problematic goblins for generations, but they had always been able to turn the vermin back. The dwarves would mount a stiff defense, and after the goblins suffered some losses they would retreat, occasionally with some loot. This time was different. It seemed as if the entire goblin nation was attacking, not just their warriors. Women and children were among the attackers, and they could not be driven back, even though substantial casualties were inflicted. The waves of relentless goblins, attacking in suicidal charges, eventually broke through the dwarven lines, and the dwarves were forced to retreat. As a last, desperate act, the dwarves caved in the main entrance to their stronghold. It was never thought that this defense against outside invaders would be used to seal goblins into their lost home. The dwarves turned to Flanders as their only source of aid.

Dwarven scouts now report that they heard the goblins tunneling their way out of the mountain. They also report that there could be as many as a thousand of the vermin. Things couldn't be more grim. Flanders numbers about one hundred, and even with the dwarves you'd be outnumbered five to one. Without a wall to protect you, you would surely be overrun.

You started beseeching Thoth for some wisdom or knowledge of what to do. Even some small insight might be useful. It was then that you were raised from your meditations by the news that a wizard had just come to town. A meeting with the wizard was immediately set up. The dwarven chief and his council, the village elders, Affeypole the druid, you, and the wizard, of course, were present.

The wizard, Perigar Adanac, also witnessed the falling star. He claimed to be a planar mechanist, one who studies the planes and how they interact with one another. He claimed that, through certain measurements of 'planar residue', and some calculations which he had performed, this falling star was actually a piece of another plane (albeit a very small piece). Because of its particular make-up, and that of goblin physiology, this 'extra-planar chunk' was, in fact, a substance highly poisonous to goblins. It was mere chance that the extra-planar chunk hit where it would cause problems. Falling stars were fairly common, but this was the first circumstance where this particular type of problem had occurred. Perigar had many charts, confusing formulae and strange calculations to prove his point. He also produced a strange gem which changed color in the presence of different 'planar residues', or so he claimed.

"All's well and good", grumbled Bremick, the dwarven chief, "but can you hurl bolts of death, or perhaps cast a lay-waste spell to destroy the goblins?" When the wizard answered in the negative, the dwarf gruffly snorted, "What good are you then? You might as well man the makeshift barricades and fight for your life!"

"No, wait", interjected another dwarf. "If what he says is true, then we could maybe get some of this stuff and bring it here, forcing the goblins away." This dwarf was obviously not your average thick-skulled warrior. Most of the wizard's talk was tough enough for you to even grasp the rudiments of what he was saying, and the village elders seemed even more confused than before. Affeypole, the druid, seemed more concerned about how invading extra-planar residue would affect the delicate natural balance here. You did some quick thinking and settled down the tumult.

"Everybody listen!" you called. "It seems a good risk to take, going after this falling star. The wizard's theory seems to explain the goblins' behavior. I'll go with the wizard. The wizard doesn't seem to have any large scale offensive spells, and Affeypole, the druid, more than replaces me. The town will be no worse off, and we'll have a real chance of defeating these beasts."

"You're going to bring poison here!" exclaimed Ferrendar, the village elder.

"No, no", pointed Perigar. "I'm reasonably sure it's not poisonous to humans."

"Reasonably sure!" shouted a couple of elders.

"All right", grumbled Bremick. "I'll send one of my dwarves. Our ilk is quite resilient to poisons. If the humans perish, my warrior could bring the poison close to the town. Then we could try using it to flank the monsters, and corral them away from the town."

"I volunteer", said the dwarf whose idea it was in the first place.

The three of you left immediately. Perigar seemed an interesting sort. Tall and lanky, he appeared older than he apparently was. His pack was loaded with scrolls, and cases, which carried odd apparatus which, he claimed, aided in his studies of the planes. The dwarf, named Baltak Bigfist, was adorned in sturdy dwarven chainmail and carried an axe (of course), and a studded shield with the emblem of the Northern Woods clan, a rampant cave bear. He did wear an odd helmet with a leather eye-visor and elk horns. The journey was difficult as you ascended the mountain. Perigar pulled out his gem. "This should turn a deep crimson as we approach the impact site."

"It should be just on the other side of Widow's Chasm," grumbled the dwarf, Bigfist.

Baltak Bigfist led you to the span bridge across 'Widow's Chasm'. Although it was a narrow rope bridge, it seemed sturdy. The bridge was about a hundred feet long. Baltak looked around and told you and the wizard to follow closely. He stepped onto the bridge, then Perigar, and you bringing up the rear. About halfway across, Baltak stopped and sniffed the air, let out a yell, and in two astounding leaps, was at the far end of the bridge battling some goblins who had been hiding, and now seemed to be trying to cut at the bridge lines. You and Perigar ran to Baltak's aid as he was now surrounded.

When you reached the other end, you smacked a goblin in the back of the head, and Perigar tackled one that was about to stab Baltak in the back. It was a brief battle, and soon eight goblins lay dead. As you continued on, Baltak commented that these few goblins must have found one of the upper escape tunnels.

The next day Perigar said that you were getting close because his gem was changing colors. Later in the day you came to a large pit. Baltak started climbing down, noting that this pit cut through the goblin cave system.

"If my suspicions are correct", commented Perigar, "we won't encounter any goblins, at least not live ones."

Upon reaching the bottom, you discovered remnants of a large rock, radiating a strange red light.

"According to my gem", said Perigar, "this is the 'falling star'."

"Pretty obvious to me", grumbled Baltak, "and I don't have a gem."

"Look", you said, "I'm not feeling sick or poisoned, so let's get some of this stuff and get going."

Upon returning to Flanders, you realized that you were just in time, as the goblins were about to attack. You quickly moved down towards the town, and Perigar's theory proved correct. The goblins held up their assault, and began moving off. A few dwarven warriors took the extra-planar material and drove the goblins off.

With the threat gone, some villagers were sent to the army garrison six days south, and Perigar Adanac proceeded to study a piece of the material. You questioned him on his theories. You didn't know much about the planes, but you had always thought that they were layered, like an onion. At the center were the elements, and when the gods pulled the elements outward to make their homes, the outer planes, and the prime material planes were created by the 'wake' of elements being pulled. Perigar disagreed. He claimed that the multiverse was like a stew, and that travel through it was easier than one thinks. You just needed to use the "natural pathways" that already existed. He also believed that creatures were only what their planes dictated them to be. Planes were created by the interaction of the elemental planes: water, earth, fire and air, and the polar forces: positive and negative, and ethereal and astral. Something about that sounded odd.

"What about the gods?" you asked.

"Don't be offended", Perigar started, "but they only act by the dictates of their plane. The outer planes are planes that lack the influence of a polar power. The Abyss, for example, is a plane with absolute zero astral and positive powers. Theologians call those powers 'law' and 'good'. The Abyss has 'absolute planar potential' for chaos and evil, that is, ethereal and negative powers."

He explained more of his concepts, but you were troubled. Isn't what he was saying heresy? After some thought and soul searching, you meditated on your second vow. You realized that just because this teaching disturbed you, doesn't mean it shouldn't be studied to see if it is indeed true. You must study with this Adanac, and only hope he is wrong. He continued talking about how worried he is about various planar openings and, just as the druid had said, how potentially dangerous they are for this world. He is thinking of trying to close a gate in the Dark Forest of Ewing. Before you realized what was happening, you volunteered your services. Baltak the dwarf, who apparently had been sitting at the next table in the pub, also volunteered.

"It's going to be pretty boring around here without those goblins causing trouble", he grumbled.

You dispatched a quick letter of explanation to the diocese, and asked Affeypole the druid to check in on Flanders until a replacement priest could be sent.

According to Perigar's theories, a gate had opened in the Dark Forest of Ewing. This gate is a 'natural' one; it lies along one of his paths. The only way to close it is to block the path. According to his calculations, something of opposing 'planar value' must be used. Through his research and studies, he has located an item on this plane with just such a value. The thought that this particular item may exist on this plane solely because it may have aided this particular gate in opening intrigues Perigar, and he makes new notations. The item, however, is the sword Demonbane.

The three of you journeyed to the city of East Lansing to do some research on the whereabouts of the sword Demonbane. You heard that a Skald by the name of Rudolph Smoothtongue in the city of Bremen knew of the sword. Perigar thought it best to try and hire a reliable 'scout'. You agreed that those skills may come in handy and through a little persuasion, Baltak grumbled his consent. A halfling scout was hired by the name of Louie Bentfoot, and passage was booked to the city of Bremen.

You traveled to the Ice Axe Bar and found Rudolph Smoothtongue. He told you to go see his dear friend, Utrek Skinflint, a local furrier in the town of Novgorod. He knew of a troll that guarded the sword. You journeyed to Novgorod and visited Utrek, and asked about the troll.

"Ah, that piece of trash. I hope somebody gets him someday. He gave me this!" He opened up his shirt, and across his chest was this great scar. It looked like it was very painful at one time. "Sure, I can tell you where the troll's cave is, but you gotta be careful, that troll is crafty. All right, you go twelve miles south southeast to a tower with a big blue demon head on it. The troll cave is a mile due east of there."

Following Utrek's directions was easy enough and when the cave was in sight, Perigar suggested sending your scout up ahead to have a look around. After a while, Louie Bentfoot returned.

"There's nothing up in dat cave", he said. "Nothing but wrecked stuff."

The rest of you checked it out, and indeed your scout was correct. The place had been destroyed, and by Baltak's estimation, not too long ago. You and Perigar surmised that magic had been used in this battle. Perigar said he had a new device, which could track extra-planar energies such as Demonbane.

"I could just follow these tracks here", grumbled Baltak as he was searching the area just outside the cave.

According to Perigar's device, the 'residual planar energies' from Demonbane followed the same path as Baltak's tracks. The tracks led you to a large stone tower. Perigar thought it might be the infamous Citadel of Conjurers, but you remembered that descriptions of the Citadel made it much larger and placed it farther south. It was also said to be lying in ruins. Perigar decided that Louie should sneak you all in at nightfall. Perigar's demand to include a 'scout' in the party proved wise. Louie got you past all manners of foul traps and eventually brought you to a large iron door. Louie paused and studied what he called a 'Jupe-Nop' lock. Moments later the door yielded to Louie Bentfoot's skill.

What lay beyond the door was a small labyrinth protected by magical wards to confuse and misdirect interlopers. Perigar had a scroll with a 'true seeing' spell which allowed you to bypass the wards. However, it did not help against the foul beast that guarded the area.

The creature was large and had numerous arms ending in vicious claws, several tentacles and a head that housed a mouth full of serrated fangs. The battle with the beast was truly horrible. The creature leaped from the shadows and stomped on Perigar, then moved to scoop up poor Louie, and quickly ate him. Baltak, with an astounding leap of his own, swung his axe at the creature. Perigar cast a 'magic missile' spell, but his missiles fizzled harmlessly off the creature's hide.

"It's resistant to magic", screamed Perigar. "Cast your spells on Baltak!"

You understood immediately. You cast an 'aid' spell to improve Baltak's combat abilities, while Perigar caste a 'haste' spell to make him faster. Then you cast 'prayer' to further aid Baltak through Thoth's blessing, while Perigar cast 'enlarge' to make Baltak more powerful. It was soon after that Baltak finally slew the beast. The sword Demonbane was recovered from a rune-covered, lead crate. Louie was dead, and though you cast healing spells and Perigar was in no danger of dying, his legs were damaged beyond your capabilities to heal him fully.

The return journey to East Lansing was dangerous. There were pirates and bandits, but Baltak was able to fend them off with help from spells cast by you and Perigar.

In East Lansing, Perigar was given the best healings your group could afford, but a limp persisted. The wizard was adamant about completing the mission, however, and was equally adamant about finding another scout. Louie Bentfoot (may Thoth guide him in the realm beyond) was skilled, but not particularly tough. A heartier scout had to be found. Marcus Kramlick seemed to fit the bill. A dwarven locksmith, he had served in the Dwarven army of Gortan the Delver in the Deep Wars. Perigar also received a professorship in the Department of Extra-planar Studies for his work on extra-planar theories. Perigar seemed pleased that some of his ideas were starting to be recognized, and the use of the University's lab proved useful in some spell research he was doing to help in the closing of the gate in the Dark Forest of Ewing. Perigar also received a special dispensation so he could begin teaching in the next semester (he explained that he was currently doing some work concerning planar studies that could not be interrupted). Perigar finished up his research on some new spells and magic items and you journeyed to the forest.

You and Perigar had researched this gate quite thoroughly. The gate's other side was on one of the planes of Hades. It also seemed that a demon of some power had built a fortress around the opening. According to Perigar's theories, in order to close the gate, both sides of the gate had to have the same 'planar value'. Perigar quantified the levels of good and evil (or positive and negative as Perigar called them), as well as elemental value and ethereal and astral values. If the values on both sides of the gate were to become equal, then the gate would close. The sword Demonbane was integral in raising the planar values on the other side of the gate as would a 'bless' spell cast by you. Perigar was sure this would raise the planar values enough for the gate to close. In order to increase the planar values on the other side of the gate, all of this work would have to be done on the other side, so the group would have to travel through the gate into Hades, into the fortress of a demon. Although this trip would indeed be perilous, the thought of decreasing the planar values on this side of the gate frightened you even more. It certainly would be more dangerous to the surrounding countryside and possibly the world (powerful demonic energies would be needed). You and Perigar both realized that the immediate needs of safety usually outweighed any long-term theoretical goals. You would try to make sure that your 'experiment' only endangered yourselves.

The only problem left was that even though you could increase the planar values, you could find no way of keeping them increased. It would be like putting a drop of water in a full bucket; sure, the water would ripple for a moment, but then it would be as if nothing happened. A spell Perigar had researched would hopefully solve that problem. He had created a 'spell of binding' that would 'hide' the gate, even after the planar values returned to normal.

Perigar had invented a 'planar compass' that would lead you right to the gate. Once the compass was set to the desired planar values, it would lead to the closest source. So you, Perigar, Baltak and your new scout Marcus Kramlick, journeyed to the Dark Forest of Ewing. Along the way, while Marcus and Baltak were foraging for food, you and Perigar went over the plan.

"Once we get through the gate", you began, "we'll need Baltak and Marcus to check the area. We'll need some undisturbed time to cast our spells."

"That's correct", said Perigar. "Then, if it's clear, Baltak will hold Demonbane in the gate and you will 'bless' the area. That should cause the gate to slowly close."

"Marcus, Baltak and I will have to get out at that point", you added.

"Yes", said Perigar. "Then I'll bind the gate closed and return via my 'scroll of return' that one of the professors at the college let me have."

"It sounds simple."

"Yes, but if something goes wrong, make sure you get out. You'll need to finish the work if something happens to me", Perigar said somberly. "Also, if something should happen, try to get the other two out. Marcus is new, and I don't know how he'll react, but that damn Baltak can be so stubborn. He'll try to stay and help and it will only get him killed. His axe is non-magical, and it will have no hope of harming a demon in its own world. Even if he knew that, it wouldn't stop him from trying to save one of us, so you'll have to force him back through the gate if you can."

You knew Perigar was right. Once you traveled through the gate, if there was trouble, you could just return quickly, but once the gate started to close, anyone stuck on the other side would be doomed. Baltak's valor and loyalty to his friends would override any logical reason to leave. Once the gate started to close, Baltak would have to be the first one through.

The journey was uneventful and finally you arrived at the gate. Perigar cast a couple of protective spells on himself, 'protection from evil' and 'stoneskin', and you all ventured through the gate.

You were in some infernal dungeon complex. The air was thick and hot. Baltak and Marcus quickly searched the area and gave an 'all clear'. Marcus jammed a lock on a door to the room you were in to buy you some extra time. The events that followed now seem a blur. Baltak held Demonbane in the gate while you 'blessed' the area. The gate started to collapse. You told Baltak and Marcus to get in quickly. Baltak stepped in, but Marcus glanced back at the door he had jammed shut, and moved over to investigate. You jumped in behind Baltak. You heard a loud crash behind you, and a bestial roar. Baltak turned to go back, but you pushed him forward screaming "keep going, keep going!" The two of you fell out onto the forest floor of your own world. The screams of poor Marcus still rang in your ears. You looked back and nothing could be seen of the gate, the other realm, Perigar or Marcus.

Baltak leapt to his feet, yelling. "What have you done! Why didn't you let me go save Perigar or Marcus?"

"Calm down, Baltak", you said, picking yourself up. "Perigar told me that if anything were to happen, that I was to make sure that you didn't stay to die. He knew that you're too damn loyal. Besides, your axe could never have harmed that creature; it's not enchanted. We can only hope that Perigar's protection spells will last long enough for him to finish his spell, and then read the scroll." Baltak stared helplessly at his axe. You thought you saw a tear in his eye as his axe fell from his hands.

You knew that if Perigar didn't return in the next few minutes, he wouldn't be returning. The minutes you waited, however, felt to be an eternity. Finally, a shimmering light slowly appeared, and eventually, Perigar materialized. He immediately collapsed in a heap. You quickly cast all the healing magics at your disposal, but things looked dreadfully grim for Perigar.

It took two months of rest and healing magics before Perigar was up and about. Something else was wrong though. Perigar had lost his memory. You suggested taking him to East Lansing where there was much more capable help. Baltak agreed. You and Baltak brought Perigar to the most learned healers and clerics in the city. They discovered that your friend was suffering from a powerful demonic curse. It was known as the Curse of Yukkuda the Lost, and its effect is to wipe away all memory functions of a person's brain. Excelsior Magnusson, director of the Department of the Arcane at East Lansing University, Herminidon Fidestalia, the high priest of Thoth, and Ascentious the Greater, of the Druid's council, as well as their assistants, were barely able to affect the curse. Perigar regained his memory, but was unable to memorize spells.

Perigar would not be beaten. He believed that he could find a way to completely remove the curse. So he took a job as Professor of Planar Mechanics at East Lansing University, and the three of you decided to take some time off and return in a year to check on Perigar's condition, and decide on your future adventuring careers.

Baltak went back to his home in the Krinklecut Mountains, and you went to teach at the School of Thoth at Bloomfield, catching up on some of the latest theories and ideas. Your students were a fairly interesting sort and you quickly fell into the teaching routine. Soon, you found out that your old classmate Hans Evenruud had just become the High Priest at the temple of Thoth in East Lansing and you exchanged correspondence with him. Then, one night, you were awakened by one of your students.

"Excuse the intrusion, sir", said the student, "but the dean needs to see you in his office immediately."

You threw on your robe and hurried to the office. You had a strange feeling this was going to be terrible news. Along with the dean, there was a gnome standing in the office. From the looks of the gnome, he seemed to be a farmer.

"Please Secros, come in", the dean said. "Our visitor brings us dire news."

The dean and the gnome explained that a demon was plaguing a gnomish settlement. The gnomes thought that one of your clerics could help. The dean sent for you because you were the only one with experience dealing with threats of this type.

You quickly gathered some things you thought you might need and traveled with the gnomish farmer to help rid their community of the demonic threat. When you arrived, you saw a bedraggled group of humans and gnomes. The leader of the group was a gnomish cleric of Geb named Plemmy Flrpn.

You tried to explain Adanac's theories and how they related to the many extra-planar incursions on the area. Plemmy seemed more concerned with the problem at hand (you could hardly blame him) than hearing your concise arguments for an end to the Vault; you would gain no 'converts' on that day.

You helped heal Plemmy and his group and you all formulated a plan to deal with the horned monster. You would track down the beast and jointly cast a spell that would force it back to its home plane. The spell did have a certain chance of failure, and you were concerned about the demon escaping to cause mayhem in perhaps more densely populated areas. It was, however, a chance that had to be taken.

Tracking the beast turned out to be fairly easy. You cast Barrier of Retention from a scroll, to hold the beast. Plemmy's spell would need some time to cast. Plemmy prepared the Boglebell's Banishment spell. The demon snarled and growled upon hearing the incantations, actually writhing in pain. Just as the spell seemed to start working, the monster seemed to break free from the barrier and swooped, fangs and claws gleaming menacingly. The creature suddenly began to fade; Plemmy had finished the spell. With a final gasp, the beast faded further, then disappeared entirely. You fell to your knees and thanked Thoth. Plemmy and his group thanked you for your help. They invited you for a dinner celebration and you left for Bloomfield in the morning. The gnomes had seemed fairly friendly.

When you got back to teaching the routine came easily, but that's all it was: routine. The adventuring bug had bitten you and the rest of your year couldn't go fast enough. You went back to East Lansing to reunite with your friends. The reunion's joy was stifled only by the news that there was no change in Perigar's condition.

"There is still a lot of important work to be done", said Perigar over dinner one night. "You two can still try to carry out our work. In fact, my continued research shows that it is only a matter of time before extra-planar dangers destroy the world. My assistant, Tyric Saxondell, is an accomplished mage. I'm sure you two will find him an adequate replacement for me. We need only find a scout to round out the troop."

It was decided that Perigar was correct. For even though Perigar was highly intelligent, his theories were viewed as just that, theories. Many religious leaders rebelled against his ideas, calling them heresy. You too had wrestled with that. His ideas did seem heretical. You eventually came to a conclusion. It didn't matter if Perigar's theories were correct or not. Thoth was still Thoth, knowledge was still knowledge, and Thoth still had the power to grant you new spells. Perigar's theories did nothing to disprove the gods. Most religious leaders didn't see it that way, however, and Perigar was still just a small time professor with some controversial ideas. He did start a small student group that believed in his ideas.

"After all", Perigar said, "they will be the leaders of tomorrow. If I can change their minds, I can change the future."

Tyric Saxondell was a youthful, confident mage, and once Tommy Bigbags was brought on as a scout, you were ready to go.

Perigar would find threats to this world and you would go eliminate those threats. You went on many adventures. Tommy, however, fell to his death while harpies on the Cliffs of Insanity were attacking the group. Another scout, Carlton Kesselwump, was turned to stone and then disintegrated by Xealachtl the Mad, a powerful beholder in the lands of the north. Still another scout, Elias Brokentoes, was consumed by a pit of green slime in the tomb of the ancient mummy king, Lord Abraxus of the Darkness.

Through it all, you were quite successful, in spite of losing scout after scout. Items, gates and creatures that posed a plane-wide threat were found and dealt with. The Rod of Inversion was destroyed. The Temple of Silvanus, the old god of decay, was found; the minions of Silvanus were banished from this realm, and their gate to the Para-elemental plane of Ash was destroyed. Even the Foul Gem of Hrolmadar the Busy, ancient king of the mountains, was crushed.

Perigar sent you on all of these adventures, each time with a new theory to prove or a new device that his team of undergraduate students would help invent. Each time his theories proved correct, and the items seemed to locate and analyze 'planar residues' correctly. His student group seemed to grow over time. In fact, you caught one of their rallies and saw some white-haired student giving an impassioned speech about the dangers associated with the Vault. The Vault is where the government keeps all of the Hunted items recovered during all the previous Great Hunts. Evidently, the vast collection of diverse magical energies housed in the Vault was a serious threat to the future. You recognized one of the figures up on the podium. It was none other than Jaz Mirastar, and she looked exactly how you remembered her. You found out that she was a brilliant student, but that she kept changing majors every semester. Same old Jaz, you thought. You thought about saying 'hello', but then reconsidered. She seemed to be doing well, why possibly mess that up. You knew that she was doing well and seemed happy, and that was good enough for you. You decided to keep knowing her to yourself. Why cause trouble and possibly start rumors?

Soon after that, Perigar asked you, Tyric and Baltak a special favor. It seems that Perigar wants to become Pooh-bah. He seems to think that it is the only way that he can dismantle the Vault, which he perceives as "the biggest threat to this entire world since the days of the Darklord" based upon his theories about planar energies. The three of you knew that the Great Hunt, which you would have to win in order for Perigar to become Pooh-bah, could be quite dangerous, but you also knew that Perigar had never been wrong before, and so you each decided to do it.

He told you that he has three others already lined-up for the Hunt team. They are college students, and two of them play on the school Blood Bowl team (Blood Bowl is a vicious, full-contact sport that demands quick thinking, good reflexes, strength, agility and determination). Perigar has a keen eye for adventuring talent, so these three don't worry you. Perigar did say that he was trying to line up a 'special scout'. You only hope that this poor soul doesn't end up dead, like all the rest.