Planewalker
Copyright 1997-99
by Mark Roberts



Chapter 15

Akon was dead. The sea queen finally got what she desired, his death. She also escaped. Only the Priest of Iyacthu Xvim and the large Tiefling warrior escaped. Lady Christine and I returned Akon's body to Sigil. Christine was saddened by the loss, but even more saddened at losing Bane. He does seem to be a magnet for trouble, maybe he has nine lives. I would search for him, but I wouldn't know where to start. Fortunately, Lady Christine didn't have my attitude. "Xrist is a priest of the basher Iyatcu Xvim, right? If he cast some sort of Word of Recall spell, they went to Gehhenna." Gehhenna? Oh by the Powers, it's going to be a long day! "My lady, you don't think that just the two of us can go into Gehhenna and find Bane do you?" She replied "Why not? I happen to love him." Love? "Are you certain, my lady?" Her mouth smiled "Absolutely! I have never met a man like him." Hmm my Power may be able to aid us. "My lady, let me commune with my goddess. She is the goddess of Love, and may be able to help us in your quest." Her eyes pleaded to me "Please be quick, I don't know what I would do without him."


I left her and took the gate to Elysium, to go to the city, City of the Star, and hopefully commune with Ishtar. I had forgotten how beautiful the city is. All the lovely gold colored walls and streets. It is still the same. Things rarely change here, because we are happy and want to keep the status quo. The trees are let grow where they may, occasionally trimmed to prevent overgrowth into the buildings and streets. The temple is where it always has been since I was born, in the center of town. I would try to visit my parents, but my father is probably busy, as an Avoral Lord; my mother has the time for a visit, but unfortunately, I don't. Lady Christine would probably leave without me, as headstrong as she is. So my first move was to the temple.

The Temple to Ishtar in City of the Star was the largest one in the planes dedicated to her. Huge statues of perfect male and female specimens stood on each side of the entrance. Each holding a weapon, a long sword for the woman and a battle axe for the man. These depict two lovers who died in battle fighting side by side. The workmanship on these statues are incredible.

The interior of the temple glitters of gold. Craftsmen, some dwarven of nature spent many years building this temple. It was perfect. Several members of the order recognized me and acknowledged me. Adventurers are fairly accepted here, as true warriors can't stay cloistered in a temple. Most other orders detest adventurers, when they should be spending their time worshipping their Power. I walked over to my favorite shrine, to allow me to commune with my goddess.

"Ishtar, hear my call. I beg you to assist me in this matter of Love."

Most of the time you need to repeat your request over and over, but Ishtar responded immediately.

Chandeen! My devoted servant. I am aware of what you ask. The issue of Bane has been a topic of discussion among some of the Gods. A young upstart named Xvim is obsessed with him, and may be a weak link for Xvim to keep him from gaining more power. We must aid him, the longer he is obsessed with this young Prime, the better.

"Yes, my goddess, but where is Bane?"

I don't know. When he entered Gehenna, he was shielded from Xvim, so his avatar would be unable to snatch him up. He is now, however hidden from even our eyes. All I can tell you is he is safe from Xvim. From what I have heard, he was in Sigil recently, and was locked up by the Mercykillers. He is no longer there. He `escaped' into Carceri. There is where you may find him.

"Carceri? The prison? It is easy to get in there, but impossible to escape."

You must find some chant on a gate in and out of Carceri. There you will find him. That is all I can give you.

"Thank you my goddess. I will find out how to reach him."

Beware the priest of Xvim, he has grown most powerful now.

Her voice faded away. This was the longest communion I've ever had with my goddess. This subject must have been very important to her. Carceri? How am I going to get out of Carceri? Getting in is easy enough, but getting out will be impossible.


I returned to Sigil, and started to probe as much dark about Gates and keys to getting out. Lysandra the Gatekeeper. Lysandra held much dark about getting in from Sigil, but there was only one known way out, to go through the Gate into Curst. The key is "a ounce of hope", which is hard to quantify. The location was at the top layer, just touching Curst. The gate to Carceri is easy enough. The key is a bloody dagger, which should be easy enough as well, or will it?

I return to the Festhall, and Lady Christine was there. She was equipped in grey chain mail and a regular round shield. Her backpack was also full. She looked prepared, dark colors and ordinary looking weapons, not elaborate type weapons. Her mace may be a powerful weapon, but it looked ordinary. She didn't looked dressed for Gehenna, she looked dressed for Carceri. I was also dressed for Carceri, I wore grey plate mail with a full helm. In Gehenna, light armor would be best, but I would still need something to cover the obviousness of my parentage in the Lower Planes. We both said at the same time "You know we are going to Carceri?" We both nod at the same time. I explain how my goddess told me how to reach him and how he is protected from the Powers prying eyes.

"Thank the Source. Still, he is trapped in Carceri. Six of trapped berks, and the cagiest coney catchers. I heard nearly everyone is a prisoner there, and they can't get out. They envy and hate anyone who can possibly get out. So they may try to kill him." I smiled "Of course they will, but Bane can handle himself well." Christine's face softened "True, but I've waited so long for someone like him to come along. I don't want to lose him."

I didn't answer. We just immediately moved to the gate. I knew she was eager to find him. Of course there are six layers in the ugly orbs of Carceri. This gate will take us to the first layer, my contact with my goddess will be next to none. Her power can't reach that far to me, however the Great Unknown Power that Christine Worships may allow her Powers to survive in Carceri. We reach the gate and go through. This gate didn't take much. I pricked my hand with a dagger and opened the gate.

We entered the ugly grey orb called Carceri, on the first layer Osythys. The misfortune was with us, as there were a small group of Gethrilith wandering our way. These creatures don't parlay, and they attack and try to kill us. We drew our weapons. Lady Christine's mace glowed with power, my sword glowed as well, but not nearly as brightly as that mace. Its probably a Mace of Disruption, it blasts evil enemies. I hope it doesn't attract more enemies. I charged the first fiend and slashed with my sword. The Lady smashed another fiend. The fiends attacked us, but our armour protected us. We fought more, and the Lady's fiend drops. We did get slashed a couple times. Their powerful claws bashing our armour. My first fiend fell, leaving a one on one fight against us and one Gethrilith each. We managed to dispatch the fiends, being a little worse for the wear. I could feel a little bruised but was fine. The lady was scratched a little, as her armour didn't afford enough protection as my magical plate.

In the distance is the city Last Bastion of Hope, while with the hopeful name, you will never find a berg of more scum and villainy. Berks would sell their own mothers out in this town, and it's our only way out. It is also perhaps Bane's only way out. "Lady Christine, perhaps we should stay in the town and wait for Bane there, because he would have to go there to get out of the Prison." Christine shook her head. "No, we should go there first, to gather some dark on where we may find Bane. We will find him." I answer "My lady, those fiends are just a greeting party of the number of evil creatures, petitioners, and fiends that lurk these six orbs. Not to mention the Powers domains down here." The lady and I started walking towards the town. "It doesn't matter, that is more the reason for us to find and help him." Sigh! There was no reasoning with her. I suppose I would just have to fight and use some of the innate powers that my celestial parentage has granted me. I rarely use them, because Ishtar aids me. We started walking towards the city in the darkness. I could feel peering eyes on us. I am not sure who might be stalking us, but something was. Could it be a follower of Malar, a Power that is very prevalent in this realm. I doubt any of the captured Titans would care about us. Did I catch a glimpse of something? Something small with yellow eyes? I hastened my pace. Lady Christine noticed my pace, and she asked. "What's wrong?" I shook my head, I didn't want to give away that we were being followed. Then she definitely saw something. "Ice blue". Ice Blue? What was ice blue? Not his eyes, his skin maybe. Then he appeared. I don't know what it is. It looks about the size of a dwarf, but not the build of a dwarf. He looked like a human looking, except for the yellow eyes and the ice blue skin. His hair looked straw-like, and had a hand crossbow pointed at us. He spoke "Uhggra mas Ing Dul!" he repeated the phrase several times. The lady and I didn't understand. He tried a different language "Talok duss marrrr cal ned!" Still we didn't understand. The little creature stayed patient "Harrum do eye jat ute o hir?" That sounded familiar "How do you get out of here?" The little man nodded with great vigor. The creature wasn't that threatening, although he had a hand crossbow. The creature had a battle-axe, and scaly looking armour. It looked metallic, but the creature was able to hide and move silently with it, perhaps it's like elven chain for his people.

I gesture to the little man to come with us. He put down his hand crossbow and walked with us. He continued to talk, but we couldn't understand what he was saying. What was strange is that it didn't look like he was talking to us. He seemed to be talking to himself. The only other explanation was that he had some sort of invisible companion, but if it talked, we didn't hear it. Strange little fellow. The Last Bastion of Hope didn't seem very hopeful. Groups of petitioners look at us with hateful eyes. A cutpurse tried to pick my pocket, but was hit with a crossbow bolt. The little dwarf proved quite useful in this respect. The bolt seemed to have paralyzed the berk. He was frozen in the position he was trying to steal my gold. I think the little creature wanted to kill him but he knew better. He kept his crossbow out though, and I didn't mind. Down the rickety streets there looked to be a pub. We decided to go in and see what we can find.


Authored by: Ken Lipka
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