18 June 11374

While the rest of the RK fellowship gathered & conversed inside the Zeitgeist Temple grotto, By-Tor stuck his head out past the waterfall and took a look around just to check things out.  He was surprised to see Hysterica running off into the jungle along the path to the Didact village.  Upon seeing this, it occurred to By-Tor that somehow the RKs had emerged from the Time Gate at the same moment they had stepped into it.

When By-Tor told the others what he had seen, Dr. Hu agreed with his conclusion, adding, "I don't think it necessary to bother the Didacts any further at this time - unless, of course, any of you have some urgent business with them."  [ If any RK does have business with the Didacts and wishes to role-play some bit of interaction, now's the time to tell me, and I'll add that encounter here. ]  The Doctor also said that he would be back soon anyway to enter into negotiations with the Didacts regarding a location for his college of Time Magics.

Feeling renewed, the RoachKings all exited the grotto of the Zeitgeist Temple and made final preparations for traveling back across the jungle.  Dr. Hu invited everyone to return with him to his SEDAN 40 miles to the northeast.  Shadow Wings potions once again flowed as Shady took on silver form with black wings and Salád polymorphed into his usual avian form.  Once airborne, it only took an hour or so for the RKs to fly back through all the various zones of the Lost Valley - the air getting a little easier to breathe with each successive change in the flora & fauna.  When the RKs reached the Doctor's SEDAN, it was still precisely where he'd left it and quite unharmed.

[ It should be noted here that Raal's hometown of Benfang is in the northwest region of the MorKann Rainforest (see map, below,) so he may want to visit there during this period, rather than teleporting to Pasadena Island with the others.  If so, Jeff can role-play that out and I'll add the encounter in here. ]

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As the RoachKings & their associates followed Dr. Hu single-file into his SEDAN, the good Doctor told By-Tor & Nucleon that he would be performing some serious upgrades to the SEDAN very soon (adding a new power source and time circuits, to be precise.)  He also mentioned that craftsmen of their talents would be very helpful in such a project.

Getting right to work, the Doctor started flipping switches, moving levers, pushing buttons & turning dials.  The SEDAN's control console came to life as readouts lit up and odd whirring & chirping sounds emanated from it.  As before, By-Tor & Nuke observed Dr. Hu's routine with interest, noting the sequence of switches, levers, buttons & dials he operated and making educated guesses about the functions of some of the more unusual gizmos.  Once again, that same annoying grinding sound accompanied the display of flashing lights and fluctuating gauges as the SEDAN teleported.  This time, however, everything seemed to work successfully.  A few seconds later, when all the noise & lights had stopped, the RoachKings saw something on the Doctor's exterior-view screen that warmed their hearts - the grassy plaza of the main castle on Pasadena Island.  The RKs opened the door and stepped out onto "the green," their lungs filling with fresh, clean air that immediately drove from their memories the thick, sulfur-smelling atmosphere of the Lost Valley.  Most of the RKs closed their eyes, smiled and filled their lungs several more times with the clear, thin air of

Home.   At last.

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In what seemed like mere seconds, Chiles was there to greet the RoachKings with a variety of refreshments.  With a smile on his face, he bowed slightly and said, "Welcome home, my lords."  After taking a closer look at the RKs (and at By-Tor, Raal & Salád in particular,) he seemed momentarily taken aback.  Quickly shaking that off, he noted, "If you don't mind my saying so, lords, the 5 years & more that you've been away seem to have been good to you.  You appear quite rejuvenated.  Nevertheless, you should have some time to refresh yourselves in your own castles.  And of course, your honored guests shall have fine accommodations as well." 

After the necessary introductions and a short exchange of greetings, Chiles promptly offered some up-to-date information regarding the whereabouts of other RoachKings.  First, he said that Dero Zane had made contact about a year ago, but that there had been no further word from him since then.  "At the time, he was down south at the pagoda of Master Ng in the Forest of Ween, but it seems unlikely that he's still there since it is his nature to wander."  The RKs acknowledged that DZ was an elusive fellow, to be sure. 

Moving on to more recent news, Chiles told the RoachKings that Ozone had been at Pasadena Island about a month ago, apparently just passing through on his airship.  "He stayed for about a week, making sure the storehouses were well stocked with his wondrous healing potions.  Before departing, he left 2 of his teleport Runesticks for you and said that he could be reached in Kartola should anyone require any extraordinary healing.  He then simply sailed north over the clouds."  The look on Chiles' face & the tone of his voice revealed a respect for Ozone that approached adoration.

At that point, Chiles reached into a pocket (one that Kendril recognized as a miniature Bag of Holding) and produced an oversized, sealed parchment.   As he did so, he said, "And this message arrived just this morning from Myrddin,"  He handed the extra-large scroll to By-Tor, who opened it right away.  In the letter, Myrddin indicated that he had forged a good "civilian" life for himself back in his homeland up north.  He wrote that he had earned a position of leadership in his community, which didn't surprise the RoachKings at all.  In fact, all the RKs agreed that his hospitality probably was as well-known among his cloud giant kin as it was to them.  Nevertheless, Myrddin disclosed that he hoped to return to Pasadena Island soon and to join the RKs once again in their intrepid exploits.  Apparently, his current life did not sufficiently satisfy his zest for adventure; he said he wanted to "get back into the swing of things - things like my double-sided giant axe."  He even quipped about "questioning" any fair damsels they might rescue.  In conclusion, he advised the RKs that he would bring a few kegs of "real ale" to share with them at his homecoming celebration.  The RoachKings were all quite pleased to hear that their 20'-tall brother would be back on the team soon.

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Turning his attention to business, Chiles said, "There is much to discuss, my lords, once you've had time to get settled.  I shall alert the necessary staff and arrange for a briefing first thing in the morning."  Several other attendants had arrived by then and Chiles ordered most of them to see to the needs of all the RKs and to escort Salád to his own castle (where his RoachKing colors awaited him.)  Other attendants were ordered to take Standing Bear, Nucleon & Dr. Hu to guest quarters befitting their status.

[ All characters have ample opportunity to rest, heal, check emails ; ) etc. ]

Later that evening, Kendril examined the 2 Runesticks left behind by Ozone.  He found that one of them was linked to the Runestick in the cave of Singing Wolf, the Helfindian Medicine Woman.  Kendril concluded that the other was linked to a Runestick held by Ozone himself, so that it could be used to teleport directly to the hawkman healer in case of an emergency in which a resurrection or some other miraculous feat of healing was needed.

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Chiles' Briefing

19 June - Early the next day, the call went out for the RoachKings to gather in the Conference Room.  There were many important matters for the RKs to attend to and Chiles presented an extensive briefing for them.  He started out "at the beginning," informing the RKs of a strange encounter that had occurred just a week after their departure for the Point of Know Return (some 5+ years ago.)  Two "very serious-looking" men wearing black suits & dark glasses had arrived at Pasadena Island, asking to see the RoachKings.  "When I informed them that you were not here, they insisted that their business was urgent and they asked quite forcefully where you could be found.  I insisted with equal forcefulness that the you simply could not be reached at that time, which was true.  Although I'm sure they were dissatisfied with my answer, the men left without any further inquiry, and without showing any emotion, I might add.  I must admit, my lords, that I got a very uneasy feeling about them.  However, the men never returned to Pasadena Island and I've nearly forgotten about them in the years since."  After listening to Chiles' story, some of the RKs had their doubts that this was the last they would hear of these men in black suits.

This was followed by a few other bits of news from the past 5 years.  As instructed, Chiles had moved Pasadena Island to a location out over the Bromar Sea just a month after the RKs had departed for the Point of Know Return.  Of course, even with the RKs gone, hundreds of people had continued to visit the island each month (arriving by avian mount, magic carpet, magic & telekinetic flight and any other means available to them.)  Many were there for business, but most were just looking for a good time.  Chiles had graciously accommodated these visitors, hosting at least one sizeable party each week - "I couldn't allow the RoachKings' reputation for throwing great parties to be discredited, now could I?" he said with a grin.  Other than one problematic group of revelers, Chiles reported that the regular schedule of festivities had gone smoothly for years now.  Then there was the strange "aeroship" that had docked with the island about 2 years ago.  It had been created by a man named Fogg from northern Llofall, who had spotted Pasadena Island while on his maiden voyage in the bizarre vessel.  Since then, he had returned several times, bringing groups of passengers to Pasadena Island to enjoy the recurring festivities.

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Next, Chiles told the RoachKings about an arrangement he had established with some operatives in By-Tor's hometown of Palatin, Bankör.  He explained that thousands of oppressed people were now seeking to escape the Führen's fascist regime and that By-Tor's mother had made a personal plea for help from the RoachKings.  She had stated her desire to establish a secret route for refugees and she had sought the aid of her son & his fellowship in setting it up.  In their absence, Chiles had agreed to provide a safe haven for escapees, as well as RK black gryphons to aid in the effort.  Pasadena Island was now a major stop on the refugee route.  Chiles apologized for possibly acting"beyond my pay grade," but said that he had felt an obligation to respond to the impassioned request of By-Tor's mother and to help her cause.  [ See the more detailed list for players below.  I will add the RKs' responses here. ]

Chiles then went into several other areas of activity that required the RoachKings' attention, bringing in the relevant management personnel when appropriate.  Of course, their accountants needed to speak with the RKs right away to catch them up on annual reports, go over their balance sheets & discuss new investment strategies.  In addition, the business managers of all the various industries on Pasadena Island were anxious to get approval for some new contract negotiations & to discuss other important business matters.  The "bottom line" seemed to be that business was slow and that the RKs needed to diversify their commercial interests.  Then, the commanders of all the guard regiments wished to update their operational orders & defense plans.  There was even a report from the gryphon wranglers, who had been doing some selective breeding and were eager to share their results with the RKs.   Each of these matters took considerable time to fully consider and many of them would require some of the RKs to follow up with detailed plans, official authorizations & written orders later.  [ See the more detailed list for players below.  I will add the RKs' responses here. ]

Near the end of the briefing, another giant parchment arrived for the RoachKings.  This one was marked "Urgent" and appeared to be from Myrddin's sister in Maloria.  The RKs opened the message immediately and discovered that it bore solemn news.  Myrddin had passed away unexpectedly just a day after writing his recent letter.  Deeply saddened by the news and frustrated at the timing, the RKs wrapped up their other business quickly and declared a day of mourning, to be followed by a week of celebrating the life of the cloud giant Myrddin Quindoklyn, RoachKing. 

[ My sincere intentions in writing these passages about Myrddin are to honor Adam & to commemorate his contributions to the early RoachKings campaign.  I hope I have done so in a way that doesn't offend anyone or cause any further grief. ]

 

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[ Players' Briefing . . .

Here, the narrative switches from past tense to present tense.  The following is a PLAYERS' version of the matters covered in Chiles' briefing.  Of course, sprinkled into the briefing are a few plot seeds and a springboard or two for future adventures.  The list is not exhaustive and other items may be added later, but this gives you a good sampling to start with:

1) Although Chiles brushes it off as something he has nearly forgotten about, the black-suited men clearly disturbed him even more than he's admitting to.  Any RK who can read auras knows that there is more to this story than he 's telling, although Chiles himself doesn't seem to know it.  Even reading his mind reveals no further information, as he has no additional memories of the incident.

2) Of course, it is common for a few individuals to be ejected from Pasadena Island for violence &/or destruction of property during one of the large parties.  However, on one occasion a few years ago, there was an extremely disruptive group who shattered several statues and caused quite a riot that left many people injured.  When escorted from the island by an entire platoon of the City Guard, they threatened "You haven't heard the last of us!"  There have been a few times in the years since when members of this group have attempted to return to Pasadena Island but each time, they've been stopped and sent packing by the skillful intervention of the Gryphon Flight Squadron.  As for Mr. Fogg & his aeroship, he was here a few months ago & Chiles expects him again any time.

3) In your absence, Chiles has established an arrangement with a network of underground operatives in Palatin (By-Tor's hometown.)  Acting at the request of By-Tor's mother to aid in the cause of refugees from the southern areas of Bankör, Chiles agreed to provide RK black gryphons to smuggle people out of Palatin and bring them to Pasadena Island, where they then can find further means to get to places like Bromalas or Kel Ket.  The network has helped about a hundred people escape the Nazi Christian regime of Der Führen over the past 3 months.  Only 3 gryphons have been assigned to the operation and only one Pasadena Guard is involved (one of the most trusted of By-Tor's Castle Guard.)   He flies 3 missions each week, bringing back 2 to 5 refugees each time.

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4) Your accountants have at least 5 annual reports for you to sign & a host of other financial issues for you to attend to.  For instance, revenues from the various RK factories & fabrication shops have shown a sharp decline over the past year or so, and the potion labs have slowed down as well in recent months.  Another interesting point: How do you invest? You have far too much wealth to remain completely liquid (gems, truesilver& gold take up so much space!)  Perhaps you own shares in some other large business ventures.  You are aware of several such companies, like "Goldman Sacks" (purveyors of fine leather bags for your gold,) "Interkingdom Basic Machines" ("IBM," makers of advanced calculating devices for merchants,) "Magic Apple," "Manasoft" & "Hewlett Potter (HP)" (all major forces in the booming mana-tech industry,) "Braish Mechanical Works" ("BMW," makers of fine chariots,) etc.

5) Managers from all the factories, laboratories and workshops look to you for the OK to implement new business plans.  Many of the factories & some of By-Tor's fabrication shops are requesting permission to retool, buy new materials, etc., in order to diversify their production.  They also want authorization to initiate contract negotiations with new suppliers as well as new customers.  Many of the labs & shops also wish to purchase new, different supplies & materials so they can branch out into different products.  Business has been slow for most of them for over a year now and they are looking to expand into more markets.

6) The commanders of the Castle Guard, City Patrol, Gryphon Flight Squadron, Hang-Glider Force, and Pasadena Island Rangers request that the RoachKings update all defense plans for Pasadena Island in general and for the main city & castles specifically.  The existing defense plans are over 5 years old and they require a significant overhaul.  The commanders assure the RKs that all regiments of the Guard stand ready to defend the island at all costs, they simply need an effective set of Standard Orders.

7) The gryphon wranglers report that they have bred a tougher & smarter variety of black gryphon.  The new species has sharper claws & beak, a broader wingspan (for greater carrying capacity,) a higher agility and a greater capacity to be trained with their natural weapons (they can be ranked higher.)   These gryphons are housed in special aeries and are not yet in general use on Pasadena Island because they've only bred 20 of them so far.  However, 13 of them are in use by an elite platoon of the Gryphon Flight Squadron. ]

 

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Back to the Grind . . .

21 June - After just a few days, Dr. Hu thanks the RoachKings for their hospitality & tells them that he is going back to the Lost Valley to begin negotiations with the Didacts.  He says that he hopes to reach an agreement with them that will allow him to build his school of time magicks somewhere near the Zeitgeist Temple.  He expects to be gone for about 2 weeks, but says that he will be back immediately afterward.  He asks By-Tor & Nucleon if they're still willing to help him install the new time circuits & power source.  They both tell the Doctor that they look forward to working on the SEDAN once again.  By-Tor adds that he will make a few appropriate upgrades to his workshop so they can do the work there when the good Doctor returns.  Pleased with this development, Dr. Hu enters his SEDAN, which then teleports away with its annoying grinding sound.

For the next week or so, the RoachKings spend much of their time catching up on the daily operations of Pasadena Island and resuming operational control over their own individual enterprises.  They also begin to adjust to their newfound youth & vigor.  Of course, the effects of the Fountain of Lamneth are not as prominent for the elven RoachKings, since elves always seem young & vigorous, no matter what their age.  Meanwhile, Standing Bear and the other new guests make themselves at home on the RKs' island in the sky. 

By-Tor checks in on his commercial fabrication shops, metallurgical foundries, cartography studios, etc., and then immediately gets busy upgrading his own personal workshop in anticipation of working on Dr. Hu's SEDAN.  His shop soon becomes a flurry of activity and he works well into the night on several days.  He's amazed at how much more energy he has now that his body has been rejuvenated. 

Raal wasn't with the other RoachKings on their journey to the "Point of Know Return," but he still has been away from Pasadena Island for several years.  He eagerly returns to using the Danger Room for his daily physical regimen and, like By-Tor, he notices a big difference in his energy level now that he's training with a much younger body.  When he isn't training, he upgrades his weapons workshop & poison lab, and makes note of some ideas for upgrades to the Danger Room as well.  He also spends time renewing contacts with his network of operatives.

Draken, probably more than any other RoachKing, is just happy to be home.  For several years prior to the RKs' departure for the "Point of Know Return," the Golden Dragon Rider explored the cosmos, seeking planets for Galactus to consume.  Being a Herald is a lonely life and he could be called back into service at any time but for now, he thoroughly enjoys all the amenities of his own personal tower on Pasadena Island.  Of course, he also checks up on his business interests while he's here, issuing new operating orders & going over the books.

Kendril adds a large batch of Tryddis root to the stores of his personal potion lab and unloads a Bag of Holding full of books, scrolls & tomes into his personal library, but that's just the beginning for the elven Namer.  He spends several days just getting up to date with his magic item factories, scroll studios, potion breweries, etc., and he also gets back in touch with his network of rangers.  Needless to say, he's a busy elf and is seldom seen by visitors or guests.

Salád settles in to his new Pasadena Island digs and takes some time to acclimate to the thinner atmosphere before he really begins to test his new, younger body.  Under the supervision of Raal & Shady, he begins a training regimen in the Danger Room to fine-tune his physical conditioning & improve his melee skills - a basic requirement for all RoachKings.  After setting up his new magic studio, he also spends as much time as possible re-investing & upgrading magic items, although he feels frustrated that the process takes so long. 

During this homecoming period, Shady is the most visible to staff, guests & visitors.  In addition to resuming hands-on control of his many commercial ventures here on the island, he oversees a major redecorating effort in the main castle.  He can be seen everywhere, directing workmen who are busy moving pictures & hauling statues, removing works that have been on display for years, to make room for new artwork.  And of course, Shady always gets involved in the weekly party on the green, where Raal's alter ego of Bartholemew Trillium is occasionally on the guest list. 

 

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[ August 10, 2010 ] Familiar Visitors . . .

June 5 - After a couple weeks, things are getting back to routine for the RoachKings.  As usual, Shady is mingling with the crowd at the weekly party on Friday night when he catches a glimpse of a young man the RKs have dealt with before.  When they first met him, he called himself "Onslaught" and he was at Pasadena Island for the "RK30" celebration just before the RKs left for the "Point of Know Return."  Shady remembers that Onslaught's organization - the "Omega Shadow Force" - was the money & muscle behind the Shadowgate Thieves' Guild in Terapin, Gusseaux, in the kingdom of Llofall and that they had contracted with By-Tor for the manufacture of some mechanically-articulated knives.  Onslaught seems quite a bit different this time and Shady notices one thing in particular: his psionic power is stronger.  Shady sees this as an increase in the intensity of the yellow glow to his aura - the common manifestation of Shady's power to detect psionic activity.  He mentions it in passing to a few of the other RKs that night in the private RK lounge.  Later, he also asks his spies about Onslaught, and learns that the young adventurer left Terapin & the OSF about 3 years ago and no one there has heard from him since. 

Later that evening, Doctor Hu returns to Pasadena Island in his SEDAN.  He reports that he has negotiated a successful agreement with the Didacts to establish "Dr. Hu's Academy of Temporal Incantations" in the Lost Valley, near the Temple of the Zeitgeist.  As planned & aforementioned, he then joins By-Tor & Nucleon in By-Tor's personal workshop, where they begin the installation of what the Doctor calls a "Zeitgefilter" in the SEDAN's control console and a new power source called an "Eye of Harmony" in one of the SEDAN's lower-level chambers.  By-Tor & Nuke both find this a great learning experience. 

At some point during the night, in an unoccupied hallway in one of the unused guest castles, Doctor Hu's fully-time-travel-capable SEDAN appears with its signature loud grinding sound.  The Doctor delivers Shady, By-Tor, Draken, Nuke & Salád, all of whom have been on journeys into the past &/or future, perhaps even to a parallel universe or two.  It's been a revealing shakedown cruise through time/space for the SEDAN and a "Time Machine Tour" of epic proportions for Draken, By-Tor & the Doctor.   They are all exhausted and (not wanting to cause any paradoxical encounters with themselves) they quietly choose bedrooms & retire early for a long night's rest &/or meditation.  Meanwhile, over in By-Tor's private workshop, slightly younger versions of the Doctor, By-Tor & Nucleon toil on into the night . . .

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June 6 - Ten hours or so later, as dawn arises through the clouds, Dr. Hu, By-Tor & Nucleon have completed their work.  The Doctor is ready to test the new power source & time circuits and he begins to contemplate a plan that will do exactly that.  Just about then, with impeccable timing, Salád shows up; he's been watching all the weird lights coming from BT's shop all night and he's curious about what the good Doctor, the RK engineer & the halfling gadgeteer have cooked up.  Salád listens intently as Doctor Hu gives him an overview of all the newly-completed upgrades to his SEDAN.  Once Salád understands the implications of all this, an idea strikes him.  He asks the Doctor if he's decided on any destinations for his new time machine's shakedown cruise.  Before Doctor Hu can answer, Draken drops by to see what all the early-morning fuss is about. 

At that point, the Doctor invites them all to join him for a "Time Machine Tour" of Surj's all-time best performances at the Shoreline Shell.  "It's only a few decades," he says, "and the band members themselves will anchor us in the time stream and serve as a sort of organic compass for temporal navigation."  He's obviously anxious and speaks with an excitement the RKs have never seen in him.  Nevertheless, Salád declines, asking instead if the Doctor will drop him off somewhere in the past so that he might chalk up a few extra weeks of ritual investment time.  He explains to the Doctor that his entire magic item inventory is long overdue for upgrading and renewing, but he doesn't want to miss out on anything going on here in the "present."  Likewise, Nuke is more interested in finishing up his technical journal entries on the work they've done, so he opts just to hang out in the SEDAN and draw schematics, etc.  That way, he can record his observations about the test run, too.  [ Kendril &/or Raal may also decide to go along for the ride with Dr. Hu and, if so, I will enter that here.  However, only those who actually attended the 8/9/10 Rush show at Shoreline will be written in as having gone on the "Time Machine Tour" of Surj's history. ]

On the other hand, By-Tor & Draken do decide to join Dr. Hu for his tour of Surj's historical performances.  They journey all the way back to the band's origins, when they were just teenagers forming a RoachKings cover band (and they toyed with the idea of calling themselves "Sarj.")  Of course, the Doctor & the RKs get to see great performances of many of the band's classics, like "Freewill" & "Closer to the Heart," but that's just the tip of the iceberg.  At one particular show decades in the past, Surj performs every song in their repertoire at the time, including "YYZ," "Limelight" & "Witch Hunt."   The good Doctor also tests the SEDAN's ability to slip into parallel realities.  In one alternate space-time, the band plays reggae, and the RKs hear a very different rendition of "Working Man;" in another, they play a polka version of "La Villa Strangiato."  To top it all off, the time travelers also make a short venture into the future and catch a couple songs Surj hasn't even written yet, called "Caravan" & "BU2B."  Meanwhile, the Doctor manages to work out some of the bugs in the SEDAN's new circuitry.  All in all, it's a successful pilot voyage through time.  What's especially nice, though, is that after the good Doctor picks up Salád on his way back to the present, he returns them all to an unused guest castle about 10 hours earlier than their original departure.  So, by the time they left, they were already getting a good night's rest.

 

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Attack on Pasadena Island!

June 6 - After their long, uninterrupted sleep &/or meditation, each of the time travelers makes his way out of the guest castle without being seen, so as to avoid any questions about the events of the previous night.  A beautiful spring morning develops into a bright, warm June afternoon.   Pasadena Island floats above a sparse gathering of late-spring rain clouds but, of course, no precipitation falls on the RoachKing citadel.  By-Tor tinkers in his private workshop with the hangar bay doors open; Draken is enchanting a magic item in his top-floor studio/lab; Salád begins the long process of archiving all the magic items he invested in the past; and Raal mingles among the crowd at the market as Bart Trillium.  Shady is in the crowd as well when he sees the kid from Terapin again and makes a point to stop and talk with him.  "CK" (as he prefers to be called now) tells Shady that he left the OSF & Terapin several years ago and branched out on his own.  He has been making a living as a mercenary & as head of security at the Iron Tears Tavern in Belgier, Halfast, for the past 2 years or so.

As CK converses with Shadowstorm, he hears the unmistakable sound of a warning horn going off from the highest tower of the city.  He notices Shady's attention immediately drawn away from their conversation.  Shady's voice trails off and his eyes look out toward the northwest; he is obviously concentrating intently on someone or something in the distance.  Knowing Shady to be a telepath & a commander of Pasadena Island's forces, CK guesses that something important is going on and that Shady is expertly assessing the situation, if not outright dealing with it telepathically.  Then, suddenly, Shady flies off to the northwest.   CK flies after him, though at a much slower pace. 

By the time CK catches up with him, Shady has stopped to speak with a Lieutenant of the Gryphon Flight Squadron and CK can see at least 3 other RKs approaching as well.  From what CK overhears, an odd storm cloud apparently is moving in from the northwest, which doesn't make any sense because Pasadena Island is above all the natural clouds in the region.  Furthermore, the cloud is approaching at a speed that far outpaces the prevailing winds and Shady detects a powerful psionic energy emanating from it.  By-Tor, Draken & Raal soon join Shady & CK and they all fly off in the direction of the cloud, which is still about 30 miles out. 

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As the RoachKings fly toward the cloud at top speed, Shadowstorm remains focused on the psionic activity he senses there.  Its apparent power level rivals anything he's encountered before and he begins to wonder if this might indicate some divine influence.  By-Tor estimates the cloud's speed at about a mile a minute - somewhat slower than the RKs themselves, but still noteworthy.  Meanwhile, CK tries desperately to keep up, but his Telekinetic Flight is no match for the speed of the Shadow Wings and Cosmic Flight powers being used by the RKs. 

Once again, by the time CK catches up, the RoachKings have stopped briefly to assess the situation further, and there are other RKs approaching as well.  Hovering just short of the cloud itself, Shadowstorm takes a few more moments to evaluate the psionic energy he perceives.  It appears to emanate from someone (or something) at the center of the cloud and it is so powerful that, to his telepathic perceptions, it's like staring at the Sön on a cloudy day.  With no further insight likely from this range, he advances into the cloud, followed immediately by Draken, By-Tor, Raal & CK.  Shortly thereafter, Kendril arrives on Shadow Wings and Salád approaches the cloud on his Al Qami magic carpet.  They join forces and form a second wave of RKs as they fly into the cloud as well. 

The RoachKings fly ever deeper into the cloud, following Shadowstorm's lead as he seeks out the cause of the psionic energy.  Before long, the glow Shady senses from the center of the cloud becomes so radiant that it hampers his other telepathic perceptions; eventually, it actually "blinds" them altogether.  In fact, when he finally locates the source of the emanation, it is the only thing he can discern psionically - mostly because it's so powerful, but partly because it's so large. 

Shadowstorm sees a huge elliptical bubble of psionic force, which apparently envelops a very large vessel of some kind.  Having found what he was looking for, Shadowstorm gives his overloaded psionic senses a brief rest.  Within moments, the RoachKings catch a glimpse of something they all can see - a cigar-shaped dirigible hundreds of feet in length.  They can just make out a large (and familiar) swastika on its side.  "You're kidding me!" Shady exclaims.  "That Bankoran bastard is actually launching an attack on our home?"  Shady immediately reactivates his telepathic detection abilities as By-Tor quickly calculates that the airship is now less than 18 minutes from Pasadena Island. 

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Shadowstorm instinctively casts a "Black Lightning" spell at the vessel, only to see the psionic force field absorb the spell's energy, flicker dimmer for a moment, then release a bright flash & resume its previous state.  Immediately thereafter, the RoachKings begin taking fire from 2 turrets on top of the dirigible.  The large, cannon-like weapons in these turrets emit focused sonic blasts that create a crashing rumble like thunder that echoes through the cloud.  Although the RKs dodge the first couple salvos with aerobatic maneuvers, they gain a healthy respect for these weapons.

Following up his spell with another instinctive move, Shadowstorm flies directly at the vessel, charging at full speed.  However, when he reaches a point some 60' or so from the airship, he hits the psionic energy bubble (which only he can see) and he's thrown backward a dozen yards or more, reeling in psychic shock for several moments afterward.  Draken sees this and takes note of the force field's location.  Generating his cosmic Golden Saber as he flies forward, he takes a swing at it.  His initial attack is ineffective, but Draken remains determined.  Meanwhile, the thundering sonic blasts continue from the turrets on top of the dirigible and the RoachKings are now taking javelin fire from at least 2 of the 3 turrets mounted low on the side of the zeppelin as well.  Fortunately, Draken & the other RKs are exceptionally skilled at aerobatically dodging such attacks.

Draken empowers his sword with additional cosmic energy - a full quarter of his daily reserve.  With this substantial enhancement and all his cosmic strength behind it, Draken's Golden Saber successfully slices through the energy shield.  Even in his dazed state, Shady notices that the force field's power level dims slightly at that moment.  However, it's only temporary; the edges of the fissure immediately begin to glimmer with a coruscating yellow energy that appears to be repairing the damage.  Raal's lightning speed allows him to slip through the gap before it closes but once inside, he falls unconscious & begins to plummet from the sky, exiting the energy bubble in the process.  Draken swoops down & catches him just as he's regaining consciousness, then returns to the psionic shield with renewed determination.

CK flies forward to join Draken & Raal as they prepare for another attempt to hack their way through the force field.  By-Tor approaches Shadowstorm, who still hovers a short distance away from the airship.  Shady is just beginning to regain mental clarity, but even his limited attention is completely focused on destroying or at least penetrating the psionic energy bubble.  Of course, the sonic blasts & javelin fire from the zeppelin continue, but the RKs likewise continue to successfully dodge the attacks with amazing aerobatic maneuvers.

Once again, Draken slashes through the force field with his cosmically-enhanced Golden Saber, this time leaving an even larger opening in it.  Prepared & at the ready, CK fires a bolt from his crossbow with a line attached to it.  His aim is true and he shoots the bolt right through the hole in the energy shield, hitting the wooden framework of the airship's front javelin turret.  Grabbing the line & climbing it with lightning speed, Raal slips through the rip in the bubble & enters the front turret.  Anticipating the same mental attack as before, his mind is ready & his willpower is sufficient this time to maintain consciousness.  Draken then flies through the gap in the psionic shield with a tumbling aerobatic move.  Like Raal, he's prepared for the assault on his mind & resists it by sheer force of will.  He then heads for the middle javelin turret.  Behind him, CK drops the line & tumbles through just before the cleft once again repairs itself.  As with the 2 RoachKings before him, he manages to stay conscious despite the potentially debilitating mental effects.  

Inside the front turret, Raal finds a relatively high-tech javelin thrower manned by a Bankoran stormtrooper.  The insignias on the gunner's uniform are slightly different from those of the stormtroopers the RoachKings have dealt with before, but the black body armor, high boots & spiked helmet with swastika are all quite familiar.  The RK ninja expeditiously removes the stormtrooper and takes over the javelin thrower.  The other RKs see only a black-armored body being discarded from the turret like yesterday's trash, then falling silently into the clouds below. 

Meanwhile, Shady's mental state seems to clear and he finally notices that By-Tor has no armor on.  He tells By-Tor, "Wait right here!" and instantly teleports away.  A few moments later, he blinks back into existence with By-Tor's battlesuit of blue armor.  "Put this on!" he insists.  By-Tor thanks him and does just that.  Shady immediately turns his attention back to the psionic energy shield, his focus now intensified.

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[ May 25, 2011 ]  As By-Tor quickly puts on his battlesuit, the cloud seems to part for a moment in just the right spot for him to get a fairly good look at the gondola that hangs below the huge dirigible.  It's about 100 feet long with riveted brass construction & a style reminiscent of a bird of prey.  It clearly has portals along the lower side but By-Tor's attention is drawn primarily to the large glowing globe at the front.  In addition, the RoachKing engineer takes note of the engine & propeller assemblies mounted to the bottom of the zeppelin, fore & aft of the gondola.  He speculates that they're steam driven, but sees no obvious controls connected to them.   Of course, he also sees Draken flying toward the middle javelin turret, which is located just above the gondola.  Just then, Kendril & Salád arrive, having sought out the source of the thunder claps they've been hearing. 

At the same time, By-Tor notices that Shadowstorm has an intense look in his eyes.  It's an expression he's seen on Shady's face only once before, several months ago.  On that previous occasion, Shady was executing a dynamic psionic attack against a young blue dragon; in fact, he was actually creating an entirely new type of psionic attack, stretching the limits of his own substantial powers.  That feat (although it required all his accumulated knowledge & training in psionics and left him utterly fatigued) resulted in Shady overpowering the dragon's mind so completely that he robbed the beast of its ability to use magic.  By-Tor believes that Shady is now turning that same focus of will against the force field.  He exhibits a single-minded determination to push the envelope once more and develop some new psionic power that either bypasses the energy shield or destroys it altogether. 

The other RoachKings all seem to sense Shady's incredible mental struggle; their attention is drawn to him inexplicably.  Raal peeks out from the front javelin turret and Draken looks back just as he reaches the middle one.  Kendril & Salád intuitively turn their gaze in his direction as well.  By-Tor, hovering right next to Shady, cannot help but be transfixed.

Shadowstorm concentrates for a few seconds longer, then exerts a monumental psionic effort . . . and vanishes in a brilliant flash of yellow energy.   He is last seen as a dim silhouette against the bright flare, like a psychic shadow.  A moment later, the force field fades out and disappears.

Perhaps through some last-second, instantaneous telepathic broadcast, By-Tor, Kendril & Salád get a distinct mental impression from Shadowstorm.  They all feel as if Shady has made an attempt to teleport through the psionic shield via some facet of the Plane of Shadow, possibly combining his "Shadow Walk" spell with his Teleport power in some way.  By-Tor, being the RoachKing closest in proximity to Shady at that moment, seems to receive the strongest psychic signals.  In addition to the brief initial impression they all receive, he also gets a vague mental image of Shady ricocheting off a shadow version of the force field into some strange outer dimension - one By-Tor curiously believes to be the home of the gods of the otters. 

Whatever the case, the effect is the same.  Lord Shadowstorm Wildmane is gone in a blaze of glory, having made the ultimate sacrifice so that his fellow RoachKings might successfully defend their home.

[ My sincere goal here is to give a proper send-off to the character of Lord Shadowstorm Wildmane, founder of the RoachKings and leader of the greatest fellowship of heroes the world of Lia will ever know. ]