000923 -- Red Prison -- part III ================================ AUTHOR: dsweet COMPOSED: 9/26/00 UPDATED: 10/9/00 STORY: During the fight with the Tanars the Jay runs around the observatory to enter the building through a telescopes aperature. He chases the two Tanars who have run into the building out to the eventual doom. As a result he has opened the door to the observatory from the inside. Since the floor on the inner side of the observatory has some sort of ward on it, it is fortunate things were done in this fashion. After the Ape has performed some healing, the party walks down the spiraling stair case to the lower floor of the fortress. They are greet by creatures they will later find out are JuJu Zombies. As per their master's orders they attack any creature that comes down the stairs. When the group retreats the zombies don't follow. During the next wave of party member, the wizard fires his lightning wands at them. This kills a zombie but weakens the group. The group retreats again. Now diplomacy is attempted. It degenerates into name calling so fighting begins again. When the wizard sends his zombie at the group again he sneaks up using the staircase for concealment. Since things aren't looking good the Marine decides he is too hurt to be an effective fighter so he will go destroy the balloon. The wizards manages to cast hold person on the two remaining party members. He instructs his zombie to tie up the held people while he chases after the Marine. The Marine manages to destroy a portion of the balloon's controll mechanism before being blasted into unconciousness by the wizard's wand. Meanwhile, Zombie has tied up one held person and has begun on the Amber when she breaks out of the spell. This is time with the Ape sneaking down stairs and attacking the zombie. Rick breaks out of his spell soon after so they lay in ambush waiting for the Wizards return. They wizard has the rest of the group which has not been very active at wand point and is using them for cover as he walks down the stairs. All the way he says if he has any trouble he'll "blast 'em". Amber, Rick and the Ape strike with precision. But the Wizard gets a shot off nearly killing Ginger and the motorcyclist. The wizard shimers left to right as the these people attack him for the first time and all the attacks sparkle away under the seventh attack is done. Finally it appears his cloak of displacement has used up it usefullness and all the stone skins are used up. Only the Ape and Amber are conscious when the Wizard is defeated. Instead of waiting until she felt better, Amber decides to explore the fortress. The only thing of interest seems to lie beyond a ward in a hallway off of the main room. She has a compulsion to stay away but she pushes herself forward. When she crosses the edge of the warding she is hit by a cone of cold. Instantly she is dead. Later Rick and the Marine are revived. They bury Amber and then begin to explore for themselves. They used a blaster shot to destroy the warding. When they pass the warding they find to cells and a workshop. They free a Green and a Red Malarite before finding many interesting magical items. The wizard is conscious by now but since he is bound and gagged he can only answer in the positive or negative. With a lot of nodding and torture the sobbing Wizard reveals all of his secrets. Once most of the items purposes are revealed, Rick destroys most of the them. The wand of lightning bolts is given to the Ape since he is the only living person who can use it. The cloak is handed over to the Marine. With the Wizard in tow the group decides to head to the dam again. They walk several days. When he is able the Ape heals the group. By the time the group reaches sight of the dam everyone is feeling fine physically but their emotionally everyone is devastated by Amber's death. The dam is massive. A single pathway cut diagonally up the face of it. The entire way is guarded by gargoyal like statues armed with some sort of rifle like object. Atop the dam are ten of guards, armed and armored.