| Haldir さんのプロフィール我的地下城フォトブログリスト | ヘルプ |
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我的地下城让我随便设计的地方。陷阱放两个,拆一个,踩一个。 6月25日 Who says I've been idle"Sorrell!" Dalmara almost cried out when her husband finally came back to their small house. "Thank Gods, you are back! Allen is…" Feeling something wrong with the man she had known since childhood, she staggered with her words. Sorrell had his head slightly bowed; his blue eyes blazed in barely contained fury while his lips twisted in an almost mad grin.
"What is it?" Dalmara carefully asked, but received no answer. Her husband seemed to be lost in his thoughts, and the woman felt her mouth going try. "My love?"
With startling speed, Sorrell snapped his head up, looking at his wife as if noting her presence for the first time, and all expressions on his face vanished without trace. "What?" he asked with all the innocence Dalmara had ever seen.
"You… I mean… Allen, he’s been sleeping for all day." Dalmara found the words with some difficulty. "He opened his eyes several times but wouldn’t eat." Pausing for a moment, she added: "Do you think this has something to do with…you know, what we saw yesterday, before they came?"
"I don’t know." Sorrell answered bluntly.
"Are you all right, my love?" Dalmara asked with no small alarm. "You feel strange…"
"I’m fine." The husband said expressionlessly. "I met Mal in the street. He called me Sore, like he did when we were still friends."
"…And?" Waiting for something more but receiving none, the wife prompted. But that’s all Sorrell would say, as he turned away and sat on a chair, silent.
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In a small and dark room on the second floor of the building adjacent to where Sorrell and Dalmara lived, a young man in black leather leaned over the window, overlooking the street and searching for anything worth special attention.
Summers in this city were always dominated by the flaming orb brought into the world of Toril by Selune before the creation of life. And the powerful walls of Zhentil Keep, thick and tall, made things worse by blocking the cool wind from the Moonsea. This particular room faired no better with most of its windows always closed, so the young man's long black hair clung to his head, soaked by sweat.
Still, though constantly tempted, he kept the habit of never taking off his armor, on which his colleague had made more than a few unpleasant comments. "Never caught off guard by special things", he explained to his fellow spy each time, and was always retorted by "No such thing will come our way, wistful dog". Having served in the Zhentarim for more than five years, and having survived on the hostile streets of Zhentil Keep for his two decades, this man knew full well how quickly things could turn ugly and bloody. The situation may change faster than the mood of Unberlee.
And now, the special thing finally came in the form of three men, one of whom was seldomly seen anywhere outside his hidden stronghold.
"By the Ebony Sunshine…" he murmured in surprise.
"What did you say?" His partner, wearing only a blue shirt, asked with narrowed eyes.
"I said by the Lord’s Son, we have some unexpected guests." The man smoothly corrected.
"What? Who?" The other man was mildly interested.
"Come look for yourself." The armored spy moved away from the half opened window. "I would find out your leather if I were you. We should prepare for trouble." Drawing his dagger and checking the straps of his armor, the man did as he suggested.
"You sensitive rat," his partner retorted, "A mere city guard can make you go tense like a bow string." Drowsily he made his way to the window and glimpsed at the street below. Seeing what drew the attention of the "sensitive rat", his reaction was just as agitated.
"By the six hundred and sixty-six layers of the Abyss, that’s the Imperceptor himself, or I’m a dead man! We must inform…" His words died in his throat with a wet gurgle, as his companion buried a dagger in his back to the hilt in one fluent motion.
"And you are a dead man." The rogue in leather corrected coldly, and twisted his blade, left and right. "But you are right, we must inform someone." Letting his hated comrade crumble face down onto the floor, the spy removed his seemingly worthless ring, then whispered a word to it, and the ring enlarged into a circle of copper wire. Considering for a moment his choice of words, he said through the circle: "The Imperceptor comes to Sorrell, in the house now, three of them, no extra escort in sight, need reinforcement at position twenty-nine." Having two more words allowed to say, he added: "Make haste!" And with its magic exhausted, the copper wire crumbled to dust.
Fulfilling his duty, the man dragged the corpse away and crouched behind the window, waiting impatiently. "Now we get you, old dog." He murmured to himself. "What a lucky day for me…"
"Lucky indeed." A cold voice sounded behind the rogue, carrying with it a self-assured sense of power and state. Turning back slowly, the spy saw a man in his fifties, dressed in an ornate robe of black and gold, his hands folded behind his back.
The Archmage himself had come.
"Your highness." The rogue forgot his place for an instance, and hastily knelt on one knee. "I’m honored…"
"Get up. We have no time for that." Manshoon said with a wave of his hand, and the younger man hesitantly stood. "I consider the respect I receive from my lessers only a reminder of whom they are, anyway." Looking into the spy’s eyes, he asked: "You are sure of what you saw?"
The rogue, though experienced with the deceits and intimates of the underworld, could only nod enthusiastically under the unnerving gaze. "Y…yes, my lord, it is him."
"Good." The Archmage returned an approving nod. Nudging the corpse with his boot, the wizard asked: "And this?"
Encouraged by the hard-earned praise, the rogue answered proudly, "Another finger lost to the Black Hand."
"Well done." Manshoon grinned in cold malice, "Now, let’s hack off the thumb."
"Command me, Lord Archmage." The spy asked eagerly, his words thick with anticipation. "My blade is yours."
"Indeed, and I expect no less." The founder of the Black Network answered cooly. After a moment's consideration, he slowly nodded. "They still know you as one of the Network and would expect no treachery if you give them an existing one. Enter the house with haste and alarm the Imperceptor of Sorrell betraying them to the Church of Cyric."
"But are they going to believe me, with Sorrell himself in presence, certainly able to counter my words?" The spy carefully expressed his doubt.
"They will. An agent of mine has seen to it." Manshoon answered with uttermost confidence."Just remember to call him Sore, his nickname. Once you have their complete trust, whatever happens, try your best to keep them in the house. I will summon reinforcements and lead the final attack myself." Putting an ice-cold hand on the shoulder of the rogue, the Archmage said solemnly: "But our success all depends on yours, soldier. You must not fail me."
"I shall not, my lord." Despite the invulontary shudder brought to him by physical contact with Manshoon, the spy assured the wizard with all the seriousness and enthusiasm he could muster.
"Now go." Manshoon waved dismissively, turning away from his pawn to stare through the window down at the tiny house. Hurriedly the rogue retrieved his dagger from the back of his former comrade, wiped it clean on the disgusting blue shirt, and sped away to do the archmage's bidding. He felt light-headed, the rush of events left him little time to consider his action carefully, and suddenly he feared he would fail the ruthless wizard and suffer a fate unimaginable to a petty thief.
No. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself. Fooling his partner had been easy, so fooling another bunch of Xvim worshipers wouldn't be too difficult. All he needed to do was talk to them and slip away when his comrades charge in. Perhaps he could remain a spy in the network of spies after all these and, who knows, maybe play a role in the downfall of Fzoul himself.
Before he could dwell long on the pleasant thought of twisting a poisoned dagger in the gut of the hated Fzoul, the rogue found himself in front of his destination, the tiny, insignificant house, where someone's life would end while his own glorious future would begin. Fighting down an impulse to glance back up at where he crouched moments ago, in fear of irritating the Archmage, he rehearsed one of the routine lies prepared by experienced guys in the Network for spies like him, for emergency situations like this. Taking another deep breath, he knocked on the door, twice, once, twice, clear but urgent.
The door opened almost instantly and, to the spy's surprise, it was the Imperceptor himself who stood behind it. Arms crossed in front of his chest, just above the Eye of the Tyrant symbol on his breast plate, the powerful cleric stared at the unexpected visitor. It was obviously a feat of both courage and zeal that a worshiper of Xvim dared, regardless of his status in the Black Hand's clergy, carry such a symbol openly on the streets of Zhentarim Keep, an action considered blasphemy by the Dark Sun church. And Cyric himself had made it clear that blasphemy could only be met with agonizing death.
The spy was never very keen with religion, and his worship of Cyric was barely skin-deep. However, when his gaze fell on the emerald, lidless eye symbol, he still felt a surge of anger, and a sudden impulse to scream and claw at the man he was supposed to deceive and deter. Fighting down such ridiculous feelings with slight difficulty, he quickly glanced into the room beyond the wooden door. Dim light from a small window barely lit the tiny space, while the four men and a women seemed to fill every bit of it. Dalmara and Sorrell were easily recognized. With four tendays of spying on them it would have been quite difficult to mistake the petty couple for someone else. The husband was sitting on one of the two crudely crafted chairs in their possession, while the other one was for the moment unoccupied, obviously reserved for the Imperceptor. Strange, that Sorrell, more peasant than priest, could have gathered so much insolence to sit as equals with the most powerful cleric of the Order of Xvim.
Something important and complicated was taking place here, the rogue had no doubt. However, he couldn't spare any bit of his wits to unravel anything deeper. But no secret was going to remain so for very long, anyway. In perhaps a hundred-count the room would be filled with magical energy, and there would be no hope of escape for the heretics of Xvim, nor for their secrets.
"Drake?" The high priest's expression changed from initial surprise and confusion to anger. "By the Gauntlet of Bane, what are you doing here?" A quick glance up and down the street found no sign of hostile eyes, Gillian pulled the spy into the room and slammed the door shut.
"You are not supposed to make any report in this fashion, Drake." The Imperceptor glared at the rogue. "What is it?"
"I..." Suddenly realizing he was called by his mission code, the spy felt another wave of uncertainty. Few knew his mission code, and surely not Gillian himself. And yet the Imperceptor called him by that code almost without thinking. This by itself was nothing, but if Gillian could get to know the supposedly secret mission code, then maybe he could know something more. What if the Imperceptor knew his true identity as a servant of Cyric? What if all these were the components of a trap designed to capture him? What if the Archmage was a fake, sending him to his doom? Numerous possibilities swirled in his brain, making him want to scream.
"Quit fooling around and speak, or I'll inquire your mind by myself." Gillian quickly lost patience. The words snapped the rouge back to reality, but with half his mind blank and the other half a mess, he lost the elaborate and flawless lie he had been practicing. Instead the spy only managed to speak with a weak voice: "I eh...he is...betrayer! Sore will betray you! He is in truth..." But before he could continue with his pathetic accussion, Sorrell suddenly burst like a volcano. The petty worshiper of Xvim seemed to be daydreaming all the while and just awakened. Like a cornered beast, he fixed a pair of crazy eyes first on the spy, then on the Imperceptor. As if realizing the identity of the high priest for the first time, his body stiffened, his hands clutched into fists, and his eyes widened even more. With a foaming mouth, which made Sorrell identical to a mad dog, he bellowed in primal rage and exclaimed: "The Dark Sun burn you to ash!"
Startled silence filled the room, a flicker of alarm flahed on the face of the Imperceptor. He started to make for the door, but it was too late.
The room became an inferno.
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Manshoon watched as Gillian pulled the petty spy into the house of the petty couple, and gave the ignorant boy a headstart of twenty counts, then he began to cast.
First he chanted a powerful abjuration, and a sphere of prismatic color sprung into being, obscuring everything within ten paces from his body from any outside influence or divination. Following it was a equally powerful transmutation, one that forced time to cease its flow. Halfway through the spellcasting, the Archmage produced a tiny hourglass from the folds of his ornate robe and tossed it into the air. Instead of free-falling to the ground, the hourglass floated, fully five feet from hitting the floor, suspended by some invisible force. When his chanting reached its peak and the spell took effect, the sand in the hourglass ceased to flow, a wild dog wandering in front of the building froze in mid-step, and the annoying dust on the street was no longer stirred by the hot breeze.
Knowing the time stop wouldn't last long, Manshoon continued his spellcasting. With the rapidness and precision that only a master of the Art could achieve, he called into being five tiny flaming orbs. The pea-sized fiery balls floated before his hands in a row, ready to shoot out of the room, sail through the air, pass the small window, into the house of their victims, and detonate together with roaring flame and powerful explosion. Unlike ordinary fireballs accessible to any middle level spellcasters, each of these were augmented to piece almost any ward, be it powered by arcane or divine source. They also bore more magical energy than the original spell, and would deal the most terrible damage possible. No one could survive his trap. Not even myself, if unprepared, Manshoon thought with amusement. But then, he was always prepared.
With one last spell to cast, the Archmage waited for the time stop effect to terminate. When it did, the sand in the hourglass suddenly began flowing anew, and the flaming orbs shot forth with unerring precision and startling speed. Quickly calculating the perfect moment, Manshoon waited a little longer, then summoned primal arcane power inside the home of Sorrell, and shaped it to hug every inch of the house from within. The altered wall of force materialized barely an instant after the fireballs entered the building, assuring the destruction to be known only to the Archmage, and of course, those unfortunate individuals caught within.
As he intended, the outside world was oblivious to the devastating explosion, a telltale bright flash coming out of the tiny window was the only clue, but no one was close enough and careful enough to notice.
With a satisfied grin, the Archmage of Zhentil Keep murmured a conjuration, and a brilliant door, composed of pure light, opened behind him. Turning around, Manshoon muttered: "Good job, soldier." Then he stepped through the doorway and vanished.
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Allen awakened from a strange dream of entwined blue-white light and shadow into a world of bright light and roaring flame. He had never seen or felt anything like this, but he knew it hurt a bit. The air was too warm and the flare stung his eyes. Flame surrounded him, but when he extended his hand to touch the tongues of fire, they were extinguished, only to resume their dance.
When his curiosity played out, he realized his mom and dad were nowhere to be seen.
And there was someone else, seemingly everywhere, above and below and around. Allen twisted his small head to look this way and that, looking for his parents as well as the unseen being. Though most of the room was painfully bright, the flame threw shadows here and there. And these shadows congregated and formed a figure.
It was a woman with purple eyes, her gaze more piercing than a rapier. She wore no cloth, but her flowing black hair covered her form like a cloak, and her exposed skin was black and smooth like obsidian. She was taller than Allen's mother, but seemed to occupy much more space, and the room felt too small to contain her.
The woman knelt in front of Allen, a cold smile on her lips. Allen looked into her dark pupils and saw nothing. Or rather, nothingness.
"Look at this." The woman whispered sadly, "What have they done to a pretty boy."
"Are you aunt Swan?" Allen asked. His father told him many stories of his aunt Swan, a very brave and powerful magical woman who saved the world many times.
"No, my dear." The woman replied. "But I'm here to help you. Bad people want to hurt you. They hurt your dad and mom. But they can't hurt you now."
"You can help dad and mom too?" Allen felt nervous when he thought about his parents. Where are they?
"I will try. But you must also help me."
"I help you. I'm very strong." Allen promised.
"Yes, you are, my dear." The woman nodded. "Now I have to leave. You have given me your word. When I call, you will answer."
11月27日 乱想的这个学期实在是让人没法不懒惰。。。再过两周没了物化实验,就真没什么能让人略微紧张的课了。背着本本去生化做笔记,在记载了前辈足迹的课件上补充一些细胞和发育的细节,然后在微生物课上忧愁地不知道干什么。似乎大家本能地看重生化,对细胞也有一些尊重,喜欢听发育老师(我们某个高中校友的老爸)瞎扯,然后忽略微生物——于是寝室里一位兄弟(AFK等WLK的牛头猎人)一周只上三节课,包括体育。
说到体育,我的3000成功在15分以内跑完了,居然是我游泳班里最后一个……老师看着我说:“不像啊。。。”我说:“估计是长错了。”
不知道为什么,体能测试各指标通常都不错(下周检验一下),为啥结果体育课考的那几样里我就跳远还行呢。
早上起来冲了杯卡布基诺,拿橙子苹果当早餐,一边听郭德纲一边上网。突发奇想到大家空间上转了一圈,勤奋的同学们还是很能更新,懒惰的同学们依旧和我一样,哈哈。不过看完了,有些自己也写一篇的冲动。于是压抑住看发育的想法,开始写了。倒也不是喜欢看发育,不过捧着一本教材埋头看啊看,可以什么都不用想,不知不觉时间就过去了,反而挺轻松。要是前几周或许会看小说,不过新买的两本龙枪解决了,关于小雷的第三本也没看到卖,《魔晶仆从》已经开始第三遍了……现在似乎对小崔的思想斗争和道德议题兴趣不大,反倒是更喜欢其他“正统”黑暗精灵的东西。真邪恶。。。
前两天把JAY历史上各盘专辑里喜欢听的歌放到一起,建立了一个快三个小时的播放列表。个人品位吧,反正我是喜欢把东风破,七里香,青花瓷,菊花台,发如雪,珊瑚海,简单爱连一起听。
记得听简单爱的时候还是初中,记得那时候的万智牌。红绿火的横冲直撞,人鱼唱反调的冷静控制,动荡阿托格的一招清场,黑绿掘坟里闪耀的蕾亚。那时候还能看到的反抗军现在已经是古老的东西了。还记得两套蓝色反击内战时为了一个小东西你来我往拼掉所有手牌,宏大的战争有时候也是为了不值一提的小事吧。
高中的时候喜欢在写完作业后一边听七里香一边看读者。现在买来的读者往往翻了两下就忘记了。杂志没变,是我变了。
刚才在校内看到一个投票,选自己最喜欢的时间段。我觉得是高中吧。初中只能记得是傻乎乎的,小学就更不用提了。至于大学……或许以后回忆起来会变成最好的时光,但起码现在感觉不是那么好。
一直认为,九班更适合我。有时候会想如果高一的时候就来了九班,会怎么样呢?无法给自己下定论,高一那一年如何——虽然很多事情逐渐忘记了,但是很多感觉还记得。只能说……那一年很独特吧。
高中的时候还是个笨贼,下副本经常ADD,即使去MC金团打怪OT了也不消失,跟防骑PK毫无悬念地输,一身赞达拉狂妄者就很满足了。
现在已经是个举着盾往前冲的骑士(一边向前跑一边开神盾的动作挺好看),副本刷到提不起兴趣,海山去抗了一次也觉得不过如此而已,在战场里喜欢恶心对面的贼。
大家都是小白那会儿也挺快乐的。
崇拜着T3,而不是觉得T6稀松平常的那会儿也不错。
看到游侠有时候因为网络问题而掉线,想起来我以前会因为机器受不了华丽的场面而掉线。游侠在世界和小风都70后(好象是吧?)终于70了,想起来我的贼一路刺杀慢慢地往上蹭。看到游侠的蓝梅冰把午夜当小怪啃了一口,想起来为了爱与家庭去偷画结果把档案员当小怪闷棍。看到游侠被防骑插旗子打败,想起来我当年也一次又一次地跪在这个防骑面前。
Alas, how mournful it is to see what happened to me happen to you...
很期待WLK,因为历史的重演。帝陨,饥饿之寒,毁灭的黎明,似乎因为它们喜欢纳克萨玛斯。尤其是那把叫King's Fall的匕首,中文名字很棒。于是期待新的纳克萨玛斯,期待Harbinger of Doom的姊妹篇Forerunner of Ruin。
记得等TBC的时候还是有很多事情可干的,至少一周一次祖格金团不能耽误。但是现在……渐渐失去了兴趣。例行卡拉赞只是个小聚会,况且看着小号迅猛成长起来也有些难得的乐趣。终于拿到了金洛斯后对祖阿曼已经没什么感觉,曾经以为与自己无缘的地方已经失去了新鲜感。完成天堂之路上防骑的工作后就松了一口气,也没有了那一点兴奋。天天晚上定时来排队的“工作”我也干不了。
于是开始DOTA,可能因为这能让我全神贯注吧。
这种时候就会想念博德之门。一个让我对那些人物对话只管按空格的RPG产生鄙视的游戏。
这种时候也会想念魔戒。电影总能让我静下心来,即使是三百那种很不安静的电影。很久很久没看了,但是一切都还记得,觉得这就行啦。
大家开始考虑毕业后的事情了啊……(我知道这跳跃有点大。。。没办法,乱想的)很庆幸,学长和老师们一句“咱们系的同学大部分都要出国深造”替我做了决定。于是要考G和T(一贼一德,呃……),要找实验室,觉得真是个麻烦的事情。
于是先不想了,跳开。
跳开之后发现,自己开始发呆了。看来现在的思维每天是有上限的,想多了就没了……下午看发育罢,实验报告估计是没法写了。
我的坑什么时候能填上呢?某天在InklingII心血来潮,居然构思了一个三部曲,真要命。当初就三小段,现在写一节要自己没事看N遍才贴出来,不知道它和我哪个先OVER……况且现在还类似DNA复制过程,分段进行,但愿最后能连起来。
饿了,吃饭去。 10月27日 “公正王权之争”——佣兵三部曲“公正王权之争”,来自佣兵三部曲。 一些背景:Damara曾被很多公爵统治,Gareth作为一个公爵的后代统一了这里,并努力维持国家的稳定,同时希望把蛮荒的Vassa也纳入境内。Entreri和Jarlaxle所称王的城堡在Vassa的一个半兽人城镇Palishchuk附近。在前一本书中二人参与了探索这座凭空出现的城堡,最终击败龙巫妖的冒险。Ellery Dragonsbane是Gareth的侄女,却被Gareth最大的敌人,the Citadel of Assasins(首领是Timoshenko,估计是卡拉图人)所控制。她挑选了一支小队,包括她自己,两个Citadel of Assasins的杀手,Entreri和Jarlaxle,Olwen的徒弟Mariabronne,两个Palishchuk的半兽人以及另两个士兵,进入城堡。最终Ellery欲杀Jarlaxle未果,死在Entreri匕首下。Citadel of Assasins的两个杀手,一个被Entreri所杀,另一个被迫背弃了自己的组织。Entreri和Jarlaxle利用一些魔法物品击败了龙巫妖。 Entreri和Jarlaxle击败龙巫妖后被King Gareth Dragonsbane册封为骑士,而深不可测的Jarlaxle却把Entreri拖下水,在龙巫妖曾经占据的城堡中自立为王,并宣称周围的土地,包括附近的城镇Palishchuk,是他们的领地。这招来King Gareth的愤怒,这位在传说中曾经在地狱中追逐恶魔领主奥库斯的圣骑士国王和他强大的朋友一起(黄玫瑰武僧Kane,吟游诗人Riordan,游荡者以及现任间谍大师Celedon,Ilmater牧师Dugald,游侠Olwen以及王后Christine)征讨Entreri和Jarlaxle。卓尔通过传送门离开,回到幽暗地域,刺客拒绝回到那里,留在城堡。Entreri遇到进入城堡的Olwen,击败了他,希望以他为人质,但中了Kane的穿震掌,于是被制服。下面是对他审讯的部分,其中Entreri另人有些难以反驳地指控一个圣骑士国王没有正当的权力称王。觉得写得挺精彩,虽然翻译出来的效果应该远不及原文。
向着他在Bloodstone Village的宫殿主厅走去,King Gareth可以听到对Artemis Entreri的审问已经开始了。他瞥了一眼走在身旁的妻子,但Lady Christine保持着那种让Gareth感到无比熟悉的钢铁般目光直视前方。很明显,即将到来的那场对某个前任国王的起诉并没有像困扰着Gareth一样让她感到不安。 “而且你声称对于那些挂毯,以及那个我们在王座上发现的卷轴毫不知情?”他听到Celedon问道。 “拜托,理智一些。”间谍大师继续着。“这可能会减轻你的罪行。” “让我的死亡更舒适一些?”Entreri回答道,他话语中的刻毒让Gareth皱起眉头。 他推开主厅的大门,看到在王座前台阶下面铺陈的地毯上站着Entreri。Dugald修士和Riordan Parnell坐在台阶上,而Kane则站在旁边。Celedon在Entreri身边踱步,和那刺客保持着相当的距离。 很多守卫肃立在地毯的两边。 Dugald和Riordan看到国王和王后的到来,站了起来,所有人都躬身行礼。 Gareth几乎没有注意到他们。他紧紧盯着Entreri,并在那刺客的双眼中看到了他所体验过的最饱含恨意的目光,以及甚至超越了Zhengyi本人所能达到的轻蔑。他走向自己的王座,一直保持着对那个人的凝视。 “他表示那些挂毯不是他的手笔。”Dugald修士对国王解释道。 “而且他自称对于那卷轴毫不知情。”Riordan补充说。 “他说的是真话?”Gareth问道。 “我没有检测到任何谎言。”那牧师回答。 “我为什么要撒谎?”Entreri说。“那样你们就可以推翻它,然后在你们扭曲的内心证明自己行为的正当性?” Celedon似乎准备上前教训这个无礼的囚犯,但Gareth抬起手示意他退后。 “你对我们的意图有很多假设。”国王说道。 “在我一生中我见过太多的King Gareth……” “那不大可能。”Riordan评论道,但Entreri连看都没有看一眼他,而是将目光锁定在Damara的国王身上。 “……那些人攫取着被他们声称是正当地属于他们的东西。”Entreri继续说道,就好象Riordan根本没有说话一样——而Gareth可以看出来,至少对于这个让人迷惑的外乡人而言,Riordan确实没有说话。 “小心你的言论。”Lady Christine插话了,而所有眼睛,包括Entreri的,都转向她。“Gareth Dragonsbane是正当的国王。” “毫无疑问,这是每个国王都需要作出的声明。” “杀了这个蠢货,把这事情解决掉。”一个声音在大厅入口响起。Gareth的目光离开Entreri,看到Olwen走进房间。那游侠停下脚步深鞠一躬,然后继续上前。当他径直走到距离那囚犯仅一步之遥时,一边得意地笑着一边对Entreri低声说了什么。 但他幸灾乐祸的表情只保持了两步,而后Entreri评论道:“如果在战斗中被击败后,你的感情就会受到如此大的伤害,那么或许你应该努力强化你的技术。” “Olwen,放松些。”Gareth看到那暴躁的游侠瞪大了双眼后警告道。 Olwen还是迅速转过身去,而从Celedon迈开一步的动作Gareth感觉他就会在此时此刻扑上去。 但Entreri仅仅向他轻蔑地一哼。 “我们是理智的人,生活在危险的年代。”当Olwen终于走开之后Gareth对Entreri说。“有很多事情需要了解——” “你怀疑我丈夫拥有这王座的权力?”Lady Christine打断道。 Gareth把手放在她腿上,让她冷静下来。 “你的神祉本尊都会来反驳我,毫无疑问。”Entreri说。“就像每一个国王自己选择的神祉一样。” “他的血统是——”Christine开始回答。 “无关紧要的!”Entreri大喊。“宣称天赐王权仅仅是一种操纵手段,不是对正当权力的保证。” “你这个无礼的傻瓜!”Christine挺拔地站起来,向前一步,大喊着反驳。“血统还是作为——你来选!无论如何,Gareth都是正当的国王。” “而我则入侵了正当地属于他的领地?” “没错!” “Damara之王还是Vassa之王?” “二者都是!”Christine坚持道。 “你还真有些有趣的血统,Gareth——” Celedon走上前去抽了他一巴掌,“Gareth国王”,他更正道。 “你的血统也延伸到Palishchuk吗?”Entreri问道。Gareth无法相信他是多么彻底地忽视了Celedon粗鲁的干涉。“让你成为Vassa之王的是你的血统?”(Palishchuk是个半兽人城镇) “是他的作为。”走到气急败坏的Dugald修士身前,Kane说道。 “于是军事力量成为称王的权力。”Entreri推理道。“那么我们又回到了开始的地方,在我一生中我见过太多的King Gareth。” “谁把我的剑拿来。”王后说。 “我的女士,请坐下。”Gareth说。而后面对Entreri,“声称Vassa为自己领地的是你,Artemis王。” 看到Entreri翻起眼睛,Gareth进一步证明了他的假设。那个卓尔,Jarlaxle,是真正作出这个声明的人。 “我宣称拥有自己所征服的东西。”Entreri回答。“最终打败了龙巫妖的人是我,所以……”他微笑着转向Christine,“是的,我的女士,凭我的作为,我宣称拥有一个正当地属于我的王座。”他转回来面对Gareth说完了他的话。“难道我对于那座城堡以及附近土地的占有权和你的相比有任何的不合理吗?” “好吧,你现在被锁在这里,而他依旧是国王。”Riordan说。 “军事力量,蠢货大师,军事力量。” “噢,你们能不能就让我杀了他把这事情了解掉?”Olwen恳求着。 对于Gareth,他们仿佛全都不存在于这个房间里。 “你在Bloodstone的旗帜下进入那座城堡。”Celedon提醒那个囚犯。 “也和Citadel of Assassins的成员一起。”Entreri愤怒地反击。 “以及一位Army of Bloodstone的指挥……” “而就是她带上了Timoshenko的手下!”在Celedon话还没说完的时候Entreri就怒气冲冲地反驳道。“也是她在城堡中,在最黑暗的时刻里,背叛了我们。”他转身直面Gareth。“你的侄女Ellery是被我的剑所杀。”他的话引起身边人的一片惊呼。“那并非我故意所为,并且是在她没有理由地攻击Jarlaxle之后——没有适合她国王的理由,但却有适合她那些来自Citadel of Assassins的主人的理由。” “真是些美妙的声明。”Olwen低吼着说。 “难道你也在现场?”Entreri马上反击。 “那么Mariabronne呢?”Olwen质问道。“他也和我们的敌人结成了盟友?这是你想要说的吗?” “我所说的没有任何地方涉及到他。他在离开大家独自前进的时候倒在了邪恶生物的手下。” “但我们在龙巫妖的房间里找到了他。”Riordan说。 “我们当时需要一切可以获得的帮助。” “你是说他被复活了,但却又一次牺牲了?”Riordan问道。 “或者是被唤起了。”Dugald修士接着说。“而你当然知道唤起一个正义之人的尸体是对一切公正和善良所犯下的罪行。对破碎之神所犯下的罪行!”(Ilmater被称为破碎之神,the Broken God) Entreri瞪着Dugald,眯起眼睛,微笑着向地上啐了一口。“不是我的神。”他解释道。 Celedon冲过去猛击他一拳。他身体一晃,退了一步,但却拒绝倒下。 “Gareth是国王,无论凭借血统还是作为!”Dugald大喊。“被Ilmater亲自选定!” “就像每一个卓尔主母都宣称自己被罗丝所祝福一样!”那顽固的囚犯吼道。 “我主Ilmater夺你性命!”Lady Christine高喊。 “拿你的剑来替他取我的命,”Entreri毫不示弱。“或者拿上你的剑,再把我的剑也拿来,然后我们就会知道谁的神更强大!” Celedon正准备再次击打他,但却突然停了下来,因为Entreri的辱骂在他喉咙中发出的咯咯声中结束。剧烈的痛苦在他全身引起明显的振动,他的肌肉不自主地收缩抽搐着。 “Master Kane!”Gareth皱起眉头。 “他如果想活命,就不能这样对王后说话。”Kane回答道。 “释放他。”Gareth命令道。 Kane点了点头,闭上眼睛。 Entreri挺直身体,深吸一口气。他站立不稳,单膝跪在了地上。 “那就给他一把剑。”Christine高声说。 “坐下别动!”Gareth命令道。他从王座上站起来,在所有人震惊的表情中走向前方——除了Entreri的,那刺客带着深重的恨意盯着他。 “把他带到监狱第一层的一个牢房里,”Gareth说。“让他的牢房明亮温暖,他的食物充足可口。” “但是我王……”Olwen开始反对。 “不要让他受到任何伤害。”Gareth毫不犹豫地继续说。“去吧。” Riordan和Celedon走到Entreri身边,开始把他从大厅里拖走。Olwen惊讶而气愤地看了Gareth,然后匆匆过去帮忙。 “去缓解他的痛苦。”Gareth对Dugald修士说,后者则难以置信地看着他。当那修士没有立刻行动的时候,他摆着手说,“快去,快去。” Dugald走出房间的时候一直回头盯着Gareth。 “你让一个威胁活了下来。”Christine皱着眉对丈夫说。 “我警告过你不要那样和他交锋。” “你愿意忍受他的侮辱?” “我愿意听他说完。” “你是国王。Gareth Dragonsbane,Damara之王和Vassa之王。你的耐心是一种美德,我并不怀疑,但它被用错了地方。” Gareth明智地没有指出这句话的讽刺性。但是他也没有眨眼睛,没有同意地点头,于是Lady Christine气鼓鼓地从刚才进来的侧门走了出去。 “你不能让他活下来,”当他们单独在一起的时候Kane对国王说。“那样做的话会招致整个国度发出的挑战。Dimian Ree正在谨慎地观察我们,我确信。” “他真的完全错了吗?”Gareth问道。 “是的。”武僧没有丝毫迟疑地回答。 但Gareth摇了摇头。Entreri和那个奇怪的卓尔的所作所为和他自己的相比,真的有什么不同吗? 5月19日 又一个片段我果然是想到哪儿写到哪儿……应该是有些接不上的,考虑到我自己都有点混乱这段应该是在哪里。。。
Trees. Gigantic trees. It seemed to Allen that his life, or whatever was left of it, had been filled with their mighty crowns and huge trunk. Silent and sullen, they gazed down upon him. Sometimes their branches rustled angrily, agitated by the unnatural presence of the Pale Master; and sometimes they stood still with cold distain. At least, that’s what the necromancer sensed. He wasn’t serious about his wild imaginations, since he now felt more akin to undead things than he did to living creatures, which he regarded as a good sign of his progress. But still, maybe the solitude he always yearned for was costing his sanity. Sometimes he wondered if it would be nice to have a familiar, maybe a raven or a falcon, just to have some companionship. It’s not he’s alone. He had dozens of minor undead servants, skeleton warriors and zombies who would obey any order he gave. Also he controlled a couple of ghosts, and a wraith had recently been pushed into his service. But alas, among his “companions”, those without a soul left in their empty shell of a body cannot talk, and rest only concentrate their pathetic consciousness on the hatred for the living. He had had enough of murmurs of death and screams of anguish, even the silence that sometimes seemed to gnaw at his soul had became merciful. Allen the Pale Master had taken the road of undeath and left his “life” behind, but not his hearing, nor his taste. As the thought of sitting in the ancient elven tomb he had taken as his residence, listening to the crack of bone when a skeleton shifted its position, moans of pain and hatred when the ghosts were either at work or idle, splatter of water when it rained, as it always did, and all other queer sound that’s considered to be ordinary for a tomb didn’t appeal to him, a walk among the forest was refreshing. Who knows, maybe he could even find some sport. So it was, Allen strode between the gigantic trees, powerful trees, slender trees and elegant trees, and sometimes he truly admired them, especially a gargantuan oak he believed to be thousands of years old. The necromancer was no druid, but he had no doubt that even a beast with its limited perception could recognize that ancient one. Whenever he put his right hand, the still human one on its trunk, a feeling of life and peace would surge into his mind, like the ever cool water of a deep well. Then huge oak must had seen the wax and wane of several ages, the rise of fall of many empires, the come and go of countless mortals. The Netheril Empire before Allen’s time, the elven kingdoms before that, maybe even the reign of dragons, all these were but ancient memory for the more ancient oak. He couldn’t hope to achieve a legendary life like that, not even as long as an elf’s, but Allen tried something else that made him immortal, and the price he paid for it was nothing in comparison with what he had gained. As he wandered and mused in the forest, five skeleton warriors fanned out beside and behind him, another in front him as a shield. He wasn’t really expecting to face any threat, but the Pale Master hadn’t done all the work in his life to be waylaid by some mindless brute. And his caution proved to be wise. When he wove his way through a particularly dense part of the forest, he felt something, or rather someone. And as Allen turned to inspect his surroundings, he came to stare into a pair of beautiful eyes. Obviously, the elf with her pointed ears and slender build just saw him at the same time. They were both surprised, since neither of them expected to see anything other than those all kinds of trees. An instant later, they both began to chant. Allen saw the telltale wands thrust in her belt, identical to be a spellcaster’s weapons. Even without them, the cold and dangerous glimmer in her eyes betrayed a sharp and calculating mind trained by the Art. While for the elf’s part, the half a dozen undead bodyguards were no doubt enough for anyone to take action. Allen wouldn’t blame her if the elf chose to unleash a fire ball or a thunder bolt, and simply out of self-defense he would usually throw an equally deadly, or even more lethal spell in his new friend’s way. But this time, he began with a defensive one that will reflect any magical assault directed at him back to the assailant. The moment he completed his casting, the elf spread her arms wide, and thick, milky mist filled the forest around them. Giving a silent command to his skeleton warriors to attack anything nearby, Allen put another layer of defense to ward himself from fire. The mist obscured almost everything in his sight, so the necromancer assumed that the elf couldn’t see well, either. Yet the seemingly fair situation had in a manner rendered his reflection shield useless. Since his opponent had difficulty in locating him, any assault directed at him would be impossible, instead an area affected spell certainly came into handy. Also, as a common sense, the most effective elemental power against undead was fire. But the expected attack didn’t come, though Allen wasn’t standing still and waiting for it. He concentrated on the connection between him and his undead servants, and once any of his skeleton warriors engaged with an enemy, he would lash out with a more offensive spell. A rush of air betrayed the movement of the elf, or it was some creature she summoned for protection, though Allen heard no incantation of that specific kind of Conjuration spell. The necromancer abandoned his previous plan and stood on guard, his left hand grew translucent and poised, ready to attack. Should the elf or her minions be foolish enough to assume that the Pale Master had no defense against a melee attack when his undead servants milled about in search of unseen foes, well, Allen would make her regret it. But as he waited, nothing came. And he suddenly knew that there was something strange with the elf, something he didn’t quite see but rather felt. The space between them was thick with trees, and he focused first on her eyes and then on his spell-casting. The obscuring mist made him lose sight of the elf, but not the beginning of her next move in the last second. Allen had no time to think about it back then, but now that he had an opportunity to have a closer look into his instant memory, he realized that she flexed her wings. Black, leathery wings, like a bat’s, or a demon’s. The necromancer began to feel somewhat beaten. Since their encounter, the female elf had outmaneuvered every move he made. The mist rendered his spell-reflecting shield useless, as well as his skeleton warriors; her taking to the air prevented possible counterattack from himself or his servants; her next move must be an airborne assault, which he was not expecting before it must had already been too late. Without much experience of fighting an enemy possessing the advantage of flying, the Pale Master couldn’t hope to strike back efficiently with his touch of death. So Allen simply braced himself for the elf’s attack, maybe some hellish power that would surely penetrate his shield against normal or even magical fire. He had read about some incidence in which demons assaulted unsuspecting wizards with hell flame that contained the element of pure evil that burned the very soul. With a withered core, even an eternal shell wouldn’t make any difference. And again, the reality didn’t match with his prediction. Moments crept by, but nothing happened. Until the necromancer couldn’t wait any longer and attempted a dispelling, only to find the female elf gone, like the obscuring mist. Still cautious, Allen hastily teleported himself and his undead servants back to the elven tomb to think about this encounter, and to reload his spells. Then he would find out this elf, and find out what, if his guess was correct, was a demonfey doing in this forest. 4月17日 我也发点非YY非翻译的东西期中基本是考完了——好吧,一共就是英文普通物理和分子生物学两门,后者还是周日小测验的形式。所以基本上闲下来一点,虽然也没闲到哪里去。 有机化学实验结束了,算是无聊的抄书型实验报告告别,不过不知道下学期物理化学实验是不是一样……考虑到这种技术含量比较低的东西很难写出什么来,估计也就那个样子。 虽然一向是觉得每周各需要四到六个小时不等的分子和生化实验确实是比较麻烦的东西(原本也不麻烦,结果一届届都有学长写出20多页的报告来,自己不写个十来页怎么对得起助教呢),不过说实话还是挺有兴趣的。尤其是在生化实验室里,会感觉自己确实在做一些比较高科技的东西……好吧,这周拿菜刀切兔子肉算个例外。最早做的ELIZA(大家一直不知道怎么念这个东西,老师们的发音也不一样。。。),酶联免疫吸附测定,用一排8个枪头的移液器往96孔板里加抗体,还是颇有电影电视里高端生物实验室的样子。不过做的时候还是有点心虚,一次加0.1ml,到底有没有东西啥都看不到……后来是凝胶层析还有Western Blot这些大二上的时候听到了还丝毫不知所云的东西。分子实验的感觉也很好,从提取质粒开始,一路酶切,电泳,PCR,纯化,加入目标基因,连接,转入细胞,最后到检验蛋白产物,做完之后才发现,高中课本里的东西不过如此。 这学期的课应该算是挺多的,刚开学的时候每天上下午都是课,最不爽的莫过于45分钟午饭时间,直接导致一帮人天天中午都跟清华附中的“小孩儿”们在最贵的食堂吃饭。两本近千页的英文教材,反正我是不抱有看完的希望(其实也不会都讲完,还好……)。况且貌似我还是班里进度最快的,很是欣慰。拜分子和生化所赐,英文阅读能力应该没下降,上周六买的The year of Rogue Dragons系列已经快看完一本了,Sammaster就是强啊就是强…… 话说回来,其实这个学期算不上很忙,至少从周五下午到周日晚上都没什么事情做,除了偶尔要补一补随机数学作业。也经常想起来,该跑团了啊。 似乎从大二开始这个团就有些荒废了……一开始我给自己的解释是,跑团已经逐渐陷入游戏的模式了——即使不是WOW,也是无冬之夜,而我想要的即使不是The Gamers,也至少是博德之门。剧情似乎慢慢变得不那么重要,而连战斗也没有什么战略战术和配合。好吧,前者对我而言需要比较长时间的构思,但是有时候一犯懒就给简单化了。虽然我知道把每段剧情都设计得像官方模组一样,背景充实,对话精细,跌宕起伏,细节完美,这不大可能。不过还是希望每个人物能有个名字,无论它会不会被大家所知道。而战斗……可能还是受游戏的影响,似乎我的任何施法者都是炮台,任何战士都是拿把顺手的武器冲进人群乱砍一通,显然大家也就都这样了……有时候总觉得PC们一些很“不正经”的手法对于NPC是不公平的,不过事后想想,如果能跳出“正经”的战斗模式其实是个好事情。收集了N多进阶,于是就总喜欢建一些比较BT的东西出来,貌似这就逐渐接近着DND里的“小白”行为。。。 可能是日常任务惹的祸(现在一天一做就是将近20个……),加上卡拉赞,魔导师平台,每天总能泡在WOW里。话说最深的地下城也不更新,已经不记得上次花时间看龙与地下城的东西是什么时候了。只是看看小说,没了DND的感觉。 或许……重头开始会好些?我不知道。但是给我感觉最好的,其实就是在那个已经忘记了名字的农夫家,和一小群地精的战斗。 “地精被你一剑砍碎了,溅了你一身。” “他的背包没盖上吧?” “好吧,地精的脑袋掉进去了。” 于是有时候在考虑,如果海奥诺回到了遥远的瑞什曼面对族人的指责和自己的梦魇,路克尔回到了科曼瑟去履行一个皇族后裔的职责,维莉塔和小关接到竖琴手的其他任务,拉薇妮亚旅行到安姆和影贼正式交涉,Roc回到深水城继续他的导游工作,戴安娜和象象响应翡翠圆环的召唤,飓风投身于对抗地精和巨人大军的战役,阿兰在巨龙海岸的城市中找到了用口舌和弓箭解决一切的生活……一切在新的人物身上重新开始,会如何? 2月25日 Son of the starless night“Lord Xvim, hear us!” An old man in a black robe exclaimed. “Hear us, great Lord!” Dozens of men and women kneeling behind him followed. “Long have we served Lord Bane, and now we have remained faithful by serving you.” Gillian the Imperceptor and the High Priest, the only one standing in the underground hall, chanted with a deep voice. He still bore the title he once had when the church of Bane was the mightiest in this city, when the clergy of the Black Hand controlled everything within Zhentil Keep’s high walls and the Black Network controlled everything without. And the ritual hadn’t changed much, except that Xvim’s symbol, the piercing emerald eye on an ebon hand, replaced that of Bane. “We sow strife between our enemies and rule over them all. One day we shall rise again above all other as tyrants with no mercy, nor weakness!” He turned around to face his fellow worshipers of Xvim. “Bring forth your gifts.” One by one they rose and put various items on the simple altar of their god, muttering all along. “O Lord Xvim, this is the dagger of a dog of Cyric. Your loyal servant stole an enemy’s weapon and thus weakened him.” “Tyrant of the world, I come with the identity of a traitor. He is Mark the Dirty Hand, who betrayed your favor and now, hides within the Mad One’s temple.” It went on like this for several minutes, until everyone in the basement of a deserted warehouse had presented his or her gift to their god. Gillian nodded once, but then frowned deeply. Of the church of Xvim in Zhentil Keep, there were thirty-three men and women, including Mark who betrayed them all. Many more swore their faith to Xvim, but would not come to the ritual. For one thing they fear the church of Cyric, those mad dogs nosing everyone and snatching innocents and “heretics” alike. But it was the High Priest who insisted that such few should join the ritual. He didn’t like the idea of having hundreds or more people gathered together, chanting their prayer to Xvim and making sacrifices, which would most surely draw the attention of the whole Keep, even Cyric himself. No, only the trusted and talented ones could, with great care and some stealth, come here. But he believed once called, hundreds of priests and priestesses, thousands of believers, countless monsters and humanoids would rally to their banner. And now, as the Imperceptor counted, only thirty presented. He couldn’t help but wonder if what little faith he had in his comrades was still too much. Frowning more deeply, Gillian whispered to his servant, “Bring her.” The young man gave a curt nod, and then hurried down the dais leading up to the altar, two strong half-orc bodyguards following him. A moment later, they dragged from a small side room a woman with dark hair and pale skin, wrists and angles tightly bound. She was in full armor, though the leather scabbard on her belt was empty. In her brown eyes there was fear all too clear. The half-orcs threw her on the altar like a sack of grain, and the woman grunted from the impact. She was obviously weak, bruise marked the exposed skin of her pretty face and slim arms. “Xvim, my lord!” Gillian picked up a wicked dagger from the altar. “We your unworthy servants have been somehow fruitless in our holy war against the dogs of Cyric, I have to admit. But disfavor us not, O Black Tyrant, for this day we give you this captain of the city guard of Zhentil Keep, a guilty bitch whose soul belongs to the Mad One!” These said, he chanted a prayer which caused his fingers to burn with the evil emerald fire, and asked the captain, “You are charged with worshiping Cyric and found guilty. Do you want to defend yourself?” But the woman seemed to be driven mad by fear and remained silent. And her jaw has been crushed anyway. “Good. Now you are sentenced to be executed, here and now.” With his right hand the Imperceptor burned “HERETIC” on the woman’s forehead and her mouth opened as wide as her broken jaw allowed in a silent scream; then with his left he sliced her throat open, and blood streamed forth from the mortal wound. Raising the curved dagger in his hand, crimson dripping from the blade onto the altar, Gillian shouted zealously, cold glee for the slaughter filled his voice. “Grant us your favor, great lord!”
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
An hour later… “He betrayed us, my lord, you know that!” Lars, priest of Xvim exclaimed. “That little scum and his stupid wife must have sold us to the dogs of Cyric!” “So you say.” Gillian said calmly. “I know all along that you don’t like him, thinking there is never enough belief in that one, and if there was one betrayer within our order, it would be him.” The Imperceptor paused for a moment to let Lars digest his words, “But I say there is neither enough nerve in Sorrell or Dalmara for any action a league’s way from betrayal. They are common citizens who remain loyal to Bane and Xvim out of fear for later punishment, in which the iron control of our former order had made them believe.” “And there will be.” Octevia, priestess of Xvim, twin sister of Lars, emphasized her word by pounding her gauntleted fist on the table set between the four of them, leaving several dents on the polished wood. “Those crazy fools of Cyric, and others who actually believe in their words that the Mad One now claim Lord Bane’s divine power as his own, shall no doubt face the terrible ire of the Black Fist, and eventually meet their fated doom! Let them rise to a great height, let them taste the sweetness of limitless power, let them take the city as their own playground and walk around hunting down followers of other deities like beasts, for these will only make their fall all the more painful. When at last they are all crawling on the ground, begging everyone around them for mercy, we shall strike hard and smite these heretics to nothingness!” “Yes, yes, that is the promise of Lord Xvim, in which we all believe.” the Imperceptor answered, his tone showing a tiny hint of impatience, as if he had heard this being proclaimed all too often. “And that petty couple, betrayers or not, should be the least of our concern. What can they sell the order out for? The dogs of Cyric will have their way what so ever. Sorrell just can’t be so ignorant as to believe that they will hold their side of bargain. Everyone in this city knows that there is a great difference between the spies of Cyric and our Black Network, which is that the former just don’t pay.” Seeing the twin finally nodding in agreement, Gillian knew his logic had eased his zealous fellow clerics a bit, so he changed the topic. “And that’s preciously why no one sells information to the order of Black Sun. It’s also why I don’t worry about Mark abandoning our course.” “As if he dares,” a wicked smile found its way to Octevia’s face. “Sometimes, even without the possibility of his betraying us, I find myself wondering if it would be better to tear that annoying creature to shreds with my bare hands.” “From all we are seeing, he is doing his job well.” Gillian ignored the vicious woman, “he’s supposed to sell our secrets to the highest bidder, and like we have discussed before, the clergy of the Dark Sun is the only bidder. And being desperate for informers only makes it easier for Mark to win their trust. Now he abides in their temple, pretending to be hiding from us but all the time sending information back.” The Imperceptor grinned as he silently congratulated himself one more time for his successful plan and continued: “He is a rather poor bard, as almost everyone who knows him would agree, but I always have confidence in his ability of acting, especially when he was to act as a wicked and miserable wretch, which our dear Mark actually is.” “So far, so good.” The fourth man in this secret room, who had kept silent before, suddenly spoke. He wore black chain mail covered by a finely decorated vest made of black dragon hide, several tokens and talismans were pinned on it, gleaming in the dull light cast by the candles on the table. His face was framed by flaming red hair, and his powerful arms folded in front of his broad chest. “There is something far more important than a petty spy I want to speak with you. I have received information via certain ways, for example, seeking consul and making deals with beings of other planes of existence, which indicates that Cyric is going down.” Receiving sharp glances and short gasps from his fellow clerics, the red-haired man nodded grimly and continued, “Yes, I know the Black Sun is, from many aspects, all powerful, more so than the other great Powers. Maybe even some of them combined will not be able to bring him down, though they must wish to do so. But as a…agent of mine claimed, Cyric’s immense power will be exactly the cause of his downfall.” Lars arched a thin brow and asked: “Might we know the identity of your ‘agent’, just to verify the credit of his, her or its claim?” The man hesitated for a moment, during which Lars and Octevia stared at him with undisguised doubt but Gillian stood there patiently. “Let me explain it first.” The fourth man finally answered. Lars raised his brow higher but didn’t question him further and waited for his explanation. “Every god wants more power, even those who stand for ‘good’ and ‘law’; they are all hungry for it and their hunger are beyond a mortal’s imagination. The more power a god has, the greater becomes the hunger. So is the case for Cyric, who has taken Death, Decay, Murder, Deception, Strife and many others into his office. This leaves him only one single target to strike against and seize more power.” “Who?” It was the Imperceptor who asked. “There is no other god more powerful than him, and I doubt any mortal is worth the trouble.” “With all due respect, High Priest, but I have to say you are wrong.” The man clearly saw his fellows’ confusion but still waited a moment for the surprise to sink in. “A far greater Power exists. The true god of all gods. Few know his existence, and I don’t think anyone knows what he is called. What is he capable of, no one can tell, not even the powerful beings that reside beyond the Prime. But it is rumored among the planes that this Time of Trouble is his doing.” “And Cyric, always desiring more power, would eventually challenge the highest one and, if that one is really the highest, find his own demise.” Gillian understood the logic and mused out loud. “Indeed, Imperceptor.” The man answered. “And this bit of information came out of the mouth of a nelfeshnee but a prince of the Abyss was the origin of his knowledge.” “A nelfeshnee and a demon prince…” Lars nodded after a moment of pondering, “Chaotic as the denizens of Abyss are, those with higher rank don’t easily feed you pointless lies, and I see no reason why they would make up such an outrageous story just to make you a fool.” The red-haired man stared daggers in the cleric’s way, and seeing the tension between them, Gillian stepped in. “So let’s assume this information is trustworthy, then how do you see it?” “I don’t see it simply as an opportunity for us to make our strike. Even in a weakened state, the followers of Cyric are too strong, and being in a state of desperation will only make them fiercer. We can’t waste the strength of our clergy and the Black Network in any hopeless attempt…” “To simply say so will be enough to incur our Lord’s terrible wrath, and we shall not tolerate such blaspheme!” Octevia burst like a volcano and her gauntleted fists tightened on her side. “One favored by the Dark Tyrant should never speak like a weakling! Or are you still in his favor?” “I would say yes, but tell me yourself,” the man in question turned and glared at the priestess with eyes set ablaze by emerald fire, and an instant later the same flame burst forth from all over his body. He glowed like another sun, surrounded by the evil fire, illuminating the small room in bright green light. “Am I still in the favor of the Black Hand?” Octevia fell backwards, hands covering her eyes, and cowered into a corner, whimpering indistinct words. “Glad you agree.” Sensing Gillian tense behind him, he pulled back his flame. And ignoring a furious Lars, who was at the same time filled with awe and dread, the red-haired man turned back and said calmly: “This is all for today. I will take my leave, Imperceptor. The Black Network needs my attention.” “Go with the blessing of Xvim, Chosen One.” Gillian said, relieved that neither part of the little conflict went too far. Bane’s demise was bad enough, their weakened clergy would be damned if some high-ranking members tried to kill each other for foolish pride. He remembered the days when the Black Hand ruled with iron fist, when no one dared to speak out of term, when they sat within Bane’s mighty temple and held absolute power over literally everyone. No more. And Cyric was to blame. Of course Mystra and Kelemvor shall pay, and pay dearly, but only after Xvim has crushed the Dark Sun like a mortal as he once was. The Imperceptor gave the man in front of him an almost sorrowful nod, knowing after so many years of working together, he would understand. Without another word, Fzoul Chembryl, the Chosen of Bane and Xvim, returned a same meaningful nod and headed out of the room.
1月25日 闲来无事VIGromph大步走向前方的阳台,上面站着他的两个学生。他们是Norulle,一个五年级学生。他用某种导致毛发增长的小戏法让自己的下巴上冒出一蓬矮人一样的胡子——这完全算不上有什么吸引力,考虑到他们正在和谁打仗——以及Prath,一个还只有三十多岁的一年级学生。他健壮的体格和隆起的二头肌本该让他的家族把他送到Melee-Magthere去的。两个人都背对着Gromph穿过的通道,并且躲在一个幽灵般虚幻的龟壳后面,那桌子一样大的东西就悬浮在阳台正前方。 当一片箭矢打在那龟壳上,绝大多数都破碎成粉末的时候,Norull向后退缩了一步。然而,其中一支箭闪烁着奥术的光芒。它穿透了魔法屏障,钉在Prath斗篷的袖子上。几乎看都不看一眼,Prath把箭扯下来扔到一边。过了一会儿,鲜血开始从他的手上淌下来。他把血用力甩开。 那孩子应该成为一个士兵,Gromph心想。 从外面传来战斗的声响:下方杜加矮人高喊的命令;投石车的铰链被拉动而后发射的声音;魔法能量的爆裂和嘶鸣;以及上方和下方露台上法师们施放着各种法术时疯狂的吟唱。 “Norull,Prath——发生什么了?”Gromph一边走上露台一边问,“你们的导师呢?” Norull惊讶地转过身,手里握着一支魔杖。 “主人!”他惊呼道,“您在这里!” 钻石尘在Norull的头发和胡子上闪耀,看来有人在他身上施加了强大的保护性魔法。 是Prath回答了Gromph的问题,“Leandran已经不在了。一团魔法火焰正好打中了他。” 他指向露台远端的一个地方——石制地板上一个冒着黑烟的坑。从那中间穿透了的一个洞里Gromph可以看到下方的地面。更多小一些的坑,有些还在冒烟,沾在大坑后面的墙壁上,像是什么东西泼洒过来留下的痕迹,而每一个又都被一圈冰霜环绕。很明显两个学生用某种寒冷法术把火焰熄灭了。而至于Leandran,学院的防护系大师,没有任何迹象表明他曾经存在,除了肉体烧焦的臭味。 一阵呼啸声引起了Gromph的注意。他转向旁边,正好看到一个巨大的陶罐划出一道弧线飞向Sorcere,在几十尺外一支石笋上撞得四分五裂,向附近泼溅出流体火焰。那些烈火向下涌动,燃烧着路上的一切:石制墙壁,露台上方一道装饰性的铸铁拱檐,以及那个露台本身。 露台上的人匆忙躲开那片烈焰——其中一个慢了一些。当一些液体淌在他的披风上时,他剧痛的尖叫在空气中回响。紧接着被那烈焰软化的铸铁拱檐在一阵金属扭曲的尖利声音中倾覆,盖过了他的惨叫。在上方,学院的墙壁继续燃烧着,很快石制塔身就被火焰噬咬出一个洞来。 Gromph盯着陶罐飞来的方向,以及那座由杜加们竖立起来的防御工事。它就矗立在从Dark Dominion进入Tier Breche的通道口。那工事看起来就是切成方形的蘑菇茎杆,水平地堆砌起来,但很明显地还受到了魔法强化。在某个露台上的法师投射的闪电弹除了从那些真菌上炸掉一些细小的碎片外没有任何效果。而当另一个法师在那个工事上方召唤冰风暴时,那些冰锥在击中目标之前就已经融化了。 又一个Sorcere的法师向工事的方向散布了一片酸云。那黄色的毒气扫过蘑菇杆制成的障碍后继续向后面的通道中扩散。那道路障毫发无损,然而,装着炼金术制品的陶罐却依旧从投石车中发射出来,尖啸着击中Sorcere,用猛烈的火焰摧毁它的墙壁。 看起来Arach-Tinilith的处境并不比Sorcere好到哪里去。那蜘蛛状的神殿也被白热的火焰点缀,它前方的地面则满是尸体。其中很多是粗壮的秃头——杜加——而更多是卓尔。黑暗精灵士兵们为了保卫这个洞穴献出了自己的生命。至于那些女祭司们,她们踪影全无。就像她们的女神一样,她们撤退到磐石般的高墙后面,把战斗留给了其他人。 Norull把身子探出露台,把手中的魔杖指向敌人。花生大的一粒粒火焰在杖头形成,在射向下方攻城工事的同时逐渐增大。当它们击中蘑菇杆制成的围墙时,已经有数尺宽。然而即使是在那些火球依次带着足以在混乱的战斗中让所有人都听到的巨大怒吼中爆炸后,那工事依然坚挺地矗立着。 Gromph眯起了眼睛。那防御工事表面上的无可撼动他可以理解——杜加们肯定是准备好了轻便的蘑菇茎杆,并且在进入指定位置之后把它们用魔法石化了。而他不明白的是为什么围墙后面的灰矮人如何能够在Norull火球的灼热与那片酸云的腐蚀之下还继续操纵那些投石车。 他看着一个高年级学生突然出现在下面的战场中,那道杜加建造的障碍物前面,然后施展了一个Gromph本人教授的咒语——咆哮术。一道浪潮般的音波从灰矮人阵地中横扫而过,甚至让那些石化的蘑菇茎杆都明显地颤抖。 但敌人的进攻并没有停息。箭矢从围墙的小孔中射出来,其中一支在那个学生传送走的一刹那刺入了他的腹部。 “主人!”Prath高喊道,他的声音盖过Gromph耳中的鸣响,最终得到了他的注意力。“或许我们应该向他们释放一片毒虫?或许——老鼠?” Gromph正要指出这个建议的荒谬,却突然停了下来。 “‘学徒口中出真言,’”他一边轻笑着一边说出这句谚语。 Prath困惑地看着他,眼睛里闪着一丝希望。 “那是个正确的建议吗,主人?” “不,”Gromph回答,“但它让我有了一个想法。继续战斗——注意别丢了脑袋。” 回到他不久前才匆匆走过的通道里,Gromph闭上了眼睛。寻找到Kyorli只花了他一瞬间的专注。把自己的意识注入他的魔宠里,Gromph可以感觉到小小的腿脚迅速地奔跑着,以及一个鼻头不停嗅着这只老鼠面前的岩石。 Kyorli,大法师送出自己的意念,你在哪里? 跑。跑回Sorcere!但是道路被封锁了。 用一点点注意力,Gromph就可以通过这只老鼠的眼睛去观察。Kyorli正在一个通道中穿行,绕过森林般的一双双腿。那些是杜加们,他们正在两人一组地把同僚士兵的尸体拖走。两个灰矮人,抬着一具死去同伴的尸体,跑到了一条侧面的通道里。 Kyorli,Gromph命令道。那条通道。进去看看。 Kyorli溜到入口处,瞥向通道里面。从她的双眼中,Gromph看到了他所预期的:一个穿着带有兜帽的暗色长袍的灰矮人,手里握着一支法杖,杖顶端是一颗鸡蛋大小,中间有一道深深裂纹的宝石——拉杜格的神徽。那个牧师站在一打堆放在地上的尸体前面施展着一个神术,手中的法杖在上方挥舞。过了一会儿,那些尸体开始移动。死去的士兵们整齐地站起来——仿佛被某种恐怖的生命形态所驱动——排成一行走出了通道。 跟着他们,Gromph命令,看他们去哪里。 Kyorli照做了,当然是在一个安全的距离上。那些不死的灰矮人抽搐着排着一列队伍走向洞穴入口处。到了那里之后,他们在攻城围墙后面各就各位,对于又一片从洞穴上方翻滚着涌来的酸云毫无反应,虽然那团剧毒的气体腐蚀着他们干枯的皮肤。 Gromph得承认那些杜加很聪明。Lolth的女祭司失去了她们的神术,因此就没有人能够驱散一支亡灵军队——或者控制住它们。一旦那些魔法火焰完成了工作,它们就将不受阻挡地进军Sorere、Melee-Magthere,以及Arach-Tinilith,然后是魔索布莱城的其他领土。而且唯一一个强大到能阻止它们的大法师还被远远地禁锢在城市的下面——至少他们的指挥官是这样认为的。 Kyorli眼中的景象突然变得模糊,老鼠为了躲避一个跑来的士兵不得不迅速溜到一边去。 这就够了,Gromph告诉他的魔宠。给自己找个安全的地方躲起来,很快你就能够到Sorcere来和我会合了。 把他的意识拉回到自己的身体里,Gromph充满自信地走上露台。他从口袋里掏出一根雕刻过的骨头,然后面对转头看着他的两个学徒,把手伸了出去。 “我需要一块鲜肉。”他告诉他们。 Norull四下看了看。“但是,主人,这里没有啊,”他回答道。 Prath看着Gromph,慢慢点了点头。从斗篷袖子里抽出一把匕首,他把自己的左手放在露台的扶手上,然后割下了小拇指的尖端。他用完好的那只手把那鲜血淋淋的一块肉拣起来——并忽视着他同学的表情——交给了Gromph。 Gromph微笑着。 “很好,学徒。”他告诉那孩子。“你会很有前途的。顺便问问,你是哪个家族的?” Prath在痛苦中笑着,把被切断的手指紧紧握在手心里,尽量阻止更多的流血,然后回答道:“Baenre家族,主人。” “啊。”Gromph之前从来没有在家里见过这个男孩——他一定是最低阶贵族的后代。 Prath并不算聪明——任何一个学生都可以召唤来一个弱小的生物,杀了它,然后把它的肉交给Gromph——但他很忠诚。Gromph会用得到这一点的。 把血涂抹在那块骨头上,Gromph施展了他的法术。手腕一抖,他把它抛向了后面躲着那些不死灰矮人的工事。 然后他喊道:“停止你们的攻击。转而和那些杜加作战!” 各种魔法继续向蘑菇杆筑成的围墙倾泻着。其他法师花了一段时间才意识到投石车都已经停止了发射。亡灵杜加士兵们离开了那道工事。无意识地迈着不稳定的步伐,它们高举手中的武器走入通向Dark Dominion的隧道。过了一会儿,金属撞击的声响从通道远端传来,它们与自己还活着的同伴们展开了殊死搏斗。 看到这些,Melee-Magthere的战士们冲出了他们的金字塔。挥舞着长剑,他们翻过攻城围墙,开始把它以及那些投石车拆成碎片。其他人则拣起亡灵杜加士兵留在地上的炸弹,扔向通道里面。 Gromph表情严峻地笑了笑。最终他转过身,把目光投向Tier Breche下方的城市。除了敌人获得——又刚刚失去了——的一个立足点,魔索布莱城似乎还并没有被战争所影响。作为贵族们家园的那些石柱和石笋还闪着妖火的光亮,一道魔法火环正在纳邦德尔石柱上爬行。Gromph皱起眉头,思考着哪个Baenre家的法师在他失踪的这段时间里在执行那仪式。看起来他并不是如他想象得一样无可替代。他得和Triel谈谈这个。然后,当他完成了对主母的报告之后,他要看看自己怎样来结束这场战争。 8月19日 台服几天,图多杀猫 呃……为什么出来都是小图呢……而且我也不会给每个图配注解……
好吧,以下(或者是以上)图片中包括我的血骑士Daried和他的强大双手剑,银月城的路灯和自动扫把,登基为太阳之王的某凯的塑像,不知道是谁的女精灵的塑像,银月城逐日王庭门前很有气势的卫兵,疑似是新副本大门的东西,我的德莱尼法师Alustril,两个NPC的恶搞对话,一个同样恶搞的任务(我是那棵偷听的树),一个任务可以先让你飞,再让你变成黑豹,任务中和我一起冲锋的熊怪,埃索达门前的60级小猫,埃索达的纳鲁,一个任务借我骑的大象。
血精灵和德莱尼新手任务都好棒……尤其是血精灵那个小村的声望装(比如那把双手剑),羡慕……
其实还看了个70牧师的装备,就懒得贴了,不过全身治疗+1799,用了饰品后+2096,其中单手武器就+429…… 8月10日 貌似该更新了这个地方自从挖出来之后就没怎么照看,通常是一口气放一堆东西进来然后就遗忘掉了……明天(写完肯定是今天了)跑团,突然想更新下。
呃……先说说WOW吧……某个被成为灯火猪的刚刚问我为什么没见我少上,身上装备还这么烂。话说我还是考虑过买套元帅来穿的,加两把元帅匕首,不过总觉得那就是这战场的几周用得上,回头都要郁闷得扔店,多不值当(当然,现在发现战场可不止几周……),于是都买的70荣誉装,放银行里没事就去看看,很期待啊~不知道什么时候才能穿上,哎…… 前几天发现了一个买电影的地方,于是一口气买了11张盘回来。美版无间道,天国王朝,16街区,教父三部曲,燃情岁月(我看到英文名后想到的是秋日传奇……),魔术师,变形金刚,还有个叫征服者的,貌似在杂志上见到过。
到现在还一张没看…… 进入正题,就是坑的问题。貌似是昨天(写完肯定是前天了),当我正在和一帮人砍高阶祭司玛尔里的小蜘蛛的时候,游侠说很奇怪为什么这么多有YY精神的人没有写同人呢?
实在是坑很多啊…… 不过……对于《达纳苏斯的阳光》,我想可以从“夜幕剑锋”Y起,恩。 只是个想法。 最后是填坑部分啦~其实也算不上填,就是昨天(写完肯定是……我猜大家已经掌握这个时间概念了)从地铁站出来的时候突然想到的一点东西。离要填的部分很远,基本可以理解为断点下载那种。
Son of the starless night——Live in the night
……(片段,片段而已) When Allen finally understood what was happening in this blazing hell around him, he decided to get out of there. With his natural ability to remain invisible, which has developed along with his age and his magical power, it would be an easy task to slip away, just like the fleeting shadow of a bird high overhead. So, Allen confidently and gracefully stepped over a fallen elf archer, dodged aside when a drow twin-blade rogue, transfixed by a lance of pure arcane energy, flew back a few yards, and was about to get away. That's when he felt something. Allen had had such feeling a few times before, and he knew he was detected. Turning around, he met the gaze of an elf spellcaster. A quite competent wizard, having access to spells such as true-seeing to conter Allen's natural invisibility. However, this was not what concerned him most. The elf was casting another spell, one that Allen recognized without much difficulty. It was a spell of disintegrate. After a panicked instant, Allen the necromencer realized that his newly acquired undead body, though immune to many deadly assults and dangerous elements, would prove an easy prey for a handful of spells. Sadly, disintegrate was counted as one of those. This realization made Allen breathless. When he finished the casting, the elf spread his hands, and from them a sinister green ray shot forth. He also yelled something like "Die, dark-skined drow!" Before the ray touched him, Allen still managed only one word, in which was filled his anger, his hatred and all the power that's left in him. However, it was not a potent counterspell, not a hastely raised arcane barrier, not an anti-magic field, not a power word, not even the beginning of a chanting. And being breathless, he didn't make it very loud. So, in the face of his doom, Allen only muttered:"Damnation." And he felt burned alive from inside. Darkness followed. (昨天晚上写完了发现貌似是网络问题,发布不了,于是就存下来晚点再发……) |
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