MAGES GAMBIT
The sounds of battle could be heard echoing up through the narrow mountain passes as the tall man began to descend through the narrow trails that led into the valley below. As he neared the bottom of the pass, he could already see the two armies engaged in their battle. The ground was littered with the bodies of the wounded and the dead. The air carried the scent of death and battle madness on it's winds. Carrion birds circled noisily over the entire area and picked at the bodies on the outside of the battle that had been left where they had fallen. At the center of this battle stood a single structure surrounded by a massive hoard of undead creatures. the structure itself was only the remains of a small outpost of some kind that had been shaped like an octagon. In the center of these ruins was a now crumbling and decayed tower that had once stood high and kept watch over the entire mountain valley. The huge army of undead creatures seemed to be slowly thinning out as the army of goblins seemed to be finally taking their toll on the undead, and even gaining a bit of ground. Even so, it would be hours before the final outcome of the battle was determined by either side. The stranger decided that he could not afford to wait that long and still run the risk of not gaining the prize he sought for himself in the ruined outpost. He decided that it was time to take matters into his own hands and end this battle now. He reached into his pouch beside him and pulled out a few small components he would need for the spell he was about to cast. He steadied his breathing and recalled from memory the incantation and intricate gestures that had to be done for the spell to work correctly. As he began his spell casting, the very air around him seemed to almost crackle with power as he called upon the magic he needed, shaped it and then focused it to his own will. A moment latter, he pointed out at the ruined structure in the center of the valley as he finished casting his spell. A small ball of fire shot forth from his hands and grew into a roaring ball of fire 40 feet in diameter. As soon as it hit the ruined remains of the outpost, it exploded violently. The ground shook from the force of the explosion, and the air seemed to catch fire as the fireball suddenly expanded in all directions and engulfed both armies in an instant. Those who managed to avoid the worst of the explosion were thrown back violently when the concussion wave from the explosion hit them and sent them flying back away from the center of the blast. As the smoke cleared from the explosion, the scorched and shattered remains of both armies could be seen from his vantage point. The area that had at once been a ruined outpost was now just a charred and smoking heap of rubble that glowed a bright red from the heat of the explosion. The stranger took another moment to survey the scene before starting down into the valley and into the blasted and torn remains of both armies. As he approached the outer edges of the blast zone, The half melted remains of small metal swords and other weapons could be seen laying about with the scorched remains of goblins
and various undead. Nothing had been able to survive the massive explosion of the spell he had cast. Even the carrion birds that had been flying in the sky just a short time ago were gone as the direct result of the explosion that had vaporized most of them that were close by, and scarred off the remaining few that had managed to survive the concussion of the explosion. The stranger kept walking on purposefully towards the half melted ruins that the two armies had been fighting over. As he got within 100 feet of the ruins, the ground was baked and fused into a glass smooth surface that still radiated an immense amount of heat. He had never before had to use the spell he had just cast and was not sure if it would work the way that it was supposed to work. It had worked with far greater force than he ever thought was possible. He had hoped to take out at least half of the forces fighting near the ruins and scare off the remaining forces with a few more minor spells. This was going to make his search far easier since he did not have to worry about the huge army of undead and the huge amount of battle crazed goblins that now lay dead all around him. Slowly and carefully he picked his way through the ruins of the area and began searching for something That he had presumed would lay on the ground near the center of the ruins. His task in the search was hampered by the fact that a good portion of the ruins had not survived the intense heat and force of the blast. It took the better part of the afternoon before he finally found what he was searching for in the ruins. Laying half buried under a small pile of rubble was a metal ring made out of what appeared to be mithril. He worked hard to clear out the remaining blocks of wood and charred timber from the area surrounding the this metal ring that was itself inset into a huge block of stone in the ground. The block of stone was roughly twenty feet on all sides and covered with runes of some sort. He did not recognize these runes, but neither did he take any undue chances. Within a few moments, he had cast another spell that revealed to him that the runes wee indeed magical in nature, but not harmful to anyone. After determining that the runes were not harmful to anyone, but were instead a warning to not proceed any further, he reached down and pulled on the ring that was imbedded into the slab of stone. There was a grating sound as the huge 20 foot square slab of stone was lifted out of the ground where it had lain for untold centuries. As the stone slab was lifted up higher, the sky began to cloud over with storm clouds. The temperature began to drop significantly as the cloud cover increased over the small mountain valley. Ignoring the ominous signs that something was amiss, the mage gave the stone slab one final heave that threw it back about 20 feet from where he stood. A bolt of lightning suddenly blasted the ground less than five feet from where the mysterious mage stood. The force of the huge bolt lightning threw the mage to the ground and singed his clothing and hair. Standing where the lightning bolt had struck was a very large dragon. The mage got to his feet and turned to face the dragon as it began to speak to him. "I don't suppose we could do this the easy way and make this a good day for the both of us could we? All you have to do is replace that seal that you just broke and walk off from here. You do that, and there will be no need for me to have to kill you." The mage looked at the dragon a moment before answering. "I have every intention of going through with this, and I do not want to have to fight you and kill you either. To that end, I petition you to summon the greater council to this very spot to settle this dispute as is my right in these circumstances. Your only other choice
is to summon one of the three that rule over the entire council and to have that one settle this dispute. This I do decree as my petition to you for the resolution of this event at this point in time and space." The mage stood there smiling as the dragon shook it's head in disbelief. "You do not know what you ask for mortal one. If I summon the dragon council, or one of the great three, you would still most likely die in the end. Are you sure this is what you want? There is still a chance for you to live if you just do as asked." The mage reached into his robes and pulled out a roll of black colored parchment with silver colored writing on it. He unrolled the parchment and then showed it to the dragon with a smile on his face. "This parchment is correct in all forms and formally requests that you, as a designated guardian of this place, summon the one who assigned you to watch over this place. This is my desire, and I will not be swayed from it. I now hereby ask that you send for one of the three to settle my request." The dragon thought for a moment and then spoke. "As you wish mortal. I do hereby recognize that you have formally petitioned a member of the three in writing and verbally to come to settle this current situation. Your petition is granted and you will have your grievance settled by the immortal Death Dragon." The ground shook violently for several moments while geysers of black flame shot up all around the rim of the valley. It was plain to the mage that escape or outside help would now be impossible for anyone.
As the shaking finally stopped and the flames around the rim settled into a steady burning rate,
the immortal Death Dragon appeared in front of the mage. The sheer size of the immortal dragon was far larger than even the largest of the normal dragons he had seen in all of his travels. The dragon spoke in a voice that seemed to somehow suggest that death was very near at hand for the mage. "You have asked for me to come here to settle your dispute with my guardian who has given you more than ample opportunity to leave the area unharmed. You are very foolish to assume that you will be allowed to always have your way in these matters. But this time, you will be allowed to enter the ancient structure that awaits below you at this place. This your only chance to do so mage, so make it good. You are aware that you may only study the books found in the libraries below but once in a lifetime. Once you are done studying the books and leave the area, you may never return again, or tell another mortal of the location of the libraries of the ancients. You may not remove any of the books below from the libraries at any time. All attempts to violate any of these rules will result in your immediate punishment. Now go and
enter before your luck runs out." The mage turned and began to walk down the set of stairs that led into the darkness below and ultimately to the libraries of the ancients. As he got down about 30 feet, he realized that he had misworded part of the petition and had forgotten another part altogether. He turned to run back up the stairs only to hear the immortal dragon laughing out loud at him. "foolish mortal, you have been allowed to enter the library safely, and without harm, but you shall never leave again." A moment later, the stone slab that had covered the entrance to the stairs was replaced and sealed once more. The mage would never leave the libraries that sat down below this valley that sat down below this valley. Since the libraries of the ancients recognized no flow of time, the mage would also never die. He was now trapped for eternity in the libraries along with all the others who had come before him and made the same mistake he
had made. A sign on the walls of the stairwell read, "Be careful of what you ask for, for you may receive it."

TALES FROM THE DEPTHS OF LIMBO

DARK THOUGHTS OF PAIN AND SUFFERING

GAMES PLAYED IN LIMBO

FONTS USED IN LIMBO
