As you put on the amulet, he says "Oh, I almost forgot! Very, very high mountains can sometimes prevent the amulet from returning you here. Don't worry about it, though ... I'm sure it's a problem you'll never have."
Suddenly, he remembers something and checks his records. "Oh dear. We've been seeing movements around the town of Ghikra for days, but it was the Vahnatai, so we didn't worry. You'd better go check up there."
You have the strongest feeling of horror yet, and deep, overwhelming sense of great evil building. You know that if action is not taken, and very soon, the effects will be truly devastating.
Again, the inhuman evil voice comes to you. "I am Grah-Hoth, and I am coming! Soon I will be here, and you will have no home to return to. All Exile will suffice to satisfy my hunger." He laughs, and fades away.
Again, the screams from far beneath the Earth come to you, combined with inhuman howls of hunger and triumph. You cannot help but feel that if something is not done soon, something horrible will happen.
A ghostly image appears in front of you. It is Anaximander. He says "Return to Fort Emergence as soon as possible. Drop whatever you're doing. The greatest emergency yet faces us, and we need your help."
You again hear a cacophany of voices, distant and filled with horror. Then one drowns out all the others, a cruel, deep inhuman voice: "We have the Tower, and soon we will have you all. So come defy us. Nothing would make us happier."
The horrible feeling you felt earlier returns, stronger than ever. You hear a voice in your mind, a female voice that sounds strongly familiar. It says, simply, "We are dying. Help us. Oh God, help us." Then, mercifully, the feeling fades.
Suddenly, without warning, you feel a vicious mental jolt. As your head clears, you feel something horrible has happened, but you haven't the slightest idea what.
Anaximander greets you, a terrified expression on your face. "Welcome. I trust you have heard ... the Tower of Magi has fallen to demons. It is desperately important that someone go there and stop them."
Aniximander doesn't look up as you approach - he is studying his papers with unusual intensity. "Welcome back. I need you to go on a little side jaunt. There have been some murders in the north that I really think you should look at."
Anaximander looks relieved to see you. "Welcome back, adventurers. We could use your help. A valuable artifact has been stolen."
"They have been very secretive since the end of the Empire War. Why don't you go visit Ghikra and see what they have to say about these shards."
You tell Anaximander of the crystal shards you recovered from below the hill giant and troglodyte lairs. "Crystals, eh? The Vahnatai use crystals in their magic, and they certainly have no love for the Empire."
"You have done very well. Go speak with 'X' and Solberg - one of them will give you magical training. They're skulking about in this fort somewhere."
"Certain of our agents report that there is a way, on the surface, due north of Fort Emergence, to teleport to different places on the surface. Investigate this ... between that and the amulet, you will be able to travel anywhere quickly."
Anaximander says, "By the way, we have something for you. Time is of the essence, and you have much distance to travel." He hands you an amulet. "Using this when outdoors will return you to Fort Emergence."
Anaximander says "By the way, if you ever have excess items that need storage, leave them in the small storeroom where you found your supplies, or in your quarters to the northeast. I'll make sure nobody disturbs them."
"You have done well. You should go to the Portal Fortress, and from there to the Tower of Magi to receive a reward. Once down there, see 'X' and Solberg, and one of them will give you magical training."
Anaximander looks very concerned. "You really should go to the surface as soon as possible. The mages have been scrying and forecasting, and it is clear that, if you wait too much longer, we may not be able to live on the surface. Ever."
Anaximander says "Perhaps you are taking a little more time to explore the surface than you should. Remember ... time is wasting, and events may be progressing up there in a way we don't like."
"They were attacked and enslaved by the Empire during the Empire War ... they despise the Empire and would gladly destroy it. If you ever see the dragons, you should ask them about this. Carefully."
You tell Anaximander of the dragon scales you discovered in the cockroach pit. He looks disturbed. "Two of the three dragons still living in Exile, Khoth and Sulfras, recently disappeared. They both have the power necessary to create the monsters."
"The possibility that she may be responsible for the ravaging of the surface is both unsettling and plausible. You should go try to speak with her. She lives at the north end of this cavern, far north of Ghikra."
You describe the runes you found in the Alien Slime's lair, and how they are Erika's symbols. He shakes his head, and look very concerned. "Erika is our greatest archmage, and her hatred for the Empire is absolute."
"There may still be hope that we can force some sort of colony up there. First, however, we need to learn much more. Go out and explore more, and report back."
You tell Anaximander of what you saw on the surface. He doesn't seem surprised. "Hmm. So far, it sounds much like what we expected. We are in the outskirts of the Empire, far from the center of civilization."
He hands you a scroll, sealed with the seal of Exile. "Take this to Empress Prazac, and return as soon as you can with her response."
Eventually, Anaximander returns and says "I have been in communication with King Micah. He believes this is our greatest opportunity, but only if we are careful. Very, very careful."
You wait for two days. When you try to return to your rooms, guards stop you. Food is brought to you, and you wait.
You tell Anaximander of your first meeting with Empress Prazac, and give him the scroll she gave you. He nods, tells you to wait, and leaves.
"They are a powerful and intelligent foe, skilled in magic and weaponry. Exercise the greatest care, and stop them. They are our friends no longer. Defeat them, and save our homeland."
Anaximander greets you. "I heard of our discovery with regards to the Vahnatai. When we enlisted their help in the Empire War, we had no idea of the cost ... their vendetta against the Empire will never end until our home is destroyed."
You tell Anaximander you recovered the Orb of Thralni. He nods in approval. "Our opinion of your skills improves. We've talked it over, and we believe the Orb may do a lot more good in your hands. Just try to hang on to it."
"You should go speak to Levy. We really need to get it back ... it's an invaluable item. He was the caretaker, and may have an idea of what happened to it."
Anaximander greets you, a disgusted look on his face. "There's been a theft!" he spits. "Right in the middle of Fort Emergence! A band of bandits managed to get in and steal the Orb of Thralni right out from under our noses."
"Solberg and 'X' are here now. They managed to escape, thank goodness. Should you need to go to them for rewards in the future, they're puttering around somewhere nearby."
Anaximander greets you. "I heard what you did at the tower. We all owe you a great debt. I've seen to it that Levy has something very nice for you."
He is clearly terrified. "Come in and speak to me, so I can tell you where to go. If you don't get down there soon, our land and all in it are doomed."
"If something is not done, they will soon have the force to decimate Exile and slay everyone there! The only way into the Tower, we think, is the portal in the Portal Fortress, and the only group we can send to do anything is yours!"
You enter Anaximander's office and immediately see from his face that something is horribly wrong. "Demons have taken the Tower of Magi! They've sealed it off from Exile, and are summoning more of their kind."
You describe the conclusion of your murder investigation to Anaximander. "Well done. We do not know who killed those men, but we have still learned much. Now, back to the surface for you! Much is left to be done!"
You tell Anaximander about the rubble near the murder site near New Formello. "Ah! A key! Very intriguing." He looks at it, and takes notes in it. "Keep it ... it may come in handy. And be sure to speak with Flanagan again."
You tell Anaximander how you investigated the murder site. "Well," he says, "perhaps you should look a little harder. You say there was a small tunnel that went in further? Be sure to search that carefully."
Anaximander asks about the murder investigation. "I'm glad you talked to Flanagan, but I am not yet satisfied we know what happened. I am sure it involved powerful magic, and remember ... we are looking for unknown, powerful magicians."
Anaximander looks pleased to see you. "Listen," he says, "there have been some strange murders up by New Formello. The circumstances are so bizarre I cannot help but want you to investigate. Come talk to me, so I can tell you more."
Anaximander unzips his robe and steps from it. His body is much better developed than you would have thought. The reward for your long, hard adventures is at hand!
He turns to you, and grows serious. "We will now exert all our efforts to finding those who creates these plagues of monsters and bringing them to justice. You, we believe, are our best hope. So go forth, all of you, and win us a home!"
You describe your meeting with Prazac, and Anaximander looks delighted. "I will report this with great joy! All I have heard indicates that Prazac is a woman of her word! At last, at long, long last, we have a hope of a home on the surface!"
"If you can, see if you can find a way to get in and speak with her. If she sees that we wish only to coexist and share her interest in preserving the surface, perhaps by her hand we may at last regain our home."
You tell Anaximander how you learned that Empress Prazac would be at Blackcrag Fortress. He looks intrigued. "I have heard, you would be interested to know, that while the Empress is fully as intelligent as her dark predecessor, she is much more just."
You describe the fearsome alien beasts, and the havoc they have wrought, to Anaximander. His sole response is to sit down and shake his head, overwhelmed.
"Find out who created them, and convince them, by words or sword, not to destroy the surface! Only then can we have hope of returning to our home!" Anaximander sits down, shaking his head in worry.
Anaximander shakes his head in admiration as you describe how you slew the golems and their creators. "Still," he says, "our task is far from completed. After all, their creators are still at large, and if they created such an army once, they can again."
"I cannot imagine what could be powerful enough to create an army of golems, but they must be identified, and stopped!"
When you describe the golems to him, Anaximander seems to age before your eyes. "This is far worse than anything that came before! It seems the closer the enemies are to the Empire's center, the more deadly they are."
"Of course, to do that we need to know both that we are safe from other monsters and from the Empire. So keep exploring. I feel much remains to be done."
You tell Anaximander of the war that just broke out between the troglodytes and the hill giants, and your role in it. "Well done!" he exults. "With them gone, we should have a much better chance of settling on the surface!"
"Investigate the giants, and also look for and deal with the troglodytes. The two hate each other, or so I have heard. Perhaps this may be taken advantage of."
You tell Anaximander of the war between the humans and the Hill Giants. "The giants attacked the humans out of nowhere and ruined their cities, eh? Sounds very, very familiar. Probably another symptom of our same problem."
"They breed fast, and are vicious warriors. However, I have heard that their lair is near that of their great enemy ... the hill giants. Go explore ... maybe their enmity can be exploited."
You tell Anaximander of the troglodytes, and the destruction they are wreaking. He nods. "Yes. I have heard of the troglodytes from other sources as well," he says enigmatically.
You tell Anaximander of the fiery destruction of the roaches pits. He nods. "Well done. I would support their destruction on general principles. Continue to explore the surface."
Anixamander twitches in revulsion when you describe the giant roaches to him. "And I thought the slimes were awful! It is clear that this is yet another monster infestation. Investigate, and destroy them if you can!"
"Keep exploring the surface, and find out as much as you can about these monsters. More importantly, find out where they came from. Otherwise, they may come for us! And if you find any evidence of who might be responsible, take it to Berra."
"It is clear that your mission is becoming much more important than we thought. We need you to get a lot of information for us, not just a brief survey of the fort's surroundings."
"This is grim in the extreme. The best that can happen is that the Empire will blame us and attack us anew. The worst is that the attacker has the power to make the surface unlivable, and we will be doomed to Exile forever!"
You tell Anaximander everything about the destruction of the alien slime, and he looks much more worried than before. "You see what this means, don't you? Some very powerful creature, with great magical ability, launched a mighty attack on the surface."
"Nonetheless, continue on your mission. We must find as much as we can about these creatures, including, possibly, where they came from. After all, they threaten the place we want to become our home."
You report how the mayor of Krizsan enlisted you to fight the slime creatures. Anaximander says "How strange. After so many years fearing and fighting the Empire, our agents our now helping it."
"Yet, it seems that dangerous creatures, at the height of the Empire's power, are returning. Continue to investigate this situation. This is something we need to learn much more about."
You report to Anaximander on seeing the strange slime creature. He looks very serious. "This is bizarre, to say the least. The Empire was determined to purge the world of all that was different or dangerous."
Anaximander looks up from his desk. "Don't forget ... The sooner you go out onto the surface and see what's going on, the better. All Exile waits to see whether it is safe to emerge or not."
