Part One is here

I was waken again by the harsh command to Get up!.

This time, I was prepared. Or so I thought.

I rolled over to my newly purchased pistol and turned the barrel on my intruder.

It was Telek Ren, as I thought it would be. That evil (or, as I liked to say in his case, ruthlessly efficient) wizard I had created by playing AD&D.

You're in MY house this time, buddy

Oops.

I was unable to get a sight picture on him. He laughed at me.

Put your weapon down. Pack your bags. You're leaving with me.

He told me that he needed my help, reminded me to pack my computer. I kept trying to aim at him while he was explaining, then set the Glock down in frustration.

He smiled at me,
Magic, remember? I prepared for what kind of reception you might have for me.
Look, you are going to have a much better time than your last visit, and I really do need your help.

He cut off my protestations; I needed to look after my parents, who were slipping into Alzheimers, for the most part. Telek told me that he had me covered by creating a clone of me to take care of them in the very short time that I would be gone. He also reminded me that as a wizard, he had all sorts of rewards for me...rewards I knew very well since I had written them as part of his advancements and power.

I thought about it for a moment. I had not played around with any sort of gaming, especially not with HIS character, since he had scared the shit out of me last time. Hell, I had even started going to the gym. But I was sure that if I helped him out, I could come back with a little gold, and expected that it would actually be quite a lot.

OK, I'll go

He made sure I brought my PC, which had the spreadsheet of his character, and all the game PDFs I had collected over the years. I took my pistol and my new Shockwave shotgun (for shits and giggles, as I couldn't see anyone attacking the stronghold I had created for him). Some underwear and my hygiene kit, and that was it. I figgered he could get me anything else I needed.

I turned out to be right about that!

After I packed, we went through the same sort of fade-out, fade-in movie cut as the last time. I was pleased to see the Keep of Alderweg looming against the twilight night sky. I knew that there was far more to the castle dug into the mountainside, in addition to the extra-dimensional rooms: Libraries, spell testing rooms, throne rooms, barracks,archery ranges, museums, armories, baths, fountains, a huge oasis, and the most impressive cathedral to Wee Jas, The Dark Lady, on the face of Greyhawk.

We entered the gates and Telek led me to my room. It fit my personality, but I wasn't surprised at that. Telek had many of the same personality drives as I did, and he was smart enough to know that. The room was comfortable and unpretentious; the art on the walls was of heroic struggle.

Did I say "room"?

It was a suite of rooms, complete with a room with a hot tub (and if the room was as I had written it, the tub was provided by the well-paid services of a water elemental and a fire elemental working together). Surprising me, there was a gym. There was also a balcony overlooking a valley...completely illusionary, but even though I knew that that, it provided me with the same awe and serenity it would had it been real.

There were even two servants...houri genie; they appeared in French maid uniforms, and looked like my two favorite naughty movie actresses...which were the names they went by...Jewell and Anastasia. The better thing was that they would be able to appear as any women I might desire. They could also create any meal I desired.

Having two of my primary needs met, I was shown to a library in my suite which contained walls of books that might satisfy the third. I had the feeling that I was going to enjoy this library very much, and that reminded me that I had been looking at reading lately as a duty, a duty that I had gotten increasingly tired of doing..I realized that I had NOT enjoyed reading in a good long time.

Telek told me to enjoy a night of relaxation, and that we would talk in the morning.

He was right about one thing for certain: I certainly enjoyed a night playing with D&D houris a whole hell of a lot better than I did flying around on the back of a dragon and dealing with "spooky and scary...witches...goblins...ghosts"!

Telek joined me for breakfast. He got right to the point as we finished eating.

Before I can ask for your help, I want you to agree to a "Strength of Fealty" spell

A 10th level spell of my own creation; it created a bond of loyalty between two people. It measured the relative strength between the two, and whoever was objectively stronger would be in a position of rulership over the over. It did require fealty both ways, so that it couldn't be used to force abusive sacrifices out of the weaker. The spell was written for Telek's character, and was intended to reduce power struggles between LE party members and foster a greater sense of teamwork.

In other words, he wouldn't be able to fuck me over with it.

OK, why not?

He told me he wanted to remind me of the Dark Lady's words he had spoken the last time...

Order before all. Knowledge brings power, power brings strength, strength brings order. The rules of magic are the rules that govern the universe; understand them, and nothing is beyond reach.

And then he began. It was a long spell, and it looked complicated. being a part of such a spell personally was a LOT different than reading about it or "casting" it at the gaming table. I was pretty exhausted by the time it was done.

After the spell was completed, Telek looked relaxed...a sight I wouldn't have expected to see from him. I suddenly had the feeling I might have misunderstood the purpose of the spell...

Telek smiled at me in a reassuring way, and said

...and now for the bad news...

Images

I enjoyed playing around https://pixlr.com/editor/ today
1)Mine, modded from a Skyrim baddie
2)The Keep of Alderweg,from TSR's UK3, modded a bit
3)The lovely Jewell Marceau, cropped for some SFW boobage.

Notes

D&D is copyrighted by TSR, or Wizards of the Coast, or Hasbro, or whoever bought them out in turn...
Samey-same as the World of Greyhawk in which this story is set
The Wee Jas quote came out of Oerth Journal #7

I haven't played the game for years, but I never really like any of the new rules. However, this thought often crosses my mind...
What happened if when we created characters, we ACTUALLY created characters?
Better hope you rolled up GOOD ones ;>

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