The Return of the Ancient Ones. Gary Sr. Caplan

and Neston, he recalled his lessons, noticing that they were some kind of possibly unique greater undead. They reminded him of Urwraith sorcerers he had fought before, but now that he was closer, these two emanated much greater power and negative spiritual energy. Each appeared in rune-inscribed robes and an unfamiliar style of what appeared to be branil or zetheric armor. He wanted to help but realized that Captain Ross was waiting for him to return so he could use the ship’s enchanted energy cannons to open fire on the Darkspawn and the gateway portal across the field. Gideon moved though the aperture, sensing the wavering energies of the transfer portal back to the ship.

      Captain Ross ordered the discharge of the cannons, and lightning blasts hurtled down. Gideon watched as some of the Darkspawn got away, while others were blasted by cannon fire. Ragan, Osric, and Anila seemed to be minimally affected by the nearby blasts, since they were, after all, Erradans.

      “They must be achandars or have very powerful barriers,” Fiona said, looking at the two powerful sorcerer warriors after they too appeared to be somewhat resilient to Wayfarer’s cannon fire. A few Darkspawn were blasted, and others, like the tentacled entity, seemed minimally injured as it retreated into an enemy gateway.

      As Gideon watched from Wayfarer’s deck, he saw an unusual spellweave released by the enemy that he had no previous familiarity with, and then, after a few moments, there was a powerful flash and an explosion as the terrain below became distorted. After the spellweave ended, they were gone and so was their gateway.

      Captain Ross gave the order to head for the safer area of the town, as his ship was rocked by the blast wave. “We need to go back to the town. I don’t want to become a crystal statue.” Shortly afterward, looking like a disheveled group that got the brunt of the blast, Ragan, Osric, and Anila were back on board the ship, and they immediately checked on master Earendar’s condition and that of their students.

      Tauri Osric was somewhat disheveled after the battle and seemed to be contemplative. Gideon walked over to where he, Ragan, and Anila were talking. “I expected to find a Valharri or perhaps one of Dormas’ blessed Urshkaar grandmasters,” Osric stated. “Instead, we found Galvarex and Neston and that bodes ill.”

      “That two of the Twelve awakened could mean something more dire,” Anila said as she paced a few steps.

      Ragan seemed in deep thought. “Osric and I were at the battle where the wizard Mordru released energies he warped with his own spellweaves from the Quellien crystal,” Ragan said. “I sensed those energies spread, so it is possible that is what awoke Galvarex and Neston. “Let us hope that no more of the Twelve are also active.”

      “That may not be a reasonable hope,” Osric said. “We can at least surmise they were also gathering aid from the collection of Darkspawn and other creatures in the Vale as was Dark Karth.”

      “Yes, we will have to report this to our respective lodge leaders as well as the White Council,” Anila said.

      “I believe this to be direr,” Ragan said. “I had a brief vision over a year ago that there would be yet another Advent of Darkness before the Dark Lord’s return.”

      “We must also inform the Erradan Lords if they do not already know,” said Anila. Ragan and Osric nodded in agreement.

      “I agree. I too had a brief vision of another forthcoming advent of darkness,” Osric said. “Those two servants of the Ancient Ones were masking themselves and were clearly not pleased to have been discovered.”

      “How did this start?” Gideon asked.

      “It was believed that, long ago, Sorgoth the Chief Lord of Chaos and Entropy had arranged for an avatar of Nossus-Thoth and one or two other great lords or Ancient Ones, as they were sometimes called, to hide among the dark elves and the Eldren during the early second age,” Anila replied like a teacher but in a more hushed voice. “Sorgoth was responsible for converting the Erradan Lord Dormas during the first age and, though him, gained access to the Key World of Illúmaril. It was the Eldren, during the second age, who summoned other Ancient Ones to Illúmaril, and that opened the door farther for the Lords of Chaos and Entropy.” Anila paused and looked concerned.

      “OK, and if I have my numbers right, that was a several million years ago,” Gideon said.

      “Yes, that is correct,” Osric said, now also taking an interest to inform Gideon. “It was later in the second age. The Ancient Ones were defeated and banished, mostly by the Erradans and the Alor, as was Nossus-Thoth. The Eldren involved at that time realized the error of their ways and worked against the Lords of Entropy, along with the Alor people. More recently, because of the vigilance of the Greater Guardians and the White Council, the Trans-dimensional doors were blocked, and there were interdictions and barriers set in place to prevent their re-entrance.”

      Gideon watched as the Tauri went into a meditative state as the Wayfarer headed to land in the town to resupply and repair. Gideon realized the Tauri were communing with their fellows to pass on this information.

      Afterward, Gideon decided to ask Ragan about the Twelve. Ragan began in a teaching mode and included the other students in his lecture. “The Twelve were offspring of several powerful Ancient Ones who were kin to Nossus-Thoth and mostly Eldren and some dark Alor,” Ragan said. “Originally, they secretly gained entrance to Illúmaril and prepared the way for their leaders.” Gideon got more information than he had bargained for from the short lecture.

      Later, as the Wayfarer left the region, only Tauri Anila stayed onboard. Osric and Ragan left on Tauri business. Earendar and Valen, the other master from Tyl, continued the lessons on the journey back to Tyl University. Gideon even discussed what had happened with a few of his classmates. Afterward, Gideon decided it was time to make an entry in his journal and to write letters to some of his older friends, including Laurelin Leaflock, Almaren Arangul, Glade Gilding, and Gil Gallow.