Part 62: Gates to Another World

Update 40: Gates to Another World



"This is it: our confrontation with the false King Alamar. We may be about to face the greatest battle of our lives. Are all of you prepared?"
"I've never felt better."
"You're crazy. We're all going to die. I demand extra hazard pay."
"We've got justice on our side! Nothing can stop us! Well, except maybe a basilisk if it gets a lucky shot in."
"If we've lived this long, one last great act of stupid bravery isn't going to kill us."
"I'll stay by your side forever, Preacher!"
"That's... very heartfelt, Jostiband, I'm sure."



"But I think enough words have been said. Now, onward, to face our destiny!"

The party barged into King Alamar's throne room, weapons drawn.

"Stare into the Eye of Goros and despair, usurper!"



"Hey, no fair! You're supposed to let us fight you!"
"I'd really rather not. Goodbye."



"Well, that didn't quite work out as planned."
"Where the hell are we?"
"In the Soul Maze, apparently -- wherever that is. Who's that guy over there?"



"Oh, great. Don't tell me the fake king likes riddles."
"Wait, I know how these things work. If the real king is named Alamar, maybe the fake king is named..."



"Well? Am I right?"



"Nuts. Well, it was worth a try."



"I suppose this means we have no option but to explore the maze for clues, then."
"Perhaps a Location spell would help?"



"On the other hand, perhaps not. I'm not even sure we're in Varn right now."



"Wherever we are, the false king has sent plenty of monsters here to keep us company."
"I guess it's smiting time again, huh?"



"You know, I think there's a pattern to the colour of these walls. If we map out all of them..."



Those gaps in the outer edges of the map aren't just printing errors, by the way: walk through one and you'll wrap around to the other side of the area. This serves to make mapping even more frustrating.

"I see it now! W3173HS 51 3WUN HW! Wait, what does that mean?"
"Try turning it upside down, Jostiband."
"Oh. Ohhh, I see. So the false king's name is..."



"Sheltem!"



"Wait, could you run that by us again? What was that about Varn?"



"Who are you? What do you know about the Inner Sanctum? We have so many questions! Please, tell us more!"



"Dammit. He's gone."
"At least we got out alive. What was all that about the impostor being 'voided', anyway? Perhaps we should pay another visit to Castle Alamar."



"If we're sent back to the Soul Maze for this, I'm going to be mildly peeved."



"You're the real King Alamar?"
"I sure am."
"No foolin'?"
"No foolin'. Some guy dressed all in silver let me out."
"We have done Varn a great service on this day. But one question remains unanswered... where is the Inner Sanctum?"
"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you this, but go to the Astral Plane and wander around a bit and you'll find it eventually. There's an entrance in the forest just outside my castle."



"Hmm. What's this between these trees...?"



"Can't we just take the door off its hinges, drag it back to Sorpigal and sell it?"
"What the hell would we spend the money on? We've already got better gear than you can buy anywhere in Varn."



"Whooooaaa. Trippy."
"Where could the Inner Sanctum be? All I see is endless grey mist in all directions."



"If we want to see what that building there is, we'll have to find a route through the barriers."



That's right: the Astral Plane is a maze of invisible barriers. As with the Soul Maze, Location spells are completely useless here. And just in case you got the bright idea of casting Etherealise to get through the barriers...



... a large proportion of the plane is a null-magic zone. Since the monsters can be quite powerful and it's impossible to rest on the Astral Plane, the party is in real danger for as long as they're here.



"Finally! I can't believe we got here alive. Now, all I have to do is unlock the grate..."




"Successhands, I don't know if you can hear me, but when you wake up I'm going to kill you."



"Wait, number 1? How many of these are there?"



"... and it sent us all the way back to Sorpigal. That's just great."
"That's okay! I'll just cast Astral Spell to send us right back to the Astral Plane like we should have done in the first place."

Several more minutes of wall-bashing later...



"Two down, who knows how many more to go."



"I think I've mapped most of the Astral Plane now. There are at least three more buildings in it."



"Only two more, and the Secret of the Inner Sanctum will finally be unlocked."



"This is it, guys! This is what we've all been waiting for! Only one room to go!"



"How does this door open? All I can see is a slot -- wait. Perhaps the key card..."



"Yes! We're so close to completing our sacred quest!"
"Man, would we ever feel dumb if we went all this way without bringing that card."
"Now, all that remains is to see what's behind the door..."



"... nothing can ever be easy for us, can it?"



Fortunately, magic isn't blocked in this part of the Astral Plane, and the party makes short work of their enemies.

"Just a few more steps around that corner, and the Secret of the Inner Sanctum will be ours! What wonders await us?"



"I'm... not entirely sure what I was expecting, but this wasn't it."



"Uh, thanks, I guess. Do we get a medal or something?"



"Wait, vehicular what? Research who? What are you talking about?"
"Look, I'm giving you guys the chance to travel to another world. Why do you have to look a gift horse in the mouth? It'll all make some kind of sense by the end of Might & Magic 5, anyway."



"Well, don't try it now, because New World Computing is out of business, but you used to be able to get a certificate with your final score on it. I swear it's true."
"The Gates to Another World... I've heard rumours of such a place deep within the northern glacier."



"And so, we can finally claim our just reward for all our toil."



"The opportunity to travel to a new world is a rare gift indeed. Are you all ready to abandon your old lives here and step bravely into the unknown, to do the gods' work wherever you may find yourselves?"



"I've fought the best and come out on top. This world's got nothing left for me. I'm ready to go."



"Varn is a land plagued by trouble, and no place for a self-respecting gnome. Perhaps with all this wealth, I can live a life of luxury on another world."



"A paladin's gotta do quests, right? And we've already done everything we can for everyone in Varn. So if you're going to another world, I'm coming with you."



"Eh, what the hell. A change of scenery might be interesting."



"And what about you, Jostiband? Will you come with us?"



"Of course I will! Hey, uh, what's that noise behind us?"

"Ah, I've finally caught up with ye. Shouldn'a hung around Sorpigal if ye didn' want us to track ye down."
"That's right. We have a score to settle with you."
"You fiendish traitors may be powerful, but truth and justice have a power beyond the comprehension of your twisted minds!"
"Y'know, something's been bugging me about that whole thing. If they're so evil, why did they save our lives twice? And why do they have a holy cleric and paladin on their side?"
"zrrgin, we've discussed this before. I'm the one who does the thinking around here."
"Cedric, what do you say to slipping away before these fools get us killed?"
"That sounds like the best idea I've heard in a long time."
"Hey, where'd Cedric and Daraken go? Never mind. I'll cut all of ye to pieces on my own if I have to!"
"As much as I'd like to argue with you, and as satisfying as it would be to beat you to a pulp, we're taking a one-way trip to another world and you're not invited. So you see, any kind of confrontation is a bit pointless right now. I'd say 'see you later', but, well, we won't. Bye!"
"Wait, where're ye goin'? Stop! Get back 'ere!"

With Sylphosaurus and his gang at their heels, the party ran through the Gates to Another World. The massive portal accepted the party with a brilliant flash of light before fading away into nothingness. Sylphosaurus, charging toward where the Gates once were, crashed headlong into a sheer wall of ice.

"Damn it all! They got away again! Where are those bastards this time?"



"Preacher?"
"Yes, Jostiband?"
"I have a feeling we're not in Kansas any more."