The Ring of Sharyr

Cy 4822 – 26^th day of Febrian – The palace of King Archibald of Rosengrad

There is an audible click inside the mind of the two men that place the key-ring of Sharyr on their fingers. A simultaneous sound shared by both men…a sound that heralds the coming of a mind…a mind of unmistakable power. The mind of a dragon.

            “Greetings men of Grayhawk, I am the ultimate reason why you strive so gamely to solve the mysterious riddles before you. You are closer along the road than most...but your journey has only just begun. The prize for your success this far is the winged dagger that you retrieved from the dwarven king, Lamli. It is imperative you covet this weapon for it is the only thing that can defeat the guardian of the Well of Ascension.

            “I forget myself. Such has been the barren conversation of my incarceration that I forget my manners. I feel your awkwardness in this venture, your loyalties and problems lie elsewhere – why should you trust a voice in your head? Why indeed. I am the lord of all the Glaennyn, the creator of their power and a shepherd that has guided them through a hundred universes. Knowledge and wisdom is expressed in your lives in centuries, perhaps to Vance Dexton in generations but to the Glaennyn wisdom is only gained after a thousand generations have lived and died.

            “I am the greatest living survivor there has ever been. Even the young amongst the Glaennyn span eons. But my survival, and the survival of our power, relies heavily upon you, ring bearers. Fail in this task and we will be condemned to a future in Limbo. The stakes are high indeed.

            “So why should a priest and a killer come to our aid? It is a question I am struggling with, despite my great wisdom. Valadain you have the bearing of a devout priest…how ironic then that you should strive to liberate a race imprisoned by the gods. And Vance Dexton, the universe’s own weapon against anomaly – strange that you should fall into conflict with your gods.

            “But this is not about the old struggles is it? In Valadain I sense the true theology behind his deity – I sense a great and warm leader…a liberator of minds and a freer of spirit. A being I would dearly like to converse with…my previous dealings with the gods of Grayhawk were abrupt to say the least. In Vance Dexton I sense the gentle caress of the White Woman, the pure soul and unbridled power that are her trademarks in all her incarnations…in all the universes I have ever seen. Once again I race ahead with my thoughts and notions…alas my urgency to speak is dictated by the limitations on my communication with the outside. Soon the link with your minds will be closed and I will have to wait in darkness and silence, wait in the hope that you heed my words and gain my freedom.

            “To business then. Clear your minds and listen carefully. The tide is changing, gentleman, and the death of the Grim Reaper is only now beginning to have an effect on the universe. Souls are being reaped but the gathering swell is been harvested by the dark creatures of the Abyss. Nameless, unspeakable monsters whose only aim is to rise and take Grayhawk’s remaining souls into slavery, where they will be farmed like chickens to feed their growing population. I feel it even now in my hidden prison. The very earth groans in protest at their coming.

            “Malkar and Willowstar know this. They stare into the inevitable without a clue as to how to stem this tide, without a plan to engage the enemy or without the knowledge to plug the holes in the prime material plane. Death is coming…death on a scale you have never seen. Destruction to rival the very worst holocaust in your short history. I feel it. I have faced such enemies before and lived. The question I put to you Valadain was why? Why should your god, the revered Malkar, liberate me? Perhaps you already know the answer but I have one explanation…he sees the benefits of my knowledge and power. He sees an ally against your enemies. And what enemies you have!

            “The embodiment of the demons’ power on Grayhawk is a man you know well…a man you fought recently. Malador is the agent of the demons and is their emissary on the prime material plane. He gathers both spiritual and sorcerous allies around him. He moves at will between the two worlds of the Abyss and Grayhawk accepted because of his mentor…Azael. It is this monster that gathers the souls and forges them into an army of immeasurable size. Azael: mentor, arch demon, reaper. His stench is everywhere, his influence is abroad and it is Malador that promotes him. Make no mistake, Azael is the driving force behind this situation; Malador is merely a foot soldier preparing the ground for what is to come.

            “When Azael’s dark boots touch Grayhawk the toad that is Malador will be fawning all around him, picking up any scraps that fall from his plate.

            “Which brings me finally to Vance Dexton. Your mind is heavily influenced by the hand of Ishtar I see…the very hand that tossed my race into this green jail. I admit to feeling a deep sense of loathing for that skeletal prosthetic. Though to further your ability to liberate me I must give you some advice. The layers of magic are the driving force behind much of the power on this plane…but certain spiritual power is above this. You will both be aware of primal magic but Ishtar’s power was purely spiritual – it is to the spirit world that you must look to solve the riddle of that hand.

            “In conclusion I am at your mercy…as is the universe. There is nothing I can offer you that will help you in this task. Any rewards I can offer you will pale in comparison with what Malkar and the White Woman will bestow. But know this: liberate my people and I will regard you both as my friend…together we will stand against the demonic tide. That is all the Glaennyn can offer…but it is all you will ever need.

            “Go in peace…go in good fortune…”