Ch. 3, Page 2

Mordenkainen sighed in frustration.  "How long ago do you think we were teleported?  I've been adding to the fifth level map for Castle Greyhawk, not El Raja Key!" He tapped the map where he had been sketching with a finger to emphasis his irritation.

Murlynd, cool as ever, would not be baited into sounding frustrated.  "Who knows?" he asked with a shrug. "It could have been as far back as the passage from the temple."

Murlynd looked to his two companions, Mordenkainen and Yrag.  Both men looked to the more experienced magic-user for answers, but Murlynd had something else on his mind.

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Ch. 3, Page 1

Gronan's description of a secret entrance to Castle Greyhawk proved to be accurate; it was the first of three they found in the coming months. Each expedition under the old castle ruins seemed to lead to a new, previously undiscovered section of the dungeon. And the dungeon ran deep -- a fourth, fifth, and even a sixth level were discovered, each deeper than the last. There were hundreds of corridors and over a hundred rooms mapped so far, some of which had once served purposes, like barracks or storerooms, while other rooms seemed to have never existed for any purpose at all except to be found by explorers.

And there were always monsters. Every few rooms they would find them -- more kobolds and ogres, giant rats and giant snakes, orcs and gnolls, skeletons and zombies, and creatures both more monstrous or strange.  Almost always, the encounters ended disastrously for the monsters, leaving unguarded treasure for the taking.

It was the looting of Castle Greyhawk that always attracted the attention of rival adventurers fastest. Loose alliances began to form between them as they found ways to cooperate in the dungeons, back and forth to the dungeons, or back in the city.  Six months after the bandit camp was burned down, one alliance of adventurers in particular seemed to have the advantage over all the others...

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Ch. 2, Page 32

Sleep should have come easily to Tenser. Exhausted and spent, he should have been asleep the moment his head touched the ground. Words, though, kept getting in his way. 

The conversation between Gronan and Robilar had not gone unheard. Though said in hushed voices some distance away, they had carried on a gentle breeze to Tenser's ears. And they troubled him. Troubled to hear of this arrangement being made behind his back, as it were. Troubled that Robilar would decide on his own to let their prisoner go.  Tenser stayed on the ground, pretending to be asleep, but considering how best to reproach Robilar on the subject later.

That is, until Robilar spoke again. By now, Gronan was already well out of earshot and Robilar could not have meant them to be heard by anyone but himself.  Tenser was comforted by these words, for they showed a depth of character Robilar normally kept hidden. 

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Ch. 2, Page 31

There was no argument from Tenser, who was exhausted, and Terik, who was sore all over.  They went to find a soft spot where they could lie down and rest. Hopefully someplace without ants.

Gronan and Robilar stood facing each other, in stony silence, for at least 15 minutes. They were sizing each other up, seeing if one hoped to win some last minute revenge on the other. But each man realized that they were both as tired and sore as Tenser and Terik. What's more, they each regarded each other now, not with hostility, but with respect.  The fight was not in them anymore and it was time to talk this out.

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Ch. 2, Page 30

They were the words Robilar had been waiting to hear -- though he had been expecting them out of Drake in exchange for his life. Eagerly, Robilar and Terik both stepped forward to hear Gronan's secret...

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Ch. 2, Page 29

Tenser was relieved to hear it, but he tried not to show it. "You surrender then? Good!"  Tenser hesitated, unsure of where to take his bluff next.

Gronan seemed to sense that and resumed talking. "I am not saying I fully trust this was magic dust you blew in my face, but I am not willing to discount it either. The glowworm, if you please...?" Gronan asked, reaching out his hand to take it.

Tenser dropped the dead bug into Gronan's hand and pulled his arm away quickly, in case it was a trick, but Gronan casually took the bug, tossed it into his mouth, and swallowed it. "I've eaten worse," Gronan said. "I've also met a lot of bold men in my time, but no one who's ever tried to bluff me into surrendering with a dead glowworm before.  Now...why don't you escort me to your friends, assuming Captain Drake did not best them both..."

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Ch. 2, Page 28

Gronan had been staring hard at this magic-user, trying to gauge what manner of man he was. It seemed that this man's claim of using magic dust was an obvious bluff. If it was a bluff, though, did that show bravery or desperation?  And, in his heart, did Gronan really see that much difference between the two? 

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