{"id":17323,"date":"2023-07-27T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-07-27T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/?p=17323"},"modified":"2023-07-11T15:07:33","modified_gmt":"2023-07-11T21:07:33","slug":"the-riches-of-xulthar-chapter-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/the-riches-of-xulthar-chapter-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Riches of Xulthar: Chapter 2"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"\"<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Roderick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The hot sun beat mercilessly upon the three adventurers as they rode through the barren wash toward the sun-baked desert beyond. Nearly a week had passed since leaving the last town on the edge of the desert wastes, and Roderick\u2019s friends were beginning to grow restless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGods above,\u201d Andrej murmured, \u201cwhat I wouldn\u2019t give for a jug of Kevonan wine right now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cForget the wine,\u201d said Jura. \u201cWhere are we supposed to find water in this waste? And what about grazing for our horses?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe next oasis is less than a day\u2019s journey ahead of us,\u201d said Roderick, though he knew that grazing was going to be a problem. Perhaps they should have traded their horses for camels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo hell with this!\u201d said Andrej. \u201cRod, this quest is a fool\u2019s errand. We\u2019ll die of thirst before we find the lost city of Xulthar.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr on the way back,\u201d Jura concurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick clenched his teeth. He knew that his friends had grown disillusioned, but he had hoped that their loyalty would outweigh their doubts. Regardless, this state of affairs could not be allowed to continue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo be it,\u201d he told them firmly. \u201cIf you both want to turn back now, then go ahead. But I will not turn back, even if it means that I must walk through the gates of Xulthar alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He spurred his horse forward, leaving Andrej and Jura to exchange looks of resignation before hurrying after him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRod\u2014wait!\u201d Jura called out. \u201cWe\u2019re coming!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej swore. \u201cWill you slow down and wait for us? Gods above!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick pulled up his horse short and turned around to face his two friends, his eyes narrowed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe time of decision is now,\u201d he said grimly. \u201cWill you come with me to Xulthar, or will you turn around?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeace, Rod, peace,\u201d said Andrej, panting from thirst as he wiped his brow. \u201cI meant no offense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd none was taken,\u201d Roderick said quickly. \u201cCome, let us go. The horses grow hungry, and we are all in need of water and rest.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they rode on, the desert heat grew increasingly intense, and the parched ground of the unwatered plain turned to sand that shifted beneath the horse\u2019s hooves. By midday, however, they reached the oasis that Roderick had spoken of: a small pool of brackish water surrounded by withered palm trees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They dismounted and drank deeply from the pool, feeling the water wash away their fatigue. But as they prepared to settle in the shade until the cool of dusk, a strange sensation began to overcome them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, it was little more than a feeling of lethargy\u2014nothing unexpected, given the rigors of the day\u2019s ride. But it quickly intensified into something much more. Wave after wave of vertigo and dizziness assailed them, making them stagger and swoon. Roderick stumbled and fell to his knees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat in the name of the gods is happening?\u201d Jura cried, as if from a great distance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej\u2019s face went slack, his eyes rolling back and his tongue lolling. \u201cI\u2026 I don\u2019t know,\u201d he muttered before collapsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick tried to stand but his limbs felt like lead weights. As he gazed out upon the oasis, the palm trees seemed to swirl around him like a whirlpool, their trunks twisting in impossible ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then everything went black.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When Roderick awoke, he found himself lying on his back, the hot midday sun beating on his face. The oasis was gone, as were his friends, the horses, and their supplies. All that he had now were his sword and the things on his immediate person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He groaned and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Had it all been a hallucination? The oasis, his companions, and the strange spell that had come over them? But no\u2014he remembered it all now. And as his memory returned, a shudder ran down his spine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stood on unsteady legs and scanned the desert, searching for any sign of Andrej and Jura. He called out their names, but his voice was weak and hoarse, and scorching wastes seemed to deaden every sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Panic began to rise like a serpent within his gut, but Roderick ignored it and set out in what he hoped was the direction of the oasis. Using the mountains on the horizon as landmarks, he trudged across the sandy, sun-baked desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After what felt like hours, Roderick spotted a figure in the distance. He drew closer and saw that it was Jura, lying motionless on the ground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJura!\u201d he called, rushing to his friend\u2019s side. Relief mixed with fear as he searched for any sign of life. Fortunately, Jura was only unconscious. As Roderick checked him over for injury, his eyes fluttered open. Roderick helped him to sit up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Jura groaned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know,\u201d said Roderick, shaking his head. \u201cOne moment we were at the oasis, and the next, we were here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jura rubbed his head. \u201cWhere\u2019s Andrej?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI haven\u2019t found him yet,\u201d said Roderick, scanning the horizon. \u201cWe have to keep moving. We won\u2019t last long in this blasted heat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jura nodded weakly, and Roderick helped him to his feet. They stumbled forward, searching for any sign of their missing companion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they walked, Roderick couldn\u2019t shake the uneasy feeling that something in these wastes was watching them. He glanced over his shoulder, but there was nothing behind them except the earth and endless sky. Still, the sensation persisted, and he knew that they were not alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hot afternoon sun had already begun its descent when they finally found Andrej. He was standing still, staring off as if dazed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAndrej!\u201d Roderick called out to him. He didn\u2019t respond.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick and Jura approached him with caution. Men possessed by sorcery had been known to wander in a dazed and trancelike state, lashing out at friends until they finally came again to themselves. And indeed, Andrej looked like one possessed. His clothes were covered in dust and sand, and his skin was dry and parched from dehydration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At length, Roderick stepped forward and gently placed his hand on Andrej\u2019s shoulder. He startled, but did not lash out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Andrej croaked, his eyes blinking rapidly as if he\u2019d just awoken from a deep sleep. \u201cWhere are we?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick shook his head. \u201cWe must have fallen under some sort of witchcraft or dark sorcery,\u201d he told his confused friend. \u201cIt began when we partook of the water at the oasis. We all blacked out shortly afterward. I do not know how long each of us wandered, but when I awoke, both of you were gone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jura nodded slowly, stroking his beard as if in thought. \u201cI remember a strange feeling,\u201d he told them, \u201cas if something was trying to take over my mind.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t remember a thing,\u201d Andrej said softly, his once-merry voice full of bewilderment and fear. \u201cIt\u2019s as if my mind and memory both went blank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick and Jura exchanged worried glances. \u201cCome,\u201d said Roderick. \u201cLet us go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere?\u201d asked Jura. \u201cTo the oasis?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhere else?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo,\u201d said Andrej, his eyes wide with terror. \u201cIf we go back, that same power will possess us. Who knows what will happen to us then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick drew a deep breath of the hot, dusty air and gazed off at the barren horizon. \u201cWe have no choice. We need our horses and supplies if we are to cross this barren wasteland, and for good or for ill, we left them at the oasis. It is the only place of water for miles\u2014surely they must have wandered back there, or else remained while we were under the throes of that strange spell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe should have abandoned our quest and turned back days ago,\u201d Andrej moaned. \u201cWe should not have come out here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too late for thoughts like that,\u201d Roderick said grimly. \u201cNow come, let us go before we all perish of thirst.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trio trudged through the sand, their feet growing heavier with each step. The sun was halfway from its zenith when they finally spotted a faint shimmer in the distance. At first, Roderick feared it was only a mirage, but as they drew closer, its shimmering form solidified into something real, not just a thing imagined by their dazed and frenzied minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure enough, it was the oasis. Their horses were still there, grazing peacefully on the sparse grass and drinking from the muddy water. Whatever dark magic had possessed the three friends, it had left their animals unmolested. Indeed, the whole scene appeared just as they had left it, as if nothing fey had happened at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so thirsty,\u201d Andrej moaned. He knelt down to drink, but Roderick gripped his shoulder and stopped him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait,\u201d he commanded, his voice urgent. \u201cWe cannot drink from this water yet. Remember what befell us the last time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d said Jura, eying their surroundings with dread. \u201cWho knows what will become of us if we drink from these waters again?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut I\u2019m so thirsty,\u201d Andrej protested weakly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe all are,\u201d said Roderick, sensing again that something was watching them. \u201cLet us test the waters first. One of us will drink, and the others will wait to see\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His voice trailed off as a strange mist began to billow from the surface of the tepid pool. It began to swirl and thicken, until a strikingly beautiful nymph emerged from the water. Her long, dark hair cascaded over her slender, naked form, and her eyes glowed with sinister intent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick, Andrej, and Jura instinctively drew their weapons. She smiled, sensing their fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWelcome, travelers,\u201d she cooed in a sultry-sweet voice. \u201cI am the undine nymph who guards these waters. What brings you to my oasis?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe mean no trespass,\u201d Roderick said in an attempt to pacify her. \u201cWe ask only to fill our waterskins, and then we will be on our way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, but why leave so soon?\u201d the nymph purred. \u201cI could offer you so much more than just water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej and Jura\u2019s eyes suddenly began to glaze over, their jaws slackening and their tongues lolling like dogs. Their hold on their swords loosened, and with a pair of loud clangs, they dropped their weapons onto the stony ground. Roderick watched in horror as they began to walk aimlessly, mumbling in strange tongues. Once again, they wandered out into the desert sands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick tightened his grip on his sword as he turned again to the nymph. Her magic pulsed in waves around him, whispering promises of power and pleasure. But he refused to succumb. His heart beat with wild abandon, and his forehead beaded with sweat as he mentally prepared for the fight of his life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph laughed, and the sound was as dark and dangerous as a thunderstorm racing over the thirsty desert. \u201cOh, brave little warrior,\u201d she crooned, \u201cyou think your measly sword can save you from my power?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will not stand idly by while you harm my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHarm them? I was just playing with them. I have no intention of harming them, unless you give me a reason to.\u201d The undine nymph tilted her head, her eyes narrowing slightly. \u201cBut with you, I sense something different.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick frowned. \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph glided nonchalantly over the surface of the water, moving toward the animals who grazed on unperturbed. \u201cUnlike your wretched friends, you are a man of integrity and honor.\u201d She pulled a strand of hair behind one ear and gave him a sensuous smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey may not be the best of men, but they are still my friends,\u201d said Roderick. \u201cPlease, fair nymph\u2014release them from your spell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph\u2019s smile widened playfully, and she sat nearby him on the edge of the pool, her long and slender legs stretched out to one side. \u201cVery well. I will release your friends if you give me one very simple thing in return.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick slowly lowered his sword. He doubted it would be of much use against the magical water nymph anyway. \u201cWhat do you require?\u201d he asked at length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA kiss,\u201d she said, mischief sparkling in her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA kiss? What sort of a kiss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA kiss of passion,\u201d she answered, looking deep into his eyes. \u201cOne that would make me tingle down to my bones.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She laughed, and the sound was like the gurgling of a crystal clear spring in the mountains. Even so, he sensed that it would be a terrible mistake to give in to her seductive demands. Many a traveler had been led on to his death by the nymph\u2019s illusive mirages, and he sensed that beneath her playful demeanor lurked a terrible, deadly mischief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd if I refuse?\u201d he asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph\u2019s smile turned into a scowl. \u201cThen you can die of thirst with your friends in the desert!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy apologies,\u201d Roderick said quickly. \u201cI mean no offense, fair undine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her smile returned, though strained. \u201cDon\u2019t push your luck,\u201d she said sulkily. \u201cThere is no other water in this desert, but mine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy must you ask for a kiss?\u201d he asked, trying to stall. \u201cIf you can cast a spell over my mind, can you not simply take it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She smirked and rose gracefully to her feet, flaunting her slender body in a most seductive manner. Remembering the wench at the tavern, Roderick knew that Andrej and Jura would not have hesitated to give in to her demands. But though a part of him yearned to surrender to her deadly embrace, for his friends\u2019 sake he resisted the urge to succumb to the sensual temptation she presented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause a kiss is nothing if it is not freely given,\u201d she told him, her eyes never leaving him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick sheathed his sword and reached for the pouch of money at his belt. \u201cPerhaps we can come to some other arrangement. I can offer you coin\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe coin of Xulthar? You and I both know that it is cursed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI have other coin,\u201d he said lamely. But his pouch had lightened considerably since the start of their travels, to the point where he began to wonder if the pouch itself was cursed. With trembling fingers, he counted three silver pieces and\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph turned away and sighed. \u201cCoin is so\u2026 transactional. So impersonal. Not like a kiss.\u201d She wet her lips and eyed him eagerly. \u201cA kiss is always personal, not at all like the cold metal flecks you carry on your belt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick\u2019s hand instinctively went to the pendant under his shirt. Suddenly, he realized that he had something much more personal to offer. His breath caught in his throat at the thought, but he did not seem to have any other choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat about this?\u201d he asked, pulling it out to show her. The pendant was a silver locket that contained a lock of his mother\u2019s hair. This he quickly removed, knowing that any piece of a person\u2019s body could be used to gain sorcerous influence over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nymph stepped forward to examine it. \u201cI would rather have the kiss,\u201d she said sulkily, \u201cbut a gift freely given is a gift freely offered. Very well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She took the silver locket from his hands and tossed her hair over her shoulder. With her hips swaying sensuously, she descended into the pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait,\u201d said Roderick, suddenly remembering Andrej and Jura. \u201cWhat about my friends?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo and find them yourself. And don\u2019t you dare come back to this oasis with them. I won\u2019t be so generous with you next time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that, she disappeared into the muddy shallows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Roderick emerged from the oasis feeling both relieved and unsettled. The horses were fed and watered, and he had escaped with his faculties intact, but now he was alone in the midst of a vast and unforgiving desert. Somewhere out there were his friends, still suffering from the deadly undine\u2019s spell. He knew that he had to find them soon, for night came swiftly in the deep desert, and the sun already hung low in the cloudless sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He searched diligently for any sign of Andrej and Jura, but the desert wastes were empty. Panic rose within his chest, and he spurred the horses onward, pushing them from a trot to a gallop. The wild and untamed lands of the deep desert were cruel and unforgiving, where even the most experienced traveler could easily perish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just when he was ready to give up hope, he found them huddled under the shade of a rocky outcropping. He called out eagerly, but they barely looked up at him as he approached.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re alive,\u201d Andrej observed dryly as Roderick dismounted. \u201cWe thought the undine nymph had taken you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAye,\u201d said Roderick. \u201cShe nearly did. Are you all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat happened?\u201d Jura asked, ignoring his question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever mind that,\u201d Andrej snapped, rising to his feet on unsteady legs. \u201cDid you bring any water?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick\u2019s heart fell. \u201cNay,\u201d he answered dismally. \u201cWhen the fey undine released me, I departed as swiftly as I could. I dared not fill the waterskins, for fear that she would\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Andrej was already at the horses, fumbling through their supplies. He untied one of the waterskins and pressed it to his lips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWater!\u201d he said, drinking eagerly. \u201cWe\u2019re saved!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Roderick\u2019s great astonishment, the waterskins were all full, nearly bursting with clear, clean water, as pure as if it had been drawn from a mountain spring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen did this happen?\u201d he wondered aloud. In his eagerness to find his friends, he had not even thought to stop and drink.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho cares?\u201d Jura asked, laughing as he drank his fill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The undine nymph,<\/em> Roderick realized. She must have filled them with her magic, granting him a parting gift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For a time, he feared that her spell was over these waters just the same as over the oasis pool. But Andrej\u2019s and Jura\u2019s eyes did not glaze over, and Roderick\u2019s thirst soon overrode his caution. Nothing had ever tasted so pure or so sweet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd now,\u201d said Andrej, wiping his mouth, \u201ctell us your sordid tale.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick told them about the nymph and her sensuous request: how she had bargained with him for a deadly kiss, refusing Roderick\u2019s coin as she flaunted herself before him. But before he could tell them how he escaped, they began to grow angry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou nearly abandoned us for a woman?\u201d Andrej spat, his eyes flashing with rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI didn\u2019t abandon you,\u201d Roderick protested. \u201cDid I not just save you from dying of thirst?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter cavorting with that hussie nymph through the hottest part of the day. Don\u2019t tell us you fell for her tricks, Rod. They\u2019re known to be deceitful creatures, using their beauty to lure men to their deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick bristled at Andrej\u2019s words. \u201cIf I had, I would not be alive now\u2014and neither would you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe mean no offense, Rod,\u201d Jura said quickly. \u201cBut surely you must see now that it was a mistake to come this far. After all, if we cannot trust the oases, how can we hope to survive in the desert, much less find the ruins of Xulthar?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs this it, then? Are you going to abandon me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOnly if you don\u2019t come with us,\u201d said Andrej. He climbed wearily up onto his horse, and Jura did the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick drew a sharp breath of the hot, dusty air. \u201cSo be it,\u201d he said grimly. \u201cIf that is how it is to be, then I will continue this quest alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour horse will die out there,\u201d Jura pointed out. \u201cOutside of the oases, there\u2019s no grazing for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen take him. I\u2019ll continue on foot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jura frowned. \u201cBut Rod, what about you? On foot, you won\u2019t last more than a couple of days.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Roderick ignored him as he took the waterskin and several days\u2019 worth of supplies. His anger was so fresh that he didn\u2019t trust himself to speak civilly with his friends\u2014though he had to admit, they were right about the horse. It would be a shame to let the beast perish with him in the wilderness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t be a fool, Rod,\u201d Andrej said sharply. \u201cCome back with us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNay,\u201d grunted Roderick. \u201cMy destiny lies in the desert.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOr your death, more likely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen so be it,\u201d he said angrily, throwing the bags over his shoulder. He looked Jura and Andrej each in the eye. \u201cGo back to your drink, and your women. I have no more appetite for either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what about your friends?\u201d Jura asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFriends,\u201d said Roderick, spitting in disgust. \u201cIf you were my friends, you would understand why I must seek the ruins of Xulthar\u2014why I cannot bear to live another day without confronting the truth behind my family\u2019s fall. But if honor truly matters nothing to you, farewell!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Andrej regarded him coolly for several moments before turning away. \u201cCome, Jura. Let us leave this fool to his fate.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut Andrej\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without waiting, Andrej spurred his horse to a trot. He did not look back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am sorry, Rod,\u201d Jura said sadly. \u201cI wish it hadn\u2019t ended this way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGo,\u201d Roderick whispered, turning away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Jura nodded and followed after Andrej. Roderick watched them until they were barely larger than specks on the horizon. Then they crested a hill, and were gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The words of the old crone suddenly came to him: If you do not allow yourself to be swayed or tempted away, then fate will provide all that you need.<\/em> Those words made him laugh with bitter mirth. If the old woman\u2019s prophecy were true, then why had he just lost his horse? On foot in this barren wilderness, he was already as good as dead. And yet, death was preferable to admitting defeat and returning in dishonor. For good or for ill, his fate now lay in the forbidding desert.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<< Chapter 1 <<<\/a> The Riches of Xulthar<\/a> >> Chapter 3 >><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Roderick The hot sun beat mercilessly upon the three adventurers as they rode through the barren wash toward the sun-baked desert beyond. Nearly a week had passed since leaving the last town on the edge of the desert wastes, and Roderick\u2019s friends were beginning to grow restless. \u201cGods above,\u201d Andrej murmured, \u201cwhat I wouldn\u2019t give… Continue reading The Riches of Xulthar: Chapter 2<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1688],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17323","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-the-riches-of-xulthar","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7iXK-4vp","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17323","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17323"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17323\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17371,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17323\/revisions\/17371"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17323"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17323"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onelowerlight.com\/writing\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17323"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}