Editing Hard Place

{{cvid|RoE 1.0 CD-Heroes3-DATA-HEROES3 VID-EVIL1B-smk-EVIL1B|src=HC-03|thumbtime=0:00|float=left}}

{{TEheader}}

{{TErow| 1 |Day 1|I welcomed our arrival in the [[Elemental Plane of Earth]].  Solid ground at last!  But like everyone else the first thing I noticed was a feeling like there was a lead weight tied around my ankles, endlessly pulling me downward.  The [[Mage]]s complained of feeling heavier, or listless.  Soon, I noticed they were tiring out quicker, forcing me to make more stops during the day.}}

{{TErow| 5 |Day 5|A band of [[Naga]]s who dwell in this plane have agreed to join our cause for the sake of the rest of the [[Naga]]s who still live in my world.  Finally, I have swords in my ranks - and remarkable swordswomen these [[Naga]]s are!  With a blade in each of their arms, I don't think that even I could keep up with their lightning attacks.  It cheers my heart to see them go into battle.}}

{{TErow| 8 |Day 8|[[Barsolar]]'s owl arrived today with a crudely drawn map of the region.<p>"The [[Earth Lord]] has left some [[Dungeon Overlords]] behind to protect his realm while he's away," the owl said.<p>About all I could determine from the map is that my enemy currently occupies two [[Dungeon]] towns far to the south.  Between us, also to the south, is an unoccupied [[Dungeon]] town.  Another town is located far to the east.}}

{{TErow| 17 |Day 17|I've fought these [[Dungeon]] creatures before, long ago.  Since they spend most of their lives beneath the ground in their dark tunnels, they can fight well in the dark.  In fact, they prefer it.  They often ambush their foes instead of fight them face-to-face.  There is no honor in them.  They want only to win.}}

{{TErow| 23 |Day 23|Luckily, I was still awake.  Last night, as I sat thinking about the magic that I now controlled, I caught a faint stench in the air.  It took me a moment to recall it, but when I did I bolted from my tent and immediately cast a spell of sparkling blue light into the air above camp.<p>Strewn throughout the camp was a horde of [[Troglodyte]]s attempting to sneak into all of the tents!  One stood just a few feet away from me, temporarily startled by the explosion of light.  I punched it hard enough to crack its skull.<p>"Up you lazy [[Wizard]]s!" I shouted.  "The enemy is here!"<p>Even though the [[Troglodyte]]s managed to get into the camp, we made short work of them with no losses and only a few injuries.}}

{{TErow| 32 |Day 32|I am getting my revenge for what the [[Mage]]s did to me on the [[Plane of Water]].  There isn't a [[Wizard]] in my army that isn't covered in sweat by mid-day thanks to that unforgiving invisible weight that sits on us.  With all the dust around here they are filthy as well as the dirt sticks to the perspiration.  True, I am suffering as well, but I don't mind it.  It feels like a hard day of labor, and I haven't had one of those in a long time.  Make you feel alive!}}

{{TErow| 38 |Day 38|[[Barsolar]] entered camp today.  He seemed exhausted, and he was covered in just as much grime as the other [[Wizard]]s.  However, I noticed [[Barsolar]] had lost some weight around the middle and his face seemed more defined.  The exercise that came with long weeks of exploration must agree with the man.<p>"So, do you have anything new to report?" I asked once he had a drink of cool water.<p>"Not much," he said, then reached into his robe and pulled out a short length of wood, broken and splintered on one end.<p>"Just this," he said.<p>"What is it?"<p>"The base of a [[Wizard]]'s staff.  I even recognize the symbols there at the bottom - it belonged to a famous Wizard who disappeared almost two hundred years ago."<p>"What's it doing here then?" I asked.<p>"Well, the story goes that a group of powerful [[Mage]]s wanted to create the ultimate Golem, so they tried to find passage to the [[Plane of Earth]], where they could possibly find the hardest substance in the universe.  Many believe they died when they cast the spell - appeared at the bottom of the ocean or something - but others think they made it to the [[Plane of Earth]] but couldn't find a way back."<p>"That sounds familiar," I said.<p>"Yes.  It doesn't matter, since this happened two hundred years ago - they'd all be dead by now," [[Barsolar]] said.<p>"Unfortunate.  We could've used the help."}}

{{TErow| 43 |Day 43|I stepped outside my tent this morning and immediately broke into laughter at what I saw.<p>Apparently, to alleviate some of the weight they have to carry throughout the day, many of the [[Mage]]s decided they would abandon their dusty robes and go shirtless.  Never have I seen so much pale flesh at one time.  But I have to admit, after nearly two months on the [[Plane of Earth]], these scrawny men were beginning to show some signs of getting in shape.  Their white bellies were a little smaller and their stick-like limbs starting to show some muscle.<p>I tore off my robe and walked among them.<p>"Who wants to wrestle?" I said.  A few of the [[Mage]]s even looked like they wanted to, but no one dared step forward.  They almost found their courage.<p>"Ha!  I'll make [[Barbarian]]s out of you yet!"}}

{{TErow| 57 |Day 57|We all assumed they would be dead, so when a group of rugged-looking [[Mage]]s stepped from a large cave we never imagined they were the [[Mage]]s who came to the [[Plane of Earth]] to make the ultimate [[Golem]]s.  We approached and introduced ourselves.<p>"Greetings, [[Tarnum]]!  We are happy to see other [[Mage]]s.  I am [[Reamus]]," said their leader.<p>We sat down with the men, sharing a meal and much talk.  To our amazement, [[Reamus]] and the others claimed to have been in this place for only sixteen years.  Impossible, considering they have been missing for two hundred.  Someone was wrong.<p>"But you've been gone for…" began [[Ponific]], the [[Golem Master]].<p>"So long!" I interrupted.  If these men actually don't realize how long they've been away, blurting it out was not the way to tell them.  "How did you survive?"<p>[[Reamus]] explained that they constructed [[Golem]]s as their soldiers - two guards for each [[Mage]].  Whenever one of the [[Golem]]s was destroyed, they just made another.  Unfortunately, they had not yet discovered a way to make the ultimate [[Golem]].}}

{{TErow| 58 |Day 58|Last night, after our meal with [[Reamus]] and the missing [[Mage]]s, I had a meeting with my advisors.<p>"How is this possible?  How can they believe that they've only been away for sixteen years?" I demanded.  I had the sinking feeling that I wasn't going to like the answer.<p>[[Hemoross]], the [[Mage Instructor]], shook his head.  So did [[Ponific]] and the others.  Only [[Barsolar]] seemed to have an idea, if his serious expression was any indication.<p>"What is it, [[Barsolar]]?" I asked.  He had been studying these [[Elemental Planes]] even as he explored them.<p>"It would take some experiments to test my theory, [[Lord Tarnum]]," [[Barsolar]] said noncommittally.<p>"I don't care about experiments, [[Barsolar]]!  I want answers - even if you're not sure.  What's going on here?"<p>"Time, [[Lord Tarnum]].  The [[Elemental Planes]] are fundamentally different from our world.  It would make sense that Time, too, would work differently here," [[Barsolar]] said.<p>The other [[Wizard]]s all nodded as they began to follow their colleague's path of thought.<p>"So," I said, "are you telling me that everything moves slower here than in our world?"<p>"Yes.  Or you could say Time moves quicker in our world.  Either way, two hundred years in our world is equivalent to sixteen here.  We can expect that by the time we return to our world, at least a couple decades will have passed."<p>Several of the advisors dropped their wine cups.  I just closed my eyes and hoped that the [[Elemental Lords]] didn't destroy the world during that time.}}

{{TErow| 59 |Day 59|Today, I told [[Reamus]] and the others the truth about how long they have been missing from the world.  I was as gentle as possible, but there is no good way to tell a man that his entire family, that everyone they knew, is long dead and buried.<p>I know some of what they are feeling.  My own family is long gone, my friends as well.  Even the world has changed so much that I no longer remember what life had been like when I was a child.}}

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | Up ahead is the [[Pyramid]], guarded by [[Gold Golem|Gold]] and [[Diamond Golem]]s, protecting the secrets of a powerful level five spell.  Whoever enters must have the wisdom to learn fifth level spells or it will be lost forever.

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | From the cracks in the nearby walls spring a horde of [[Troglodyte]]s.<p><center>'''Guardians:''' 20 {{Cn|Troglodyte|name=Troglodytes}}, 20 {{Cn|Troglodyte|name=Troglodytes}}, 20 {{Cn|Troglodyte|name=Troglodytes}}, 20 {{Cn|Troglodyte|name=Troglodytes}}<p>'''Contents:''' 5000 {{exp2}} points</center></p>

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | [[Sodville]]

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | [[Nortown]]

 

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | You notice this pile of Gold is a little larger than most.  The slightest hiss of snakes alerts you to nearby [[Medusa]]s who must prey upon unwary travelers.  Are you really interested in this Gold to face lots of [[Medusa]]s?<p><center>'''Guardians:''' 10 {{Cn|Medusa|name=Medusas}}, 10 {{Cn|Medusa|name=Medusas}}, 10 {{Cn|Medusa|name=Medusas}}</center></p>

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | South to [[Sodville]]<br>North-east to [[Nortown]]

| style="padding-left:7px; padding-right:5px;" | Go east to take the [[Dungeon]] town.