MONGER DESOLATE

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Monger Desolate is a wasteland north of the Shadow Rift and several miles into the interior of Arinthil. It is a mile diameter area where nothing grows. The earth is silvery in color and a great hole is at the center. This desolation was caused by the impact of a Voice of Gith.

Adventure Ancedote

The morning was just beginning; the slowly rising twin stars of Bal-Kriav were coming over the horizon.

We looked upon a fury of movement below the ridge. At the bottom of a chain of hills was a large camp of jara. Messengers and various tribal leaders were moving to and from the place.

My group was tired from the forced march, but the moment of decision had arrived. We had fought many beasts, lost friends and allies on this mission, but they were expendable. Now I had to make a decision. Should I contact my brethren on the Eye of Gith and give the coordinates for attack? or Should I wait and confirm the presence of the Jara Khan?

Enough waiting I thought, there was a good chance we would soon be spotted among the horde of jara in the area. I, Niras Fveer contacted my people and gave the coordinates to the Fire Mission Apparatus. I said, "Today, the Hand of Gith would not sleep!" The targeting C.O. on the Hand of Gith gave orders to light up the area for accurate fire control. I relayed this to the wizard Zaris.

I momentarily dreamed of Zaris flying out over the camp under improved invisibility, using her magic to light up the area, and then being caught at ground zero by the blast that was sure to come from the Hand of Gith. But she was too intelligent for such foolhardiness, too bad I mused.

Zaris invoked her mighty magic, throwing a tiny ball of fire over the camp of the Jara Khan. It exploded into a massive fireball, catching some of the tents below on fire.

Moments later, I briefly saw a tiny silvery object descend from the clouds, growing larger as I watched.

"Every man for himself! Run for cover!" Junkel bellowed. We all ran and dived over the opposite side of the ridge.

A bright flash lit up the area; it was as if an eclipse had occurred. A thunderous crack of lightning and thunder reverberated through the area. Some of the ridge around us broke up and tumbled down the slope. An acrid odor filled the air around us.

A hapless goblin pack bearer of our group was late in getting over the ridge. Nox pointed him out. The creature was tumbling end over end, body burned crisped, and trailing smoke. The goblin fell deep in the woods behind us, Junkel could not conceal his amusement, bellowing loudly.

We peered over the ridge at the wicked destruction caused by the Voice of Gith. It was a cataclysmic event. There were small and large fires everywhere. Static energy was popping the last vestiges of vegetation in the area. Tremors and even a few small earthquakes were still shaking the scorched earth.

Debris in the form of earth, trees, branches, and bodies of jara rained continually down for several minutes. A dust cloud blackened the area. A few last dying moans were heard over the crackling of fires and discharge of static energy.

Then through the smoke, we saw our target. The Jara Khan was still alive! Six ogre giants were leading him from the camp. They were all terribly wounded, skin tangling from their bodies, some missing eyes, ears and limbs.

We followed them up, firing off all of our missile weapons in pursuit. Nox charged down the slope with Junkel in pursuit. They engaged the ogre giants in hand-to-hand combat, quickly felling the beasts.

Zaris caught the Jara Khan with lightning and fire, dropping the vile creature. I sat on the ridge watching their action, amazed not with their fighting, but with the awesome fire-power unleashed by the Hand of Gith.

- Niras Reef'v, of Crimson Eye - "Absolute Firepower"