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That day didn't start out being peculiar. In fact, it started
out pretty
ordinary and stayed that way for a while. Jack and Milo, two friends of
mine had been ragging me all week long about joining their Dungeons and
Dragons game. That's how I happened to have ditched last period, ducking
out of school to get to the hobby store before the game started. Jack and
Milo would already be there, as would the other three players and Ren, the
game master. I had to hurry.
"I need dice." I told the bored clerk at the front
counter.
"What kind?" He retorted, without even moving a
muscle. "We got 4-sided, 6-sided, 8,10,12,20, 30, 34, 100, , ,"
"Whoa, hold on." I interrupted. "Just give my
a couple of each. I'm in a hurry."
"I couldn't help
overhearing." The new voice belonged to the owner of the shop. I'd
been introduced, so I knew who he was. "Kenny," He said to the
clerk. Go out back and break up some boxes. I'll take this one."
"Thanks." I mumbled, managing a small smile. The
guy was a little taller than me with black hair graying at the edges,
swept back into a ponytail. He was a pleasant sort, but I was in a hurry,
so I added, "I need dice."
He reached way down under the counter and brought forth a
dusty wooden box, fetched a rag from close by and wiped away the neglect.
Softly, almost reverently, he said, "Perhaps this will serve you
better." And he placed it on the counter before me.
To say that the box was exquisite would be to understate. Its
finish was a satin smooth brown that shone under the lights of the store.
On its lid, intricately carved and then expertly finished, was the
unmistakable figure of a dragon, a fine mythical D&D dragon, not one
of those gift shop Chinese ones."
I managed to say, "Wow," before adding, "Cool,
but I need dice."
He said nothing, but instead, lifted the lid. I opened my
mouth, then shut it again, wordlessly. If I had thought that the box was
beautiful, I could only gape at what I saw within.
At first glance, it looked like a miniature roulette wheel. A
carved
polished wooden square formed a platform on which rested a polished metal
circular disk, concentrically engraved with circles of numbers. From the
center spindle around which the wheel would spin, to the top of the square
and anchored into the wood to the outside of the disk extended a burnished
sculpture of a sword. At the hilt was inlayed a bright red jewel.
"I could never
afford. . ." I began, but he stopped me.
" Let's call it a loaner." he
said. "Bring it back when you're done with it." Then he added,
"Each circle on the wheel is a different dice, starting with 3 on the
inside and ending with the 100 at the outer edge. Read the numbers from
the right side of the sword, blade away from you."
I stammered, "th-thanks," closed the box and dashed
out. I heard him laughing softly as the door closed behind me.
When I got to the game, they
had already started. Ren paused in
mid-description of the wizard the characters of my friends were seeking to
regard my tardiness with annoyance.
"Your character's
already in the game," Jack said cheerfully, ignoring Ren. "Sit
over there." He indicated an empty chair.
"Your turn." Ren said flatly to me. "Roll on a
hundred-sided dice for your probability of meeting the wizard."
I pulled the box out of
my pack to a chorus of disbelief from the other players.
"That," said
Milo, after I had removed the dice wheel for all to see, "is the
coolest. . ."
"Could you just ROLL?" Demanded Ren impatiently.
"D100"
I said aloud and spun the disk. Tantalizingly it spun for a moment before
finally stopping. I read the number from the right of the sword as I'd
been instructed. Amazingly, it read, "100," as in probability
100 percent.
BANG!
Something suddenly sucked the light from the room and
everything went black. Then, almost simultaneously a bright white light
flashed and a loud clap of thunder went off almost causing me to wet
myself. My vision exploded into swirling color and a great wind blew
straight into my face. This went on for about fifteen heartbeats. Then
everything went black again and I collided
with a barrier of some kind that gave only reluctantly, passing me
through. I started to fall and I closed my eyes. I landed, but not hard
and didn't lose my balance. Then somebody hit me hard with a book.
"Always have to be the center of attention, don't
you?" Ren said. His voice had an edge to it.
I opened my eyes.
Jack's house was gone. That much was for sure. We - for we
all were present - were standing on a cobblestone floor inside a stone
room, one whole wall of which was a fireplace. A fire blazed, warming the
chill only marginally off what should have been the sunny September day it
had been just minutes earlier.
"I'm guessing that now we meet the Wizard." I said
meekly. I understood the game, though could not recall anyone ever telling
me that you could get zapped into the story.
"After all,"
I added. "I did roll a 100."
Through an archway and
into the room strode the Wizard. He looked just like his picture in the
game book, tall, bearded, pointy hat.
"Right." He said. "I see you're here
about the reward. There's a kingdom needing saving."
As he began, I heard the word "dragon" and then Ren
hit me with the book again, this time harder.
"Shhh." I said, annoyed. "This is
important."
I slipped the dice wheel discreetly into its box and closed
it.
That's how the adventure began.
(c) 2001 by Bob Liddil
(c) 2001 by Bob Liddil.
All Rights Reserved
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