HOMM II MAP - Nosferatu.mx2
Mapmaker - Timothy Duncan
Email: tduncan@haverford.edu

READ IF YOU HAVE ELECTED TO FOLLOW JOURNAL I

	Qest smiles up at you as you let go of each 
other.  "I knew you would see it this way," she 
says cheerfully.  When I first saw you, I knew that you
were our only hope."
	"What do you mean, Qest?  I am not any hope of 
yours.  I am bent on destroying everything like you.
The only reason I let you go is because I was once good
and something about you reminds be about it, and I 
would, as you suggested, like to leave something behind
to continue to remind me about my past.  You have no
idea how hard it is to be immortal.."
	The sprite shakes her head. "But I do, Aj. That's
the whole point.  You see, I am not a sprite.  I am 
the goddess Miriel, and I know quite well the pains of
being immortal."  She waits in silence as you push her
away, gaping in surprise.  
	"I knew it!" you scream, "I've been tricked by
the forces of good and lured here by a goddess."  You
turn to her and point a finger, "If you think to I will
be easy to kill just because you are a goddess of some
sort, you are wrong. I am not without power, sprite."
	Qest ignores your glare and continues. "It's 
not like that, Aj.  I am a neutral deity.  I don't care
about the affairs of men.  I am only concerned about 
the affairs of gods, and unfortunately, there has been
a great disturbance among our ranks."  Your silence 
allows her to continue.  "Sanctus is doing something
forbidden, Aj, something that must not be done.  After
the Great Cataclysm, the Deious Council, the body
who governs us, decided that never again would we 
physically engage in the affairs of men, upon penalty of
death.
	"You see, Aj, Sanctus has disobeyed the council's
orders and fights for the forces of good.  The gods are
not concerned over who controls this world, as long as
only non-deities take part in it.  Sanctus, a goddess of
good, has taken matters into her own hands.  She found
a descendant of Alric Love and gave him the means to 
retake the world, and the power of the Wizards living 
on the South Isle is derived from her own power.  She
hates evil, Aj, and will do anything to stop it, but
she broke the rules.  She must be erased."
	"Erased?" you ask.
	"Yes.  A goddess cannot be killed.  You must 
utterly destroy her."
	The task seems impossible, and you begin shifting
your feet.  "How?"
	"The Deious Council has intrusted me with an 
artifact of power that will enable it to be done.  But
Aj, you must understand.  As a neutral deity, I don't 
care who wins this war, but your actions in sparing me
gave me confidence that you will somehow work to 
preserve the neutrality.  Though I am forbidden to do 
anything about it, if evil won utterly, it would bode
poorly for this world.  Still, you must destroy Sanctus.
I realize you do it for a different reason than I would
ask, but it must be done all the same.  She has materialized
and is here on this world even as we speak.
	"I don't know how to reach her, save that you
will need to take care of the Wizards first.  Maybe 
you can find what you need on her island."
	You consider your words, and then speak.  "Qest,
Miriel, whatever, you have awakened in me my past, and
though I, too, am forbidden to act on it, I will slay
S.Miles and Sanctus for her crimes against you, not
her crimes against my master.  It will be my personal
favor, in thanks for what you have done for me.  I was
empty, but now I am full.  Now, where is this item?"
	Miriel smiles again and replies, "Find the 
elemental prisons, Aj.  You will find directions.  The
Origin from which you must start is a large stone 
monument known as the Demon's Tooth.  Start there and
follow the instructions.  When you reach the space (by
magic), move one pace north and then retrace your steps
one pace south.  The object you seek is there, and its
power will enable you to erase her for eternity."
	"Thank you, Miriel," you say gratefully, "I will
always remember you.  Though I fight for evil, that is 
just the way I am.  I hope you can forgive me..."
	Miriel backs away and bows her head.  "Of course
I can, Aj.  I always will remember you.  But now, I must 
leave.  Goodbye, and happy... hunting..."  With a last
pause, she fades into the trees, and you are alone with
the beauty of the forest.  It is time, you think to 
yourself, to finish this war, and perhaps a few sprites 
left on the planet won't be so bad after all.  It IS
kind of pretty here...


CONTINUE PLAY AND READ THE FOLLOWING CONCLUSION AFTER THE
MAP IS COMPLETED.





	Finally, Sanctus has been beaten.  Nosferatu 
stands beside you, watching as the almighty Vampire 
Garrison, though its ranks have been severely thinned,
hunts down the remaining defenders of Sanctus's keep.
The castle's once beautiful white walls are now nothing
more than charred rubble, and once majestic towers and
fortified parapets lie collapsed into piles of smoking
wood and stone.  Corpses litter the landscape, both 
yours and theirs, and you finally feel at ease: with 
such a destructive blow, the forces of good will spend
a long time recovering.  The Undead will certainly 
rule for many centuries to come.
	Nosferatu seems pleased by the sight and turns
to you, his lifeless eyes haunting even your immortal
soul.  "My general," he says, his voice a deep grating
rasp, "You have surpassed even my wildest estimations of
your abilities.  You will be richly rewarded for this."
	"Thank you, my lord," you reply.
	"I trust, Aj, that you have adequately dealt 
with all of the remaining settlements.  We cannot have
any remaining bastions of goodness," he says seriously,
"Life and goodness are like weeds, Aj.  Given the time,
they will sprout and spread like a fungus if you give them
even the barest rock upon which to grow."
	"Of course, my lord," you reply again, purposely
averting his eyes.  Those eyes could tell the truth.
	"Something vexes thee, Aj?  I don't see how you
could be of such a somber mood after such a glorious 
victory.  Is there something you wish to say?"
	You consider for a moment and then relate the 
entire story of Qest and Miriel.  Ghelstion is quiet
throughout the explanation, and afterwords he remains
in contemplation.  Hopefully not trying to decide whether
to kill you himself or let someone else do it, you 
think.  "Aj," he begins, "for a long time have we known
each other, yes?  I, too, hate life, like you, because
I felt betrayed by the forces of good.  Many times 
people claim to be good but are really no less evil than
we.  In fact, we are not so much evil as we are haters
of good, or haters of the falsity of good.  The Undead
have ruled this world because of the flaws in goodness,
and will continue to do so until goodness is flawless, 
as it should be.  Sanctus was a flaw in goodness, for 
she was being good for selfish reasons.  That is why 
she failed.  This Miriel is wise, Aj.  I am evil but I 
am not stupid.  We cannot destroy good utterly, or we
would destroy ourselves.  For that reason will I let the
sprites of your forest live.  But I cannot turn against
what I am, Aj.  I am evil, and for evil I fight.  Now, 
we must talk no more of these things.  We have regained
our powers, and will retain them until goodness can prevail,
as is our duty. Until then, you will be my general, the 
leader of my armies.  How does that sound?"  
	Once again the image of the forest where you 
and Qest parted grips you.  Though you feel betrayed by
goodness, you also feel attracted to it.  "I'm sorry,
Nosferatu.  With respect, I must decline.  I have 
extracted my vengence upon the forces of goodness.  I
cannot continue in this course of action.  I think from 
now on I will fight to protect the balance that Miriel
spoke of.  If that comes to protecting the forces of 
good from you, then I shall do it.  Though you have 
been good to me, Nosferatu, I killed Sanctus for no
reason but for Miriel.  I am sorry."
	Nosferatu grins.  "You are truly amazing, Aj, 
and a knight at that.  Not a good knight, but a knight
nonetheless.  I knew this day would come.  I always 
knew I could not convert you to evil.  You have been
a useful ally, and because of that, I will not kill you.
If you wish to leave, you may leave, but we shall not
be friends.  You must be what you must be, but so must
I, and if you interfere, I will kill you just the same.
For that, I, too, am sorry."
	"Of course, my Lord," you utter beneath your 
breath; turning around, you leave the site of your last
battle as an ally of evil.  Nosferatu continues staring
at the castle, deep in thought, contemplating on how
to rule the empire that you delivered back into his hands.

THE END	
comments, suggestions?
email tduncan@haverford.edu














