Faleinn the Sorceress (Ghost)
....................

You say, "Who was Jahbal?"

Faleinn's ghost says, "It would be better to ask, `Who is Jahbal?', for he still lives after all this time. It is he who has unleashed the monstrous evil that now plagues the world, as revenge for what happened after he destroyed Kal Panning. You see, Jahbal was the leader of the Circle of Twelve; long before they came here, I and the other council members of this city realized that their power was growing too strong, and they were becoming too greedy and wrathful. We were determined to oppose them, and we did fight them for a month, but they proved too powerful and eventually cursed the city."

Faleinn's ghost sighs and looks around at the ruins. "After the battle, Jahbal and the rest of the Circle returned to the north, but the other Circle members had seen the error of their ways and decided to banish Jahbal, for he had grown mad with power. Jahbal, however, had made it a practice to spy on the other Circle members, and knew what they had planned. But though he was powerful, he was not powerful enough to oppose them all together, so he fled to his palace in the Two Rings Mountains. The Circle, following him, did not know what artifacts of power he might have stashed away there, so instead of attacking him, they instead cast a powerful spell, sealing the Two Rings from the outside world. There remains only one way into the valley between the mountains -- a tunnel from the south, blocked by a magically locked door. You now have the key to that door.

"Jahbal's power was never enough to break through the shield over the Two Rings, but over time he has managed to... weaken the shield, and begin casting powerful spells to corrupt the outside world, breeding all sorts of monsters and beasts who ravage the countryside. When he was first able to penetrate the shield, his first task was to sow the seeds of the Empire's destruction. He created huge monsters, and sent them to attack the Council Members, who were all killed. Without leadership, the Empire fell into decline, and Jahbal hastened that destruction by sending hordes of weaker monsters into the world to harass the armies of the Empire. The armies flailed about, fighting as they could, but eventually chaos reigned and the soldiers turned to banditry. The countryside was no longer safe. Eventually, Jahbal released enough monsters into the world that all but the most well-defended cities and towns were overrun and destroyed. Now the world is nothing more than a ruin, with a few pockets of civilization left to defend against the roaming monsters.

"For the past thousand years, I have watched, helpless, as all this happened. Even in my undead state, I could still use magics to divine the goings-on in distant places, but was powerless to escape this place. Now I am free... but I am dead, and am beyond the ability to save the world from Jahbal's madness."

You say, "How do I defeat Jahbal?"

Faleinn's ghost says, "Jahbal is a wizard, like any other, but he remains at his full strength, unlike the unfortunate Xantan, who was crippled before being banished. You will have to fight Jahbal with your strength and magic."

Faleinn looks at you sadly. "You are the last hope for the world, PreyingTigress. You must go to the Two Rings and destroy Jahbal. Only that will enable those who remain living to fight off the monsters that roam the land. Go to the south, and enter the Two Rings using the key you took from me. Jahbal's palace is at the north end of the valley, beyond many dangerous defenders. It will not be an easy task... but what choice do we have?"