A Storied Playthrough: Sahil, Quick full trilogy run, full reload, Role Play.
deltago
Member Posts: 7,811
Always wanted to do one of these and since I have the week off I started one. Anything I do in the game will be in the story with some liberties taken regarding dialog or battles. I will be skipping a lot of content as a challenge. Each area will have it's own post. Enjoy.
~
Prologue - Candlekeep
She sat in her study, reading an old tome filled with ballads by bards. It was one of her favourite subjects to read, those adventures and battles against beasts or those triumphs over evil men and their cunning plans.
It was the only escape from the dusty halls of Candlekeep where she resided. Her foster father, Gorion, wouldn’t let her wander outside the gates even though she had come of age. He was always protective of her, however lately, he has been acting strangely, on edge as if something was weighing on his mind. He seemed to be preparing for a journey, gathering supplies and coins, yet where he is going and how long he will be gone he wouldn’t tell her.
She thinks of this for a moment and realizes he doesn’t trust her. Why else would he keep secrets from her? It may have to do with Imoen the only other girl her age in Candlekeep. The two of them grew up together and were best friends, however Imoen tended to get into a little bit more trouble than her. She was always going through noble’s stuff, not to steal but to find out interesting tidbits about the visitors to the keep. More often than not, she gets caught doing it and would have to weasel her way out of the extra chores that got assigned to her because of this behaviour. Still she shared everything with Imoen and she might let slip the wrong information to her who in turn may offer it to the wrong noble or lord.
The girl looked out the window and sighed. Adventure – she craved it. She was thinking of ways to ask Gorion to take her with him on his trip. She wanted to explore the world. To traverse the great forests and sea sides. It was one thing to read about them in a book, it was quite another to actually experience it firsthand.
There was a light tap on her door and she spun towards the sound wondering who interrupted her daydreaming. One of her mentors Karim slowly opened the door.
“Sahil?” he said.
“Aye,” she replied.
“Sorry to interrupt your studying, but Gorion is looking for you. He is waiting at the steps of the Library. I believe you should go quickly to see him.”
“Is there something the matter?” she asked.
“At the moment, no,” he replied. “But try not to tarry.”
She closed the book and nodded her head walking past her mentor into the grand halls of the library. Monks and priest of Oghma were scuttling about, collecting tomes from patrons to put back into the massive shelves that lined the walls. None paid attention to her as she wandered down the staircase to the first level of the giant keep that acted as a wealth of knowledge for the realms.
She made her way to the giant doors that led to the outside world and pushed them open. The doors moved easily for their size, part of the magic that runs through Candlekeep. Outside, an older man waited with bags and a staff.
“Ah my child, I have finally found you,” Gorion said to his foster daughter.
“You asked to see me father?” she asked.
“That I did. We need to leave Candlekeep immediately. I know this is a little unnerving but you must trust me. I want you to find Jondalar, he has procured some armour for you for this journey. Take this gold and buy some supplies from the inn and temple. Don’t tarry. We need to leave within the hour, so say all your goodbyes, we won’t be returning for a while.”
“Where are we going?”
“I cannot say for I have not truly decided yet. All that is certain is that we will be far safer on the move. Perhaps secluded in the woods or amidst the throngs of people in Baldur’s Gate,” her father replied. “I do not know where we shall end up, but I have a few friends here and there that can aid us.”
“Safer on the move?” she asked “This place is a fortress what can harm us here, or more importantly what will harm us here.”
“Candlekeep is indeed formidable but it is not insurmountable. What will harm us, I will explain in due time. For now, please gather what you need for a long journey. I will try to explain the details later.”
“Ok father,” she said and walked down the steps to the garden in the front. The flowers were finally coming into bloom and she quickly admired their beauty. She walked through the inner grounds front gate, and searched out Jondalar. Reevor, a surly dwarf and the keeps groundkeeper found her first.
“I thought I asked you to clean the rats out of the warehouse yesterday?” he snapped. “Hop to it!”
“But Gor-“
“No buts missy. Get in there!” And he pushed her towards the door. She thought there was no harm in finishing some of her chores first, and this one was fairly easy.
She looked around and saw a couple of rats scurry across the floor. On the barrel sat a cat. “Now why Mr. Skuffington do I have to do your job?” she mused towards the cat. “Get the rats come on.”
The cat tilted his head and jumped down from the barrel and chased one of rats into a corner. Pouncing, it caught in its mouth and crunched down hard. Triumphantly, it returned to Sahil with the dead mouse in its mouth and placed it at her feet.
“Ha good job Mr. Skuffington!” she said to the cat, “quick there goes another!” and pointed the furry rodent running out from a wood pile. The cat leaped at it, missing. Sahil laughed.
“Almost,” she said. “But I guess I can help.” She picked up a quarterstaff that was set against a wall and rattled some boxes. When a rat ran away from his shaking hiding spot she quickly whapped it over the head. In all, she and the cat killed ten giant rats and a couple of smaller ones.
“It looks like you are eating well tonight Mr. Skuffington,” she said to the cat as she gently petted its head while it purred. “I have to leave now, I guess I will–” she stopped midsentence. “I guess I won’t see you tomorrow. I guess this is actually goodbye.”
The cat looked up at her not really understanding, or caring, however, it did stop purring. “Try to keep the rats out of here for Reevor’s sake. The poor dwarf will have a heart attack if you let the grain get eaten.”
The cat meowed, she gave a slight laugh and headed out of the warehouse.
“Done?” Reevor asked.
“Aye.”
“Here’s five gold pieces then, try not to spend it all in one place,” he replied and waddled off without waiting for a reply.
She sighed. The old dwarf wouldn’t even let her say goodbye. It might be a good thing. If he knew she was leaving he’d probably attempt to squeeze in as much free labour as possible and she had more important things she needed to concentrate on like finding Jondalar.
Luck would have it, Jondalar would find her first.
“Sahil!” a familiar voice rang out behind her as she spun to greet her weapons trainer. “Your father had a strange request and asked me to get this for you.”
The man holds out some leather armour. It smells fresh, as if it just came from the tanner. Studded spikes jut from chest plate with matching boots and gauntlets. “This is the safest thing to travel in these days as iron being scarce and all,” he said. “Anything with more iron will likely attract more attention than you want. Go ahead try it on.”
Sahil takes the armour and fastens the clasps around her body. It fit perfectly as if it was made for her. “What do you know of my journey Jondalar?”
“Not a lot I must confess. Only that your father asked me to get this made for you about a fortnight ago,” he replied. “I didn’t ask questions, as he didn’t seem to be in the mood to answer them.”
“Aye,” she said. “I know that all too well. Thank you for the armour.”
“Are you ready to try it out?” he quizzed.
“Now?”
“One last lesson,” he answered. “And I am going to spring a surprise on you this time. See if you can hit me. Ready?”
Sahil nodded and gripped her quarterstaff tightly. Jondalar raised his hand and then lept back as Sahil took a swing. An arrow whizzed by her head. She turned to see Erik, one of the wall archers firing arrows at her. She was shocked. It was a surprise as another landed near her feet. She looked up and saw Jondalar barreling down on her with his staff. She raised hers to block it and pushed him away as another arrow flew high over her head. She grimaced as she butted the end of quarterstaff square in Jondalar’s chest. He let an “ouf” then raised his hand. Erik stopped firing and Sahil went back into her ready position.
“You did good kid, especially after Erik started firing those arrows at ya,” Jondalar said rubbing his chest. “I’m sure your father would be proud. Good luck in your voyage.”
Sahil nodded. “I’ll miss you. Thank you again for everything.”
“Now excuse me,” he said. “Erik, can you help me to the infirmary, she got me good.”
Erik laughed and walked over to Jondalar and carried him away. Sahil was stronger than she looked. Jondalar knew that. She was surprised he wasn’t wearing armour in such a highly combative lesson.
She gripped her staff and looked around. The outer courtyard was bare, only a handful of guards patrolled around, majority of them suspicious of her. There were only a few that truly trusted her here. And she was going to say goodbye to them before she ventured off. Her father owed her that much she surmised.
She cut back through the inner court past the chanters. “The lord of murder shall perish…” they sang. It was beautiful and haunting at the same time. She’s grown use to hearing it and doesn’t pay much attention to it. She figures this will probably be the last time she hears those words uttered. They cling to her memory though as it sings back, “but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown from their passage.”
She quickens her pace to get away from the voices and heads towards the inn. She pushes the door open. A gruff man looks from behind a desk and bellows, “Well, hello, young one! Come to visit your old pal Winthrop, have ye?”
She looks at the pudgy man and smiles as he continues, “Well, don’t forget the 10, 000 gold piece book entrance fee, as per Candlekeep’s custom, don’tcha know.”
Sahil laughs. “You always were the big kidder, Wintrop. That gets funnier very nearly every time I hear it,” she said. “Well, perhaps not quite so often.”
“Haw! Just having a bit o’ fun with ye, my friend. Them monks may be walking about with poles in their nethers, but you know you are always welcome here in my sight,” he said.
“Thanks Winthrop, but this is actually goodbye,” she replied.
“Goodbye?” he mused. I guess not everyone knew she was leaving the keep as the man was genuinely surprised. “What do you mean goodbye?”
“Gorion and I are leaving,” she said. “Soon, and I don’t know when we are going to be back.”
“Well I knew this day would come eventually,” the inn keeper replied revealing he knew more than he was letting on. He realized Sahil caught onto this and quickly changed the subject. Have you said goodbye to Fuller yet?”
“No.”
“Good mind doing me one last favour and delivering these bolts to him?” he asked. “I got high paying nobles in the next room and I don’t want lose their patronage by stepping out. And I have no idea where Imoen is. Care to help?”
“Sure no problem,” she replied. “He’s in the bunkhouse I suppose.”
“Aye, I believe so. If I don’t see you again, take care of yourself and be safe.”
“Thanks Winthrop. I will.”
She grabbed the bundle of bolts from the counter and headed to the door. She thought she must hurry as Gorion has been waiting for a bit now. A few more goodbyes surely wouldn’t hurt and she does have to deliver these bolts to Fuller.
She walks past the Barracks to the bunkhouse. It’s part of the guards quarters. Those who are off duty usually reside there and Fuller is captain of the night’s watch. He’s caught her and Imoen sneaking around at night once too many times, however he is a good man and usually lets them go with a warning. She needed to say goodbye to him.
She pushed the door open to the bunkhouse. It was dark, darker than usual. She called out “Fuller?” She didn’t hear a sound until a man approached her from the far corner.
“’Ere there. You’re Gorion’s little whelp, aren’t ya?” the strange man asked and before waiting for a reply “yeah, you match the description. You don’t look so dangerous to me.”
Sahil was taken aback. She had never seen this man before, yet she knew of Gorion. He didn’t look like a noble or a mage, those who routinely visit the keep on business. He smelled of the stables and he held a dagger in his right hand.
“And what business is that of yours?” she asked cautiously gripping her staff and readying herself.
“I’ll make it my business if’n I please,” he man retorted. “Just thought I’d have me a look at you for myself, before I puts a blade down your gullet! Someone seems to think you’re trouble, so I’m gonna use your head for a ticket out o’ the gutter!”
The man lunges at Sahil. She easily parries his attack and steps back swinging her staff at her assailant. He ducks as he thrusts the blade towards her again. It glances off her new armour as he stumbles. She raises her staff high and knocks him over the head with a loud thwack.
He falls, his head bounces off the hard floor and then thumps back down again. Blood pours from his ears and nose. He isn’t moving. Sahil panics and heads for the door. The man’s last words caught in her head. Someone wanted her killed. Gorion is right to think that it is no longer safe here in Candlekeep. She feels flustered and out of breath.
Karan notices her being disoriented and walks over. “I heard shouting, Sahil! Are you all right?”
“He’s… He’s dead, whoever he was. He lunged at me with a knife,” she replied. “Oh, Karan, what is happening to this place?”
“It’s not this place, child. It’s you they’re after,” he replied. “Oh, Sahil, I have been your tutor for so many years and only in this moment have I come to doubt my teaching have been good enough. Go to Gorion, child. It is safe for you here no longer.”
Sahil nodded, and trudged towards the library. She felt a prick in her pocket and reached in. The bolts! She almost forgot. She ran towards the barracks, the only other place Fuller would be and walked in. There were always armed guards in the barracks and no one would attempt to attack her there.
She saw Fuller sitting at the table looking over pieces of parchment. She called out. “Fuller!”
“Ugh, not so loud,” the guard said. “What a mead-filled night. That Hull is just too much. Poor sap had to go man the gate this morning, too. I don’t know how he does it… What can I do for you, anyways?”
Sahil reached into her pocket and handed over the bolts. “Winthrop asked me to deliver these to you.”
“Thanks kid,” he said taking the bolts. “I hear you might be leaving this place soon.”
“I am leaving now actually,” she replied “Gorion is waiting for me. I just came to say goodbye.”
Fuller looks up and lets out a sigh, “Watch your back out there, okay? Here.” He reaches down to his belt and removes a dagger from a sheath and hands it to her.
“Let me give you this dagger,” he continued. “My father killed a hobgoblin with it once, many years ago. Stabbed him right in the back, he did. It ain’t no broadsword, but it’ll do in a pinch.”
“Are you sure Fuller?” she asked reluctantly taking the dagger.
“Aye, I’m sure. Now take care of yourself. Thanks for the bolts.”
Sahil smiled and nodded and headed for the door. Gorion must be getting worried so she headed back to the steps to see her foster father. She walked through the inner gate to be greeted by her friend Imoen.
“Hey ya,” her best friend called out while walking over. “I’m surprised that stuffy ol’ Gorion let you away from your studies and chores. That ol’ fiddle faddle, I snuck off too.”
“I know, Winthrop was looking for you. I had to run an errand for him,” Sahil replied.
“Old Puffguts Winthrop was looking for me?” she quizzed, “but I got all day to do his chores. You have time for a story today? No, I can tell you don’t. What have ya been up to?”
Sahil sighed. “I’m afraid I cannot talk to today,” she answered her friend. “My foster father wishes me to prepare for a journey, but will not say to where.”
“A journey, eh? I never get to travel. Wish I could go with ya. Yep, I really wish I could. Yes ma’am. Really do.”
Sahil could tell Imoen was stalling. “All right, all right. I get the message. I’ll ask if you can go with us.”
“Oh don’t be silly,” Imoen replied. “Gorion would never even let you finish the sentence. Especially after what that letter of his said… er did I say that? No, of course I didn’t. Never saw no letter. Nope. I’ll just get back to work now. You better go. Gorion is waiting.”
“Wait, what letter?” Sahil asked.
“Exactly!” Imoen said as she dashed out the gate.
Sahil sighed again. It seemed everyone knew more about this journey than she did but there was no use pestering people about it. She needed to go. The assassin in the bunkhouse made that obviously clear. She walked up to her foster father.
“I am ready to go right now,” she said.
“Good,” the old man said and grabbed the bags from the steps. His pace quickened as he descended. Sahil followed.
“Listen carefully,” he continued. “If we ever become separated, it is imperative that you make your way to the Friendly Arm Inn. There, you will meet Khalid and Jaheira. They have long been my friends, and you can trust them.”
Sahil nodded as she kept pace with her father. They reached the gates. Hull, the guard’s man, half drunk, opened it for the duo. They quickly stepped out and the large doors closed behind them. It was the first time she had ever been on this side of the wall. She breathed in the air and felt excited and nervous at the same time.
Gorion looked at her. “Let’s hurry, child! The night can only get worse, so we must find shelter soon,” he said still striding along. “Don’t worry, I will explain everything as soon as there is time.”
The two dashed into the bush, avoiding the road towards the keep. It was getting dark and a voice echoed in her head: “Chaos will be sown from their passage.”
She picked up her pace. Adventure finally awaited.
~
Prologue - Candlekeep
She sat in her study, reading an old tome filled with ballads by bards. It was one of her favourite subjects to read, those adventures and battles against beasts or those triumphs over evil men and their cunning plans.
It was the only escape from the dusty halls of Candlekeep where she resided. Her foster father, Gorion, wouldn’t let her wander outside the gates even though she had come of age. He was always protective of her, however lately, he has been acting strangely, on edge as if something was weighing on his mind. He seemed to be preparing for a journey, gathering supplies and coins, yet where he is going and how long he will be gone he wouldn’t tell her.
She thinks of this for a moment and realizes he doesn’t trust her. Why else would he keep secrets from her? It may have to do with Imoen the only other girl her age in Candlekeep. The two of them grew up together and were best friends, however Imoen tended to get into a little bit more trouble than her. She was always going through noble’s stuff, not to steal but to find out interesting tidbits about the visitors to the keep. More often than not, she gets caught doing it and would have to weasel her way out of the extra chores that got assigned to her because of this behaviour. Still she shared everything with Imoen and she might let slip the wrong information to her who in turn may offer it to the wrong noble or lord.
The girl looked out the window and sighed. Adventure – she craved it. She was thinking of ways to ask Gorion to take her with him on his trip. She wanted to explore the world. To traverse the great forests and sea sides. It was one thing to read about them in a book, it was quite another to actually experience it firsthand.
There was a light tap on her door and she spun towards the sound wondering who interrupted her daydreaming. One of her mentors Karim slowly opened the door.
“Sahil?” he said.
“Aye,” she replied.
“Sorry to interrupt your studying, but Gorion is looking for you. He is waiting at the steps of the Library. I believe you should go quickly to see him.”
“Is there something the matter?” she asked.
“At the moment, no,” he replied. “But try not to tarry.”
She closed the book and nodded her head walking past her mentor into the grand halls of the library. Monks and priest of Oghma were scuttling about, collecting tomes from patrons to put back into the massive shelves that lined the walls. None paid attention to her as she wandered down the staircase to the first level of the giant keep that acted as a wealth of knowledge for the realms.
She made her way to the giant doors that led to the outside world and pushed them open. The doors moved easily for their size, part of the magic that runs through Candlekeep. Outside, an older man waited with bags and a staff.
“Ah my child, I have finally found you,” Gorion said to his foster daughter.
“You asked to see me father?” she asked.
“That I did. We need to leave Candlekeep immediately. I know this is a little unnerving but you must trust me. I want you to find Jondalar, he has procured some armour for you for this journey. Take this gold and buy some supplies from the inn and temple. Don’t tarry. We need to leave within the hour, so say all your goodbyes, we won’t be returning for a while.”
“Where are we going?”
“I cannot say for I have not truly decided yet. All that is certain is that we will be far safer on the move. Perhaps secluded in the woods or amidst the throngs of people in Baldur’s Gate,” her father replied. “I do not know where we shall end up, but I have a few friends here and there that can aid us.”
“Safer on the move?” she asked “This place is a fortress what can harm us here, or more importantly what will harm us here.”
“Candlekeep is indeed formidable but it is not insurmountable. What will harm us, I will explain in due time. For now, please gather what you need for a long journey. I will try to explain the details later.”
“Ok father,” she said and walked down the steps to the garden in the front. The flowers were finally coming into bloom and she quickly admired their beauty. She walked through the inner grounds front gate, and searched out Jondalar. Reevor, a surly dwarf and the keeps groundkeeper found her first.
“I thought I asked you to clean the rats out of the warehouse yesterday?” he snapped. “Hop to it!”
“But Gor-“
“No buts missy. Get in there!” And he pushed her towards the door. She thought there was no harm in finishing some of her chores first, and this one was fairly easy.
She looked around and saw a couple of rats scurry across the floor. On the barrel sat a cat. “Now why Mr. Skuffington do I have to do your job?” she mused towards the cat. “Get the rats come on.”
The cat tilted his head and jumped down from the barrel and chased one of rats into a corner. Pouncing, it caught in its mouth and crunched down hard. Triumphantly, it returned to Sahil with the dead mouse in its mouth and placed it at her feet.
“Ha good job Mr. Skuffington!” she said to the cat, “quick there goes another!” and pointed the furry rodent running out from a wood pile. The cat leaped at it, missing. Sahil laughed.
“Almost,” she said. “But I guess I can help.” She picked up a quarterstaff that was set against a wall and rattled some boxes. When a rat ran away from his shaking hiding spot she quickly whapped it over the head. In all, she and the cat killed ten giant rats and a couple of smaller ones.
“It looks like you are eating well tonight Mr. Skuffington,” she said to the cat as she gently petted its head while it purred. “I have to leave now, I guess I will–” she stopped midsentence. “I guess I won’t see you tomorrow. I guess this is actually goodbye.”
The cat looked up at her not really understanding, or caring, however, it did stop purring. “Try to keep the rats out of here for Reevor’s sake. The poor dwarf will have a heart attack if you let the grain get eaten.”
The cat meowed, she gave a slight laugh and headed out of the warehouse.
“Done?” Reevor asked.
“Aye.”
“Here’s five gold pieces then, try not to spend it all in one place,” he replied and waddled off without waiting for a reply.
She sighed. The old dwarf wouldn’t even let her say goodbye. It might be a good thing. If he knew she was leaving he’d probably attempt to squeeze in as much free labour as possible and she had more important things she needed to concentrate on like finding Jondalar.
Luck would have it, Jondalar would find her first.
“Sahil!” a familiar voice rang out behind her as she spun to greet her weapons trainer. “Your father had a strange request and asked me to get this for you.”
The man holds out some leather armour. It smells fresh, as if it just came from the tanner. Studded spikes jut from chest plate with matching boots and gauntlets. “This is the safest thing to travel in these days as iron being scarce and all,” he said. “Anything with more iron will likely attract more attention than you want. Go ahead try it on.”
Sahil takes the armour and fastens the clasps around her body. It fit perfectly as if it was made for her. “What do you know of my journey Jondalar?”
“Not a lot I must confess. Only that your father asked me to get this made for you about a fortnight ago,” he replied. “I didn’t ask questions, as he didn’t seem to be in the mood to answer them.”
“Aye,” she said. “I know that all too well. Thank you for the armour.”
“Are you ready to try it out?” he quizzed.
“Now?”
“One last lesson,” he answered. “And I am going to spring a surprise on you this time. See if you can hit me. Ready?”
Sahil nodded and gripped her quarterstaff tightly. Jondalar raised his hand and then lept back as Sahil took a swing. An arrow whizzed by her head. She turned to see Erik, one of the wall archers firing arrows at her. She was shocked. It was a surprise as another landed near her feet. She looked up and saw Jondalar barreling down on her with his staff. She raised hers to block it and pushed him away as another arrow flew high over her head. She grimaced as she butted the end of quarterstaff square in Jondalar’s chest. He let an “ouf” then raised his hand. Erik stopped firing and Sahil went back into her ready position.
“You did good kid, especially after Erik started firing those arrows at ya,” Jondalar said rubbing his chest. “I’m sure your father would be proud. Good luck in your voyage.”
Sahil nodded. “I’ll miss you. Thank you again for everything.”
“Now excuse me,” he said. “Erik, can you help me to the infirmary, she got me good.”
Erik laughed and walked over to Jondalar and carried him away. Sahil was stronger than she looked. Jondalar knew that. She was surprised he wasn’t wearing armour in such a highly combative lesson.
She gripped her staff and looked around. The outer courtyard was bare, only a handful of guards patrolled around, majority of them suspicious of her. There were only a few that truly trusted her here. And she was going to say goodbye to them before she ventured off. Her father owed her that much she surmised.
She cut back through the inner court past the chanters. “The lord of murder shall perish…” they sang. It was beautiful and haunting at the same time. She’s grown use to hearing it and doesn’t pay much attention to it. She figures this will probably be the last time she hears those words uttered. They cling to her memory though as it sings back, “but in his doom he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos will be sown from their passage.”
She quickens her pace to get away from the voices and heads towards the inn. She pushes the door open. A gruff man looks from behind a desk and bellows, “Well, hello, young one! Come to visit your old pal Winthrop, have ye?”
She looks at the pudgy man and smiles as he continues, “Well, don’t forget the 10, 000 gold piece book entrance fee, as per Candlekeep’s custom, don’tcha know.”
Sahil laughs. “You always were the big kidder, Wintrop. That gets funnier very nearly every time I hear it,” she said. “Well, perhaps not quite so often.”
“Haw! Just having a bit o’ fun with ye, my friend. Them monks may be walking about with poles in their nethers, but you know you are always welcome here in my sight,” he said.
“Thanks Winthrop, but this is actually goodbye,” she replied.
“Goodbye?” he mused. I guess not everyone knew she was leaving the keep as the man was genuinely surprised. “What do you mean goodbye?”
“Gorion and I are leaving,” she said. “Soon, and I don’t know when we are going to be back.”
“Well I knew this day would come eventually,” the inn keeper replied revealing he knew more than he was letting on. He realized Sahil caught onto this and quickly changed the subject. Have you said goodbye to Fuller yet?”
“No.”
“Good mind doing me one last favour and delivering these bolts to him?” he asked. “I got high paying nobles in the next room and I don’t want lose their patronage by stepping out. And I have no idea where Imoen is. Care to help?”
“Sure no problem,” she replied. “He’s in the bunkhouse I suppose.”
“Aye, I believe so. If I don’t see you again, take care of yourself and be safe.”
“Thanks Winthrop. I will.”
She grabbed the bundle of bolts from the counter and headed to the door. She thought she must hurry as Gorion has been waiting for a bit now. A few more goodbyes surely wouldn’t hurt and she does have to deliver these bolts to Fuller.
She walks past the Barracks to the bunkhouse. It’s part of the guards quarters. Those who are off duty usually reside there and Fuller is captain of the night’s watch. He’s caught her and Imoen sneaking around at night once too many times, however he is a good man and usually lets them go with a warning. She needed to say goodbye to him.
She pushed the door open to the bunkhouse. It was dark, darker than usual. She called out “Fuller?” She didn’t hear a sound until a man approached her from the far corner.
“’Ere there. You’re Gorion’s little whelp, aren’t ya?” the strange man asked and before waiting for a reply “yeah, you match the description. You don’t look so dangerous to me.”
Sahil was taken aback. She had never seen this man before, yet she knew of Gorion. He didn’t look like a noble or a mage, those who routinely visit the keep on business. He smelled of the stables and he held a dagger in his right hand.
“And what business is that of yours?” she asked cautiously gripping her staff and readying herself.
“I’ll make it my business if’n I please,” he man retorted. “Just thought I’d have me a look at you for myself, before I puts a blade down your gullet! Someone seems to think you’re trouble, so I’m gonna use your head for a ticket out o’ the gutter!”
The man lunges at Sahil. She easily parries his attack and steps back swinging her staff at her assailant. He ducks as he thrusts the blade towards her again. It glances off her new armour as he stumbles. She raises her staff high and knocks him over the head with a loud thwack.
He falls, his head bounces off the hard floor and then thumps back down again. Blood pours from his ears and nose. He isn’t moving. Sahil panics and heads for the door. The man’s last words caught in her head. Someone wanted her killed. Gorion is right to think that it is no longer safe here in Candlekeep. She feels flustered and out of breath.
Karan notices her being disoriented and walks over. “I heard shouting, Sahil! Are you all right?”
“He’s… He’s dead, whoever he was. He lunged at me with a knife,” she replied. “Oh, Karan, what is happening to this place?”
“It’s not this place, child. It’s you they’re after,” he replied. “Oh, Sahil, I have been your tutor for so many years and only in this moment have I come to doubt my teaching have been good enough. Go to Gorion, child. It is safe for you here no longer.”
Sahil nodded, and trudged towards the library. She felt a prick in her pocket and reached in. The bolts! She almost forgot. She ran towards the barracks, the only other place Fuller would be and walked in. There were always armed guards in the barracks and no one would attempt to attack her there.
She saw Fuller sitting at the table looking over pieces of parchment. She called out. “Fuller!”
“Ugh, not so loud,” the guard said. “What a mead-filled night. That Hull is just too much. Poor sap had to go man the gate this morning, too. I don’t know how he does it… What can I do for you, anyways?”
Sahil reached into her pocket and handed over the bolts. “Winthrop asked me to deliver these to you.”
“Thanks kid,” he said taking the bolts. “I hear you might be leaving this place soon.”
“I am leaving now actually,” she replied “Gorion is waiting for me. I just came to say goodbye.”
Fuller looks up and lets out a sigh, “Watch your back out there, okay? Here.” He reaches down to his belt and removes a dagger from a sheath and hands it to her.
“Let me give you this dagger,” he continued. “My father killed a hobgoblin with it once, many years ago. Stabbed him right in the back, he did. It ain’t no broadsword, but it’ll do in a pinch.”
“Are you sure Fuller?” she asked reluctantly taking the dagger.
“Aye, I’m sure. Now take care of yourself. Thanks for the bolts.”
Sahil smiled and nodded and headed for the door. Gorion must be getting worried so she headed back to the steps to see her foster father. She walked through the inner gate to be greeted by her friend Imoen.
“Hey ya,” her best friend called out while walking over. “I’m surprised that stuffy ol’ Gorion let you away from your studies and chores. That ol’ fiddle faddle, I snuck off too.”
“I know, Winthrop was looking for you. I had to run an errand for him,” Sahil replied.
“Old Puffguts Winthrop was looking for me?” she quizzed, “but I got all day to do his chores. You have time for a story today? No, I can tell you don’t. What have ya been up to?”
Sahil sighed. “I’m afraid I cannot talk to today,” she answered her friend. “My foster father wishes me to prepare for a journey, but will not say to where.”
“A journey, eh? I never get to travel. Wish I could go with ya. Yep, I really wish I could. Yes ma’am. Really do.”
Sahil could tell Imoen was stalling. “All right, all right. I get the message. I’ll ask if you can go with us.”
“Oh don’t be silly,” Imoen replied. “Gorion would never even let you finish the sentence. Especially after what that letter of his said… er did I say that? No, of course I didn’t. Never saw no letter. Nope. I’ll just get back to work now. You better go. Gorion is waiting.”
“Wait, what letter?” Sahil asked.
“Exactly!” Imoen said as she dashed out the gate.
Sahil sighed again. It seemed everyone knew more about this journey than she did but there was no use pestering people about it. She needed to go. The assassin in the bunkhouse made that obviously clear. She walked up to her foster father.
“I am ready to go right now,” she said.
“Good,” the old man said and grabbed the bags from the steps. His pace quickened as he descended. Sahil followed.
“Listen carefully,” he continued. “If we ever become separated, it is imperative that you make your way to the Friendly Arm Inn. There, you will meet Khalid and Jaheira. They have long been my friends, and you can trust them.”
Sahil nodded as she kept pace with her father. They reached the gates. Hull, the guard’s man, half drunk, opened it for the duo. They quickly stepped out and the large doors closed behind them. It was the first time she had ever been on this side of the wall. She breathed in the air and felt excited and nervous at the same time.
Gorion looked at her. “Let’s hurry, child! The night can only get worse, so we must find shelter soon,” he said still striding along. “Don’t worry, I will explain everything as soon as there is time.”
The two dashed into the bush, avoiding the road towards the keep. It was getting dark and a voice echoed in her head: “Chaos will be sown from their passage.”
She picked up her pace. Adventure finally awaited.
12
Comments
I look forward to seeing how you handle your first combat scene.
You're going to have hundreds of pages by the end if you keep it going true to form like this. If you write it, I'll enjoy reading it.
~
Chapter One: Lion’s Way Ambush
It was already dark and the pair of travellers hadn’t even made it to the Coast Way yet. The journey would have been quicker but Gorion insisted that they stayed off the road for safety. He informed Sahil that bandits lurked by and they wouldn’t hesitate to put an arrow through you for the bits of scrap metal you may or may not be carrying.
The light brush of trees and shrubs was quiet. She could hardly see in front of her as well being guided only by the silhouette of her father keeping the pace in front of her. The two of them attempted to move silently but it seemed Gorion wasn’t use to stepping nimbly. He’d trip over a rock or snap a branch with his foot. If anyone was after them, he was making enough noise to alert them. But they still pressed forward.
They pushed their way through some bushes and into a large clearing. Gorion stepped out and looked around. Sahil couldn’t get over how quiet it was. She’d expect to hear some animals chirping away, crickets or owls greeting their lumbering steps but it was all silent. She clued in before her foster father, but it was he who spoke.
“Wait, there is something wrong,” he cautioned. “We are in an ambush.”
A large armored man stepped out from the darkness and lit a torch. More torches were lit behind him and
Sahil could make out even larger figures standing behind the mysterious man. They were Ogres, each brandishing a morning star that most men would have to hold in two hands. A handful of archers and a mysterious woman pulled up the rear.
The armored man looked at the duo and bellowed, “You’re perceptive for an old man. You know why I am here. Hand over your ward and no will be hurt. If you resist, it shall be a waste of your life.”
Gorion was unfazed. Even though the figure stood a good two feet taller than him, he held his ground and answered, “you’re a fool if you believe I would trust your benevolence. Step aside and you are your lackeys will be unhurt.”
Sahil didn’t know what to think. She knew Gorion was an adventure back in the day before settling down in Candlekeep and he knew some magic but she felt the odds were stacked highly against them. There is no way the two of them could defeat them all.
The armored figure must have thought that as well as he replied, “I’m sorry you feel that way old man,” and started to charge with the ogres.
Gorion let off a quick spell and he was engulfed in protective magic. Before the armoured figure or the Ogres could reach him he let off another spell that flashed five bolts of magical energy towards his first assailant. Each of the bolts hit the ogre in the chest sending it barrelling to the ground.
Arrows started to be loosed towards Sahil who just stood there panicked. She didn’t know what to do. It was her they were after and if she entered the fray she might get captured or worse.
Her mentor yelled at her, “run child, get out of here!” As he pulled out a scroll and read it sending a lightning bolt hurling towards the other ogre felling it.
That is what she did. She ran, heading south towards the road hoping to find someone who could help them.
She heard the armored figure yell “After her!” and a couple of the archers pursued her through the dark shrub. She was lost, tired and scared. She could hear the sounds of the battle still raging on behind her but she also heard the footsteps. She couldn’t stop.
“Psst. Come this way,” a strange voice said to her. It was calm and foreign but something in her head told her to trust it if out of desperation alone.
Sahil turned towards the voice and ran. She got to a tree and looked around. The voice came from this area yet she saw no one. She could see torchlight coming towards her. The battle that had raged had dissipated. Perhaps Gorion got away. She needed to do the same.
“Hello?” she whispered.
“Up here,” the voice replied. On one of the branches in the tree sat a strange creature. It had the body of a dragon with shimmering scales, yet had platinum butterfly wings.
“Good I found you, or you found me,” it continued. “Hold still.” The strange beast flapped its wings and a dust began to rain down on Sahil. She looked at the dust that had fell on her arm and noticed she could see through it. It was making her invisible.
“What are –” she started.
“Quiet, they’re coming” the creature replied before she could finish her sentence.
A few men walked by her on the trail. They had their weapons drawn in one hand, lit torches in the other.
“Did we lose her?” one asked.
“She must’ve ran towards High Hedge. No way I’m going in there at this time of night,” the other replied. “Let the forest claim her.”
The two men looked around. “Just in case we should send agents to Beregost to investigate,” the first ruffian said.
“Aye, if she does get out, they’ll take care of her,” the second replied and they both headed back to the where the battle was fought, now long over.
“That was close,” the strange beast said as it jumped down from the branch to Sahil’s side.
“Thank you,” replied Sahil. “What are you?” She reached out to pet the small creature on the head which accepted the stroking graciously.
“I am Hailix, servant of the Unicorn Queen,” the creature replied. “She sent me find you Sahil to be your guidance as she answered your prayers for adventure, however, I do not think she thought the outcome would be like this.”
“The Unicorn Queen?” Sahil asked.
“Yes, Lurue. She is the goddess of intelligent and talking beasts.”
“I thought Malar was that?”
“Oh no,” the small creature replied as it nuzzled closer to Sahil. “Malar is an evil god of lycanthropes. He holds no sway over other talking creatures like fey.”
“Is that what you are?” she asked the strange creature.
“You could say that,” Hailix replied. “Your kind however call me a faerie dragon though.”
“Oh.”
The small beast giggled. “For someone who came from Candlekeep, you really do not know much.”
Sahil sighed. “Aye. I am afraid so.”
“We should rest here for a bit,” the beast said “It’ll be light soon and will probably be safer to travel.”
“Where should we go?” she asked.
“Where ever adventure takes us,” Hailix replied.
Sahil smiled at the though and closed her eyes. She had prayed for adventure, but now she prayed for her life and that of Gorion’s. In the morning she will find him.
Unlike @rufus_hobart I think you've picked a Beastmaster, the only non-mage allowed to have a familiar. Sahil noticed that Gorion had difficulty moving silently, which suggests that she didn't. Besides the Unicorn Queen fits the Beast Mistress...
The morning light cascaded through the leaves as Sahil stretched and waken. She didn’t get much sleep. The ground was wet and hard where she attempted to sleep. She noticed Hailix was still asleep perched in the branch above her.
She got up and stretched her arms and looked around. There was no sign of the group of people that were looking for her last night. She gave a small sigh.
“Hey ya! It’s me Imoen.”
Sahil turned around to the sound of her friend’s voice. Imoen was coming down the pathway waving her hand and carrying a bow and a small sack. Sahil wasn’t that surprised that Imoen followed her and Gorion, but she was glad that she didn’t come earlier. Who’d of known what would have happened to her during the ambush.
“Sorry I followed ya,” her friend said. “But I never get out of Candlekeep and those monks are such a bore. Never any decent coin in their pockets neither.”
Imoen put down the sack of what Sahil thought was pilfered stuff. She cringed at the thought of Imoen stealing the supplies, but anything she brought would be worth it now.
Her friend continued, more sadly though. “I… I saw Gorion, and I am SO sorry!”
Sahil knew that this point that Gorion didn’t get a chance to get away. He gave his life saving her. Sahil bent her head down and moped.
“Kinda figured something bad might happen to you out here,” Imoen finished.
“How could you have known? Gorion did not even tell me,” Sahil asked.
“I…” Imoen started to reply, looking for the right words, “accidentally… read a letter on his desk the other day. Can’t remember exactly what it said, but he might still have… it might be on his… his body.”
Sahil bowed her head again. She didn’t know what she was going to do without her mentor. She didn’t even know why she was running. Perhaps Imoen was right. Perhaps reading the letter will give her some insights on what Gorion was going to tell her. Sahil looked at her friend.
“Anyway,” Imoen continued. “I’m not gonna let you wander around out here all alone. Never let a a friend down, no ma’am! Stick with you until you say otherwise.”
“Thanks Imoen,” Sahil replied and looked to where Hailix was sleeping. She nudged the creature and it stirred.
“What’s that?” Imoen asked.
“Hailix,” Sahil replied, both waking the creature and answering Imoen. “He saved me last night.”
“Oh. It’s a faerie dragon!” Imoen exclaimed. “Are we gonna keep it?”
The dragon looked up and fluttered down to Sahil’s shoulder and rested comfortably.
“That I am, and you are?”
“Imoen,” the girl replied. “A friend of Sahil’s.”
“A pleasure,” replied the creature letting out a yawn.
“Are you still tired Hailix?” Sahil asked and the creature nodded.
“Then why don’t you rest in my pack for a bit,” Sahil suggested. “We’re going to find Gor.. we’re going to find a letter.”
The creature nodded and crawled into the pack and closed its eyes.
“You saw him?” Sahil asked her friend.
“Aye, a bit north of here,” Imoen replied.
Sahil nodded and grabbed her staff while Imoen swung her bag back over her shoulder. The two of them started walking north.
“What did you bring?” Sahil asked looking at the pack.
“Some healing salves, a magical potion, a wand of magic missiles and a couple of gold pieces,” replied her friend.
“That’s it?” Sahil questioned.
“Ya, that’s all I could ste… get my hand... acquire before leaving.”
Sahil nodded as the two of them walked back to where the battle raged. They pushed through into the clearing and saw the chaos that enveloped the area the night before. The grass to the east was scorched with magical fire where a couple of the archer bodies laid. The two ogres also laid dead where Gorion felled them but there was no sign of Gorion’s body.
“This is where we were ambushed,” Sahil said. Imoen ruffled through the corpses looking for any possessions the two of them could use.
“What are you doing?” asked Sahil.
“They attacked you last night didn’t they?” replied Imoen. “They may have clues as to the reason why on them. Besides, any valuables they have will be better in our pockets than theirs.”
Imoen removed a necklace from around one of the dead man’s necks and some leather armour and a pouch of gold from the other. “This looks like it might fit me,” Imoen said, trying it on. Sahil was a bit put back by her friend’s behaviour and wanted to leave.
“Where’s Gorion’s body?” Sahil asked.
“A bit to the west,” Imoen said. “I uh… I’m sorry. I’ll let you go pay your respects.”
Sahil nodded and headed west. A few paces away laid her foster father. She stopped in her tracks and began to cry. She was hoping to be able to take him a temple to see if he could be resurrected but the state of his body told her otherwise. She nimbly moved forward towards him. She saw the blood covering his white cloak first. He looked taller on the ground and as she approached, she realized why. His body was severed in two. The armoured man must have been extremely strong to be able to accomplish such a feat.
She walked over to her foster father’s body and kneeled down beside it. She wept some more and muttered an “I’m sorry.” She brushed his grey matted hair away from his face. “Why’d this happen?” she asked herself and remembered the letter.
She went through her father’s pockets removing a pouch of gold and a rolled up piece of parchment. She noticed the belt he was wearing as well. It was an artifact from his adventuring days that he kept secured in a chest in his room. She knew it was magical but didn’t know what it did. She removed it, rather having this keepsake of his than letting bandits have it. Perhaps Imoen was right in that regard.
She looked back down at her foster father. She wanted to give him a proper burial, yet she had no tools to dig. She looked around on her knees and saw nothing that would help. She didn’t want to leave him here like this.
There was a growl behind her. She turned slowly to see a savage wolf had entered the clearing. Smelling the blood, it must be hungry and she was blocking its meal. She got up, staff in hand backed away slowly. The wolf growled at her direction again and Sahil was overcome with fear. The wolf looked at her, snapped its jaws and began to run towards her.
Sahil quickly ran back to Imoen calling her name. Imoen, who was done robbing Sahil's assailants, saw her friend in trouble picked up her bow and fired it towards the wolf that was nipping at Sahil’s heels. The arrow missed and Sahil tripped and fell. The wolf was upon her, but she used her quarterstaff from keeping its jaws away from her neck.
She thrust hard, pushing the beast back. It tumbled and yelped as it rolled away. It got back on its four paws again readying itself to pounce again. Imoen fired another arrow, piercing its back leg preventing it from doing so. The beast howled. Hailix pushed himself out of bag to see what the commotion was about and eyed the wolf.
Hailix flew out and up. Coming behind the beast as another one of Imoen’s arrows hit it. Hailix went for it’s tail to pull it away but missed the swinging object. Sahil batted at the beast with her club attempting to get back on her feet. Her first swing missed as the wolf leapt away from the stick, but was knocked by the follow through.
Another one of Imoen’s arrow struck the beast in its hind quarters as Sahil got to her feet and readied herself for another lunge from the wolf. Hailix kept distracting it from behind though as another arrow pierced it’s side. The wolf howled again and Sahil brought her staff down upon its back. There was a loud crunch and the wolf whimpered as it fell.
Sahil looked at the wolf in sadness. “I’m sorry,” she said to it. “But you shouldn’t of tried to attack me.” She pulled out Fuller’s dagger and put the animal out of it’s misery.
Hailix flew over to Sahil. “The wolves are aggressive this time of year, I should of warned you.”
“It’s ok Hailix,” replied Sahil. “We should go though. They usually hunt in packs.”
Imoen nodded and the trio made their way back to the road. It was the dilemma that they were in. The woods held hungry beasts like bears and wolves who would attack at the sight of a potential meal but roads contained brigands and ruffians who would attack at the sight of metal. Sahil figured they’d be safer on the road since the only metal that they carried was Fuller’s dagger that was tucked in her belt.
“What does the note say?” asked Imoen. Sahil forgot about it during the attack and reached into her pocket and pulled it out. She read outloud:
“My friend Gorion,
“Pleace forgive the abruptness with which I now write, but time is short and there is much to be done. What we have long feared may soon come to pass, though not in the manner foretold, and certainly not in the proper time frame.
“As we both know, forecasting these events has proved increasingly difficult, leaving little option other than a leap of faith.”
“Who is writing this?” quipped Imoen. “They sure are long winded.”
Sahil laughed. “I guess. It is signed with an E, so it could be anyone. Let me continue:
“We have done what we can for those in thy care, but the time nears when we must step back and let matters take what course they will. We have, perhaps, been a touch too sheltering to this point.”
Sahil stopped reading and looked at her friend, “I couldn’t of said that better myself, I think. This person is wise.” Her tone was a bit sarcastic and Imoen laughed. Sahil continued to read but her tone turned a bit serious as she read the next part.
“Despite my desire to remain neutral in this matter, I could not, in good conscience, let events proceed without some measure of warning. The other side will move very soon, and I urge thee to leave Candlekeep this very night, if possible. The darkness may seem equally threatening, but a moving target is much harder to hit, regardless of how sparse the cover. A fighting chance is all that can be asked for at this point.”
Sahil stopped reading as she could think of more that could be asked for; her foster father being alive for one; her knowing who attacked her and why being the second. She sighed at the thought and finished the letter.
“Should anything go awry, do not hesitate to seek aid from travelers along the way. I do not need to remind thee that it is a dangerous land, even without our current concerns and a party is stronger than an individual in all respects. Should additional assistance be required, I understand Jaheira and Khalid are currently at the Friendly Arm Inn. They know little of what has passed, but they are ever thy friends and will no doubt help however they can.
“Luck be with us all. I’m getting too old for this. E.”
She finished and tucked the letter back into her pocket.
“So I guess we should head to the Friendly Arm Inn then?” Imoen asked.
“Ya,” Sahil replied. “If anything these two should be made aware of Gorion’s passing.”
Imoen nodded as the pair of girls continued down the road as Hailix nuzzled his way back into Sahil’s pack. They were soon greeted by a portly looking man. He seemed friendly however Sahil gripped her staff a bit more tightly.
“Hello there,” the man said to them. “Well a busy day for me today indeed. Strange noises throughout the night, and people strolling about the wood. You do look a touch more hospitable than the last two I met though.”
The man looked the pair of travellers up and down and Sahil loosened the grip on her staff. She smiled. The man continued, “Well met, stranger. I am called Kolssed.”
“Could you help me?” Sahil asked the man. “My foster father and I were attacked last eve, and now I am not sure of where to go. We were to meet friends at the Friendly Arm Inn.”
The man frowned slightly. “The carnage to the north must be the aftermath of your little skirmish then, I am most assuredly sorry about your predicament, though there be little I can do for you. I’ve nothing of serviceable value, except common sense and a few directions.”
Imoen smiled. “Any help would be preferred than none.”
The man smiled back and continued, “a ways east of here, you should find a crossroads. North of there is the Friendly Arm Inn, and south is the town of Beregost. Both can offer shelter, though rates at the Friendly Arm Inn are likely better. I cannot accompany you, though there were a pair of travelers not far up the road. They might offer assistance, but I would be wary of the cost. I didn’t like the look of them myself.”
Sahil smiled again. “I thank you for your time. Good luck in your travels.”
“Fare thee well, as they say,” Kolssed said and headed west down the road.
“Let’s see if we can find those two he mentioned,” Imoen said. “What harm can come of it.”
“They could be the ones looking for me,” Sahil replied.
“Oh. Let’s get off the road for a bit then until they pass,” Imoen suggested.
The two ventured off the road and into the bush as they watched a halfling and man dressed in green robes walk by. They were arguing about a lost ring. The Halfling was being very hostile towards the green robed man. Sahil thought Kolssed was right. These two were trouble and she avoided them watching as they passed.
“I tell you we don’t have time to go back to the Inn,” the halfling said.
“But Monty!”
“Don’t but me unless you want a dagger in your gullet you deranged mage. The ring is lost and we need to get to Nashkel soon or the boss will have both of our hides.”
“You’re no fun!” the mage pouted.
“Now where’s this wizard’s keep?”
“Oh yes this way.”
The two trailed off into the forest to the south and Imoen and Sahil got out of their hiding stops.
“That was amusing to watch,” Imoen said. “Was it the men who were after you?”
“No,” replied Sahil. “I don’t think so, though Kolssed was right, I didn’t like the looks of them either.”
The two got back onto the road that wound its way north.
“I wonder what ring they were talking about,” Imoen quizzed.
“Probably just some bauble,” replied Sahil. “If it existed at all.”
Imoen laughed as the two walked down the road towards the Friendly Arm Inn. Sahil liked the sound of it: Friendly Arm. It’s what she needed at the moment. She looked back into her pack. “Hey Hailix, can you tell me more about this Unicorn Queen?”
This is fantastic work!
~
Chapter 3 – The Coastal Way
Hailix began his tale about the Lurue and both Sahil and Imoen were entranced by the story. The small dragon told them that The Unicorn Queen is both servant and trusted friend of the Goddess Mielikki who rides her across the celestial planes. Unlike Mielikki though, Lurue is very chaotic in nature and she believes adventures should start on a whim. She’s the daughter of Selûne and Eachthighern the God of Pegasi.
“I know you just suffered a great loss,” Hailix said to Sahil. “But Lurue teaches that life is there to be lived with zest and flair.”
Sahil nodded to the suggestion and thought of Gorion and what he would think of the Unicorn Queen. Her mentor sacrificed more than his life for her, he sacrificed his past life as well. It wasn’t on a whim that he raised her in Candlekeep, forgoing his adventurous days to sit stifled in a library built like a fortress. She wondered if the Goddess frowned down on him for that.
The small creature continued, “I think Gorion would want you to move on from this tragedy. I think he’d agree with how Lurue thinks life should be filled with laughter and good times.”
“Do many people worship Lurue?” Imoen chimed in.
“There are some,” Hailix replied. “She is mostly worshipped by intelligent beasts like unicorns, pegasi and fey. However she is known to attract some adventurers like wandering druids and rangers especially those that are compassionate to animals like you Sahil.”
“I don’t feel that compassionate,” Sahil replied thinking back to the wolf.
“If you are thinking of the wolf, many would just leave it there to suffer, you did what was right by ending its life and apologizing to it in the process,” the small creature rebutted.
Sahil thought on this a moment. She always had a knack of communicating with animals and she respected their sacrifices and labours more than a typical person would. Most of the monks found it strange that she named most of the warehouse cats. To them, they were only creatures, fulfilling a small purpose that could easily be overlooked. To her they were friends.
“Lurue has taken an interest in you Sahil,” said the creature. “Perhaps she foresaw the journey you are about to take and wanted to help guide you along.”
“For a God that is chaotic in nature, that is very strange of her,” replied Sahil.
“Perhaps, I am just speculating,” Hailix said. “I do not know much. She just whispered something to me in a dream I was having a few nights back. Told me of a battle and your prayers to her and asked me to lend you a hand.”
“I never prayed to her before,” Sahil snapped thinking the little creature was becoming delirious.
“Oh but you did,” retorted Hailix. “You prayed for adventure. You prayed to be free from Candlekeep, to traverse the lands. You dreamt of experiencing new things, helping those in need and righting wrongs.
“These are all things that Lurue cherishes, especially in her followers.”
Sahil thought a bit. She didn’t know much about the deities of realm expect for Oghma. She respected the god of knowledge, however, she never could worship him. She thought it led to a boring life of shelving books and deciphering lost languages in dusty cramped rooms.
She looked around at the trees and the fading sun, the tall grasses and the noisy chirping animals in the distance. The smell of freshness filled her nostrils. Freedom. This is where she wanted to be.
“How does one worship Lurue?” Sahil asked.
“How does one worship any God?” replied Hailix. “By praying to them, being thankful for what they have to offer; to look to them for guidance.”
Sahil sighed. She needed guidance at this time, but can a god of unicorns of all things provide that for her?
“Someone is coming,” Imoen said, breaking Sahil’s train of thought.
They had reached the crossroads Kolssed told them about. An older gentleman, older than Gorion, was approaching them. He wore a funny red hat with matching robes and a long white beard. He walked with a staff that Sahil surely thought he needed to stay standing and he held a pipe in his other hand. A dirty brown cape draped his back. It looked like the man had been on the road for a while.
“Ho there, wanderers,” the man called to them as he approached. “Stay thy course a moment to indulge an old man.”
The duo stopped and looked at each other then to the old man who smiled at their obedience to his wish.
“It’s been a nigh unto a tenday since I’ve seen a soul walking this road, and I’ve been without decent conversation since,” the man blustered. Sahil thought she must be lucky if what the man says is true because, including Imoen, this was the third time she was stopped in such a short journey, but she let the man continue.
“Traveling nowadays appears to be the domain of either the desperate or the deranged. If thou wouldst pardon my intrusion, may I inquire which pertains to thee?” the old man asked.
“Not to imply anything,” Imoen chirped in, “but how do you measure up to your own standards?”
The man was taken a bit back by this as she continued, “Pestering strangers about their mental state doesn’t seem all that well adjusted to me.”
Sahil smiled at the thought and sudden outburst of her friend and the old man smiled with her.
“Point well taken, and thou hast answered my query most adequately,” the man said. “I shall think of thee two as determined instead. I shall trouble thee no more, as thou art more than capable of the task at hand.”
Sahil smile widened. She liked the old man for some strange reason and let him continue on in his travels. Before he departed he said one last thing to the pair.
“North is the Friendly Arm Inn, where I am certain thou shalt find trustworthy friends awaiting. I have said too much and taken too much time from thee. Fare thee well.”
With that the man limped off with his staff. Sahil thought on the last statement for a bit. How did he know friends awaited at the Friendly Arm Inn? Was it just delusion as Imoen expected or was he a seer of some sort?
“Come on,” Imoen tugged at Sahil’s sleeve. “It’s getting dark.”
The two continued north up the road laughing at the day they had. Perhaps it was right to look to Lurue for guidance as she seemed not to dwell on the negatives.
“I wonder if we can find that ring?” Imoen asked.
Sahil rolled her eyes. “I doubt it, you should just forget about it.”
There was rustling in the bushes beside the road and both Imoen and Sahil looked over. Three short stubby blue men jumped from the bushes. Their eyes were saucer like and bulging and they were all armed with short swords.
“ATTTAAACCCKKK!” the lead one bellowed. The trio of creatures outnumbering the girls whom looked like easy prey.
Imoen cocked an arrow and let it fly towards the lead creature. It flew over its head as the attacker reached Sahil. Sahil readied herself, and swung at the beasts head connecting at the charging assailant knocking him down with a large thump.
Imoen reached for another arrow and aimed it at the second beast. The arrow caught the creature in the shoulder making him lose a step in the process.
Sahil turned to the third and concentrated her effort on its charge. After seeing what she did to the first attacker, it was smart enough to duck her swing. This threw Sahil slightly off balance as the blue creature stabbed her in the leg.
Sahil yelped out in pain and delivered the blunt end of her staff onto the creature’s knee. It grimaced in pain as it rolled behind her slashing at her back. The knife struck right below her armour piercing her skin.
“Sahil!” Imoen cried out as she put another arrow into the second creature’s chest. It tumbled to the ground dead as she locked another arrow into the string but did not take the shot as Sahil was in the way.
In pain, Sahil turned and gave a kick to the small man which tumbled backwards. Seeing her opportunity, Imoen fired the arrow hitting him in the neck. It fell with a small gurgle coming from its mouth.
“Are you ok?” Imoen said as Sahil collapsed to the ground in pain. She didn’t know if she could walk with the wound to her leg. Imoen began rummaging through her bag looking for one of the healing salves she acquired before leaving Candlekeep.
“Here,” she said as she knelt down beside her friend and applied the magical salve to Sahil's back and leg. The wounds quickly closed and the pain resided.
“Thanks,” Sahil said. “The little buggers. What were they?”
Imoen picked up one the swords and admired it. It was shoddily crafted but seemed to work well in a pinch.
“I don’t know but we sure showed them.” She took the sword and fastened it to her belt.
Sahil laughed. “They showed me as well. I need more practise.”
“Are you good to walk?” her friend asked.
“Aye.”
Sahil stood up amazed at how fast the salve worked and the two headed north once again up the road.
“I wonder why they didn’t attack the old man,” Sahil pondered out loud.
“Maybe they thought he was Elmister,” retorted Imoen.
They both laughed at the thought.
“Stupid creatures,” Sahil said swinging her staff as they walked practicing her strikes.
The two girls struggled a bit up the hill. They had just past a sign saying “Friendly Arm Inn – North” and they were wondering how much further they needed to travel. It was already dark and the pair were weary of travelling. Neither of them have walked so far in their life and Sahil was having second thought of becoming a wanderer and explorer of the land.
As they cleared the cliff, the path bent slightly west and in the distance they could see their destination rising higher than the trees.
“Is that it?” Imoen asked as she gazed upon the towering structure in the distance. “It’s huge.”
The place rivaled Candlekeep in height and its stone walls looked impenetrable. Sahil thought back to her old home. Candlekeep was built like a fortress to protect the books and the knowledge it had accumulated over the years. Most of that knowledge could not be found anywhere else except for in that tall stone library. She wondered why an inn of all places would be built like fortress. What does it protect besides its guests. Were the roads of this area so bad that a fortress needed to be built to provide a safe haven for travelers?
“It must be it,” Sahil said. “Come on.”
“I sure don’t want to do the laundry for that place. I think I had it hard back home,” Imoen mused. “I sure feel sorry for whoever has to clean the place.”
“There is probably more than one person to do the that,” Sahil reassured her friend.
“What?” exclaimed Imoen. “Why did I have to do Winthrop’s laundry by myself.”
“The Inn in Candlekeep only had five rooms,” Sahil recalled. “This place must have…” she eyes the structure attempting to count the floors, “a lot more,” she finished.
“I guess,” Imoen “Probably more pockets to go through as well.”
Sahil gave her friend a harsh look. “Be good,” she said as sternly as possible.
Imoen smiled, “I’m just saying, the cleaning staff can make a killing there. Probably more merchants and nobles going through. Ya know.”
“I mean it,” Sahil said. “There’s no one here that’ll get you out of trouble like at home.”
“I know,” Imoen said slightly defeated.
The two made it to the outer wall of the Inn that looked like a keep. The drawbridge was down and there were two guards standing watch under lit torches. The smell of cooked meat wafted out, mixing with the fresh air. Sahil realized she hadn’t eaten all day as her stomach growled at her.
As they walked up onto the drawbridge, one of the guards greeted them.
“Welcome to the Friendly Arm,” he said. “I trust you know the rules of conduct within?”
“There are rules?” Sahil asked. “What kind of rules?”
“Perhaps ‘rules’ is a touch too formal,” the guard replied. “It is unwritten, but accepted, that while herein you will act with the utmost of civility to all other guests. This is neutral ground, and all grievances are left at the gates. If the grievances come in, then you will go out. Enjoy your stay.”
Sahil felt relieved. Whoever attempted to kill her last night surely would not be here. There are too many guards for someone to get away with being assaulted. She smiled and thanked the guard. She and Imoen strode inside the keep.
The place was more of a small hamlet than an inn. There were a couple of houses and a temple. Stables lined the wall where both horses and cows were eating hay and other assorted grains. There were more guards posted outside of the inn patrolling. Sahil wondered how she would find Gorion’s old friends in a place this large.
Hailix poked his head out of Sahil pack. “What’s that smell?” he asked.
Sahil laughed. “Cooked meat, hungry?” She asked as they approached the steps of the establishment.
“Oh yes,” replied the beast and it flapped out of the bag in excitement.
“Well wait, I don’t even know if they’ll allow you in there,” she said to him.
“Hi friend,” a man said to her as he descended down the steps to greet the girls. “I’ve not seen you here before today. What brings you to the Friendly Arm?”
“I am here to meet some friends,” Sahil replied eyeing the man. He was wearing a dark robe with green trim and carried a staff much like a one that Gorion use to carry around the halls of Candlekeep.
“Oh, you must be whom I am to meet then,” the man replied, eyeing the girls up and down as well. “I will take you to your friends, but first I should be sure you are the correct person. Is your name Sahil?”
Sahil smiled and felt relieved. She was finally at a place where she could feel secure and get some answers. She answered. “Why, yes it is.”
“Perfect,” he said. “You are indeed the person I seek. Hold still a moment, won’t you?”
Sahil was slightly confused at this until the man started chanting. He was casting a spell. Suddenly there were four of him. He started casting again.
Imoen raised her bow. “I don’t think he is being friendly anymore,” she said while firing an arrow at one of the images striking it. The arrow went right through it and the image of the man disappeared.
Sahil grabbed a hold of her staff and struck another one of the images on the shoulder. As the staff connected, the image disappeared.
“It’s this one!” Hailix said biting at the man’s hand drawing blood.
Imoen saw the blood and placed an arrow in the mages thigh. He stumbled back avoiding the swing from Sahil’s staff. Hailix grabbed onto the man’s hand again preventing him from casting another spell.
“Let go!” he said flinging the faerie dragon into the air and started casting another spell. He finished his incantation and Sahil felt uneasy. A dreadful panic overcame her and she felt like she needed to run away. She looked back and already saw Imoen running away from the man. Sahil turned and looked for help as she ran away.
The man began to chuckle as he started casting another spell immediately. Three bolts of energy shot from his hand and struck Sahil in the back. Each one hit with a searing pain and she screamed in agony.
A couple of the guards ran over swords drawn. They struck at the other copy of the man making it disappear as he began chanting the same spell again. Three more bolts flashed from the man’s hand and struck Sahil again. She crumpled to the ground in pain and in fear.
This place was an illusion. There’s no safety here. There is no safety anywhere. She closed her eyes. She knew it would soon be over.
~
It was the smell that woke her, incense and balm. She looked up and saw a small woman tending to a wound on her head. Imoen was knelt down beside her and Hailix was flapping around in circles above Sahil’s head near the ceiling.
Ceiling. She was inside. She looked around and knew she was in a temple she started to panic, then stopped. The spell was no longer affecting her.
“Calm child,” the gnomish woman said to her. “You are safe now. I am Gellana Mirrorshade. My husband and I run this inn. I am sorry for how Tarnesh treated you. He has been dealt with.”
“Wha-” Sahil struggled to comprehend how she got here.
“One of the guards struck him down and brought you here,” Imoen said. “You were clinging to life, you had, you scared me.”
“I’m sorry,” Sahil said to her friend. She thought she was a better warrior than this. Her training with the staff made her confident she could beat any assailant. She didn’t think of the ones that could get into her mind. She still had a lot to learn.
“Hold still dear,” the gnome said to her and she began casting a spell. Blue light radiated from her hands and the pain that Sahil was feeling disappeared.
“You should be good to walk my child,” the gnome said. “This is a free service for letting Tarnesh attack you within these walls. However, you should get some rest. Go see my husband next door in the keep and he can set you two up with a room.”
“And a meal?” the dragon said from the ceiling.
“Aye and a meal if you have a bit o’ respectful coin,” the woman laughed.
Sahil sat up. She did feel tired but any soreness she had in her body was gone.
“Thank you,” she said to the gnome and used her staff to get on her feet.
“Need a hand?” Imoen asked.
“No, I’m fine. I just need rest,” Sahil replied. She smiled at the gnome as she left the temple back to the steps of the keep. There was a servant cleaning the blood up from the stairs. Tarnesh’s body was gone. Imoen saw her friend looking.
“He… he had a note on him,” she stumbled with the words. One of the guards gave it to me asking if I was Sahil.”
“What did it say,” Sahil asked.
“It was a bounty notice,” Imoen replied. “Out on you for two hundred gold.”
“Are you looking to collect,” Sahil said jokingly.
“This isn’t funny,” Imoen said. “Someone wants you dead.”
“That is no change from last night,” Sahil replied walking up the stairs.
“But why?”
“I don’t know. I am hoping Gorion’s friends might though,” Sahil said as she pushed the door open to the Inn.
The place was crowded. Serving girls were ushering mead and food to the different tables that were occupied by colourful people. Sahil eyed a half-orc sitting in the corner by himself. It must be neutral ground if they let someone like him into the establishment Sahil thought.
Anyone of these people could be Gorion’s friends. Anyone of them could be looking to kill her as well. She was leery and bit lost.
A waitress approached her, “welcome to the Friendly Arm Inn. Looks like you had a rough journey.”
“Yes the roads were crazy,” Sahil said to the girl.
“My name is Nessie, I have been serving here for almost five years now,” the girl said. “I wouldn’t leave it for the life of me. It’s wonderful here, with new faces passing through every day.”
“So who are the new faces here now?”Sahil asked.
“With the roads being what they are right now, there aren’t too many faces around here that are new anymore,” Nessie replied. “Unshey’s been taking this time to write a new book, and Khalid and Jaheira have been waiting anxiously in the corner of there, sleeping in shifts to make sure they don’t miss whoever it is they are waiting for.”
Sahil looked over and saw the couple in the distant corner. She trailed off thinking of what to say to them about Gorion and her current predicament. Nessie didn’t notice her looking away and continued rambling on.
“Who else? Let’s see,” Nessie paused a bit to think, “Landrin’s on the top floor, drinking up a storm, and then there was… well Tarnesh”
Sahil’s eyes shifted back to the serving girl as the hired killer’s name was mentioned.
“I’m really sorry her cause you trouble,” she said. “He was all wit and charm until he heard that there were visitors at the gate. We don’t allow fighting here. We have very strict rules about that sort of thing but the guards say he jumped out of the shadows at you and there was nothing you could do.”
“It’s ok,” Sahil said. “The guards did their job and I am well now. If you’ll excuse us.”
“Of course, m’lady,” Nessie said, “If you need anything just ask.”
Sahil smiled at the girl as she walked to the corner where Khalid and Jaheira were waiting. She approached slowly but Khalid noticed her presence.
“Something about you is f-familiar, child,” he stuttered. “Your manner reminds me of a sage I know, b-by the name of Gorion.”
“It is almost a slight on him, but I see it too,” the woman next to him mused.
“Jaheira,” Khalid exclaimed. “M-mind your m-m-manners! This must be the child that Gorion wrote of so often.”
Sahil smiled. “Aye, I am, or was Gorion’s ward in Candlekeep. He… he…”
Sahil’s smile disappeared and she looked down at her feet. Imoen looked away from the conversation not wanting to get involved.
“We are old friends of your adopted father,” Jaheira said. Her tone mellowed from the previous insult. “He is not with you? I must assume the worst. He would not permit his only child to wander without his accompaniment.”
“We were,” Sahil said meekly. “We were ambushed and he tried to hold off the attackers to let me get away.”
The couple looked at each other and then to the floor. There was a moment of silence before Khalid broke it.
“If… if he is passed,” he said. “We share your loss.”
Sahil started to cry. It was the first time she had a chance to do so about her father. The day was long.
“Gorion often said that he worried for your safety,” Jaheria said. “Even at the expense of his own. He also wished that Khalid and I would become your guardians, if he should ever meet an untimely end.”
“Come child, you must be very tired. W-who is that w-with you?” Khalid said noticing Imoen.
“That is my friend Imoen from Candlekeep,” Sahil said.
“Hi ya,” Imoen said.
“Winthrop’s ward?” Jaheira asked.
“You know him?” Imoen replied.
“Regrettably, yes,” Jaheira mused. “I am surprised he let you out of the keep with Sahil.”
“Well… he… you know,” Imoen started, “really didn’t.”
Jaheira rolled her eyes. “Come then. We can discuss things in the morning. Let us rent you two a room, it must have been a long day.”
“M’lady?” Nessie said while knocking on the door of the room that Sahil and Imoen were sharing for the night. “I have the food that you ordered.”
Sahil opened the door and let the servant girl into the room. Hailix, who was resting peacefully on top of the armoire, flew down and sniffed at the plate of roasted vegetables, boiled eggs and shredded pork. Nessie let out a surprised yelp and took a step back away from the flying beast.
“Hailix! Behave yourself,” Sahil said. The faerie dragon retreated away from the serving girl who pushed her way into the room and placed the food on top of the wooden chest by the bed.
“Thank you Nessie,” Sahil said and the girl bowed. “This place is huge. Did Bentley build this place? It’s so solid, it looks like it’s been here forever.”
Oh no,” Nessie said. “Bentley and Gellana didn’t build the inn! They found it.
“They were part of an adventuring party. In the first few years following the Time of Troubles, when all the gods were walking the surface of our world, the inn was actually the hold of a powerful, undead priest of Bhaal, god of murder.
"With the evil cleric weakened by the death of his god, Bentley and Gellana were able to destroy him once and for all, thus laying claim to his troubled fortress.”
Sahil was entranced by the story Nessie was telling and she couldn’t picture Gellana, the old gnomish cleric adventuring, let alone fighting an undead priest. It was a romantic thought though, her and husband fighting evil along the Sword Coast and changing a place of evil to one of refuge and safety.
“They must have lots of stories to tell!” Sahil said in awe.
“I’m sure they do. But this inn is their life now, and they don’t like to dwell on the past,” Nessie replied. “You’re as likely to get a tale out of them as you are to get a tooth from the mouth of a hen. But I must get back to work, I hope you enjoy your food.”
Sahil smiled and let the serving girl leave the room. She turned to see where the food was placed and Hailix already greedily eating most of the meat.
“Hey now, save some from me,” she said to the beast. Hailix looked up and backed a bit away from the food. Sahil sat herself down beside the beast and patted it on the head. She picked up a fork and began eating.
The door swung wildly open and Imoen came bursting in. “Hey look what I got!”
Sahil shuddered at the thought of her friend robbing the place and having a noble getting a guard to retrieve his property.
“Whatever you stole,” Sahil started sternly, “go return it immediately.”
“I didn’t steal it, some noble gave it to me,” Imoen said while holding up a pair of golden pantaloons. The trousers were as metal, though soft about the shanks. They had uplifting properties of the gusset that very nearly defied gravity, shaping quite nicely both the front and rear. Sahil thought that the improved contour would likely increase self-esteem for a wearer of either sex, however, that this continuing self delusion might actually hamper cognitive functions.
“Why would a noble give you a pair of gold trousers?” Sahil asked suspiciously.
“He just handed them to me when I went into his room,” Imoen replied.
“What were you doing walking into other people’s rooms?” Sahil continued to drill while enjoying the food.
“Well it was a mistake in room numbers, that’s all, I swear,” Imoen said.
“But it still doesn’t explain why he’d give you something like these pants,” Sahil said eyeing her friend. “Did he think you were one of the serving girls?”
“Do I look like someone who cleans inns for a living?”
Sahil just gave her friend a cold stare.
“Fine! I’ll return them to the man,” Imoen said defeated.
“Before you do, what do you think of Jaheira and Khalid,” Sahil asked.
“Khalid seems like a decent guy I guess,” Imoen said. “Jaheira seems a little strict and arrogant. They’re half-elven as well if you didn’t notice. Not that means anything mind you but I donno, first impressions and all, I don’t like them. Hell most people think I am the laundry service. Ya know?”
Sahil chuckled at the thought but agreed with everything that Imoen said. For all of her faults, that was one of the better things about her personality. She was honest and loyal and not afraid to speak her mind. They have been through a lot together and she thinks they are going to go through a lot more.
“Ya, I know,” Sahil replied. “Hurry and return the pants before the noble realizes his mistake.”
“Oh fine, no need to be so pushy,” Imoen said as she left the room.
“What do you think?” Sahil asked her familiar.
“I think the pork is delicious,” Hailix said.
“I guess it is.”
~
Sahil slept peacefully. The night before felt like a distant memory as she slept heavily throughout the night. She was awoken by Imoen shaking her gently.
“Hey you, wake up,” Imoen said.
Sahil slowly opened her eyes and for a minute she thought she was back in her room in Candlekeep and she was late for one of her lessons again. It was the flapping of Hailix’s wings that brought her back to reality as she stirred and looked up at her friend.
“Jaheira wants to meet us downstairs in the common room,” Imoen said. “She was by ten minutes ago, I don’t think we should keep them waiting.”
“Aye,” Sahil said and sat up in her bed. She stretched her arms then rubbed her still sore legs. She hoped she wasn’t going to be walking far today she didn’t know if her legs could take it. She removed her leather armour from the armoire and slowly put it on.
“Come on, slowpoke,” Imoen said holding open the door.
Sahil opened up her sack and Hailix flew in it. She sighed at the laziness the dragon was showing and picked him out of it. “If I am walking, you’re flying.”
“But I may attract unwanted attention,” it said to her.
Sahil thought on it a bit and believed the bluff the creature just gave. “Fine, I’ll drag your heavy corpse around.”
“I’m not that heavy, nor dead,” the creature said.
“Not yet, but if you eat the rest of the pork that is in there, you will be,” Sahil threatened.
The creature gulped and took the warning seriously. Sahil and Imoen went down the stairs to greet their new companions who were sitting at the same table they were before. Khalid saw them descending and waved them over.
“It is g-g-good to see you ag-gain, I hope you slept well,” the half-elf said to Sahil.
“I slept fine actually,” Sahil said as taking a seat at the table and helping herself to some bread that was left in the centre.
“As I said last night,” Jaheira said, “Gorion wished Khalid and I would become your guardians if he should pass before his time.”
Sahil looked at the half-elven woman and she spoke and tried to decipher what she wanted.
“However,” Jaheira continued, “you are much older now, and the choice of your companions should be your own.”
“We could t-travel with you until you get settled, help you find your l-lot in life,” Khalid added to his wife’s abruptness.
“It would be a fitting last service to Gorion,” Jaheira added.
Sahil looked at Imoen to attempt to gather her thoughts on their situation but her friend wasn’t giving her anything. Sahil knew her friend would follow her whatever her choice would be. She knew she was in trouble, however, she did not know if she needed another parental figure, let alone two.
“What do you have in mind?” Sahil asked the pair.
“We should go to Nashkel,” Jaheira said. “Khalid and I look into local concerns, and there are rumors of strange things happening at the mines.”
Sahil tilted her head intrigued. It sounded adventurous and she knew Nashkel was near the border of Amn. She would be seeing a whole new part of the world. It is what she prayed for all those nights in her study of Candlekeep.
“No doubt you have heard of the iron shortage? You would do well to help us,” Jaheira said. “It affects everyone, including you. We are to meet the mayor of the town, Berrun Ghastkill.”
“How am I to help?” Sahil asked.
“I guess we’ll see,” Jaheira said. “For now, we’ll head to Beregost first, gather supplies and maybe some information.”
Sahil thought back to the night of the attack and the two men looking for her. Beregost. There was going to be people looking for her there.
“I should tell you something,” Sahil said.
“W-what is it child?” Khalid asked.
“There is a bounty out for my head,” she reached into her pocket and removed the bounty notice to show the couple. “I don’t… I don’t know why though.”
“Your life is in danger,” Jaheira said concerned. “Why though?”
“I… I do not know,” Sahil said. “I was hoping you could shed some light onto why Gorion and I were attacked.”
“I don’t know child,” Jaheira said. “We are friends of your father, but only after he had settled down with you.
“This notice doesn’t say much,” she continued. “But we’ll be leery of any attempts on your life and it is better to travel together under these circumstances.”
Sahil nodded her head as Jaheira folded up the paper and placed it in her pocket.
“Come,” Jaheira commanded. “The morning is growing short, we should head to Beregost immediately.”
The group of adventures gathered their belongings and headed out of the keep. Sahil looked to the sky and took it all in. She was finally on an adventure like the bardic tales she use to read. It was everything she wanted, she just did not know why she was so terrified of the thought.
The trip to the small town of Beregost was uneventful. Perhaps it was the rest they had, or that they were walking downhill, but the companions reached the town quicker than what Sahil would have thought. She spent the time asking questions to her two new guardians. If she was going to travel with them, she wanted to know more about them and the plan once they reached their destination in Nashkel.
“We will pick up supplies in Beregost, however we do not have much coin to do so,” Jaheira said.
“P-perhaps we can hire ourselves out to raise some,” Khalid responded while Sahil listened in.
“We can’t dawdle too long though,” Jaheira answered, “what do you two think?”
“Well what type of supplies do we need?” Imoen asked, “I might be able to… um… acquire some depending on what it is.”
“No,” Sahil said sternly as Jaheira turned to attempt to figure out what the girl meant.
“W-well w-we’ll need spare w-weapons and better armour for one,” Khalid stuttered. “Having an extra s-sword is good with how the iron is c-cording everything.
“What do you mean?” Sahil asked.
“Any iron that is used seems to crumble with use. It has been rampant in this area,” Jaheira answered. “It is what is causing the shortage and why we are heading to Nashkel. Rumours have it, that seems to be the source of the decrepit iron.”
“There is talk of war because of it,” Khalid answered.
“War?” Sahil questioned.
“Aye, war,” Jaheira said. “People get scared and start rumours. People think that Amn is sending bad iron into the region to make it easier to invade.”
“Is that what is happening?” Imoen asked.
“I don’t think so,” Jaheira said. “Our sources say Amn officials are scrambling as much as the official here. War is the last thing on their mind, however, if people start talking tough it may push it to the forefront.”
“H-hopefully there are answers in Nashkel,” Khalid added.
“It is why we must make haste there,” Jaheira finished.
“But supplies first in Beregost,” Sahil asked.
“Aye, and to see if we can pick up any more information on the shortages,” Jaheira answered. “Perhaps find some others willing to help up as well. Especially with your situation, a larger group is preferred.”
Sahil nodded, and in the distance, she could see the small town on the cross road. It was a sprawling settlement with a large temple in the east and many multistoried buildings clustering the middle. Houses were lined up in neat little rows creating streets and gardens. It looked like a peaceful place, however she kept her guard up.
“Ah, we’re here,” Jaheira said and picked up her pace looking around figuring where she should head to.
A herder tending cattle on the outskirt of the town greeted them as he saw the group looking lost.
“Need directions? You seem a friendly sort,” the herded said. “so I thought I’d offer my services as a guide. What do you need from the town of Beregost?”
Jaheira looked at the man and figured he wasn’t a threat, yet didn’t smile or thank him. She just said, “I need some well-made weapons and armour. So you have a good smithy?”
The herder stood a bit more straight up and pronounced “we have the best smithy in all the realms. Taerom 'Thunderhammer' Fuiruim runs the Thunderhammer Smithy in the eastern side of town. He has a few exceptional itms ass well, though you could also check Feldepost’s Inn. They carry trophy items, though you had best be rich as kings. Feldepost’s Inn is in the west closer to the south edge of town.”
“T-thanks for the help,” Kahild said to the man.
“No problem, friend. Enjoy your stay.”
The group walked past the herd of cows and headed south. The street was bustling with mostly humans going about their daily business. No one seemed out of place besides the four companions traveling down the street. Sahil relaxed a bit.
They got to a cross road within the town where a large pillar was erected in the centre stating the name of the town on the side. Beside it a town crier was calling out the news.
“Here ye! Here ye! By order of his Most Radiant of Lathander Kelddath Ormlyr, governor of Beregost, and in the best interest of its Peoples, forthwith there be a bounty placed upon the head of the mad cleric Bassilus, for the crimes against nature that he has committed! Anyone bringing proof of his demise to the Song of the Morning temple shall receive no less than 5,000 gold! Last seen to the west of Beregost! Hear ye! Hear ye!”
“Five thousand gold?” Imoen bemused. “That’s a lot for one man.”
“It is, he must be real dangerous,” Jaheira stated. “We should attempt to find this cleric. Any crimes against nature should be dealt with swiftly. The gold reward would help up with acquiring supplies.”
“W-we should gather some before taking on such a man,” Khalid added. Jaheira nodded.
“Come, to the smithy then,” she added. “Let’s see what we can pick up for what we have.”
A man dressed in colourful leather stepped in front of the group after overhearing their last conversation. He wore a wide smile and spoke in rhythmic tones.
“Hail adventures, I have a proposal for you,” he said.
Jaheira stopped to listen to the man.
“I sense that you’re an excellent group of warriors. How would you like a well-paying job as bodyguards for my mistress?”
Jaheira eyed the man up and down and saw nothing threatening from him. Well earned coin would be beneficial.
“We’re always on the lookout for money,” Imoen chirped in. “Tell us more.”
“I’m Garrick, and I work for Silke Rosena. She’s the most skilled musician and actor along the Sword Coast,” he said. “In fact, she’s to play at the Ducal Palace before the month’s done.”
“Get to the point,” Jaheira interrupted.
“Well, she’s been having some problems of late. Some thugs have been hired by Feldepost to hurt her bad because she didn’t perform at his inn when she was suppose to. You can’t blame her for not showing up, what with a villain like Feldepost running the place. She needs mercenaries to protect her until she’s ready to go to Baldur’s Gate. She’s willing to pay about 300 gold. What do you say?”
Sahil thought that 300 gold would be a sufficient amount to get to Nashkel let alone to take on a mad cleric. Jaheira seemed to be thinking about it however.
“That sounds fair,” Jaheira finally said to Garrick. “Why don’t you show us to this mistress of yours?”
“I think you’ve made a good decision. Now just meet me outside of the Red Sheaf Inn,” Garrick said as he led the group to where Silke was waiting.
Silke was a young well dressed woman. She had her hood up, attempting not to attract attention however the black silk blouse with the matching pants gave away her identity as no commoner would be able to afford such cloth. She carried a walking staff which she was currently leaning on when Garrick rounded the corner with the now hired mercenaries.
“So Garrick, these are the only mercenaries you could find?” She addressed her underling. “I guess they’ll have to do. You look worth about 300 gold, that is what my little Garrick offered you, isn’t it?”
“I offered them 300 gold, just like you told me,” Garrick replied.
“Well then,” turning her attention to Jaheira, “I assume that Garrick has explained what your duties are. You must simply dispose of the ruffians when they come to threaten me. They shouldn’t be too hard to deal with, but I would advise you to strike fast. Whatever you do, don’t speak with them. One of them is a mage whose mystic words can sway even the most wise of men.”
Jaheira looked at her employer with a sceptical look. Sahil was slowly not buying the story Silke was telling either. Three men approached.
“Here they are now,” Silke exclaimed. “Feldpost’s thugs. Strike when I tell you to.”
“Greeting Silke,” the lead man said once reaching the group. “We’re here as you’ve asked, and we have the…”
Silke interrupted the man, “Don’t try to threaten me! I won’t be easy prey for you to beat on, I’ve brought friends!”
The man gave her a puzzled look. “What are you talking about? We’re here with the gems that…”
“Shut up!” Silke yelled. “There’ll be no weaseling out of this one. STRIKE NOW! Kill them all!”
Jaheira looked at the performance she was giving and calmly said “stop this madness. We won’t murder those who are obviously innocent men.”
Silke turned to her and gave her a cold stare. “Our deal is off! In any case, you’re probably too cowardly to be any good in a fight. I’ll deal with them myself after I deal with you!”
“Jaheira look out!” Imoen warned while raising her bow at Silke who began chanting a spell. Sahil, Jaheira stood at the ready as Imoen’s shot hit Silke in the arm making her spell fizzle.
Seeing his wife in danger, Khalid unsheathed his sword and sliced at Silke ripping though her blouse across her stomach. Silke jumped back from the attack making both Sahil and Jaheira miss with their quarterstaffs.
Imoen let another arrow loose hitting Silke in the shoulder who began to chant another spell. Khalid took another swing but missed his target. Another one of Imoen’s arrows hit Silke in the thigh and she stumbled losing her balance and her spell in the process.
Seeing Silke stumble, Sahil took her staff and cracked the thespian over head with it. Everyone heard the snap of Silke’s neck as she crumpled to the ground. The thespian extraordinaire was dead.
“I… I…”Sahil stuttered, “I didn’t mean to kill her!”
“She would have killed you child,” Jaheira said “That is what is necessary for survival sometimes. You killed one person but saved three.”
The lead man spoke up, “We thank you for stopping the evil witch before she killed us.”
Sahil looked up from the dead woman. She guessed she did save them and her companions. Who knows what spells she was attempting to cast.
“Here, take this as a token of our appreciation,” the lead man said to Jaheira handing her a potion and they walked off.
Garrick, who was standing idly by while his employer attacked walked slowly over to her corpse.
“Silke’s dead!” He said with a tone of shock yet had a hint of relief. He rifled through his dead companions items removing a large sack of gold and her staff. “I guess she had it coming, you can’t be evil like her and expect to get away with it. I’m out of a job now. Would it be too much to ask if I could join up with you?”
The four companions looked at each other. This man lied to them and almost walked them to their death. Yet he seemed naïve enough to think he is doing good. Did he plan her death? Did he know they would be able to handle Silke without any trouble freeing him from her contract? The group needed more hands, but could they trust him?
“No problem,” Jaheira said which shocked Sahil.
“Here is the gold that she owed you,” he said handing over the large sack of coin. “And you seem to be able to wield staves masterfully.”
Sahil was still slightly in shock from the killing blow she delivered on the thespian. She looked up at Garrick who was talking to her, and handing over Silke’s staff.”
“It’s magical, you should take it, as an apology,” he said smiling.
Sahil took the staff and looked it over. It did radiate magic. “Thank you, I guess,” she said to the man.
“We’re heading to Nashkel to look into the iron shortage,” Jaheira said to Garrick. “We think the mines in the region are what is causing the iron plague.”
Garrick nodded, “Sounds like an epic adventure any bard would love to sing about.”
“Hardly,” Jaheira said, “however, we also intend to take care of Bassilus.”
“The mad cleric?” Garrick said shockingly. “I guess if anyone could take on such a threat it would be you guys. I even think I know where he is holed up.”
“Truly?” Sahil asked.
“Aye, do you know the tale of Bassilus?” Garrick asked the group. Sahil shook her head.
“Bassilus is a cleric from Zhentil Keep,” Garrick started. “He fled his hometown while his family was butchered by a rival family. As he fled, it is said he blocked the memory of his families demise from his mind and thinks other common folk are his relatives.
“While he talks to them, he directs them as so, and when they oppose of that is who they are, he says they do not remember and he’ll make them remember killing them and then raising their corpse as an undead mindless minion.”
“That’s horrible,” Sahil said.
“And an affront to nature,” Jaheira added. “Undeath is most unnatural and should be dealt with immediately.”
“I agree, the people here are afraid of him. He wanders around the edge of town sometimes,” Garrick added.
“One of the kids say their friend followed him into the woods south of High Hedge looking for his family.”
“Poor child,” Imoen said.
“Let us head to the Smithy to get supplies to confront this mad cleric then,” Jaheira said. “We need to bring him to justice.”
Just to be annoying, the one little quibble that somewhat jarred with me in this installment was one line of Jaheira's regarding Bassilus: "It is, he must be real dangerous"...it's probably just me, but the "real dangerous" part rang a little false to me coming out of Jaheira's mouth, she seems much more formal and rigid than that in her normal speech, both in game and in your telling of it, not using more relaxed and informal language and for me, it just threw me off for an instant... well, I had to nitpick somewhere, right? Otherwise I'll just keep repeating how good this all is! ;-)
A few more bolts and arrows and better fitting armour was quickly purchased at the Thunderhammer Smithy before the group began trekking south west in search of the mad cleric Bassilus. Jaheira thought it was worth the risk of purchasing chainmail for their new companion Garrick as the meager leathers that he was wearing wouldn’t offer much protection in wilds. Since Khalid was already wearing a set of splint mail, and everyone but her and Sahil were carrying metallic weapons, more iron wouldn’t attract more attention.
Imoen was outfitted in better armour as well. The one she removed from the corpse at the ambush site was becoming ragged and torn, and it wasn’t fitting properly to begin with. It offered her more protection to vital areas which Jaheira said she would need. It is true that Imoen was standing away from any melee fights, but if she ever got cornered, the better leather armour may actually save her life.
“Tis a beautiful day in the neighborhood,” Garrick said out loud as he led the group out of the town of Beregost to where he thought Bassilus was hiding.
Sahil was leery of the thought. His old companion was just struck down in front of him and he is acting calm and happy. He seemed to look on the bright side of things all the time, but to not even grieve the person he was travelling with no matter how evil she could have been was a little unsettling.
“Jaheira,” she whispered to her new guardian. “Why did you say he could come along with us?”
“For your safety,” the older woman said.
“My safety?”
“Yes,” Jaheira answered. “This man is the type to share information with whoever passes him by. He’ll travel with people looking to do harm to others. What happens if he met up with one of the people that were looking to claim the bounty? Do you think he’d protect you or sell you out as fast as he did Bassilus?”
“I see,” Sahil said. It was a wise assessment but what if Garrick was already leading them into a trap? What if he was taking them to the large armoured man that struck down Gorion? Sahil began to worry.
“Keeping him close protects us better than having him wander,” Jaheira reaffirmed.
“What if he is leading us to a trap?” Sahil questioned.
“That is just paranoia,” Jaheira responded. “He was with Silke, and gave no mention of knowing who you were. But be on guard around him just in case.”
Sahil nodded as the group veered off the road and into small meadow with blooming yellow and purple flowers. Their fragrance filled the fresh air around the group. She bent down to pick one of the wild flowers up, to touch their delicate petals when Garrick interrupted her trance.
“Through these woods here is an old henge where I think Bassilus is,” the bard said to the others. “The brush is thick so I believe we will be able to sneak up on him to devise a plan.”
“S-sounds fine,” Khalid stuttered as the group pushed their way through the brush.
“He does –” Garrick started.
“Wait,” Jaheira interrupted him sounding alarmed. Rustling came from the bushes as a group of undead approached the party. Six skeletons armed with various weapons and a ghoul began enclosing in around them.
“Bassilus’ army!” Garrick shouted as he cocked his crossbow.
“Attack for the Fallen!” Jaheira shouted.
Garrick aimed and placed a bolt through the ghoul fleshy head. It ripped through its brains and shot out the other side in a spray of decaying green and black matter. The ghoul let out a gasp and fell to the ground while one of Imoen arrows pierced it in the chest.
“Sahil,” Jaheira barked. “Go for the one with the darts.
Sahil nodded and rushed the skeleton looking to take aim. Jaheira and Khalid rushed others in the opposite direction as a dart glanced off her armour.
One of the skeletons reached the centre and took aim at Imoen who had her back turned to the corpse. It sliced her leg open with a quick strike and Imoen cried out. Garrick hearing his new companions shout, turned and unsheathed his sword ready to parry the creatures next attack.
Khalid reached one of the skeletons that was firing arrows and hacked away at it with his sword attempting to disrupt its shot. As Khalid struck, a dart hit him in the back of the neck. The group was outnumbered and needed to even the odds quickly.
Sahil reached her target and wound up her staff striking the skeleton in the midsection. The creature exploded in a spray of bones. She turned around to see where she should strike next.
Jaheira was being attacked by two skeletons to her left, one of them striking her in the arm with a halberd. Khalid was also being outnumbered fighting one to her right while another on the far side of the battle was throwing darts at him. Garrrick and Imoen were fighting off the one Skeleton in the middle.
She ran towards Khalid to help him with one of his attackers. “I got this one,” she said. “Go get the one still throwing darts at you.
“G-good idea,” her guardian mustered and turned away from his attacker while Sahil parried the walking corpse away from him. She took a swing at this one’s midsection and watched it explode into a pile of bones again.
She quickly caught her breath as she turned to see Garrick jab at the skeleton in the middle with his blade. She surmised that the weapons he and Imoen were using wouldn’t work that well against the bones of the undead. They needed to be smashed as she was able to do with her quarterstaff. She quickly approached the duo to help.
She reached the skeleton as Imoen thrust a blade at its head chipping away at some of the skull. “Stupid thing,” she muttered and Sahil did not know if the comment was directed at the undead or the blade.
“I’m here, look out,” Sahil said as she swung at the skeleton missing. Garrick jabbed at the skull again chipping more away of the brittle bone. Sahil took another swing, this time connecting sending the walking corpse to the ground in a pile of bones. She sighed as Imoen fell back grasping her leg.
Sahil looked around at the battle. It was widely swinging to her companion’s favour as Jaheira was able to defeat one of the other skeletons and was parrying the second. Khalid was doing the same to the one that put a dart in the back of his neck.
“Garrick, go help Khalid,” she ordered to the new companion.
“With joy,” he replied and trotted off to help the half-elf. Sahil turned her attention to the one attacking Jaheira and charged.
“‘Bout time,” Jaheira said as Sahil swung at the corpse shattering it to pieces from behind. “How are the other’s fairing?”
“Khalid seems to be dealing with the last one,” Sahil said. “I sent Garrick to help.”
The two women turned their attention to the battle happening at the far end of the field. Khalid was bashing the creature with his shield as it attempted to claw at half-elf. Garrick finally arrived and placed his short sword into its skull as Khalid dropped his sword into the corpses shoulder bone felling it.
The attack was over.
“Are you hurt?” Jaheira asked Sahil.
“No, but Imoen is,” Sahil replied. The pair walked to where the girl was on the ground holding her leg. Khalid reached behind his head and pulled out the dart that was sticking out from his neck and threw it to the ground as he and Garrick joined the girls in the middle.
“Can you walk?” Jaheira asked Imoen.
“I… I think so,” Imoen replied.
“Here, let me take a look at the wound,” Jaheira said as she bent down to examine the leg. “‘tis merely a scratch girl, you should be fine.”
“It hurts more than a scratch,” Imoen said.
“I’ll bandage it up to stop the bleeding but that is all that it needs,” Jaheira replied. “You should be able to walk it off.”
Imoen grumbled a bit to herself as Sahil helped up her friend.
“Let me take a look at you Khalid,” Jaheira said as she approached her partner.
“I-I’m f-fine dear,” Khalid said, “It’s just a flesh wound.”
“Nonsense,” she saidas she looked at the wound. “It went deep.”
She pulled out a healing salve from her pocket and began applying it to the wound. “You need to be more careful in battle. Don’t turn your back to the enemy,” she scolded.
“Y-yes dear,” he replied.
“We must be close,” Garrick said to the group as they gathered their belongings. “I am sure those undead were ones raised by Bassilus. We should be on the ready.”
Jaheira nodded and led the group into the thicket to where Bassilus was allegedly camped. There were undead that were wandering around in the woods, however they seemed to ignore the group as they approached.
“I think we are close,” Garrick said. “Can one of you attempt to sneak up from behind, while the rest of us approach from the front.”
“I can do it,” Sahil said she sulked into the woods. She could see the henge that Garrick was talking about, and in the middle stood a man surrounded by walking corpses. He was laughing and talking to himself, or worse the undead that surrounded him. She waited as Garrick and the rest entered the clearing to distract the man.
“Heh heh heh heh heh,” the man cackled. “Oh, brother Thurm, why not grace our ears with a ripping tale of the old days? Heh heh. Always a delight!”
The zombie beside him moaned as if in acknowledgement but said nothing more.
“Oh, don’t hesitate on my account!” the man exclaimed. “Some of the others may not have heard them.”
The zombie shuffled closer moaning again but did not speak.
“Hold your peace then,” the man said defeated. “Though I remember a time back at Zhentil Keep when you would sooner die than be quiet. You… would sooner… um…”
The man was lost in a trance thinking back to a time he’d rather forget. He shook himself back to his own reality.
“I’ll wait till you feel like telling them yourself, I don’t remember the old days so well,” he finished.
Garrick and the others stepped out from the bush and into the clearing. Bassilus turned his attention to them as Garrick called out, “you there, what is the meaning of this?”
“Who dares interrupt while I speak with my family?” the man demanded then eyed Garrick in the distance. “I’ll have your heads if you’re here to harm the… no!”
The man stopped in mid threat and changed his tone to one of disbelief. He lowered his threatening stance as Garrick continued to approach him.
“It can’t be!” the man exclaimed. “Is that you father? It cannot be otherwise, you haven’t changed a bit in all these years!”
Garrick smiled at the delusional man and played along “Yes, son, it certainly has been a long time. How are you doing, my boy?”
Sahil didn’t know how Garrick could do it, lie straight face to a random stranger and one as threatening as Bassilus. He carried a sense of calm about him. She admired the bard for that, but not for his lies. How could he be trusted?
Bassilus answered the bard however believing his own delusion, “About as well as can be expected I guess. It has been difficult but I’ve got most of the family back together.”
He gestured to the walking corpses strutting around the clearing, he began to beam a smile as he continued.
“Some did not seem to recognize me at first, but I helped them recall.”
The statement made Sahil shudder as she silently crept closer to the man as Garrick kept up the ruse.
“No matter,” the bard said. “I’ve not seen you since Zhentil Keep. Thank the gods we all got out safely.”
“Oh yes,” Bassilus agreed. “Though it was frightening for a time because I thought I was the only one of us that survived. I thought I was the only one who… the only one…”
Bassilus trailed off in thought back to the time he ran away from his keep leaving his family to perish. He looked up at Garrick, the smile disappearing.
“You lie,” Bassilus said calmly then again louder with more anger. “You cannot be my father because he died when I left the… when I…”
Bassilus began searching his mind and soul for the right words. Jaheira stepped out from the thicket to the bard’s side. She found the words for him.
“When you ran from your home leaving them to die?” she said. “You are a coward and a murderer, and today you face judgement!”
“No!” Bassilus screamed still believing his delusion. “They lived, all of them! I saved them and they live!”
The cleric calmed himself and began to cry. His delusion was over as he stated through the tears “I… I ran. Dead… all dead.”
Sahil started sneaking up behind again as he the man cried. She could easily subdue the man if he stayed in this state. Bassilus stopped crying and anger once again took over his body however.
“It isn’t true!” he yelled. “It cannot be… You lie! You will die for slighting my memory!”
The undead surrounding him fell to the ground as the cleric’s concentration was broken on keeping them animated. He began chanting as Khalid and Jaheira rushed from the bushes to attack. Sahil did the same from her flanked position while Garrick and Imoen took aim with their crossbow and bow.
Sahil reached Bassilus first as he turned his attention to her. She swung her staff at the man and it clanked off his armour. Imoen’s arrows fell short of the man as Khalid reached him, flanking him on the side.
Bassilus finished casting his spell and Sahil became confused as to why she was attacking a man she had never met. She stopped swinging her staff and looked at Khalid who was attempting to pierce Bassilus’ armour. She realized why she was there and shook off the spells effect and began attacking again.
She swung her staff at the man’s unprotected knee and connected. Bassilus let out a yelp, knowing his spell had failed to take effect and began casting again this time turning his attention to Khalid. Jaheira reached the fray and attempted to knock the cleric back with her staff.
Whatever spell Bassilus attempted to cast on the party had no effect as they continued to attempt to pierce through his armour. He began casting the same spell again and this time it took a hold of Jaheira, stopping her in mid swing.
The man laughed and turned his attention to her raising his war hammer. One of Garrick’s bolts found the man’s arm preventing him from striking the held half-elf. He stumbled a bit from the force of the bolt and Sahil saw an opening and struck the man again in the leg.
Bassilus grimaced at the pain but was able to bring his hammer down onto Jaheira’s shoulder sending lightning corsing though her body. Frozen, she couldn’t even scream as pain ripped through her body.
“He’s going to kill her!” Imoen screamed. The girl removed the stolen magic wand from her pocket realizing her arrows weren’t doing anything to prevent the attack and aimed it at the cleric. A magical bolt shot from the tip and struck Bassilus in the chest but the cleric wound up again striking Jaheira to the ground.
“Jah-Jaheira,” Khalid exclaimed. “No!”
Khalid began swinging wildly at the mad cleric who turned his attention to the other half-elf. Imoen took aim with the wand again striking Bassilus in the chest with it. The cleric stumbled back from the magical bolt and Sahil took the opportunity to trip her assailant up.
Bassilus tumbled to the ground and delivered the butt end of her staff to his chest. Bassilus rolled away from her next strike and got up on his knees delivering a strike to Khalid’s leg. The half-elf yelled as electricity coursed through his body.
Imoen shot another magical bolt out of the wand striking Bassilus in the face. It charred his skin as the cleric mashed his teeth together.
“I will kill you all!” Bassilus screamed getting back to his feet, swinging his hammer at Khalid who parried it away with his shield.
Sahil lined up his head with her quarterstaff and swung, knocking the mad cleric back to the ground. He didn’t get up, but at what cost. Khalid stumbled towards his partner’s body on the ground.
“Jah-Jaheria” he stuttered checking his wife’s body. “She still breathes. Hurry! W-we must get her t-to a temple.”
He picked up her body in his hands as Garrick walked over to where Bassilus laid and slit the man’s throat. He removed the dead man’s holy symbol and picked up the war hammer.
“Let us make haste then, dear friends,” the bard said and led them out of the woods.
A Halloween chapter would be cool. Which reminds me, would any of the scary movie villains stand much of a chance in the Realms? Sure, low level commoners would be fodder for them, but try to attack a party of moderate level and bye bye machete wielding maniac.
If you meant am I going to write a chapter on Halloween it is probably not. Have a lot to do that day.
The only movie villain that would stand a chance is Freddy since he kills people while they dream.
They ran the entire way. Khalid carried Jaheira in his arms as he kept pace on the way to the temple. Not a word was said as crossed through the meadow filled with flowers nor while they got looks from the peasants as they ran through the streets of Beregost. Nothing mattered but getting Jaheira to the temple immediately.
Garrick was pulling up the rear with all of Jaheira’s and Khalid’s equipment. Any mistrust Sahil had of the bard before this moment disappeared as he could have easily walked off with most of their possessions never to be seen again but the bard kept to the group concerned for the stranger he just met.
They reached the Song of the Morning Temple on the east side of town and burst through the doors. A middle aged cleric turned towards the door to see what the commotion was about. He laid his eyes on Khalid and his frantic state, then the limp body of Jaheira.
“Quickly my man, bring her here,” the cleric said motioning Khalid towards a long table near the centre of the temple.
“P-please help,” Khalid pleaded.
“Tell me,” the cleric asked “what happened?”
“This happened,” Garrick said removing Bassilus’ holy symbol from a bag and throwing it on a table. The cleric looked at it in disbelief.
“By the Morning Lord, you have the holy symbol of Bassilus,” the cleric said. “It must have been a difficult battle. Let me see your friend.”
Khalid took a step back while Imoen wrapped her arms around Sahil. Hailix poked his head out of the bag and watched the cleric as well. Everyone was silent as he checked Jaheira for signs of life. He bent his down and began a prayer to the Morning Lord, placing his hands over Jaheira’s body.
An essence of electricity filled the room and channelled itself to where the priest was standing. The room became brighter as he continued chanting his prayer over the still body and Sahil was filled with a sense of hope.
The energy subsided as he finished the spell and looked at Khalid. “She breathes, however, it is up to her to wake up.”
“W-what do you mean?” the half-elf stuttered.
“She,” the cleric paused looking for the right words to say next, “sleeps. She is alive, yet in a state of rest that I cannot wake her from. I do not think any magic will wake her from it.”
Khalid recoiled from the words and shed a couple of tears. Sahil reached out to the man but he was standing too far to comfort.
“Is she in pain?” Khalid asked.
“No, not any more. She is at peace,” the cleric responded. “She will wake eventually, but I cannot say when. As I said, it is up to her to pull herself out of this state.”
“T-there is nothing we can do?” Imoen asked.
“Just wait,” said the cleric. “My name is Kelddath Ormlyr and I am the mayor of this town. If you wish, I can make arrangements for her to stay in one of the merchant suites of the local inns until she does wake. It is the least I can do for the favour you did for this community.”
Khalid nodded and the priest smiled.
“Bring her to the Jovial Juggler. It is the closest Inn,” Kelddath said. “I will make arrangements with the owner. Yours is a service that will not soon be forgotten.”
Kelddath reached under the table a procured a large sac of coin. “It may be of little consideration now, but this is the full reward for you have worked,” Kelddath said. Take it with my thanks”
Garrick grabbed the pouch from the table and thanked the man and helped Khalid carry Jaheira out of the temple to the Jovial Juggler. Imoen and Sahil pulled up the rear carrying the bags. When they reached the inn, a portly man held the door for them.
“Come this way, up the stairs,” the man said to the group leading them in and towards the stairs. “Keldath just sent a runner. I thank you for dealing with Bassilus. I lost my brother to that mad man. I sure hope your friend pulls through.”
“Thank you,” Sahil said as she followed the group into the bar then up the stairs on the left.
“The room on the left is free,” the man said, “if you need anything just ask.”
Khalid and Garrick placed Jaheira in the bed and Khalid took her hand and sat in the chair beside her. He didn’t take his eyes off of her. “So foolish,” he muttered.
“What should we do now?” Imoen asked pacing by the door of the room.
Khalid didn’t even look up. He kept looking at his wife sleeping peacefully by his side. He brushed her hair away from her face then let out a sigh.
“You and Sahil need to go to Nashkel, you cannot wait for us,” Khalid said.
“You won’t come?” Imoen asked.
“My place is by my wife’s side,” Khalid said. “I need to be here when she wakes but we cannot wait long to reach Nashkel. It maybe selfish of me, or it may not have been my place to begin with, but we cannot let this crisis claiming the land last any longer than it has.”
“I understand,” said Sahil.
“W-we should’ve went straight there,” he said.
“We did something good here,” Garrick said.
“B-but at w-what price,” Khalid said returning his full attention back to his wife.
“She will pull through and you will meet us in Nashkel,” Sahil said.
Khalid smiled without raising his eyes off of his wife. “We will. But you should not tarry. I believe in you two. Take the coin the mayor gave you and see if you can hire someone to help you.”
“I’ll tag along,” Garrick said.
“I f-figured you would,” Khalid added. “W-watch over them Garrick. I am entrusting them with your life.”
“We can take care of ourselves,” Imoen snapped.
“I know,” Khalid said. “But you never know what the Gods have in store for you.”
He turned his attention back to Jaheira and once again brushed her hair away from her face.
“You never know,” he muttered. He took Jaheira’s hand and looked at the plain ring that was on her finger.
“Sahil,” Khalid said. “W-we promised Gorion that we’d take care of you.”
“I think he’ll understand,” Sahil said to her guardian.
“He does, I know,” Khalid said removing the ring from Jaheira’s hand. “But take this ring. It our wedding band. It offers some protection and h-hopef-fuly when you look at it, y-you will think of us.”
“I can’t take this Khalid,” Sahil said.
“I in-insist,” he replied. “She w-would w-want you to have it.”
He took the ring and placed it in Sahil’s hand and closed her fingers over it.
“Go, if I do not see you in Nashkel, meet us here when you return,” Khalid said. “I w-wish to be alone with her.”
He turned his attention back to his slumbering wife. Garrick placed his hand on Sahil’s shoulder and led her and Imoen out of the room.
“The man grieves,” he said while closing the door and heading to the stairs. “We have a lot of coin to spill? Anything you two need?”
Sahil was lost. She had no idea what they would need to travel to Nashkel. She let all of the decisions before be left to her guardians, first to Gorion and then to Jaheira and Khalid. Now she walks through the bar thinking what she needs to do and she is completely clueless.
“I am open to ideas,” Sahil said.
“It can be a couple days journey to Nashkel,” Garrick said. “So we will need rations, that we can pick up from the bartender here. I think we are well stocked in arrows and bolts. You have Silke’s old staff and I have this –”
Garrick heaved the hammer that Bassilus wielded over his shoulder triumphantly.
“So I am guessing, maybe just potions and the like,” he finished.
“What about me?” Imoen said. “Don’t I get anything special?”
“You are fierce with that bow my dear,” Garrick said to her. “I never saw such a maiden as yourself wield a bow with such accuracy as you do. Tis an amazing sight to see and I wouldn’t change that at all.”
Imoen blushed. “You think so?”
“I know so,” the bard replied.
The trio left the inn into the street. A light rain began to fall and the trio began heading north up the street.
“Where can we get potions?” Sahil asked Garrick.
“The wizard Thaynadr at High Hedge may have some for sale,” he said. “It may take some convincing for him to sell some however, he doesn’t like visitors.”
“No?” said Imoen.
“It’s said he has golems made of flesh guarding his place from intruders,” Garrick said. “Might be hard to get by them.”
“Flesh golems?” Sahil asked
“You! HEY, YOU!” a girl yelled.
Sahil spun around to the sound and saw a half elf dressed in yellow and red robes with pink hair running towards the trio. Sahil braced herself for attack. Another assassin?
“Yes you,” the girl said. “I don’t see anybody else around here. A little help, please?”
Sahil relaxed a bit and eyed the girl up and down. She seemed to be in a panic.
“Of course,” Sahil said. “What do you need?”
“There’s bandits,” the girl exclaimed. “Vicious, magic bandits!”
Sahil gave the girl a puzzled look but she continued. “And they must have gone to advanced bandit school or something. They’re trying to capture me!”
Sahil began to panic a bit. Were the magic users that were after this girl the same ones after her? Is this a trap? She needed more information.
“A group of spellcasting bandits?” Garrick asked. “This sounds like a tall tale.”
“Listen, I’d love to give you a really long and detailed explanation of what’s going on but – ” the girl stopped in midsentence then looked behind the group, “oh, look, we’re out of time!”
Sahil turned around and saw a group of men dressed in red approaching. They were casual and confident in their approach. The lead man smirked at the girl.
“So, you would try to hide from us behind this unfortunate fool?” He said to the pink hair girl. “Your cowardice process as deadly as your reckless magic.”
“You’re the one trying to capture me,” the girl exclaimed. “And I still don’t know what you want, so I’d rather not let it happen. Get out of here before me and my new friends decide to inject a fist into your mouth!”
Sahil was taken aback by the girl’s statement. There was four of them and there was four men dressed in red. Two of the men looked like they wielded magic. Sahil thought back to the last time a mage attacked her and the outcome wasn’t pleasant.
“You there!” the man shouted at Sahil, “Stand aside and give me the girl. Surely you won’t risk your life for a stranger?”
Any doubt Sahil had about the girl vanished with that threat. Yes, she thought, I would risk my life for a stranger.
“I won’t let you harm her,” Sahil said. “By what right do you hunt this woman?”
“By my right as a wizard of Thay,” the man said snobbishly. “We must study her anomalous powers whether or not she comes willingly.”
“What anomalous powers are you talking about?” Sahil asked.
“I shouldn’t be surprised that one as uneducated as you cannot spot a wild mage when you see one,” the man said. “Her spells cause more harm than good. We must extract her secrets and, of course, prevent her from harming herself or others. I have said enough, hand her over.”
Sahil eyed the man up and down. He was arrogant and snidish and she didn’t trust him. She had heard of the Wizard’s of Thay from travellers and mages that visited Candlekeep in her youth. She knew they were a powerful organization, but also one that committed unnecessarily evil acts. She knew if she stepped aside, the girl would die.
“No,” Sahil said gripping her staff tight in her hand. “She is with me.”
“If you wish to die for this wild mageling, so be it!” he said.
He began casting a spell and Sahil started to charge. Both Garrick and Imoen cocked their weapons readying them to fire.
“Away with you, you pompous creep!” Neera shouted and she casted her own spell first. The ground shifted Sahil’s sight wavered.
“What?!” the man exclaimed “Not again!”
When Sahil regained her sight, she realized she had shifted position, she was now closer to the men in red. Garrick and Imoen were also in new places. The leader of the Wizards of Thay was missing however.
“Ekandor?” the second mage said looking around. “Where did you go?”
He turned his attention to the girl with pink hair and pointed a bony finger at her. “We can’t let her escape! Slaughter them all, and we’ll sort this out once we find him!”
Two of the men started moving towards the girl while the one who spoke started casting. Imoen fired an arrow wide, forgetting to readjust her aim from moving after the spell the girl cast. A bolt from Garrick also sailed wide as the man got off his spell. There was now four of him. It was the same spell that Tarnesh started with. Sahil took a swing at one of the other approaching men, not to hit him but to keep him at bay while she reached the spellcaster.
She brought her quarterstaff down on one of the images and it disappeared. She grunted in frustration for hitting the wrong one as the man started casting another spell.
The girl with the pink hair fanned out her hands and outshot flames from them and into the face of one of her attackers. The man screamed and wiped the heat away from his face.
“Damn you girl,” he said and began attacking her.
“I don’t think so,” the girl said and brought her staff down on his head. He stumbled and fell to the ground in pain.
Both Garrick and Imoen got their bearings and aimed their shots simultaneously at one of the images of the wizard. Both struck the man and he stuttered stepped back in shock. Sahil grinned. She now knew which image to attack.
Sahil took a swing at the mage but he jumped back just in time. The spell he was casting was lost though do to the movement and Sahil advanced again.
The girl began casting another spell while the second bodyguard reached her. He swung missing as she finished the spell. The man fell to the ground in a deep slumber. The mage was now attacking alone.
“She’s with me!” Sahil exclaimed swinging her staff back and forth towards the man. He kept stumbling back away from the swings, with fear in his eyes. Another one of Imoen’s arrows hit the man in the chest. He stumbled to the ground from the force of the arrow. He laid on the ground. He wasn’t dead, but he was no longer a threat.
She turned her back on the mage and looked at the chaos from the attack. Peasants were peeking out from their hiding places and Sahil figured it was time to move on. This scene would cause gossip and with gossip would come the hunters looking for her.
She looked at the pink haired girl to see if she was ok.
“I am really, really, really, really, really sorry about what just happened. I didn’t want to involve you, but if I hadn’t run into you when I did, they’d be elbow deep in my brains right now,” the girl said.
“No apology is necessary,” Sahil said. “What will you do now? Surely Ekandor will return at some point.”
“Since you were kind enough to save me from those wizardly thugs,” the girl said sheepishly, “I was wondering if I could stay with you for a while. For your protection as well as mine. I swear, I’m quite a skilled spellcaster. I can hurl a fireball like you wouldn’t believe!”
Sahil thought on it for a minute. The girl was in desperate need of protection. The battle that was waged would have gone differently if Ekandor didn’t disappear and the girl did handle herself well in the fight. She thought of bringing her to Khalid and allow him to protect her but he had enough to worry about at the moment.
Sahil smiled. “Very well, I’m Sahil.”
Sahil outreached her hand to welcome her to the group. “And this Imoen.”
“Hey ya.”
“And Garrick.” The bard nodded to the new girl.
“Fantastic! I’m Neera,” the girl said while grasping Sahil’s hand “Let me just get my… well, nothing. I’m ready to go now!”
“So what’s in Nashkel?” Garrick asked Sahil as she led the group west towards the woods at the edge of the town.
“I guess we never told you,” Sahil replied.
“Nope,” Garrick said.
“Jaheira and Khalid thinks the iron plague originates there,” Sahil continued.
“So you’re not contempt to solving just this little town’s problems, but the entire regions?” Garrick asked amused and Sahil smiled back.
“I guess,” she said. “We were just following Jaheira’s lead.”
“And now we are following yours,” Garrick said. “If you pull this off, you’re bound for greatness, mark my words on that.”
“You think?” Sahil said.
“Sure, you and your childhood friend, a wild mage being hunted at every turn and a bard to tell the tale later,” Garrick replied. “Epicness in the making.”
“Neera isn’t the only one being hunted,” Imoen said wanting to join the conversation. Neera looked at her new companions in shock. The safety she sought might have been well for naught if what Imoen said was true. Garrick too was taken aback by the statement as Sahil gave her friend a cold stare.
“What I mean is, uh,” Imoen stalled looking for the right excuse.
“There is a bounty out on my head and I do not know why,” Sahil filled in the blank of her friends attempted lie with the truth.
“Really, wow,” Garrick replied to the news, “How much?”
He was grinning at Sahil and she knew she couldn’t trust the bard with that knowledge. She wanted to cut ties with the man immediately but thought against it.
“Does it matter?” She asked.
“Of course!” the bard exclaimed. “The higher the amount the more powerful hunters will be after you. The more powerful the hunter, the more epic a battle that would be waged. I am sure you’ll be able to hold your own. You already showed Silke and Bassilus a thing or two.”
Sahil thought on those words. The bard was very confident in his assumptions of her but in both of those situations she also had Khalid and Jaheira helping her, and Jaheira barely escaped with her life against Bassilus.
“Don’t forget those cronies of Ekandor,” Neera said joining the conversation. “I think I choose the right group of rag tags to follow.”
Sahil chuckled at the thought as they pushed their way into the trees at the edge of town. The noise from the bustling streets gave way to the tranquility of nature. With all that had happened in the day, she felt at peace here. She breathed in and listened to the chirps of birds, the rustling of leaves. If only her and Gorion made it this far things might have been so much different. Sahil frowned at the thought of her foster father. She still hadn’t grieved properly.
“So what’s the plan? I mean, we’re not just going to wander the wilderness aimlessly here are we?” Neera asked.
“Nope,” Imoen replied to her. We’re seeking out a place that may have potions and other magical trinkets to sell for the trek to Nashkel, then it’s getting on the closest road and heading there.”
“No,” Sahil replied still lost in the tranquility of the forest around her and her thoughts of her fallen father. “We stay off the roads. Two of us are being hunted by different parties. It is best we keep to the forest.”
“Is that safe?” Garrick asked. “What about bears.”
“They’re harmless if you leave them alone,” Sahil said. “We’re north of where we took out Bassilus. With him gone, the undead in that area should be dispersed making it safer than the roads in my opinion.”
“What if we get lost?” Imoen asked.
“We won’t,” Sahil replied and Imoen shrugged her shoulders.
High Hedge came into view. It was a formidable keep with stone perches jutting from its wide and low base. It was overgrown with vegetation and looked abandoned.
“Is this it?” Imoen asked.
“It must be,” replied Sahil gazing at the large structure interrupting the natural beauty of the woods.
They hugged the wall of the massive keep and began circling it looking for an entrance. They soon came across some crumbling overgrown steps leading to a sturdy wooden door. A sign next to it read “High Hedge.”
“Well this is it, let’s go in,” Garrick said, taking the lead and opening the door without a knock.
“Wait,” Sahil said, “You can’t just walk in,” but the bard didn’t hear. He was already through the door. Imoen quickly followed leaving Neera and Sahil looking at each other shrugging. The two girls finally walked up the stairs and into the keep.
It was ill lit. Small candles lined the corridors. A moaning shuffle could be heard approaching from the left. Sahil thought back to the tale of the flesh golems and shuddered. She didn’t want to meet one of those unnatural creatures.
There was an electrical cackle from the middle room. Peering inside of it, Sahil saw a strange contraption consisting of a large crystal in the middle with four small crystals on pedestals surrounding it. There was a course of electricity twisting through one small crystal to the next while the large blue crystal spun in the centre. Unfamiliar runes covered the floor where the electric bolt shot over. In the middle of these murals consisting of the four natural elements covered the floor.
Sahil stepped into the room to get a better look wondering what the contraption did. She however kept her distance from it as it looked dangerous.
“I don’t have much patience for strangers on my property,” a voice bellowed to her from the far side of the room. It took Sahil by surprise as she searched for the origins of the voice. She locked on to a middle age man dressed in green robes and holding a large wooden staff.
“Do us both a favor and move along,” the man continued. “Unless of course, you have magic for sale. From the looks of you, you couldn’t afford the items I have for sale.”
Sahil smiled at the man. “Rumours talk of a powerful mage that lives out here. If it is you, I would like to speak with you.”
“Rumours?” the man said bafflingly. “Bah! There is no mage here that wishes to speak or be spoken of. Unless, of course, if you have magic that you wish to sell.”
“We’re interested in selling or even buying magical items,” Sahil said to the mage. “What do you have?”
The mage scoffed. “What exactly are you looking for?”
“Possibly potions, magical arrows, or wands,” Sahil replied.
“And what are you willing to trade for it?” the mage asked. “I am not interested in just coin. Do you have any magical artifacts to trade or were you lying when you said you had items to sell?”
Sahil thought for a minute and realized she didn’t have much to trade. Any magical weapons the group had were of better use in their hands than to turn them into a few coins. Then she remembered Gorion’s belt. She was wearing the enchanted belt. Perhaps this mage would consider it for a trade.
“I do have this belt,” she said removing it. “It belonged to my father and I believe it is magical.”
“Hmm,” the mage said looking at the belt. “It does seem to have some magical properties to it. Where is your father now?”
Sahil thought for a moment as to how to respond to the question. She figured honesty was the best course.
“Dead sir.”
“Dead?” the mage questioned. “Well you have my condolences on the matter. Are you sure you want to give away an item that has significant meaning such as this.”
Sahil thought on it for a minute. It was Gorion’s belt. She kept it for remembrance, however, she had her memories of her foster father for that and it was time to carve her own path. “I am sure, you may be able to find better use of it than I.”
“Perhaps,” it isn’t much but will suffice. “What do you need potions, arrows and wands for anyway?”
“My friends and I are looking into the iron crisis,” Sahil said. “We believe it starts down in Nashkel, we are heading there now and are looking for supplies to reach the town.”
“I see,” the mage said, “Come with me.”
He led Sahil to a corner of the round room. He pressed in a brick on the wall, and a small cache of potions was revealed. The bottles were of different sizes and colours and Sahil didn’t know what half of them did.
“Hmm let’s see here,” the mage muttered to himself. “I do not have much.”
He pulled out three blue vials and one purple. “These are good for healing.”
Sahil recognized the salves the mage showed her as she had used many up to this point already. Having more would definitely come in handy.
He held up a white bottle. “This one, will give you the same benefits of your belt, with no other side effects. It will protect you from cold elements without the fire trade off. It won’t last long though, but may come in handy if you encounter any winter wolves.”
“Winter wolves?” Sahil asked.
“Oh yes, they are rampant down in northern Amn. Able to breath a cone of cold before charging. Very dangerous.”
“I see,” Sahil said. She saw a red and yellow bottle and was curious about it. She grabbed it picking it up. “What does this do?”
“Careful with that!” the mage exclaimed grabbing the potion from her hands. “That is a potion of explosion. It does fire damage to a large area. Very powerful, very dangerous.”
“That seems handy,” Sahil said.
“It is,” the mage smiled. “I can add it to your cache along with a magical case to carry them all in. It will cost you 1500 gold plus your dead father’s belt.”
“That is a lot for six potions and a carrying case,” Sahil said.
“Magic is expensive my dear, and that is the offer,” the mage said.
“Deal then,” Sahil said. Handing over the belt and weighing out some of the coin she received from mayor of Beregost. “What about wands or arrows.”
The mage smiled. “I will give you a choice, I can sell you a wand that puts your enemies to sleep for 1900 gold or a small sampling of magical ammunition for the same price, but not both, unless you have some other magic to trade.”
Sahil thought on the offer and figured the wand would be more beneficial to the group. “The wand then,” she said.
“Excellent choice,” the mage said, “however, not everyone will be able to make it work. It takes knowledge of the arcane to use wands, keep that in mind.”
“I will thank you,” Sahil said.
“Now leave me be and take your meddling friends with you,” the mage said.
Sahil nodded and left the room.
“Immy?”she called out.
“Down here,” her friend replied.
“What are you guys doing lets go,” Sahil said.
“Right you are, don’t want to stay a second longer in this place,” Imoen said.
“Why are you guys hiding?” Sahil asked.
“Didn’t you see it?” replied Neera.
“See what?”
“The flesh golem,” Garrick replied. “It shuffled on by as you went into that room. We thought it was going after you.”
“I didn’t see any flesh golem,” Sahil said. “But we have overstayed our welcome here, it is time to go.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice,” Imoen said.
“I just did.”
Imoen thought on it for a minute and laughed then headed to the door back out into the woods.
“What did you get?” Garrick asked.
“Some potions, and a wand,” Sahil said. “It cost a lot but should help us get to Nashkel, let’s go though it is getting dark.”