Sahil quickly crossed the bridge out of town, peering over her shoulder making sure she was not being followed. She smiled at the emptiness behind her, and turned her gave ahead to the foot hills that separated Amn and the Sword Coast.
She thought quickly of the friends she was leaving behind and frowned. She already misses them, but it was safer if they stayed behind. She needed to find out why she needed to leave her home. She needed to find out why she was being hunted and she needed to do it alone until she knew she wasn’t going to be putting anyone else in danger.
“Where are you going,” a familiar voice rang out sleepily above her. She turned and looked up seeing Hailix attempting to quickly catch up to her, beating his tiny wings frantically.
“Back to Beregost,” Sahil said, then added rather coldly: “alone.”
“Why?” the creature asked still beating his wings as Sahil began walking again.
“The only lead I have to figure out what is going on in the region is there,” Sahil replied.
“But why alone?”
Sahil stopped and turned, letting the little dragon catch up to her finally, he was panting heavily as he finally reached the edge of her shield, and perched himself there.
“Because that is how Gorion and I left Candlekeep alone,” Sahil replied. “Immy shouldn’t even be here. Neera is also being hunted, but hopefully that elven mage we saved can protect her from her assailants. I don’t think I can.”
“So you didn’t even say goodbye?” the creature asked as she started walking again, into the shadows of the foothills away from the lights of the small mining community. Away from her friends, and false safety.
“They wouldn’t understand,” she replied. “It’s safer for them this way.”
“But what about me?” the creature asked.
“I actually thought you were in my pack,” Sahil said smiling, patting the creature on the head. It nuzzled its skull into the palm.
A well dressed man traveling alone, approached the two of them on the road. Sahil immediately went on her guard and Hailix took to the growling.
“Well, don’t you just add to the local colour,” the man said with a chuckle. “Quite the smashing bit of dress you wear there. I’ll have to look into such sundries when I next attend one of Lord Ribald’s full dress costume affairs. I’d be the talk of Neverwinter I would.”
Sahil lowered her guard, another pomp-ass noble. She was use to them visiting Candlekeep. They were harmless, yet naïve traveling the roads, unarmed and alone.
“Am I to understand that you are from that far away city?” she asked, making polite conversation.
“Oh, I actually hail from Waterdeep,” the man replied. “The great City of Splendors has much more in the manner of social luxuries suited towards my particular tastes. I do, however, make a point of keeping in touch with Neverwinter, though I have only visited there once previously. It was quite popular those nights, if I recall correctly. I’m going to make a second in the coming year, and I’ll be a wager it’ll be as popular again.”
“Sounds, fascinating,” Sahil replied, almost sarcastically. “Safe travels to you.”
The noble bowed slightly, and started down the road again as Sahil and Hailix headed up it.
“The roads must be safe tonight, if a noble such as he can walk down it alone and unmolested,” Sahil said to her companion.
The creature nodded and fluttered up ahead. Sahil breathed in the fresh air around her. Tall oak trees began to surround her as she walked further away from civilization and into the wilderness. She kept to the road, however, not wanting to attract any wild creatures that may be lurking in the wood. It was a beautiful night and she seemed to making good time on the road.
Grunting, and a strange language could be heard ahead. Hailix, flew quickly back to report.
“Hobgoblins, a band of them,” he said, in a scared tone. “They’re hovering around some dead humans off the path.”
“How many?” Sahil asked.
“A family, a young child and its parents it seemed,” the dragon replied. “They are rifling through their belongings.
Sahil now knew how the noble early got by unmolested. It was just good timing on his part, this family however seemed to be the victim of these hobgoblin bandits. It angered her.
“I am going to deal with them so they don’t harm another,” she said to her familiar.
“But there are too many of them,” the dragon replied.
“Lurue will protect me,” she replied. “Justice must be served.” She bent her head down and gripped her club tighter in her hand. A faint aura enveloped her body as she reopened her eyes and headed towards the hobgoblins surrounding the family on the road.
They heard her approach, and turned towards her, grins on there faces as they drew their swords. The lead, in broken common shouted “Spare no one!”
Hailix gulped down his fear, and blurred his image like he did when helping fight against Mulahey. Sahil, knew she needed all the help she could get as she was out number and the little dragon could at least distract some of the hobgoblins away from her.
The first two charged straight at Sahil with bastard swords and shields raised high. The first one took a wild swing at Sahil which she could easily block with her shield, but it threw her off balance, opening up her defensive for the second one to take advantage of. This one aimed more carefully, as if the wild attack was planned to lower her guard, and struck her on the head, glancing off her helmet and into her shield shoulder.
The blade should have cut deeper, and the hobgoblin was surprised it didn’t. The look of shock was erased from his face as Sahil brought her club towards it and knocked him out with a single blow.
Hailix clawed at the other one who slowly retreated backwards away from the cleric and her dragon as two more rushed into the battle. Sahil chased the retreating hobgoblin, while Hailix flew straight towards one of the rushing hobgoblins, flapping his wings in his face and attempting to get it to chase him away from his friend.
Arrows began to fly in Sahil’s direction. She realized the Hobgoblin wasn’t retreating but attempting to bring her into range of the archers waiting by a camp fire set below the cliffs. The monster grinned, showing black and yellow teeth as an arrow struck Sahil in arm. He swung his sword down upon the cleric who pushed the attack away with her shield, pushing the hobgoblin to the ground.
She sprinted towards the closest archer, deflecting two more arrows with her shield, while a third one went wide. The archer let out a shocked grunt and dropped his bow and unsheathed his sword to parry Sahil’s swing.
The first hobgoblin was helped up by another and the two flanked Sahil as she took on the archer. Another hobgoblin archer continued to fire arrows at her while Hailix kept the last hobgoblin busy attempting to scratch and claw its face.
Hailix’s hobgoblin flailed back at the small creature, knocking each of it’s blurred illusionary images away as the creature kept it distracted while Sahil stared down four of the bandits. Taking a defensive stance, she waited for one of the creatures to attack before countering and always kept her guard up.
The fire helped, the blades caught it’s light allowing the cleric to see when and where the blades were going to strike, and she moved her shield to deflect those incoming blows. She eventually fell the archer she first engaged. It was a cracking blow to the back that dropped him. He thrusted too far, fell off guard opening up the opportunity to finish him off.
The other two hobgoblins were in shock. Two of their comrades had fell to this lone young human. One panicked and retreated quickly from the battle. Sahil smiled, the battle was falling in her favour, until there was a sharp pain in her side, then one in her back.
She forgot about the other archer, who had been holding back his shots since his comrades were in the way, now that one was dead, and one fled, he had an opening to put her down. The other hobgoblin laughed as he realized Sahil was in pain and brought his sword down towards her. Sahil stepped back, but still caught the blade in her leg. She held back a painful scream. Instead, she put all her weight on the other leg and thrusted forward, knocking the laughing hobgoblin to the ground, and turning in time to deflect another arrow with her shield.
She briskly took a few steps forward towards the other archer. On seeing her approach, he dropped his bow and drew his sword. A yelp came from behind her. The hobgoblin engaged with the fairy dragon was getting the upper hand and the little creature was bleeding. Hailix eyed, Sahil and made a quick flight towards her.
“I tried,” he said as he climbed into her pack, with the hobgoblin in pursuit.
“It’s ok,” Sahil muttered, not lowering her guard as she was now surrounded by three hobgoblins, the fourth, realizing the battle had turned back into their favour, regained his courage and was rejoining the others.
Sahil kept her back to the Cliffside to prevent herself from being flanked again, however, she couldn’t flee either. Compromising with the band seemed out of the question as she fell two of their comrades already and they seemed angry about it.
The archer lashed out with his sword, wildly. Instead of going for the easy block, she ducked keeping her guard up and was able to deflect the next hobgoblin’s attack with her shield. Off balance from the wild swing, Sahil was able to bring her club up into the chin of the archer. Its head snapped back violently from the blow.
Another hobgoblin thrusted his sword in her direction that she was able to deflect away with her club. Staggering forward, the hobgoblin left himself open for another attack that Sahil took full advantage of, bringing her club across it’s back, dropping it to the ground.
The archer dazed from his blow, just sat himself down upon the ground. Sahil gave him a quick kick to the head, knocking him out.
The last two hobgoblins looked at each other and sneered. They took two quick steps back, and fled away from the campsite into the night. The battle was over and Sahil was exhausted and bleeding. She sat down upon the ground next to the two dead hobgoblins and checked her wounds.
She removed her pack and whispered into it, “it’s safe now Hailix, you can come out.”
The small creature limped out of the pack. A small gash was across his face and a larger one his side.
“Hailix, you’re hurt, let me take a look,” she said. The small creature whimpered and crawled onto her lap.
“I tried,” he said to her. “I guess I am not that good at fighting smelly humanoids.”
Sahil smiled and began petting the creature. It nuzzled up to her, as a faint glow encompassed her hand, his wounds slowly closing with each passing pet.
“You did well,” she replied. “I wouldn’t have survived without you.”
“Or Lurue,” he added.
Sahil smiled at the thought. It wasn’t the full protection she was hoping for, the arrow wounds in her shoulder and back reminded her of that, but the small scratch on her shoulder did prove Lurue helped her win this battle.
She removed a salve from her pack, and applied it to herself. The wounds quickly healed over and she got to her feet. The fairy dragon flew happily beside her as she looked around. The last two hobgoblins were gone. They fled quickly to safety, or to grab more friends. Sahil wasn’t going to wait around for their return.
She crept back to where the dead humans laid. She knelt down beside them. They were severely beaten, the male and female almost unrecognizable. They were stripped of their possessions except a necklace that the little boy held in his hands. The hobgoblins must have missed it as the mother attempted to shield the boy from the blows, albeit unsuccessfully. Sahil removed the amulet from the tiny hand and looked at it. It was bloodstone, and on the reverse, a small engraved name: “Colquetle.”
She pocketed the necklace, not knowing what else to do with it, and laid out the bodies beside each other. She gathered fallen foliage and covered their bodies and said a small prayer to Lurue on their behalf.
“There is nothing more we can do Hailix,” she said to the dragon. “Come, Beregost can’t be much further.”
The sun was beginning to rise as Sahil and Hailix made their way into the small village of Beregost. The tavern of the two storied inn, The Jovial Juggler, seemed to be bristling with life even at this early in the day. Sahil thought of her guardians, Jaheria and Khalid, whom she left at the inn before departing to Nashkel and wondered if they were still at the establishment.
Guardians. Would things have been different with the assassin if they were there to protect her? Should the party have waited for Jaheria to heal her wounds before departing for the mining village? It could have been worse she thought. If she stayed in one place, there was more of a chance one of these assassins would be able to take her by surprise. The last one probably heard word Sahil and her companions were in the mining village sticking out like a half orc in a halfing bar. She thought she shouldn’t linger long in Beregost, but at least dropping in on Jaheria and seeing how she was doing would be proper and leave word with them if Imoen and Neera came looking for her.
She walked up to the large wooden building and pushed open the door. As she expected, the place was bristling with life with mercenaries and commoners alike deep in drink. She wondered if they have been here all night, drinking in stupor, not realizing the sun had already risen.
A few Flaming Fist were standing guard at the door, and one approached when Sahil entered the tavern. “Ah, Sahil, I thought it might be you,” she said to cleric.
Sahil immediately raised her guard, thinking that the officer was another assassin in costume. She eyed her and the other Flaming Fists cautiously.
“These southern parts are set quite afire with talk of your work in Nashkel,” the officer continued. “I am Officer Via with the Flaming Fist and, to be honest, I could use your help.”
Sahil lowered her guard, trusting the officer to her word. She knew the Flaming Fist were the law in the region, a band of mercenaries founded by one of the Duke’s of Baldur’s Gate. Some of their methods and members were questionable, especially outside the city, but nothing to get in a confrontation over. She decided to hear Via out.
“I am honored to be found worthy of your notice, officer,” Sahil replied. “How may I be of assistance?”
Via, motioned her to an empty table and the two of them sat down, while another Flaming Fist hovered nearby. Officer Via reached for a jug of water and two cups and offered to pour one for Sahil in silent gestures. Sahil waved her hand in refusal as Via poured a cup for herself.
“My contingent and I are cut off from Baldur’s Gate,” Via started and took a sip from the cup before continuing. “We haven’t received new orders for close to a week and, to be honest, I don’t like the feel of this at all.”
Sahil nodded while she listened to the officer. The bandit situation must be getting worse, she feared if correspondents from the city wasn’t reaching the outskirts in a timely manner. She let Via continue and kept her concerns to herself however.
“The bandit raids have been getting worse,” the officer continued. “I used to think that they were just your usual brigands out to make a quick buck in troubled times, but not anymore. They are working for someone.”
She took another sip from the earthen cup and placed it down on the table, then looked Sahil straight in the eyes.
“One way or another, I’ve got to get my troops back to the gate,” Via continued. “I’ll pay fifty gold pieces for every bandit scalp you can bring me, ad spread the news. I want this whole region cleared before winter comes.”
Sahil was taken aback. This was the type of behavior from the mercenary band that made her cringe. There was no way for Officer Via to know, whose scalp she was holding, and fifty gold was a large sum for any adventure, let alone peasant. It wouldn’t be long before the local populace would be turning on each other to benefit from Via’s officer. Sahil knew she needed to get the roads to the gate reopened quickly before word did actually get out.
However, for now, she just nodded her head at the officer and said, “I’ll see what I can do,” then excused herself from the table. She came in not looking for money, but for old friends. Hopefully, they were still in the room that was rented out on their behalf and hadn’t moved on.
She headed up the stairwell to the rooms on the top floor. She could hear the bickering couple in the hallway. Jaheria sounded much better as she raised her voice over Khalid’s in attempt to escape from the room that held her. It sounded like Khalid wanted her to stay and rest more. Sahil knocked. “Now who could that be,” she heard Jaheria angrily say through the door.
“I-I”ll get it,” Khalid stuttered as he opened the door to see Sahil standing in front of him. “Sahil!”
“Gorion’s ward?” Jaheria questioned.
“Yes,” Khalid responded, “C-come in m-my dear, have a seat.”
Jaheria was resting in bed, being propped up by overstuffed pillows and covered by a down filled blanket. The bed looked very cozy, however, Jaheria, was fidgeting and fumbling, not looking comfortable at all. She must not have been used to such luxuries. Sahil took a seat in another overstuffed chair which rested by the bed. It was comfortable, and relaxed her. Her tensed muscles welcomed the change, if only for a brief period of time.
“Tell me child,” Jaheria started. “What news do you bring from Nashkel?”
“You must have already heard,” Sahil started. “A Flaming Fist officer stopped me as I entered, praising our results.”
“Yes, news traveled here quickly, but only vaguely,” Jaheria responded. “What was causing the iron plague?”
“A servant of Cyric,” Sahil responded. “With a following of kobold’s. He however, wasn’t the mastermind. He had letters on his person from someone staying at Feldepost’s. It is why I returned here.”
“W-where are your companions?” Khalid asked, and Sahil lowered her head and sat in silence for a brief second.
“Garrick d-died” she said mournfully.
“So the fool got himself killed,” Jaheria mused ignorantly. She thought of the bard much like Sahil did, untrustworthy, a fool, but didn’t see how he saved Sahil’s life. She gave the druid a cold stare.
“Another assassin came after me,” she said. “He was killed by him after he helped us clear the mines of Kobold’s. I would be dead if not for him.”
Jaheria gave Sahil a look of regretful look. Her words must have sounded harsh.
“I left Imoen and Neera in Nashkel to prevent them from coming to the same fate,” Sahil finished.
“Well you shouldn’t do this alone,” Jaheria said, attempting to get up. Khalid, recognizing her wife’s restlessness went to the side of her bed, and held her shoulder down.
“Y-you are not r-ready to move yet dear,” he said to his wife.
“Well we can’t just wait around here, while Gorion’s ward is in danger,” she replied.
“I will be fine if I keep moving,” Sahil said. “We spent a lot of time in Nashkel, I was bound to be spotted in the small town.”
“M-maybe you can get some help from another source,” Khalid said, settling his wife. “Th-there was an elf who came b-by recently. Said he was hunting the bandits after h-his wife was killed.”
“Team her up with a deranged vigilante?” Jaheria mused.
“I don’t t-think he was d-d-deranged,” Khalid stuttered. “He has a purpose.”
Sahil nodded. Getting help would be ideal, and from someone who is already accustomed to the dangers of adventuring would be best. “Where was this elf?”
“H-he headed east, towards the m-mage tower, High Hedge,” Khalid answered. “He may still be in the region.”
“Thank you both for the advice,” Sahil said, standing up from the chair. “I will seek him out. Get some rest Jaheria, I should be fine.”
Khalid smiled and showed Gorion’s ward to the door. She smiled back and left the room, closing the door behind her, waiting for the bickering to restart. They loved and cared for each other, she knew that, but the constant fighting would drive her nuts if she stayed with them. She fulfilled her promise to them to investigate the mines, and told them about leaving Imoen and Neera behind if they came looking for her. She now had a job to do. The letters mentioned a man by the name of Tranzig, staying at Feldpost’s Inn. If word has reached the local populace of the situation changing in Nashkel, it would have changed this man as well. She needed to get to him before he left town to find out what he knows of the bandits, and maybe of her assassins.
She left the Jovial Juggler and headed east towards Feldpost’s, keeping her eyes upon all that she past, leery of another attempt at her life. Then she saw it. A marbled plaque beside a door across from the inn reading “Colquetle.”
She reached into her pocket and felt the cold bloodstone amulet she removed from the grasp of the dead boy. This house was their home. This is where they were going or coming from before being cut down by hobgoblin brigands. She thought of the how worried those inside the house might be about the boy and his parents, that she slowly walked up to the door and knocked lightly, not knowing what she was going to say.
A man servant opened the door rather hastily. “Who?” he started to question before glancing at Sahil. “Oh, forgive my deposition,” he continued. “but we were expecting some overdue friends. Mr. Colquetle will be most disappointed. Please do not bother him.”
“Are these over due friends a young family?” Sahil asked sorrowfully, removing the amulet from her pocket. Another man, well dressed, entered the entrance way and began addressing Sahil, as she seemed to be not leaving as fast as he wanted her to.
“Please, no visitors today,” he said rather annoyed with a hint of anger. “I am quite unwell with the grief of my missing son. I told the fool not to travel in such times, especially with wife and child in tow but he would not listen.”
The man’s eyes started gazing down, and a small look of surprise crossed his face as he continued. “Now I have no idea where he… wait. Where did you… WHERE DID YOU GET THAT AMULET!”
The anger erupted as he said those last words and Sahil now thought she made a terrible mistake. She chose her net words carefully.
“It was certainly a piteous sight,” she started. “A young family cut down in a cowardly raid. This was among their belongings.”
The man calmed down, and started to tear.
“It is…” he started, then quickly changed the tense. “It was my son’s. Please might I have it?”
“Of course sir,” Sahil said handing over the amulet to the now crying man. “It is regretful that I could not have arrived sooner and prevented their deaths.”
“I thank you,” he said. “Funny isn’t it? How a simple piece of cut glass takes on so much more worth?”
He held it in his hand, starting at it, memorized.
“Please, leave me,” he finished and retreated into the house.
Sahil sighed. She gave the man closure and slowly walked over to Feldpost’s Inn.
The bar was packed with locals. It was a finer establishment than the Jovial, but Sahil couldn’t tell the difference from the clientele between the two establishments. She also wondered how tough times were if everyone was staying inside, keeping to their cups instead of the crops.
Feldpost’s was a fine establishment. It was definitely for the upper class with its silk red table cloths, marble pillars and exotic plant life. The place was also well lit, with a higher ceiling and large bannister staircase leading to the luxury rooms upstairs.
The place still stank with stale ale and dry wine which perturbed Sahil’s senses. Winthrop’s at Candlekeep always smelt like fine parchment, but that might have been because books were more on tap there then fine spirits.
As she entered, there was a quite hush that filled the room, followed by a loud boisterous roar of “‘Ere now, get out! I don’t like your type in here!”
“Heh! You tell em Marl,” another patron hollered drunkenly after the threat.
Sahil wasn’t looking to confront the locals. She was here for one man, and thought it’d best to find him as soon as possible and leave before the two rowdy men consumed more liquid courage.
She went to the Inn Keeper to ask about Tranzig. The pudgy man eyed her as she approached and then in a hushed warning tone said, “Keep a low profile please, tempers are short for strangers right now, so what do you want?”
“I am looking for another stranger, Tranzig,” She replied. “He was suppose to be staying here.
“Aye,” the inn keeper said. “He’s in the noble suite, upstairs.”
“Thanks,” Sahil said and headed to the stairs to the rented rooms. She ascended the stairs, listening to a man frantically packing belongings, knocking over things and cursing Cyric for his predicament. Sahil approached the room, the door was open and saw a man dressed in green robes hastily packing a bag. She approached him cautiously. Hailix flapped his way out of her sack and flew about the room waiting for trouble.
The man saw Sahil enter the room and stared her down.
“Why do ya bother me?” he asked. “Can’t ya see I am in a hurry to get outta this damn town?”
“Perhaps you can tell me why you are in a hurry to get out of this place,” Sahil said causally.
“I’m not gonna tell youse guys anything,” the man snapped. “Now get outta my face!”
“You won’t get rid of me that easily,” Sahil said drawing her club. “I know you’re up to no good. Now tell me everything you know.”
“Ya know what I am up to eh?” the man scoffed. “Well, maybe somethin’ you don’t know about is my magical skills. Ya might not believe me, but if you don’t get outta my face in the next five seconds I am going to blast you to kingdom come!”
Sahil thought he was bluffing. He seemed uneducated to be a mage. Most of the ones she has come across have been well spoken and intellect. The only exception was Neera, whose magic was unstable to begin with. She thought the courier could only think of magic as a dangerous thing that might get her to back off.
“You?!” Sahil said sarcastically. “Wielding magic?! I can’t suspend my disbelief that much. Come along now and surrender, or I’ll have to hurt you.”
The man grimaced. “I warned ya! Now you pay the price!”
He started chanting. Sahil quickly realized her folly and went into attack while Hailix swooped in from behind clawing at the man’s hand preventing him from getting his spell off.
Tranzig cursed and turned his attention to the creature. “You little,” he muttered.
Sahil saw her opening and brought her club down upon the man’s back. He growled, took a step back and began to cast another spell.
Hailix, dove again, this time this time clawing at the man’s face disrupting his concentration again.
“Blasted thing!” he cursed as he regained his composure in time to fire off a magic missile spell towards the dragon. The magic fizzled as it struck the creature, Lurue protecting her servant from his magic. The fairy dragon clawed at him again as Sahil swung just over his head.
The man attempted another spell and this time it got through the dragon’s protection. Three energy bolts pounded into the dragon sending it spiralling to the ground. An intense pain washed over Sahil as the creature hit the ground. It felt like she lost a piece of herself, a piece of her soul, and in it’s place was pain and suffering.
Tranzig laughed. “Got it,” he boasted and turned towards Sahil.
The pain inside of Sahil quickly turned to anger and rage. She screamed and lunged fully towards the man who was caught by surprise and knocked him to the ground with her shield. She raised her club up high and bashed it down towards the man’s face. He raised his hand to shield the next blow, snapping the wrist. As she raised to strike him again he cried out.
“I give up! Please let me live!” he whimpered. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Sahil grabbed his broken wrist and twisted. He screamed in pain as she looked him in the eyes.
“Spill your guts then!” she yelled in his face. “And if what you say satisfies me, I’ll let you live.”
“Okay, Okay, I’ll talk,” Tranzig said regaining his breath to do so. “I’m a messenger fer a man named Tazok. I just ferry messages between him and a fat priest Mulahey. I meet with Tazok at either Peldvale or Larswood, east of the Friendly Arm Inn. Tazok pays me good, so I keep my yap shut. Can I go now?”
Sahil eyed the man. She wanted to murder him, a voice deep down inside her was telling her to do so, edging her to take his life in cold blood. It scared her.
“Where can I find this Tazok now?” she asked, calming her nerves and attempting to quiet the voice.
“Tazok?” he started as if he had to think of a suitable answer. “You can find him in the Wood of Sharp Teeth. He’s the captain of two groups of bandits. Their camp is always movin’, so I don’t know how much luck you’ll have in findin’ them. Can I go now?”
Sahil released the man’s arm, and voice inside her screamed out “foolish” to her and then all her rage dissipated.
“Ya, get out of my sight,” she said meekly as she crumpled to the ground. Tranzig got to his feet and bolted out the door, clutching his arm and not looking back. She was in immense pain. Her body throbbed and she slowly remembered why.
She turned around and saw Hailix crumpled on the ground. She crawled over to the tiny dragon and placed a hand on his body. His breathing was extremely shallow and he wasn’t moving.
“Hailix?” she whispered as she placed her hand on the creature. She picked up the beast and it was limp in her hands. “Not you too, please.”
She began to weep and removed a blanket from her sack and wrapped the creature in a blanket and placed it gently in her bag. He wasn’t dead yet, but he needed help fast.
She left the room, each step a painful experience and descended down the stairs. The bar was still packed and there was no sign of Tranzig. He truly fled.
A burly man approached her as she reached the base of the stairs. The look on his face was anger and he was clenching his fists tight.
“Hey!” he started, and voice rang familiar. It was the same man who yelled at her when she first entered the establishment. His liquid courage finally struck when she was doubling over in pain.
“I told you to get lost!” he continued. “Ain’t no room for troublemakin’ strangers!”
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I don’t want any trouble. I’ll just be on my way.” She pushed past the man and headed for the door.
He started ranting behind her.
“That’s the way! Get on back to whatever hole ye crawled out of! This here tavern’s for decent, hard-working folk. Why don’t ye get a trade or something, instead of wandering around annoying what should be left alone!”
If he had anything else to say, Sahil didn’t hear.
As Sahil stumbled out of the tavern, the sun was beginning to set under the temple of Lothander to the west. From here she could hear the end of day prayers being sung in the temple. The voices of the sirens and priest rising over the town in sorrowful, but hope filled song.
She wondered where the day went. How long was she actually slumped on the floor in Tranzig’s rented room, cradling the small dragon in her arms, trying to make him wake? How long did it take herself to get off the floor and head down the stairs? Each step a painful reminder that she was alive, if barely.
She needed to get away from it. She needed to find help, for herself and for Hailix who was now wrapped in a blanket in her pack. She headed east towards Highhedge in search of the elf that Khalid had mentioned.
The forest around the mage’s tower was dark unpleasant even during the day, she was fearful of how the forest would come alive at night. There was talk at the inn and halls of Candlekeep, which lied just north of the forest, about undead stalking prey throughout the trees. One of the many wards the mage at Highhedge has to protect himself from unwanted visitors. Sahil hoped to find the elf before a band of walking skeletons.
Still in pain, she limped through the forest, searching for life; listening for it. She couldn’t hear a thing. It was getting cold and for the first time since Gorion died, she was alone. The thought scared her and she was rethinking her decision to leave her companions back in Nashkel.
And that is when she saw it. A small camp fire lit under a large oak tree. The orange light dancing off the bark of the tree, beckoning her towards it. She crept towards the light, silently, hoping it was the elf she was in search of and not a gang of hobgoblins camped in the woods looking for easy prey like the young Colquetle family. She didn’t know if she would be able to fight off anything with the way she was feeling. She got closer and saw a slender figure, sitting by the fire dressed in a green hooded cloak and leather armour. The hood was pulled over his face, hiding it from view. He was staring straight at the fire, playing with a polished wooden ring on his finger when Sahil first got a good look at him.
“What takes you this far out from civilization?” the elf asks in a course voice without looking up.
“I am tracking the bandit activity in the region,” Sahil replied.
“A strange coincidence,” he replied, motioning her to sit down by the fire. “I have a quest similar to your own. I have been hunting the bandits in the region for the past few months. What do you know of them? Sahil took a seat by the fire. Its glow began to warm her chilled body as she looked at the elf. She finally saw his eyes and they were full of sorrow.
“We can work together, but only if you tell me why you’ve been spent months hunting the bandits,” she questioned.
“Their leader, an ogre named Tazok, took the life of someone very dear to me,” he replied. Vengeance. Justice. Anger. They all drove this elf to a clear goal. He was ready to die trying to meet it, and maybe with her help, he can survive the ordeal.
“I understand,” Sahil said.
“Do you?” the elf snapped staring straight at her, confronting her words of comfort with hostility.
“I do,” she replied. “I lost my foster father to a bandits being led by a tall armoured figure. He could have been an ogre, I don’t know.”
The elf hmmed. “I doubt it was Tazok, he wouldn’t kill a person outright. He would torture them for his own amusement.”
Sahil nodded. The elf had truly been through more with this Tazok than she has. She only heard the name recently and the armoured figure could have been anyone.
“I am still sorry for your loss,” he replied staring back at the fire.”
“I heard that name recently, Tazok,” Sahil said. “He is leading the two bandit groups in this region.”
“That I know,” the elf said. “It is why I am here.”
“I also know where their main camp is,” she continued.
His head shot up again, staring directly at her. She saw the look before, on Minsc. When his only objective was to find his witch. This elf was ready to sprint at the first moment towards his likely doom.
“But I need help with someone first,” Sahil said, reaching carefully into her pack and removing the bundle of blankets. “Or something”
She unwrapped the blankets to show the elf Hailix, breathing shallowly, eyes closed and limp. The elf leaned back and stared at Sahil, who now had a look of sorrow in her eyes.
“Where did you find the fey,” he asked.
“He found me,” Sahil said, petting its head. “When I was at my most darkest.”
“He bonded with you,” the elf said. “These creatures are common in Shilmista. He is beyond any temple help. You will need to find another fey, like a dryad to help him but the bandit situation is more pressing. Sacrifice must be made by all to end it.”
Sahil nodded, and bundled the creature up again and began to tear.
“I know,” she said. “I know a druid. She maybe able to help and is staying in Beregost with her husband.”
The elf nodded. “We can detour through the town tomorrow then, to see if your friend can help. There is also a mercenary guild there where we might be able to hire others to assist us. For now get some rest here, I can stay on watch. You look like you need it.”
Sahil nodded to the elf. “I’m Sahil by the way.”
“Kivan,” he replied and she laid her head down thinking where the day went and where she is headed tomorrow.
cheated a bit here. See if anyone can spot it. Chapter 32 – Kaigan
Sahil woke up the next morning refreshed. She doesn’t know if it was the clean forest air around her or the work of Lurue’s protection, but she said a small thank you to her goddess as she opened her eyes.
The fire that beckoned her to the spot the night before had been put out, and just a small trace of smoke rose from its pit. Kivan’s sleeping roll was also packed up and placed against a tree. The elf was no where to be seen however.
She packed her things as well, checking on the fairy dragon in the process and praying to Lurue once again for his well being. She doesn’t know where she would be if it wasn’t for his timely intervention the night her and Gorion were ambushed. Perhaps the armoured figure was Tazok. If so, maybe all this will come to an end when they confront him.
“Let’s go,” Kivan said from behind her, rather harshly and hastily. She spun around seeing the elf approach holding a bow in his hands.
“Where were you?” she asked.
“Killing gnolls,” he replied. “They is a group of them part of The Chill. One of the bandit groups our friend Tazok is leading.”
Sahil got to her feet and grabbed her bag. “I should tell you something else, before we depart.”
“What?” the elf asked.
“I am being hunted by bounty hunters,” she said. “I don’t know why, but they are not the lawful type or hired by the Flaming Fist.”
“Hmm,” was all that Kivan replied.
“Just thought I’d warn you in case we run into some,” she continued.
“We’ll deal with it, if it passes,” he replied. “Lets head to Beregost to see to your friend then.” Sahil nodded and took the lead back towards civilization.
“My friends,” she said to the elf as they walked back into the bustle of the town, Kivan becoming more uncomfortable with each step, “is staying at the Jovial Juggler.”
The elf just hmmed again as a response.
“It should be quick,” she continued. “She knows how much Hailix means to me.”
The pair entered the Jovial Juggler. The regular crowd was still deep in their cups. Officer Via gave Sahil a slight nod and Sahil smiled back. A gruff looking Halfling walked up to the Kivan and gave him a menacing look.
“Well?” the halfling questioned as Kivan produced from his belt an ordinary looking short sword and handed it to the man without saying a word or even smiling.
“Hmph,” the halfling shrugged. “Figured maybe he’d eaten by now. I hope you ran him through once or twice to get it, at least. Now take your gold and begone.”
The short man handed Kivan a small sac as Sahil gave the elf a quizative look. The elf said nothing, only followed Sahil up the stairs to the private rooms, where once again, through the doors she could hear the couple bickering.
She knocked once and then opened the door. Kivan kept to the shadows behind her as the two of them looked over at their ward and smiled. The smiles disappeared as they noticed the look of worry on her face.
“Jaheria,” she started. “You must help me.”
Sahil began opening her sack and took out Hailix who was still wrapped in the blankets.
“It’s Hailix,” Sahil continued. “He was hurt by the messenger I went to confront.”
“Lemme see him child,” Jaheria said to her. “Foolish, going after him alone, I told you.”
“Is he hurt bad?” Khalid asked.
Jaheria took the creature from Sahil and unwrapped the blankets. His breathing was still shallow and he did not move.
“This is beyond my skill,” Jaheria said mournfully as Sahil sat down on the chair and wept. “But I do know of a dryad along the coast whom maybe able to help.”
Jaheria got herself out of bed. “We can take him there together if you wish.”
Kivan stepped out of the shadows at the moment, “I must protest. The bandits in this area should be everyone’s main concern. More innocence will die if they aren’t stopped soon.”
“A-and you are un-unf-f-fit for travel, my dear,” Khalid protested.
“Nonsense,” Jaheria snapped. “Both of you!”
Khalid took a step back from his wife as Kivan took a step forward to protest again. Sahil stood up and got between the elf and the druid.
“Enough!” Sahil said. “We, Kivan and I, can go after the bandits before they move their camp again. I am asking you, pleading with you, to help Hailix for me Jaheria.”
“Khalid and I can get him to the dryad,” Jaheria said. Khalid looked stunned but followed his wife’s orders. “We will see he gets the help he needs.”
“Thank you,” Sahil said grabbing her bag.
“We came here for help,” Kivan said. “The two of us can’t take on the bandits alone.”
“You mentioned a Mercenary Guild?” Sahil asked.
“Aye,” Kivan said.
“Then we will get help there,” she answered. “Thank you again Jaheria, may we cross paths again soon. Sahil and Kivan left the room closing the door behind them. The bickering restarted as soon as the door went click.
“Those two would’ve been a distraction anyway,” Sahil said to reinsure the elf who just nodded as they descended down the stairs and out the door of the tavern. “Where is this Guild?”
“North of Feldpost’s” the elf answered and the two strode up the street to the worn down building. It was in ill repair, it’s sign board hanging by one hinge and grime covered the windows.
“Doesn’t look inviting,” Sahil said but Kivan walked up to the door and swung it open, nearly taking it off the hinges. Sahil quickly followed.
The place was empty. Dusty shelves, cracked from weight that was no longer there lined the creaking and rotting floor boards. Barrels were spit and spilling their contents into small piles, with footprints embedded into them. A lone dwarf stood behind the counter, barely looking up when the duo entered the place.
He was dressed in a highly polished splint mail, with gaudy gold trim. His grubby fingers had large gold rings on each that matched the trim. His helmet was also well polished, but that is where the vanity appearance stopped. His beard and hair were unkempt and his hands were filthy. He finally grinned at the pair as the two approached the counter showing a gold tooth, and others almost as yellow.
“Greetings,” the dwarf said. “I’m Kagain. What can I do for you?”
“Aye,” Kagain said. “I run an escort business. I hire mercenaries to escort caravans on route from Amn to Baldur’s Gate. Right now I am looking for some strong sword arms, and I am willing to pay high. It seems one of the caravans under my protection never arrived at Baldur’s Gate, and I need to know what happened.”
“Well we have information on the bandits,” Sahil said.
“That’s good,” the dwarf said. “I’ve had a lot of problems with the bandit activity lately, but they’ve always only taken the cargo and let the caravan go afterward. I’ve been catching a lot of flak from the family of some of the passengers of this caravan, after all it was the job of my mercenaries to make sure everyone got safely to Baldur’s Gate.
“Normally I wouldn’t give one damn about some stupid whiner, but one of the passengers was he son of Entar Silvershield, and in this part of the world, his word is law. So you think you can help out?”
“If they found out who he is, he may be being held at their main camp,” Sahil said. “I know where that is. Help us raid it, he, or information about him would be sure to turn up.”
“Well I am glad you got some sense in your head,” Kagain said. “I got an underling who can take care of business here while I’m gone, so let’s get a move on.”
The dwarf finished by eyeing both of them up and down, and then added. “First, lets get you some better gear if we’re taking on an entire camp.”
The dwarf waddled past them out into the street and Sahil and Kivan followed him closely. Kagain looked over his shoulder, and as if he was almost out of breath already started spouting.
“Imma gonna take you to see Thunderhammer,” Kagain said. “You’re both ill equipped in those leathers to handle even a scouting party of bandits. The expense will be on me, but I’ll take it out of any spoils we get from the camp.”
“Wouldn’t most of the items at the camp be stolen property from your caravans that you were suppose keep
“Ahhh,” the dwarf paused. “Perhaps. Most shipping crates, if they are still intact, I” and he emphasized the I, “will be able to distinguish whom they belong too. Anything out in the open though, will just lead to feuds unless the steal or gold itself is marked, and that is rarely done.”
“I see,” Sahil said.
“I know my business,” the dwarf continued. “If we haul it all back and say who does this belong to, you’ll start a merchant war for sure. Most of the stuff was probably insured and already paid off.”
“And if it wasn’t?” Sahil asked again.
“Well other people’s stupidity isn’t my problem now is it,” the dwarf snapped turning around and continuing walking. Sahil realized the dwarf saw dollar signs instead of helpless captures when he agreed to help but his help is needed, and if he is readily going to outfit both her and Kivan for the fight, whatever drives him is his business. The profit is worth the risk of his life, or if he had any left, the lives of his men.
The trio traveled south down the paved roads of Beregost, the dwarf, always in the lead, sneaking down back alleyways to take shortcuts, or to avoid certain individuals in the town. He seemed to steer clear of the Jovial Juggler where the Flaming Fist were staying. They finally reached the blacksmith, where an old man in a red robe and pointy hat was sitting by the fence smoking a pipe.
“Well now,” the man said, eyeing the group as they approached. “Our paths cross once more.”
He was staring directly at Sahil now, and she had to think back of when she met the man before. The last couple of weeks have been nothing but turmoil and chaos, and she even thought back to her time in Candlekeep but was drawing a blank.
“I suppose proper introductions are in order as we will no doubt meet again,” the old man continued. “My name is Elminister.”
Kagain let out a snort at the name, unbelieving the man in front of him was the famed chosen of Mystra, goddess of Magic. The man ignored the slight, and continued however.
“I’ve heard nothing but tales of thy exploits in the time we have been apart. It would seem that thou art destined to have quite the impact on the Sword Coast. Quite the burden for one so young.” Elminister took another drag from his pipe as he finished those words.
“Just doing what needs to be done,” Sahil said, barely believing the words herself. If it wasn’t for Jaheria’s and Khalid’s insistence she might have never went to Nashkel. Now she fears she does have a burden on her shoulders as she sets out to disband the brigands causing chaos on the roads.
“Thou has certainly taken it upon thyself to straddle the morality fence,” Elminister replied. “But I truly cannot fault the results. I shall leave the future to thy discretion, and we shall see what happens. I do have one piece of information for thee before I go, though ‘tis hardly a surprise, I am sure. The bandits that thou dost seek make a habit of traveling in the northeast. With this, I shall take my leave.”
The old man tipped his hat and walked away from the trio before any more words could be shared. He disappeared into a crowd.
“Well that was interesting,” Sahil said and Kivan just let out a short grunt.
“If we’re done listening to addled brained old men, shall we go into the smithy and equip the likes of you two?” Kagain barked. Sahil just smiled, and let the dwarf lead the way into the shop.
It was dark and hot inside, the only light coming from the forge tucked into the corner of the large building. Four smith’s pounded away on different types of metal, making items from horseshoes to bastard swords. Sweat poured down their faces and arms as they toiled away at their craft. One of them let out a curse as the sword he was working on broken in half, the iron being tainted and useless. He threw it down to the ground in disgust ad searched a nearby barrel for a better piece of ore to work with.
A slender, but muscular man walked up and down an aisle, watching the others work. When he saw the group enter, he smiled and approached the group.
“Hello there,” he said. “Is there anything I can do for you this fine day.”
“We’re going to be hunting those blasted bandits,” Kagain said. “I need ye to equip these two suitably. The best armour ye have Thunderhammer.”
“So the regular standard issue, dwarf?” he replied and went to the corner and retrieved a set of scale mail and brought it to the group.
“Have you been equipping all your men in iron armour like this?” Sahil asked the dwarf.\
“Ya, what of it?” Kagain replied.
“It’s just bandits will attack anyone carrying any form of iron,” she replied. “These types of suits probably made the caravans you were protecting stick out.”
“You’re daft girl,” the dwarf replied. “Leave these decisions to the men.”
“She’s right,” Kivan spoke up. “I just retrieved a short sword for a Halfling, the only thing the bandits took off of him because it was iron. Wearing this will be a mistake.”
“Listen the both of you,” the dwarf snapped, “I am in charge here. I hired you to do a job and you’re going to do it the way I tell ya, now let the smith fit you with this mail.”
“You haven’t really hired us,” Sahil said. “We came to recruit from your guild to help us. You just didn’t have any men left to send with us, probably got them all killed by putting them in these suits.”
“Ain’t true!” the dwarf protested. “But if your all gonna be stubborn, I ain’t gonna complain about it. Let’s see how well that cow hide is going to protect you from bandit arrows.”
The smith, having stood around during the awkward argument, smiled and said “I may have just the thing for you.”
He scurried away into the back and came back out with a wooden shield, and a quiver of arrows.
“Take this,” he said handing the shield over to Sahil. “It is much like the shield you are carrying now, except I had an enchantment cast upon it. It will protect you better against bandit arrows.”
He then turned to Kivan and said, “I see you prefer the bow.”
The elf nodded and the smith handed over the arrows. “Another elf traded these in the other day. Magical, will do more damage than your regular arrow and they fly faster too.”
Kivan nodded as he removed one of the arrows from the quiver to inspect the craftsmanship. Happy with them, he took them, nodded again as a thanks and placed the quiver on his back.
“I think that would be a good compromise to lugging around iron wares,” the smith said.
Kagain snorted. “Fine. Magic it is, but don’t expect me to change out of this.”
“It’s fine,” Sahil said. “You can be our decoy then.”
The dwarf sneered. “We’ll see who will be whose decoy. What do I owe you Thunderhammer?”
“I’ll invoice your guild, dwarf. Just make sure you pay it at the end of month this time,” the smith said. “Don’t need to be going after you like the last time.”
“Fine, fine,” the dwarf said as he headed for the door.
“Good luck to ye all,” the smith said as Kivan and Sahil turned to followed.
As luck is what they were going to need as they ventured out into the street and out of town into the woods to the north east.
Kivan is level 1, Kagain is level 2, and Sahil is level 2 cleric with her inactive ranger class at 2. Going to the bandit camp like that, should be fun.
The trio trudged up the road towards the Friendly Arm Inn not saying a word to each other. Sahil found it disheartening that the group seemed to keep to themselves and it wasn’t the same as when she was traveling with Garrick and Imoen and Neera. Laughter filled the air, and cut the tension away when she was travelling with her old companions, now, there seemed to be more tension in the group than worrying about outside attacks.
The journey was uneventful however. The closest the group had to a battle was with each other when Sahil attempted small talk with the dwarf asking about his past. He just told her to mind her own business if she wanted to keep all of her teeth. She didn’t push the issue, just retreated to the back and took in her surroundings.
She mentioned early to them that the bandit camp was somewhere in the Peldvale forest, and that is where the group was headed. Adding to Kivan’s knowledge that there were two groups of bandits being led by the same man, they should easily be able to pick up someone’s tracks to lead them to the main camp.
She warned the two that the messenger she confronted in Fieldpost’s told her they move the camp frequently, and with her recent activities in Nashkel, the camp maybe being moved as they travelled towards it.
The trio pushed on however, liking their chances of finding the camp in disarray, and lightly guarded if everyone was packing everything up to move again. The small force could take them by surprise and sweep through the area before anyone could raise a strong enough defense.
They had three objectives heading to the camp. The first was to confront Tazok, the leader of the bandits and hopefully question him on his motives and superiors before Kivan puts enough arrows through him to avenge his wife.
The second was to locate the Duke’s son. If he was being held at the camp there would surely be a large reward for his recovery and Kaigan was already banking on it, even if Sahil and Kivan didn’t care for such things.
The third was to recover all merchandise taken from the raids so that commerce in the region could be re-established. Eliminating the main camp and its leaders would hopefully scatter the rest of the bandits into smaller groups. These groups could easily be handled by the Flaming Fist and the road leading up to Baldur’s Gate could be reopened.
It took the full day to reach Peldvale and as Sahil and Kivan wanted to push on, the dwarf wanted to stop and rest. Traveling at night, through the woods, wasn’t wise and it would be easier to spot trails during the day. The other two reluctantly agreed, and set up camp at the edge of the woods. Silently, they went about their business and rested, taking turns on watch and Sahil missed her old companions more.
The next morning, the trio broke camp and started looking for signs of bandit activity within the forest. They traveled north along its edge peering into the bush, and listening for voices. Both Sahil and Kivan walked silently through the trees, as Kagain seemed to step on every dead branch laying on the round. The weight of his armour, increased the sound his footsteps made carrying it through the trees. With the racket he was making Sahil surmised that the bandits would find them first.
Instead, a dark elven woman appeared, running towards them out of the bush. A man dressed in Flaming Fist apparel was on her trail. She spotted Sahil, ran up, and pleaded.
“Help me!” the woman said. “If you don’t help me, they will kill me!”
Kivan raised his bow and aimed arrow towards the dark skinned elf. “Drow,” he muttered angerly and pulled the string back.
Sahil raised a hand to stop the elven ranger from attacking.
“Calm down,” she said to the drow. “We’ll help you. Just tell us who you are.”
“I am not helping any drow!” Kivan shouted.
“Calm yourself, Kivan,” Sahil said to him and motioned the drow to continue.
“My name is Viconia,” the drow said. “I am not from around here. Thank you so much for helping.”
The Flaming Fist Mercenary broke through bush and raised his sword towards the party.
“Step aside travelers,” he said to the group. “I am a member of the Flaming Fist. The woman you are harbouring is a wanted murder of the foulest sort. She is a dark elf; it should be obvious that she is evil.”
Sahil stepped in between the mercenary and the drow.
“What do you intend to do once you have her?” she asked the officer.
“Kill her, of course,” he replied in a calm manner as if the answer was obvious.
“I can’t allow that,” Sahil said.
“A stupid decision!” the officer spat. “For harbouring a murder I sentence you all to death!”
Kivan growled, and re-aimed his bow at the officer. Kagain, sensing the fight, drew his axe and lept towards the armoured man swinging his axe wildly as Sahil drew her club and kept in between him and the drow.
“Lil alurl! For Shar!”” Viconia shouted and pointed her finger at the mercenary who collapsed to the ground before he could react.
Kagain took advantage of the Flaming Fist’s vulnerability swung his axe down upon him, cutting through the man’d breast plate into his stomach. As he attempted to pull his axe out of the armour, the haft snapped, sending the dwarf to the ground on his seat.
With the head of the axe, still imbedded in his body, the mercenary attempted to rise. Viconia moved forward and cracked him over the head with a mace, sending him back to the ground dead before either Kivan or Sahil could react.
Kivan re-aimed his bow once again at the drow, a snarl on his face. Sahil assumed he didn’t like having to kill someone reinforcing the law, but it seemed the Flaming Fist left them with no choice. Viconia calling out to Shar, the evil goddess of darkness, also didn’t pass Sahil’s notice, and perhaps, the officer was right, and the drow deceived the group, but Sahil wasn’t going to pass judgement without proof. She stood in front of the drow, limiting Kivan’s aim.
“I thank you for risking your lives on my behalf,” the drow said eloquently. “I know what you are thinking, you see my dark skin and won’t trust me for it. I am a dark elf, but I am an outcast, I need your help. I no longer receive my powers from the spider gods you surface dwellers fear so. The goddess Shar grants me wisdom, and she is a surface divinity. If you let me join your group, I’d me most grateful. I have nowhere else to go.”
“Don’t trust her,” Kivan spat. “We don’t need her.”
“Well she has a better pair of tits to look at if you ask me,” Kagain said, throwing his now broken axe to the ground and picking up the Flaming Fist’s sword.
“No one asked you dwarf,” Kivan said disgustedly.
“It has nothing to do with your race,” Sahil said to her. “We just don’t need another person along to worry about. Sorry.”
Sahil had enough to worry about. Kivan obviously didn’t trust her, and followers of Shar were known for their trickery and secrecy. Being hunted by unlawful bounty hunters was enough, and if this drow did commit murder, she may bring her own lawful hunters after the group.
“You surface dwellers are so weak,” Viconia spat. “I should be glad that you turned me down.” Viconia turned around and walked away alone and Sahil heard a slight sob.
Kivan lowered his bow. “Hopefully that is the last we see of her.”
Kagain kicked the dead officer. “What about him?”
Sahil looked at the dead man and felt sorry for him. Law enforcement was a dangerous job in these areas it seemed, however, the man brought this death upon himself.
“Leave him,” she said. “Hopefully the drow will be blamed for his death. There is nothing else we can do for him.”
Kagain snorted. “The bastard broke my axe.”
“We’ll try to find you a new one,” Sahil said. “Lets get moving, before we draw attention.”
The trio left the dead man and headed east into the woods. They passed a small shallow lake, strewn with garbage of old broken barrels and rotting wooden chests. Embedded footprints stamped the earth through out the area and there were signs that wooden structures once stood in the area. Kivan bent down towards the ground and picked up a scrap of leather that seemed to have been chewed.
“The camp was here,” the elf said and began searching the area for other clues.
“Anything else obvious you can spot with your keen senses elf,” Kagain sarcastically said. The elf just glared at the dwarf.
“Tranzig, the messenger I confronted in Beregost said they move the camp frequently,” Sahil said. “This could just be an old camp. They are still in the area.”
“Where?” the dwarf asked.
“This way,” Kivan said and slowly crept north past another small shallow lake and headed east.
“More elven senses?” Kagain asked.
“Hush,” the ranger said angry. “Look”
He pointed east, a band of eight men dressed in leathers and carrying bows who seemed to be scouting the area. Their laughter echoed through the forest as one was telling a story of a recent raid.
“And I kicked him in the head till he was dead!” he finished and rest burst into a cruel laughter.
Kivan motioned the others to stay where they were and he crept along the edge of the lake until he came up behind them. He pulled back his bow and fired an arrow into the neck of the bandit in the back. Gasping for air and unable to speak, he fell to the ground without any of the others in the group realized.
He took another shot and hit a second bandit in the back. The bandit yelped in pain, and the other six turned to see they were under attack. One of them spotted Kivan hiding along the banks and pointed him out with enthusiasm. They all trained their own bows on the elf and let loose a volley of arrows.
“That’s our cue!” Kagain said and ran towards the archer swinging his stolen sword like an axe and roaring a dwarven war cry.
Sahil, amused by her new companions passion for battle, followed the dwarf into the fray.
One of the bandits seeing the Kagain and Sahil charging raised a war hammer in a defensive posture.
“It’s your choice which hits the ground first,” he yelled. “Your swords or your heads! Be smart now, and you’ll all live to grow wise.”
“You’ll not take us alive!” the dwarf yelled back, still charging, and Sahil wondered if that wasn’t the point the bandit was attempting to make.
“As you like fool,” the bandit bantered back. “Your children be orphans tonight!”
As the bandit said the last words, Kagain reached him swinging his sword awkwardly that was easily parried.
Kivan dropped another two of the bandits with well aimed arrows and the odds in the fight were quickly evening themselves out. Sahil said a small prayer to Lurue to grant her and her companions the ability to defeat these men. Once the prayer was done, she was filled with this courage and helped the dwarf fight the bandit with the war hammer.
Kivan continued to drop the other bandits with quick well aimed shots as Kagain and Sahil parried the more skilled warrior. It was obvious to Sahil that Kagain wasn’t accustomed to using swords, as he left himself open too often when using the weapon. The bandit took full advantage of the situation and easily struck the dwarf in the shoulder and arm. The hammer clanged as it hit Kagain’s splint mail and, if the dwarf was in pain from the blows, he wasn’t showing it, just anger.
Sahil swiped at the man’s legs, sending him sprawling and off balance. The dwarf took advantage and his revenge as he hacked the sword against the man’s side leaving a large gaping gash. The bandit stumbled to his knees as he began coughing up blood. An arrow penetrated the man’s skull as Kivan finished him off from a distance.
The last remaining bandit, seeing his companions fall to the ground, turned and retreated north. Kagain turned to the elf and shouted.
“What are you doing? He’s getting away!”
“He’s running back to the rock he crawled out of,” the elf said calmly, slowly making his way back to his companions. Blood was pouring down his arm as he had seemed to take an arrow himself in the shoulder.
“He’s going to lead us right to their camp,” Sahil added.
thank god for story mode. Had this done for awhile in story mode but wanted to do it on core rules. Just couldn't. Leveled up after this so, hopefully, getting my ranger levels back will make the rest of the camp slightly easier (not really, still getting my but handed to me)
Chapter 34 – The Bandit Camp
The bandit was easy to track as he led the trio deeper into the dense bush that was the Peldvale forest. They soon came upon an old ruin building, its walls crumbling and roof all but gone. The trio found shelter in the structure to discuss their next plan.
Sahil removed a healing salve from her pack and handed it to the elf who was still bleeding from the arrows he took fighting the bandits. The elf nodded and applied it to his wounds.
“Do you have one for me lass?” Kagain asked. “The bastard and and hammer got me pretty good in the shoulder.
“Let me see,” Sahil said.
The dwarf removed his shoulder plate and Sahil could see a large purplish welt forming. Sahil laid her hands on the shoulder.
“Lurue,” she said in prayer. “Please give this man the strength to continue to aid us against the bandits.”
She removed her hands and the purplish welt was gone. Kagain rotated his shoulder and let out a chuckle.
“Fancy trick that,” he said as he reattached his shoulder plate.
“The camp is close,” Kivan said interrupting the conversation. “I can hear them from here.”
Sahil nodded and asked, “how do we proceed?”
“Carefully,” Kivan said. “Stay here.”
The elf left the Sahil and Kagain in the ruin and began scouting the area. He kept to the shadows among the trees and eventually he disappeared from Sahil’s sight. He returned a few minutes later and motioned them to follow him.
He led them into a large thicket of trees which broke into a clearing littered with make-shift tents, with boxes of cargo lined against their walls. Both human and hobgoblin archers patrolled the clearing but keeping their distance from each other.
Kivan pointed to a tent that was close to the clearing and the trio ran for its entrance. The tent was empty. Barrels were stacked all against the edges of the inside save for small area with a sleeping rolled and blanket on the floor and a large desk near the back. In the centre was a cooking hearth with dirty clothes strung up around it.
The elf brought a finger up to his mouth in an order to hush the other two as he quickly peaked outside.
“We need to find Tazok,” he said. “We can’t take this entire camp on by ourselves. Kill him, this ends.”
The dwarf snorted. “We can’t just leave all the merchandise out in the open like this.”
“Kivan is right,” Sahil said.
Sahil was about to finish her thought when a man dressed in full plate, pushed back the flaps of the tent and entered brandishing a large maul.
“I thought I heard voices,” the man said. “Don’t know what you are doing here, but it’s time to die.”
The man raised the maul about his head and brought it down towards Kagain whom he was closest to. Kivan rolled back away from the door and aimed his bow at the new threat as Sahil reached for her club that was attached to her belt.
Kagain raised his shield against the blow, but was overpowered and down on his knees from the weight. The man had leverage against him, but he had allies that could help. The dwarf kept himself between his assailant and Kivan who used his new arrows to pierce through the man’s heavy armour. Sahil also flanked the man, but had little effect against the man’s defenses.
With each strike of the maul, the dwarf grimaced in pain but attempted to strike back himself, taking out the man’s knee with a quick strike. Bring him down to his level.
“Dwarf, duck!” Kivan shouted and fired an arrow towards the pair. Kagain obliged and hit the ground as an arrow pierced through the attacker’s throat. The man let out a gurgle and collapsed.
“Bloody Tin Can,” Kagain muttered as he attempted to get to his feet to stand, failing miserably in the process.
“Are you ok?” Sahil asked the dwarf who promptly plopped himself down on the floor, rubbing his shield arm’s shoulder.
“Nay!” The dwarf barked back. “I ain’t.”
“Here,” Sahil said. “Tossing the dwarf a healing salve. “Last one though.”
The dwarf nodded as he caught the jar and unscrewed the lid and began applying it to his ripped muscles on his shoulder. The magical salve eased his pain greatly and he was able to get back to his feet.
“We shouldn’t stay here,” Kivan said to the others watching the dwarf rise. “There maybe more coming and we need to find Tazok before he escapes justice.”
Sahil nodded, but also thought the dwarf wouldn’t be able to keep up in his condition.
“Kagain,” she started, “stay here and cover our retreat if needed. We’ll scout ahead and attempt to take as many of these robbers out as possible.”
The dwarf grinned and nodded again. He began eyeing the tent they were currently in, “maybe I can find a trinket or two or more healing salves among these crate.”
Sahil gave the dwarf a stern look. “Don’t worry about me lass. I will still have ye back.”
Kivan gave a sharp look to Sahil, “if you are coming, we are leaving now.”
Sahil nodded to the elf as the two dipped out of the tent and into the shadows of the bandit camp.
The pair of rangers left the dwarf in the tent to recuperate from his injuries as they scout the rest of the camp. The sun was beginning to set and the bandits were starting to light small fires to keep warm and cook what food they had.
Sahil and Kivan stayed close to the tent that they just exited and crept along the side closest to the treeline. If they were spotted early, the trees would provide ample coverage to retreat and retaliate.
Kivan brought his hand up to his mouth, to show he wanted quiet and then pointed towards a lone bandit, near the trees to the north of their position relieving himself. Sahil nodded as she watched the ranger creep close to his target and let loose two arrows, felling the unsuspecting man before he knew what hit him.
Kivan dipped back to his comrade. “One down,” he whispered.”
“Many more to go,” Sahil replied.
The elf laughed silently, giving Sahil a toothy grin. It was the first time she saw him smile, and she thanked Lurue for giving her the means of making the tortured man smile even briefly in his grief.
“That large tent,” he said pointing to the biggest one in the camp. “Is probably Tazok’s. We should check it out right away.”
“I disagree,” Sahil said. “Let’s clear around it first so we don’t get trapped within, if he calls for help. We’ll keep it in sight though to make sure he doesn’t leave.”
The elf nodded. He had waited this long to get his revenge, he can wait a bit longer so he can do it right. The two of them crept closer to large tent. There was two guards standing watch outside of it, and another patrolling the parameter. With a single arrow, Kivan was able to silence the patroller as soon as he left the sight of the other two.
The two companions began to sneak up on the two by the entrance of the tent. They were discussing their last raid together and the amount of iron they stole. Kivan pointed to the one on the right and Sahil nodded and headed towards her victim. Kivan took the one on the left.
“Behind you!” Kivan’s target shouted and got off an arrow that grazed Sahil’s shoulder. She grimaced in pain but was able to strike the other bandit from behind, while Kivan did the same to her assailant with his halberd.
Using her club to parry her attacker, she was able to bring him to the ground silently, while the metallic end of Kivan’s halberd rang out as it struck the bandit’s sword. Sahil moved quickly to flank the last guard, and brought him down with thunderous hit to the head.
No one came out of the tent to see what the commotion was about, nor did any other bandits come run to the area. They dragged the bodies behind some barrels and caught their breath before continuing.
Kivan crept along the edge of the tent, keeping behind some barrels that were stacked close to the cloth of the tent. He saw another bandit standing guard to the side of the tent, and brought him down with two well placed arrows. The bandit shouted as he fell to the ground however, and a couple others that were on patrol came to investigate the ruckus.
He scrambled back to Sahil, taking an arrow in the back in the process. He grunted, snapped the arrow off, leaving the head imbedded in his skin. Sahil, worried for her comrade, charged forward attacking the closest bandit before he could get another shot off. Once Sahil was in position to fight the first, Kivan swung around aimed his bow and began lobbying arrows towards the second.
Sahil moved fast, overwhelming the patrolling bandit before he could draw his sword. Kivan however wasn’t faring as well as he took another arrow from his attacker. Sahil charged the bandit, hoping to flank him and give Kivan some support, but the bandit fell to one of the elf’s arrows before she got there.
Sahil rushed to the elf’s side as soon as the last defender fell.
“Are you ok?” she said worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Kivan said, grimacing in pain.
“We should get Kagain to help,” Sahil said. “There are too many of them patrolling to keep this up.”
The elf nodded.
“Here,” Sahil said handing the ranger a small purple potion. “Drink it, it should help with the pain.”
“I thought we were out of healing?” the ranger asked.
“Just the salves,” she replied. “This is suppose to combat poison and cure it effects, but it should work on stinging arrow pain as well.”
The elf nodded and drank the liquid, grimacing at the taste.
“Now let’s hope no one gets poisoned,” she said.
“Let’s get the dwarf,” Kivan said and crept back to the tent.
Comments
Sahil quickly crossed the bridge out of town, peering over her shoulder making sure she was not being followed. She smiled at the emptiness behind her, and turned her gave ahead to the foot hills that separated Amn and the Sword Coast.
She thought quickly of the friends she was leaving behind and frowned. She already misses them, but it was safer if they stayed behind. She needed to find out why she needed to leave her home. She needed to find out why she was being hunted and she needed to do it alone until she knew she wasn’t going to be putting anyone else in danger.
“Where are you going,” a familiar voice rang out sleepily above her. She turned and looked up seeing Hailix attempting to quickly catch up to her, beating his tiny wings frantically.
“Back to Beregost,” Sahil said, then added rather coldly: “alone.”
“Why?” the creature asked still beating his wings as Sahil began walking again.
“The only lead I have to figure out what is going on in the region is there,” Sahil replied.
“But why alone?”
Sahil stopped and turned, letting the little dragon catch up to her finally, he was panting heavily as he finally reached the edge of her shield, and perched himself there.
“Because that is how Gorion and I left Candlekeep alone,” Sahil replied. “Immy shouldn’t even be here. Neera is also being hunted, but hopefully that elven mage we saved can protect her from her assailants. I don’t think I can.”
“So you didn’t even say goodbye?” the creature asked as she started walking again, into the shadows of the foothills away from the lights of the small mining community. Away from her friends, and false safety.
“They wouldn’t understand,” she replied. “It’s safer for them this way.”
“But what about me?” the creature asked.
“I actually thought you were in my pack,” Sahil said smiling, patting the creature on the head. It nuzzled its skull into the palm.
A well dressed man traveling alone, approached the two of them on the road. Sahil immediately went on her guard and Hailix took to the growling.
“Well, don’t you just add to the local colour,” the man said with a chuckle. “Quite the smashing bit of dress you wear there. I’ll have to look into such sundries when I next attend one of Lord Ribald’s full dress costume affairs. I’d be the talk of Neverwinter I would.”
Sahil lowered her guard, another pomp-ass noble. She was use to them visiting Candlekeep. They were harmless, yet naïve traveling the roads, unarmed and alone.
“Am I to understand that you are from that far away city?” she asked, making polite conversation.
“Oh, I actually hail from Waterdeep,” the man replied. “The great City of Splendors has much more in the manner of social luxuries suited towards my particular tastes. I do, however, make a point of keeping in touch with Neverwinter, though I have only visited there once previously. It was quite popular those nights, if I recall correctly. I’m going to make a second in the coming year, and I’ll be a wager it’ll be as popular again.”
“Sounds, fascinating,” Sahil replied, almost sarcastically. “Safe travels to you.”
The noble bowed slightly, and started down the road again as Sahil and Hailix headed up it.
“The roads must be safe tonight, if a noble such as he can walk down it alone and unmolested,” Sahil said to her companion.
The creature nodded and fluttered up ahead. Sahil breathed in the fresh air around her. Tall oak trees began to surround her as she walked further away from civilization and into the wilderness. She kept to the road, however, not wanting to attract any wild creatures that may be lurking in the wood. It was a beautiful night and she seemed to making good time on the road.
Grunting, and a strange language could be heard ahead. Hailix, flew quickly back to report.
“Hobgoblins, a band of them,” he said, in a scared tone. “They’re hovering around some dead humans off the path.”
“How many?” Sahil asked.
“A family, a young child and its parents it seemed,” the dragon replied. “They are rifling through their belongings.
Sahil now knew how the noble early got by unmolested. It was just good timing on his part, this family however seemed to be the victim of these hobgoblin bandits. It angered her.
“I am going to deal with them so they don’t harm another,” she said to her familiar.
“But there are too many of them,” the dragon replied.
“Lurue will protect me,” she replied. “Justice must be served.” She bent her head down and gripped her club tighter in her hand. A faint aura enveloped her body as she reopened her eyes and headed towards the hobgoblins surrounding the family on the road.
They heard her approach, and turned towards her, grins on there faces as they drew their swords. The lead, in broken common shouted “Spare no one!”
Hailix gulped down his fear, and blurred his image like he did when helping fight against Mulahey. Sahil, knew she needed all the help she could get as she was out number and the little dragon could at least distract some of the hobgoblins away from her.
The first two charged straight at Sahil with bastard swords and shields raised high. The first one took a wild swing at Sahil which she could easily block with her shield, but it threw her off balance, opening up her defensive for the second one to take advantage of. This one aimed more carefully, as if the wild attack was planned to lower her guard, and struck her on the head, glancing off her helmet and into her shield shoulder.
The blade should have cut deeper, and the hobgoblin was surprised it didn’t. The look of shock was erased from his face as Sahil brought her club towards it and knocked him out with a single blow.
Hailix clawed at the other one who slowly retreated backwards away from the cleric and her dragon as two more rushed into the battle. Sahil chased the retreating hobgoblin, while Hailix flew straight towards one of the rushing hobgoblins, flapping his wings in his face and attempting to get it to chase him away from his friend.
Arrows began to fly in Sahil’s direction. She realized the Hobgoblin wasn’t retreating but attempting to bring her into range of the archers waiting by a camp fire set below the cliffs. The monster grinned, showing black and yellow teeth as an arrow struck Sahil in arm. He swung his sword down upon the cleric who pushed the attack away with her shield, pushing the hobgoblin to the ground.
She sprinted towards the closest archer, deflecting two more arrows with her shield, while a third one went wide. The archer let out a shocked grunt and dropped his bow and unsheathed his sword to parry Sahil’s swing.
The first hobgoblin was helped up by another and the two flanked Sahil as she took on the archer. Another hobgoblin archer continued to fire arrows at her while Hailix kept the last hobgoblin busy attempting to scratch and claw its face.
Hailix’s hobgoblin flailed back at the small creature, knocking each of it’s blurred illusionary images away as the creature kept it distracted while Sahil stared down four of the bandits. Taking a defensive stance, she waited for one of the creatures to attack before countering and always kept her guard up.
The fire helped, the blades caught it’s light allowing the cleric to see when and where the blades were going to strike, and she moved her shield to deflect those incoming blows. She eventually fell the archer she first engaged. It was a cracking blow to the back that dropped him. He thrusted too far, fell off guard opening up the opportunity to finish him off.
The other two hobgoblins were in shock. Two of their comrades had fell to this lone young human. One panicked and retreated quickly from the battle. Sahil smiled, the battle was falling in her favour, until there was a sharp pain in her side, then one in her back.
She forgot about the other archer, who had been holding back his shots since his comrades were in the way, now that one was dead, and one fled, he had an opening to put her down. The other hobgoblin laughed as he realized Sahil was in pain and brought his sword down towards her. Sahil stepped back, but still caught the blade in her leg. She held back a painful scream. Instead, she put all her weight on the other leg and thrusted forward, knocking the laughing hobgoblin to the ground, and turning in time to deflect another arrow with her shield.
She briskly took a few steps forward towards the other archer. On seeing her approach, he dropped his bow and drew his sword. A yelp came from behind her. The hobgoblin engaged with the fairy dragon was getting the upper hand and the little creature was bleeding. Hailix eyed, Sahil and made a quick flight towards her.
“I tried,” he said as he climbed into her pack, with the hobgoblin in pursuit.
“It’s ok,” Sahil muttered, not lowering her guard as she was now surrounded by three hobgoblins, the fourth, realizing the battle had turned back into their favour, regained his courage and was rejoining the others.
Sahil kept her back to the Cliffside to prevent herself from being flanked again, however, she couldn’t flee either. Compromising with the band seemed out of the question as she fell two of their comrades already and they seemed angry about it.
The archer lashed out with his sword, wildly. Instead of going for the easy block, she ducked keeping her guard up and was able to deflect the next hobgoblin’s attack with her shield. Off balance from the wild swing, Sahil was able to bring her club up into the chin of the archer. Its head snapped back violently from the blow.
Another hobgoblin thrusted his sword in her direction that she was able to deflect away with her club. Staggering forward, the hobgoblin left himself open for another attack that Sahil took full advantage of, bringing her club across it’s back, dropping it to the ground.
The archer dazed from his blow, just sat himself down upon the ground. Sahil gave him a quick kick to the head, knocking him out.
The last two hobgoblins looked at each other and sneered. They took two quick steps back, and fled away from the campsite into the night. The battle was over and Sahil was exhausted and bleeding. She sat down upon the ground next to the two dead hobgoblins and checked her wounds.
She removed her pack and whispered into it, “it’s safe now Hailix, you can come out.”
The small creature limped out of the pack. A small gash was across his face and a larger one his side.
“Hailix, you’re hurt, let me take a look,” she said. The small creature whimpered and crawled onto her lap.
“I tried,” he said to her. “I guess I am not that good at fighting smelly humanoids.”
Sahil smiled and began petting the creature. It nuzzled up to her, as a faint glow encompassed her hand, his wounds slowly closing with each passing pet.
“You did well,” she replied. “I wouldn’t have survived without you.”
“Or Lurue,” he added.
Sahil smiled at the thought. It wasn’t the full protection she was hoping for, the arrow wounds in her shoulder and back reminded her of that, but the small scratch on her shoulder did prove Lurue helped her win this battle.
She removed a salve from her pack, and applied it to herself. The wounds quickly healed over and she got to her feet. The fairy dragon flew happily beside her as she looked around. The last two hobgoblins were gone. They fled quickly to safety, or to grab more friends. Sahil wasn’t going to wait around for their return.
She crept back to where the dead humans laid. She knelt down beside them. They were severely beaten, the male and female almost unrecognizable. They were stripped of their possessions except a necklace that the little boy held in his hands. The hobgoblins must have missed it as the mother attempted to shield the boy from the blows, albeit unsuccessfully. Sahil removed the amulet from the tiny hand and looked at it. It was bloodstone, and on the reverse, a small engraved name: “Colquetle.”
She pocketed the necklace, not knowing what else to do with it, and laid out the bodies beside each other. She gathered fallen foliage and covered their bodies and said a small prayer to Lurue on their behalf.
“There is nothing more we can do Hailix,” she said to the dragon. “Come, Beregost can’t be much further.”
The sun was beginning to rise as Sahil and Hailix made their way into the small village of Beregost. The tavern of the two storied inn, The Jovial Juggler, seemed to be bristling with life even at this early in the day. Sahil thought of her guardians, Jaheria and Khalid, whom she left at the inn before departing to Nashkel and wondered if they were still at the establishment.
Guardians. Would things have been different with the assassin if they were there to protect her? Should the party have waited for Jaheria to heal her wounds before departing for the mining village? It could have been worse she thought. If she stayed in one place, there was more of a chance one of these assassins would be able to take her by surprise. The last one probably heard word Sahil and her companions were in the mining village sticking out like a half orc in a halfing bar. She thought she shouldn’t linger long in Beregost, but at least dropping in on Jaheria and seeing how she was doing would be proper and leave word with them if Imoen and Neera came looking for her.
She walked up to the large wooden building and pushed open the door. As she expected, the place was bristling with life with mercenaries and commoners alike deep in drink. She wondered if they have been here all night, drinking in stupor, not realizing the sun had already risen.
A few Flaming Fist were standing guard at the door, and one approached when Sahil entered the tavern.
“Ah, Sahil, I thought it might be you,” she said to cleric.
Sahil immediately raised her guard, thinking that the officer was another assassin in costume. She eyed her and the other Flaming Fists cautiously.
“These southern parts are set quite afire with talk of your work in Nashkel,” the officer continued. “I am Officer Via with the Flaming Fist and, to be honest, I could use your help.”
Sahil lowered her guard, trusting the officer to her word. She knew the Flaming Fist were the law in the region, a band of mercenaries founded by one of the Duke’s of Baldur’s Gate. Some of their methods and members were questionable, especially outside the city, but nothing to get in a confrontation over. She decided to hear Via out.
“I am honored to be found worthy of your notice, officer,” Sahil replied. “How may I be of assistance?”
Via, motioned her to an empty table and the two of them sat down, while another Flaming Fist hovered nearby. Officer Via reached for a jug of water and two cups and offered to pour one for Sahil in silent gestures. Sahil waved her hand in refusal as Via poured a cup for herself.
“My contingent and I are cut off from Baldur’s Gate,” Via started and took a sip from the cup before continuing. “We haven’t received new orders for close to a week and, to be honest, I don’t like the feel of this at all.”
Sahil nodded while she listened to the officer. The bandit situation must be getting worse, she feared if correspondents from the city wasn’t reaching the outskirts in a timely manner. She let Via continue and kept her concerns to herself however.
“The bandit raids have been getting worse,” the officer continued. “I used to think that they were just your usual brigands out to make a quick buck in troubled times, but not anymore. They are working for someone.”
She took another sip from the earthen cup and placed it down on the table, then looked Sahil straight in the eyes.
“One way or another, I’ve got to get my troops back to the gate,” Via continued. “I’ll pay fifty gold pieces for every bandit scalp you can bring me, ad spread the news. I want this whole region cleared before winter comes.”
Sahil was taken aback. This was the type of behavior from the mercenary band that made her cringe. There was no way for Officer Via to know, whose scalp she was holding, and fifty gold was a large sum for any adventure, let alone peasant. It wouldn’t be long before the local populace would be turning on each other to benefit from Via’s officer. Sahil knew she needed to get the roads to the gate reopened quickly before word did actually get out.
However, for now, she just nodded her head at the officer and said, “I’ll see what I can do,” then excused herself from the table. She came in not looking for money, but for old friends. Hopefully, they were still in the room that was rented out on their behalf and hadn’t moved on.
She headed up the stairwell to the rooms on the top floor. She could hear the bickering couple in the hallway. Jaheria sounded much better as she raised her voice over Khalid’s in attempt to escape from the room that held her. It sounded like Khalid wanted her to stay and rest more. Sahil knocked.
“Now who could that be,” she heard Jaheria angrily say through the door.
“I-I”ll get it,” Khalid stuttered as he opened the door to see Sahil standing in front of him. “Sahil!”
“Gorion’s ward?” Jaheria questioned.
“Yes,” Khalid responded, “C-come in m-my dear, have a seat.”
Jaheria was resting in bed, being propped up by overstuffed pillows and covered by a down filled blanket. The bed looked very cozy, however, Jaheria, was fidgeting and fumbling, not looking comfortable at all. She must not have been used to such luxuries. Sahil took a seat in another overstuffed chair which rested by the bed. It was comfortable, and relaxed her. Her tensed muscles welcomed the change, if only for a brief period of time.
“Tell me child,” Jaheria started. “What news do you bring from Nashkel?”
“You must have already heard,” Sahil started. “A Flaming Fist officer stopped me as I entered, praising our results.”
“Yes, news traveled here quickly, but only vaguely,” Jaheria responded. “What was causing the iron plague?”
“A servant of Cyric,” Sahil responded. “With a following of kobold’s. He however, wasn’t the mastermind. He had letters on his person from someone staying at Feldepost’s. It is why I returned here.”
“W-where are your companions?” Khalid asked, and Sahil lowered her head and sat in silence for a brief second.
“Garrick d-died” she said mournfully.
“So the fool got himself killed,” Jaheria mused ignorantly. She thought of the bard much like Sahil did, untrustworthy, a fool, but didn’t see how he saved Sahil’s life. She gave the druid a cold stare.
“Another assassin came after me,” she said. “He was killed by him after he helped us clear the mines of Kobold’s. I would be dead if not for him.”
Jaheria gave Sahil a look of regretful look. Her words must have sounded harsh.
“I left Imoen and Neera in Nashkel to prevent them from coming to the same fate,” Sahil finished.
“Well you shouldn’t do this alone,” Jaheria said, attempting to get up. Khalid, recognizing her wife’s restlessness went to the side of her bed, and held her shoulder down.
“Y-you are not r-ready to move yet dear,” he said to his wife.
“Well we can’t just wait around here, while Gorion’s ward is in danger,” she replied.
“I will be fine if I keep moving,” Sahil said. “We spent a lot of time in Nashkel, I was bound to be spotted in the small town.”
“M-maybe you can get some help from another source,” Khalid said, settling his wife. “Th-there was an elf who came b-by recently. Said he was hunting the bandits after h-his wife was killed.”
“Team her up with a deranged vigilante?” Jaheria mused.
“I don’t t-think he was d-d-deranged,” Khalid stuttered. “He has a purpose.”
Sahil nodded. Getting help would be ideal, and from someone who is already accustomed to the dangers of adventuring would be best. “Where was this elf?”
“H-he headed east, towards the m-mage tower, High Hedge,” Khalid answered. “He may still be in the region.”
“Thank you both for the advice,” Sahil said, standing up from the chair. “I will seek him out. Get some rest Jaheria, I should be fine.”
Khalid smiled and showed Gorion’s ward to the door. She smiled back and left the room, closing the door behind her, waiting for the bickering to restart. They loved and cared for each other, she knew that, but the constant fighting would drive her nuts if she stayed with them. She fulfilled her promise to them to investigate the mines, and told them about leaving Imoen and Neera behind if they came looking for her.
She now had a job to do. The letters mentioned a man by the name of Tranzig, staying at Feldpost’s Inn. If word has reached the local populace of the situation changing in Nashkel, it would have changed this man as well. She needed to get to him before he left town to find out what he knows of the bandits, and maybe of her assassins.
She left the Jovial Juggler and headed east towards Feldpost’s, keeping her eyes upon all that she past, leery of another attempt at her life. Then she saw it. A marbled plaque beside a door across from the inn reading “Colquetle.”
She reached into her pocket and felt the cold bloodstone amulet she removed from the grasp of the dead boy. This house was their home. This is where they were going or coming from before being cut down by hobgoblin brigands. She thought of the how worried those inside the house might be about the boy and his parents, that she slowly walked up to the door and knocked lightly, not knowing what she was going to say.
A man servant opened the door rather hastily. “Who?” he started to question before glancing at Sahil.
“Oh, forgive my deposition,” he continued. “but we were expecting some overdue friends. Mr. Colquetle will be most disappointed. Please do not bother him.”
“Are these over due friends a young family?” Sahil asked sorrowfully, removing the amulet from her pocket.
Another man, well dressed, entered the entrance way and began addressing Sahil, as she seemed to be not leaving as fast as he wanted her to.
“Please, no visitors today,” he said rather annoyed with a hint of anger. “I am quite unwell with the grief of my missing son. I told the fool not to travel in such times, especially with wife and child in tow but he would not listen.”
The man’s eyes started gazing down, and a small look of surprise crossed his face as he continued.
“Now I have no idea where he… wait. Where did you… WHERE DID YOU GET THAT AMULET!”
The anger erupted as he said those last words and Sahil now thought she made a terrible mistake. She chose her net words carefully.
“It was certainly a piteous sight,” she started. “A young family cut down in a cowardly raid. This was among their belongings.”
The man calmed down, and started to tear.
“It is…” he started, then quickly changed the tense. “It was my son’s. Please might I have it?”
“Of course sir,” Sahil said handing over the amulet to the now crying man. “It is regretful that I could not have arrived sooner and prevented their deaths.”
“I thank you,” he said. “Funny isn’t it? How a simple piece of cut glass takes on so much more worth?”
He held it in his hand, starting at it, memorized.
“Please, leave me,” he finished and retreated into the house.
Sahil sighed. She gave the man closure and slowly walked over to Feldpost’s Inn.
The bar was packed with locals. It was a finer establishment than the Jovial, but Sahil couldn’t tell the difference from the clientele between the two establishments. She also wondered how tough times were if everyone was staying inside, keeping to their cups instead of the crops.
Feldpost’s was a fine establishment. It was definitely for the upper class with its silk red table cloths, marble pillars and exotic plant life. The place was also well lit, with a higher ceiling and large bannister staircase leading to the luxury rooms upstairs.
The place still stank with stale ale and dry wine which perturbed Sahil’s senses. Winthrop’s at Candlekeep always smelt like fine parchment, but that might have been because books were more on tap there then fine spirits.
As she entered, there was a quite hush that filled the room, followed by a loud boisterous roar of “‘Ere now, get out! I don’t like your type in here!”
“Heh! You tell em Marl,” another patron hollered drunkenly after the threat.
Sahil wasn’t looking to confront the locals. She was here for one man, and thought it’d best to find him as soon as possible and leave before the two rowdy men consumed more liquid courage.
She went to the Inn Keeper to ask about Tranzig. The pudgy man eyed her as she approached and then in a hushed warning tone said, “Keep a low profile please, tempers are short for strangers right now, so what do you want?”
“I am looking for another stranger, Tranzig,” She replied. “He was suppose to be staying here.
“Aye,” the inn keeper said. “He’s in the noble suite, upstairs.”
“Thanks,” Sahil said and headed to the stairs to the rented rooms. She ascended the stairs, listening to a man frantically packing belongings, knocking over things and cursing Cyric for his predicament. Sahil approached the room, the door was open and saw a man dressed in green robes hastily packing a bag. She approached him cautiously. Hailix flapped his way out of her sack and flew about the room waiting for trouble.
The man saw Sahil enter the room and stared her down.
“Why do ya bother me?” he asked. “Can’t ya see I am in a hurry to get outta this damn town?”
“Perhaps you can tell me why you are in a hurry to get out of this place,” Sahil said causally.
“I’m not gonna tell youse guys anything,” the man snapped. “Now get outta my face!”
“You won’t get rid of me that easily,” Sahil said drawing her club. “I know you’re up to no good. Now tell me everything you know.”
“Ya know what I am up to eh?” the man scoffed. “Well, maybe somethin’ you don’t know about is my magical skills. Ya might not believe me, but if you don’t get outta my face in the next five seconds I am going to blast you to kingdom come!”
Sahil thought he was bluffing. He seemed uneducated to be a mage. Most of the ones she has come across have been well spoken and intellect. The only exception was Neera, whose magic was unstable to begin with. She thought the courier could only think of magic as a dangerous thing that might get her to back off.
“You?!” Sahil said sarcastically. “Wielding magic?! I can’t suspend my disbelief that much. Come along now and surrender, or I’ll have to hurt you.”
The man grimaced. “I warned ya! Now you pay the price!”
He started chanting. Sahil quickly realized her folly and went into attack while Hailix swooped in from behind clawing at the man’s hand preventing him from getting his spell off.
Tranzig cursed and turned his attention to the creature. “You little,” he muttered.
Sahil saw her opening and brought her club down upon the man’s back. He growled, took a step back and began to cast another spell.
Hailix, dove again, this time this time clawing at the man’s face disrupting his concentration again.
“Blasted thing!” he cursed as he regained his composure in time to fire off a magic missile spell towards the dragon. The magic fizzled as it struck the creature, Lurue protecting her servant from his magic. The fairy dragon clawed at him again as Sahil swung just over his head.
The man attempted another spell and this time it got through the dragon’s protection. Three energy bolts pounded into the dragon sending it spiralling to the ground. An intense pain washed over Sahil as the creature hit the ground. It felt like she lost a piece of herself, a piece of her soul, and in it’s place was pain and suffering.
Tranzig laughed. “Got it,” he boasted and turned towards Sahil.
The pain inside of Sahil quickly turned to anger and rage. She screamed and lunged fully towards the man who was caught by surprise and knocked him to the ground with her shield. She raised her club up high and bashed it down towards the man’s face. He raised his hand to shield the next blow, snapping the wrist. As she raised to strike him again he cried out.
“I give up! Please let me live!” he whimpered. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know.”
Sahil grabbed his broken wrist and twisted. He screamed in pain as she looked him in the eyes.
“Spill your guts then!” she yelled in his face. “And if what you say satisfies me, I’ll let you live.”
“Okay, Okay, I’ll talk,” Tranzig said regaining his breath to do so. “I’m a messenger fer a man named Tazok. I just ferry messages between him and a fat priest Mulahey. I meet with Tazok at either Peldvale or Larswood, east of the Friendly Arm Inn. Tazok pays me good, so I keep my yap shut. Can I go now?”
Sahil eyed the man. She wanted to murder him, a voice deep down inside her was telling her to do so, edging her to take his life in cold blood. It scared her.
“Where can I find this Tazok now?” she asked, calming her nerves and attempting to quiet the voice.
“Tazok?” he started as if he had to think of a suitable answer. “You can find him in the Wood of Sharp Teeth. He’s the captain of two groups of bandits. Their camp is always movin’, so I don’t know how much luck you’ll have in findin’ them. Can I go now?”
Sahil released the man’s arm, and voice inside her screamed out “foolish” to her and then all her rage dissipated.
“Ya, get out of my sight,” she said meekly as she crumpled to the ground. Tranzig got to his feet and bolted out the door, clutching his arm and not looking back. She was in immense pain. Her body throbbed and she slowly remembered why.
She turned around and saw Hailix crumpled on the ground. She crawled over to the tiny dragon and placed a hand on his body. His breathing was extremely shallow and he wasn’t moving.
“Hailix?” she whispered as she placed her hand on the creature. She picked up the beast and it was limp in her hands. “Not you too, please.”
She began to weep and removed a blanket from her sack and wrapped the creature in a blanket and placed it gently in her bag. He wasn’t dead yet, but he needed help fast.
She left the room, each step a painful experience and descended down the stairs. The bar was still packed and there was no sign of Tranzig. He truly fled.
A burly man approached her as she reached the base of the stairs. The look on his face was anger and he was clenching his fists tight.
“Hey!” he started, and voice rang familiar. It was the same man who yelled at her when she first entered the establishment. His liquid courage finally struck when she was doubling over in pain.
“I told you to get lost!” he continued. “Ain’t no room for troublemakin’ strangers!”
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I don’t want any trouble. I’ll just be on my way.” She pushed past the man and headed for the door.
He started ranting behind her.
“That’s the way! Get on back to whatever hole ye crawled out of! This here tavern’s for decent, hard-working folk. Why don’t ye get a trade or something, instead of wandering around annoying what should be left alone!”
If he had anything else to say, Sahil didn’t hear.
As Sahil stumbled out of the tavern, the sun was beginning to set under the temple of Lothander to the west. From here she could hear the end of day prayers being sung in the temple. The voices of the sirens and priest rising over the town in sorrowful, but hope filled song.
She wondered where the day went. How long was she actually slumped on the floor in Tranzig’s rented room, cradling the small dragon in her arms, trying to make him wake? How long did it take herself to get off the floor and head down the stairs? Each step a painful reminder that she was alive, if barely.
She needed to get away from it. She needed to find help, for herself and for Hailix who was now wrapped in a blanket in her pack. She headed east towards Highhedge in search of the elf that Khalid had mentioned.
The forest around the mage’s tower was dark unpleasant even during the day, she was fearful of how the forest would come alive at night. There was talk at the inn and halls of Candlekeep, which lied just north of the forest, about undead stalking prey throughout the trees. One of the many wards the mage at Highhedge has to protect himself from unwanted visitors. Sahil hoped to find the elf before a band of walking skeletons.
Still in pain, she limped through the forest, searching for life; listening for it. She couldn’t hear a thing. It was getting cold and for the first time since Gorion died, she was alone. The thought scared her and she was rethinking her decision to leave her companions back in Nashkel.
And that is when she saw it. A small camp fire lit under a large oak tree. The orange light dancing off the bark of the tree, beckoning her towards it. She crept towards the light, silently, hoping it was the elf she was in search of and not a gang of hobgoblins camped in the woods looking for easy prey like the young Colquetle family. She didn’t know if she would be able to fight off anything with the way she was feeling.
She got closer and saw a slender figure, sitting by the fire dressed in a green hooded cloak and leather armour. The hood was pulled over his face, hiding it from view. He was staring straight at the fire, playing with a polished wooden ring on his finger when Sahil first got a good look at him.
“What takes you this far out from civilization?” the elf asks in a course voice without looking up.
“I am tracking the bandit activity in the region,” Sahil replied.
“A strange coincidence,” he replied, motioning her to sit down by the fire. “I have a quest similar to your own. I have been hunting the bandits in the region for the past few months. What do you know of them?
Sahil took a seat by the fire. Its glow began to warm her chilled body as she looked at the elf. She finally saw his eyes and they were full of sorrow.
“We can work together, but only if you tell me why you’ve been spent months hunting the bandits,” she questioned.
“Their leader, an ogre named Tazok, took the life of someone very dear to me,” he replied.
Vengeance. Justice. Anger. They all drove this elf to a clear goal. He was ready to die trying to meet it, and maybe with her help, he can survive the ordeal.
“I understand,” Sahil said.
“Do you?” the elf snapped staring straight at her, confronting her words of comfort with hostility.
“I do,” she replied. “I lost my foster father to a bandits being led by a tall armoured figure. He could have been an ogre, I don’t know.”
The elf hmmed. “I doubt it was Tazok, he wouldn’t kill a person outright. He would torture them for his own amusement.”
Sahil nodded. The elf had truly been through more with this Tazok than she has. She only heard the name recently and the armoured figure could have been anyone.
“I am still sorry for your loss,” he replied staring back at the fire.”
“I heard that name recently, Tazok,” Sahil said. “He is leading the two bandit groups in this region.”
“That I know,” the elf said. “It is why I am here.”
“I also know where their main camp is,” she continued.
His head shot up again, staring directly at her. She saw the look before, on Minsc. When his only objective was to find his witch. This elf was ready to sprint at the first moment towards his likely doom.
“But I need help with someone first,” Sahil said, reaching carefully into her pack and removing the bundle of blankets. “Or something”
She unwrapped the blankets to show the elf Hailix, breathing shallowly, eyes closed and limp. The elf leaned back and stared at Sahil, who now had a look of sorrow in her eyes.
“Where did you find the fey,” he asked.
“He found me,” Sahil said, petting its head. “When I was at my most darkest.”
“He bonded with you,” the elf said. “These creatures are common in Shilmista. He is beyond any temple help. You will need to find another fey, like a dryad to help him but the bandit situation is more pressing. Sacrifice must be made by all to end it.”
Sahil nodded, and bundled the creature up again and began to tear.
“I know,” she said. “I know a druid. She maybe able to help and is staying in Beregost with her husband.”
The elf nodded. “We can detour through the town tomorrow then, to see if your friend can help. There is also a mercenary guild there where we might be able to hire others to assist us. For now get some rest here, I can stay on watch. You look like you need it.”
Sahil nodded to the elf. “I’m Sahil by the way.”
“Kivan,” he replied and she laid her head down thinking where the day went and where she is headed tomorrow.
Chapter 32 – Kaigan
Sahil woke up the next morning refreshed. She doesn’t know if it was the clean forest air around her or the work of Lurue’s protection, but she said a small thank you to her goddess as she opened her eyes.
The fire that beckoned her to the spot the night before had been put out, and just a small trace of smoke rose from its pit. Kivan’s sleeping roll was also packed up and placed against a tree. The elf was no where to be seen however.
She packed her things as well, checking on the fairy dragon in the process and praying to Lurue once again for his well being. She doesn’t know where she would be if it wasn’t for his timely intervention the night her and Gorion were ambushed. Perhaps the armoured figure was Tazok. If so, maybe all this will come to an end when they confront him.
“Let’s go,” Kivan said from behind her, rather harshly and hastily. She spun around seeing the elf approach holding a bow in his hands.
“Where were you?” she asked.
“Killing gnolls,” he replied. “They is a group of them part of The Chill. One of the bandit groups our friend Tazok is leading.”
Sahil got to her feet and grabbed her bag. “I should tell you something else, before we depart.”
“What?” the elf asked.
“I am being hunted by bounty hunters,” she said. “I don’t know why, but they are not the lawful type or hired by the Flaming Fist.”
“Hmm,” was all that Kivan replied.
“Just thought I’d warn you in case we run into some,” she continued.
“We’ll deal with it, if it passes,” he replied. “Lets head to Beregost to see to your friend then.”
Sahil nodded and took the lead back towards civilization.
“My friends,” she said to the elf as they walked back into the bustle of the town, Kivan becoming more uncomfortable with each step, “is staying at the Jovial Juggler.”
The elf just hmmed again as a response.
“It should be quick,” she continued. “She knows how much Hailix means to me.”
The pair entered the Jovial Juggler. The regular crowd was still deep in their cups. Officer Via gave Sahil a slight nod and Sahil smiled back. A gruff looking Halfling walked up to the Kivan and gave him a menacing look.
“Well?” the halfling questioned as Kivan produced from his belt an ordinary looking short sword and handed it to the man without saying a word or even smiling.
“Hmph,” the halfling shrugged. “Figured maybe he’d eaten by now. I hope you ran him through once or twice to get it, at least. Now take your gold and begone.”
The short man handed Kivan a small sac as Sahil gave the elf a quizative look. The elf said nothing, only followed Sahil up the stairs to the private rooms, where once again, through the doors she could hear the couple bickering.
She knocked once and then opened the door. Kivan kept to the shadows behind her as the two of them looked over at their ward and smiled. The smiles disappeared as they noticed the look of worry on her face.
“Jaheria,” she started. “You must help me.”
Sahil began opening her sack and took out Hailix who was still wrapped in the blankets.
“It’s Hailix,” Sahil continued. “He was hurt by the messenger I went to confront.”
“Lemme see him child,” Jaheria said to her. “Foolish, going after him alone, I told you.”
“Is he hurt bad?” Khalid asked.
Jaheria took the creature from Sahil and unwrapped the blankets. His breathing was still shallow and he did not move.
“This is beyond my skill,” Jaheria said mournfully as Sahil sat down on the chair and wept. “But I do know of a dryad along the coast whom maybe able to help.”
Jaheria got herself out of bed. “We can take him there together if you wish.”
Kivan stepped out of the shadows at the moment, “I must protest. The bandits in this area should be everyone’s main concern. More innocence will die if they aren’t stopped soon.”
“A-and you are un-unf-f-fit for travel, my dear,” Khalid protested.
“Nonsense,” Jaheria snapped. “Both of you!”
Khalid took a step back from his wife as Kivan took a step forward to protest again. Sahil stood up and got between the elf and the druid.
“Enough!” Sahil said. “We, Kivan and I, can go after the bandits before they move their camp again. I am asking you, pleading with you, to help Hailix for me Jaheria.”
“Khalid and I can get him to the dryad,” Jaheria said. Khalid looked stunned but followed his wife’s orders. “We will see he gets the help he needs.”
“Thank you,” Sahil said grabbing her bag.
“We came here for help,” Kivan said. “The two of us can’t take on the bandits alone.”
“You mentioned a Mercenary Guild?” Sahil asked.
“Aye,” Kivan said.
“Then we will get help there,” she answered. “Thank you again Jaheria, may we cross paths again soon.
Sahil and Kivan left the room closing the door behind them. The bickering restarted as soon as the door went click.
“Those two would’ve been a distraction anyway,” Sahil said to reinsure the elf who just nodded as they descended down the stairs and out the door of the tavern. “Where is this Guild?”
“North of Feldpost’s” the elf answered and the two strode up the street to the worn down building. It was in ill repair, it’s sign board hanging by one hinge and grime covered the windows.
“Doesn’t look inviting,” Sahil said but Kivan walked up to the door and swung it open, nearly taking it off the hinges. Sahil quickly followed.
The place was empty. Dusty shelves, cracked from weight that was no longer there lined the creaking and rotting floor boards. Barrels were spit and spilling their contents into small piles, with footprints embedded into them. A lone dwarf stood behind the counter, barely looking up when the duo entered the place.
He was dressed in a highly polished splint mail, with gaudy gold trim. His grubby fingers had large gold rings on each that matched the trim. His helmet was also well polished, but that is where the vanity appearance stopped. His beard and hair were unkempt and his hands were filthy. He finally grinned at the pair as the two approached the counter showing a gold tooth, and others almost as yellow.
“Greetings,” the dwarf said. “I’m Kagain. What can I do for you?”
“Is this,” Sahil slightly paused. “A mercenary guild?”
“Aye,” Kagain said. “I run an escort business. I hire mercenaries to escort caravans on route from Amn to Baldur’s Gate. Right now I am looking for some strong sword arms, and I am willing to pay high. It seems one of the caravans under my protection never arrived at Baldur’s Gate, and I need to know what happened.”
“Well we have information on the bandits,” Sahil said.
“That’s good,” the dwarf said. “I’ve had a lot of problems with the bandit activity lately, but they’ve always only taken the cargo and let the caravan go afterward. I’ve been catching a lot of flak from the family of some of the passengers of this caravan, after all it was the job of my mercenaries to make sure everyone got safely to Baldur’s Gate.
“Normally I wouldn’t give one damn about some stupid whiner, but one of the passengers was he son of Entar Silvershield, and in this part of the world, his word is law. So you think you can help out?”
“If they found out who he is, he may be being held at their main camp,” Sahil said. “I know where that is. Help us raid it, he, or information about him would be sure to turn up.”
“Well I am glad you got some sense in your head,” Kagain said. “I got an underling who can take care of business here while I’m gone, so let’s get a move on.”
The dwarf finished by eyeing both of them up and down, and then added. “First, lets get you some better gear if we’re taking on an entire camp.”
The dwarf waddled past them out into the street and Sahil and Kivan followed him closely. Kagain looked over his shoulder, and as if he was almost out of breath already started spouting.
“Imma gonna take you to see Thunderhammer,” Kagain said. “You’re both ill equipped in those leathers to handle even a scouting party of bandits. The expense will be on me, but I’ll take it out of any spoils we get from the camp.”
“Wouldn’t most of the items at the camp be stolen property from your caravans that you were suppose keep
“Ahhh,” the dwarf paused. “Perhaps. Most shipping crates, if they are still intact, I” and he emphasized the I, “will be able to distinguish whom they belong too. Anything out in the open though, will just lead to feuds unless the steal or gold itself is marked, and that is rarely done.”
“I see,” Sahil said.
“I know my business,” the dwarf continued. “If we haul it all back and say who does this belong to, you’ll start a merchant war for sure. Most of the stuff was probably insured and already paid off.”
“And if it wasn’t?” Sahil asked again.
“Well other people’s stupidity isn’t my problem now is it,” the dwarf snapped turning around and continuing walking. Sahil realized the dwarf saw dollar signs instead of helpless captures when he agreed to help but his help is needed, and if he is readily going to outfit both her and Kivan for the fight, whatever drives him is his business. The profit is worth the risk of his life, or if he had any left, the lives of his men.
The trio traveled south down the paved roads of Beregost, the dwarf, always in the lead, sneaking down back alleyways to take shortcuts, or to avoid certain individuals in the town. He seemed to steer clear of the Jovial Juggler where the Flaming Fist were staying. They finally reached the blacksmith, where an old man in a red robe and pointy hat was sitting by the fence smoking a pipe.
“Well now,” the man said, eyeing the group as they approached. “Our paths cross once more.”
He was staring directly at Sahil now, and she had to think back of when she met the man before. The last couple of weeks have been nothing but turmoil and chaos, and she even thought back to her time in Candlekeep but was drawing a blank.
“I suppose proper introductions are in order as we will no doubt meet again,” the old man continued. “My name is Elminister.”
Kagain let out a snort at the name, unbelieving the man in front of him was the famed chosen of Mystra, goddess of Magic. The man ignored the slight, and continued however.
“I’ve heard nothing but tales of thy exploits in the time we have been apart. It would seem that thou art destined to have quite the impact on the Sword Coast. Quite the burden for one so young.”
Elminister took another drag from his pipe as he finished those words.
“Just doing what needs to be done,” Sahil said, barely believing the words herself. If it wasn’t for Jaheria’s and Khalid’s insistence she might have never went to Nashkel. Now she fears she does have a burden on her shoulders as she sets out to disband the brigands causing chaos on the roads.
“Thou has certainly taken it upon thyself to straddle the morality fence,” Elminister replied. “But I truly cannot fault the results. I shall leave the future to thy discretion, and we shall see what happens. I do have one piece of information for thee before I go, though ‘tis hardly a surprise, I am sure. The bandits that thou dost seek make a habit of traveling in the northeast. With this, I shall take my leave.”
The old man tipped his hat and walked away from the trio before any more words could be shared. He disappeared into a crowd.
“Well that was interesting,” Sahil said and Kivan just let out a short grunt.
“If we’re done listening to addled brained old men, shall we go into the smithy and equip the likes of you two?” Kagain barked. Sahil just smiled, and let the dwarf lead the way into the shop.
It was dark and hot inside, the only light coming from the forge tucked into the corner of the large building. Four smith’s pounded away on different types of metal, making items from horseshoes to bastard swords. Sweat poured down their faces and arms as they toiled away at their craft. One of them let out a curse as the sword he was working on broken in half, the iron being tainted and useless. He threw it down to the ground in disgust ad searched a nearby barrel for a better piece of ore to work with.
A slender, but muscular man walked up and down an aisle, watching the others work. When he saw the group enter, he smiled and approached the group.
“Hello there,” he said. “Is there anything I can do for you this fine day.”
“We’re going to be hunting those blasted bandits,” Kagain said. “I need ye to equip these two suitably. The best armour ye have Thunderhammer.”
“So the regular standard issue, dwarf?” he replied and went to the corner and retrieved a set of scale mail and brought it to the group.
“Have you been equipping all your men in iron armour like this?” Sahil asked the dwarf.\
“Ya, what of it?” Kagain replied.
“It’s just bandits will attack anyone carrying any form of iron,” she replied. “These types of suits probably made the caravans you were protecting stick out.”
“You’re daft girl,” the dwarf replied. “Leave these decisions to the men.”
“She’s right,” Kivan spoke up. “I just retrieved a short sword for a Halfling, the only thing the bandits took off of him because it was iron. Wearing this will be a mistake.”
“Listen the both of you,” the dwarf snapped, “I am in charge here. I hired you to do a job and you’re going to do it the way I tell ya, now let the smith fit you with this mail.”
“You haven’t really hired us,” Sahil said. “We came to recruit from your guild to help us. You just didn’t have any men left to send with us, probably got them all killed by putting them in these suits.”
“Ain’t true!” the dwarf protested. “But if your all gonna be stubborn, I ain’t gonna complain about it. Let’s see how well that cow hide is going to protect you from bandit arrows.”
The smith, having stood around during the awkward argument, smiled and said “I may have just the thing for you.”
He scurried away into the back and came back out with a wooden shield, and a quiver of arrows.
“Take this,” he said handing the shield over to Sahil. “It is much like the shield you are carrying now, except I had an enchantment cast upon it. It will protect you better against bandit arrows.”
He then turned to Kivan and said, “I see you prefer the bow.”
The elf nodded and the smith handed over the arrows. “Another elf traded these in the other day. Magical, will do more damage than your regular arrow and they fly faster too.”
Kivan nodded as he removed one of the arrows from the quiver to inspect the craftsmanship. Happy with them, he took them, nodded again as a thanks and placed the quiver on his back.
“I think that would be a good compromise to lugging around iron wares,” the smith said.
Kagain snorted. “Fine. Magic it is, but don’t expect me to change out of this.”
“It’s fine,” Sahil said. “You can be our decoy then.”
The dwarf sneered. “We’ll see who will be whose decoy. What do I owe you Thunderhammer?”
“I’ll invoice your guild, dwarf. Just make sure you pay it at the end of month this time,” the smith said. “Don’t need to be going after you like the last time.”
“Fine, fine,” the dwarf said as he headed for the door.
“Good luck to ye all,” the smith said as Kivan and Sahil turned to followed.
As luck is what they were going to need as they ventured out into the street and out of town into the woods to the north east.
Kivan is level 1, Kagain is level 2, and Sahil is level 2 cleric with her inactive ranger class at 2. Going to the bandit camp like that, should be fun.
The trio trudged up the road towards the Friendly Arm Inn not saying a word to each other. Sahil found it disheartening that the group seemed to keep to themselves and it wasn’t the same as when she was traveling with Garrick and Imoen and Neera. Laughter filled the air, and cut the tension away when she was travelling with her old companions, now, there seemed to be more tension in the group than worrying about outside attacks.
The journey was uneventful however. The closest the group had to a battle was with each other when Sahil attempted small talk with the dwarf asking about his past. He just told her to mind her own business if she wanted to keep all of her teeth. She didn’t push the issue, just retreated to the back and took in her surroundings.
She mentioned early to them that the bandit camp was somewhere in the Peldvale forest, and that is where the group was headed. Adding to Kivan’s knowledge that there were two groups of bandits being led by the same man, they should easily be able to pick up someone’s tracks to lead them to the main camp.
She warned the two that the messenger she confronted in Fieldpost’s told her they move the camp frequently, and with her recent activities in Nashkel, the camp maybe being moved as they travelled towards it.
The trio pushed on however, liking their chances of finding the camp in disarray, and lightly guarded if everyone was packing everything up to move again. The small force could take them by surprise and sweep through the area before anyone could raise a strong enough defense.
They had three objectives heading to the camp. The first was to confront Tazok, the leader of the bandits and hopefully question him on his motives and superiors before Kivan puts enough arrows through him to avenge his wife.
The second was to locate the Duke’s son. If he was being held at the camp there would surely be a large reward for his recovery and Kaigan was already banking on it, even if Sahil and Kivan didn’t care for such things.
The third was to recover all merchandise taken from the raids so that commerce in the region could be re-established. Eliminating the main camp and its leaders would hopefully scatter the rest of the bandits into smaller groups. These groups could easily be handled by the Flaming Fist and the road leading up to Baldur’s Gate could be reopened.
It took the full day to reach Peldvale and as Sahil and Kivan wanted to push on, the dwarf wanted to stop and rest. Traveling at night, through the woods, wasn’t wise and it would be easier to spot trails during the day. The other two reluctantly agreed, and set up camp at the edge of the woods. Silently, they went about their business and rested, taking turns on watch and Sahil missed her old companions more.
The next morning, the trio broke camp and started looking for signs of bandit activity within the forest. They traveled north along its edge peering into the bush, and listening for voices. Both Sahil and Kivan walked silently through the trees, as Kagain seemed to step on every dead branch laying on the round. The weight of his armour, increased the sound his footsteps made carrying it through the trees. With the racket he was making Sahil surmised that the bandits would find them first.
Instead, a dark elven woman appeared, running towards them out of the bush. A man dressed in Flaming Fist apparel was on her trail. She spotted Sahil, ran up, and pleaded.
“Help me!” the woman said. “If you don’t help me, they will kill me!”
Kivan raised his bow and aimed arrow towards the dark skinned elf. “Drow,” he muttered angerly and pulled the string back.
Sahil raised a hand to stop the elven ranger from attacking.
“Calm down,” she said to the drow. “We’ll help you. Just tell us who you are.”
“I am not helping any drow!” Kivan shouted.
“Calm yourself, Kivan,” Sahil said to him and motioned the drow to continue.
“My name is Viconia,” the drow said. “I am not from around here. Thank you so much for helping.”
The Flaming Fist Mercenary broke through bush and raised his sword towards the party.
“Step aside travelers,” he said to the group. “I am a member of the Flaming Fist. The woman you are harbouring is a wanted murder of the foulest sort. She is a dark elf; it should be obvious that she is evil.”
“They lie,” Viconia protested. “I’ve done nothing wrong!”
Sahil stepped in between the mercenary and the drow.
“What do you intend to do once you have her?” she asked the officer.
“Kill her, of course,” he replied in a calm manner as if the answer was obvious.
“I can’t allow that,” Sahil said.
“A stupid decision!” the officer spat. “For harbouring a murder I sentence you all to death!”
Kivan growled, and re-aimed his bow at the officer. Kagain, sensing the fight, drew his axe and lept towards the armoured man swinging his axe wildly as Sahil drew her club and kept in between him and the drow.
“Lil alurl! For Shar!”” Viconia shouted and pointed her finger at the mercenary who collapsed to the ground before he could react.
Kagain took advantage of the Flaming Fist’s vulnerability swung his axe down upon him, cutting through the man’d breast plate into his stomach. As he attempted to pull his axe out of the armour, the haft snapped, sending the dwarf to the ground on his seat.
With the head of the axe, still imbedded in his body, the mercenary attempted to rise. Viconia moved forward and cracked him over the head with a mace, sending him back to the ground dead before either Kivan or Sahil could react.
Kivan re-aimed his bow once again at the drow, a snarl on his face. Sahil assumed he didn’t like having to kill someone reinforcing the law, but it seemed the Flaming Fist left them with no choice. Viconia calling out to Shar, the evil goddess of darkness, also didn’t pass Sahil’s notice, and perhaps, the officer was right, and the drow deceived the group, but Sahil wasn’t going to pass judgement without proof. She stood in front of the drow, limiting Kivan’s aim.
“I thank you for risking your lives on my behalf,” the drow said eloquently. “I know what you are thinking, you see my dark skin and won’t trust me for it. I am a dark elf, but I am an outcast, I need your help. I no longer receive my powers from the spider gods you surface dwellers fear so. The goddess Shar grants me wisdom, and she is a surface divinity. If you let me join your group, I’d me most grateful. I have nowhere else to go.”
“Don’t trust her,” Kivan spat. “We don’t need her.”
“Well she has a better pair of tits to look at if you ask me,” Kagain said, throwing his now broken axe to the ground and picking up the Flaming Fist’s sword.
“No one asked you dwarf,” Kivan said disgustedly.
“It has nothing to do with your race,” Sahil said to her. “We just don’t need another person along to worry about. Sorry.”
Sahil had enough to worry about. Kivan obviously didn’t trust her, and followers of Shar were known for their trickery and secrecy. Being hunted by unlawful bounty hunters was enough, and if this drow did commit murder, she may bring her own lawful hunters after the group.
“You surface dwellers are so weak,” Viconia spat. “I should be glad that you turned me down.”
Viconia turned around and walked away alone and Sahil heard a slight sob.
Kivan lowered his bow. “Hopefully that is the last we see of her.”
Kagain kicked the dead officer. “What about him?”
Sahil looked at the dead man and felt sorry for him. Law enforcement was a dangerous job in these areas it seemed, however, the man brought this death upon himself.
“Leave him,” she said. “Hopefully the drow will be blamed for his death. There is nothing else we can do for him.”
Kagain snorted. “The bastard broke my axe.”
“We’ll try to find you a new one,” Sahil said. “Lets get moving, before we draw attention.”
The trio left the dead man and headed east into the woods. They passed a small shallow lake, strewn with garbage of old broken barrels and rotting wooden chests. Embedded footprints stamped the earth through out the area and there were signs that wooden structures once stood in the area. Kivan bent down towards the ground and picked up a scrap of leather that seemed to have been chewed.
“The camp was here,” the elf said and began searching the area for other clues.
“Anything else obvious you can spot with your keen senses elf,” Kagain sarcastically said. The elf just glared at the dwarf.
“Tranzig, the messenger I confronted in Beregost said they move the camp frequently,” Sahil said. “This could just be an old camp. They are still in the area.”
“Where?” the dwarf asked.
“This way,” Kivan said and slowly crept north past another small shallow lake and headed east.
“More elven senses?” Kagain asked.
“Hush,” the ranger said angry. “Look”
He pointed east, a band of eight men dressed in leathers and carrying bows who seemed to be scouting the area. Their laughter echoed through the forest as one was telling a story of a recent raid.
“And I kicked him in the head till he was dead!” he finished and rest burst into a cruel laughter.
Kivan motioned the others to stay where they were and he crept along the edge of the lake until he came up behind them. He pulled back his bow and fired an arrow into the neck of the bandit in the back. Gasping for air and unable to speak, he fell to the ground without any of the others in the group realized.
He took another shot and hit a second bandit in the back. The bandit yelped in pain, and the other six turned to see they were under attack. One of them spotted Kivan hiding along the banks and pointed him out with enthusiasm. They all trained their own bows on the elf and let loose a volley of arrows.
“That’s our cue!” Kagain said and ran towards the archer swinging his stolen sword like an axe and roaring a dwarven war cry.
Sahil, amused by her new companions passion for battle, followed the dwarf into the fray.
One of the bandits seeing the Kagain and Sahil charging raised a war hammer in a defensive posture.
“It’s your choice which hits the ground first,” he yelled. “Your swords or your heads! Be smart now, and you’ll all live to grow wise.”
“You’ll not take us alive!” the dwarf yelled back, still charging, and Sahil wondered if that wasn’t the point the bandit was attempting to make.
“As you like fool,” the bandit bantered back. “Your children be orphans tonight!”
As the bandit said the last words, Kagain reached him swinging his sword awkwardly that was easily parried.
Kivan dropped another two of the bandits with well aimed arrows and the odds in the fight were quickly evening themselves out. Sahil said a small prayer to Lurue to grant her and her companions the ability to defeat these men. Once the prayer was done, she was filled with this courage and helped the dwarf fight the bandit with the war hammer.
Kivan continued to drop the other bandits with quick well aimed shots as Kagain and Sahil parried the more skilled warrior. It was obvious to Sahil that Kagain wasn’t accustomed to using swords, as he left himself open too often when using the weapon. The bandit took full advantage of the situation and easily struck the dwarf in the shoulder and arm. The hammer clanged as it hit Kagain’s splint mail and, if the dwarf was in pain from the blows, he wasn’t showing it, just anger.
Sahil swiped at the man’s legs, sending him sprawling and off balance. The dwarf took advantage and his revenge as he hacked the sword against the man’s side leaving a large gaping gash. The bandit stumbled to his knees as he began coughing up blood. An arrow penetrated the man’s skull as Kivan finished him off from a distance.
The last remaining bandit, seeing his companions fall to the ground, turned and retreated north. Kagain turned to the elf and shouted.
“What are you doing? He’s getting away!”
“He’s running back to the rock he crawled out of,” the elf said calmly, slowly making his way back to his companions. Blood was pouring down his arm as he had seemed to take an arrow himself in the shoulder.
“He’s going to lead us right to their camp,” Sahil added.
Chapter 34 – The Bandit Camp
The bandit was easy to track as he led the trio deeper into the dense bush that was the Peldvale forest. They soon came upon an old ruin building, its walls crumbling and roof all but gone. The trio found shelter in the structure to discuss their next plan.
Sahil removed a healing salve from her pack and handed it to the elf who was still bleeding from the arrows he took fighting the bandits. The elf nodded and applied it to his wounds.
“Do you have one for me lass?” Kagain asked. “The bastard and and hammer got me pretty good in the shoulder.
“Let me see,” Sahil said.
The dwarf removed his shoulder plate and Sahil could see a large purplish welt forming. Sahil laid her hands on the shoulder.
“Lurue,” she said in prayer. “Please give this man the strength to continue to aid us against the bandits.”
She removed her hands and the purplish welt was gone. Kagain rotated his shoulder and let out a chuckle.
“Fancy trick that,” he said as he reattached his shoulder plate.
“The camp is close,” Kivan said interrupting the conversation. “I can hear them from here.”
Sahil nodded and asked, “how do we proceed?”
“Carefully,” Kivan said. “Stay here.”
The elf left the Sahil and Kagain in the ruin and began scouting the area. He kept to the shadows among the trees and eventually he disappeared from Sahil’s sight. He returned a few minutes later and motioned them to follow him.
He led them into a large thicket of trees which broke into a clearing littered with make-shift tents, with boxes of cargo lined against their walls. Both human and hobgoblin archers patrolled the clearing but keeping their distance from each other.
Kivan pointed to a tent that was close to the clearing and the trio ran for its entrance. The tent was empty. Barrels were stacked all against the edges of the inside save for small area with a sleeping rolled and blanket on the floor and a large desk near the back. In the centre was a cooking hearth with dirty clothes strung up around it.
The elf brought a finger up to his mouth in an order to hush the other two as he quickly peaked outside.
“We need to find Tazok,” he said. “We can’t take this entire camp on by ourselves. Kill him, this ends.”
The dwarf snorted. “We can’t just leave all the merchandise out in the open like this.”
“Kivan is right,” Sahil said.
Sahil was about to finish her thought when a man dressed in full plate, pushed back the flaps of the tent and entered brandishing a large maul.
“I thought I heard voices,” the man said. “Don’t know what you are doing here, but it’s time to die.”
The man raised the maul about his head and brought it down towards Kagain whom he was closest to. Kivan rolled back away from the door and aimed his bow at the new threat as Sahil reached for her club that was attached to her belt.
Kagain raised his shield against the blow, but was overpowered and down on his knees from the weight. The man had leverage against him, but he had allies that could help. The dwarf kept himself between his assailant and Kivan who used his new arrows to pierce through the man’s heavy armour. Sahil also flanked the man, but had little effect against the man’s defenses.
With each strike of the maul, the dwarf grimaced in pain but attempted to strike back himself, taking out the man’s knee with a quick strike. Bring him down to his level.
“Dwarf, duck!” Kivan shouted and fired an arrow towards the pair. Kagain obliged and hit the ground as an arrow pierced through the attacker’s throat. The man let out a gurgle and collapsed.
“Bloody Tin Can,” Kagain muttered as he attempted to get to his feet to stand, failing miserably in the process.
“Are you ok?” Sahil asked the dwarf who promptly plopped himself down on the floor, rubbing his shield arm’s shoulder.
“Nay!” The dwarf barked back. “I ain’t.”
“Here,” Sahil said. “Tossing the dwarf a healing salve. “Last one though.”
The dwarf nodded as he caught the jar and unscrewed the lid and began applying it to his ripped muscles on his shoulder. The magical salve eased his pain greatly and he was able to get back to his feet.
“We shouldn’t stay here,” Kivan said to the others watching the dwarf rise. “There maybe more coming and we need to find Tazok before he escapes justice.”
Sahil nodded, but also thought the dwarf wouldn’t be able to keep up in his condition.
“Kagain,” she started, “stay here and cover our retreat if needed. We’ll scout ahead and attempt to take as many of these robbers out as possible.”
The dwarf grinned and nodded again. He began eyeing the tent they were currently in, “maybe I can find a trinket or two or more healing salves among these crate.”
Sahil gave the dwarf a stern look. “Don’t worry about me lass. I will still have ye back.”
Kivan gave a sharp look to Sahil, “if you are coming, we are leaving now.”
Sahil nodded to the elf as the two dipped out of the tent and into the shadows of the bandit camp.
The pair of rangers left the dwarf in the tent to recuperate from his injuries as they scout the rest of the camp. The sun was beginning to set and the bandits were starting to light small fires to keep warm and cook what food they had.
Sahil and Kivan stayed close to the tent that they just exited and crept along the side closest to the treeline. If they were spotted early, the trees would provide ample coverage to retreat and retaliate.
Kivan brought his hand up to his mouth, to show he wanted quiet and then pointed towards a lone bandit, near the trees to the north of their position relieving himself. Sahil nodded as she watched the ranger creep close to his target and let loose two arrows, felling the unsuspecting man before he knew what hit him.
Kivan dipped back to his comrade. “One down,” he whispered.”
“Many more to go,” Sahil replied.
The elf laughed silently, giving Sahil a toothy grin. It was the first time she saw him smile, and she thanked Lurue for giving her the means of making the tortured man smile even briefly in his grief.
“That large tent,” he said pointing to the biggest one in the camp. “Is probably Tazok’s. We should check it out right away.”
“I disagree,” Sahil said. “Let’s clear around it first so we don’t get trapped within, if he calls for help. We’ll keep it in sight though to make sure he doesn’t leave.”
The elf nodded. He had waited this long to get his revenge, he can wait a bit longer so he can do it right. The two of them crept closer to large tent. There was two guards standing watch outside of it, and another patrolling the parameter. With a single arrow, Kivan was able to silence the patroller as soon as he left the sight of the other two.
The two companions began to sneak up on the two by the entrance of the tent. They were discussing their last raid together and the amount of iron they stole. Kivan pointed to the one on the right and Sahil nodded and headed towards her victim. Kivan took the one on the left.
“Behind you!” Kivan’s target shouted and got off an arrow that grazed Sahil’s shoulder. She grimaced in pain but was able to strike the other bandit from behind, while Kivan did the same to her assailant with his halberd.
Using her club to parry her attacker, she was able to bring him to the ground silently, while the metallic end of Kivan’s halberd rang out as it struck the bandit’s sword. Sahil moved quickly to flank the last guard, and brought him down with thunderous hit to the head.
No one came out of the tent to see what the commotion was about, nor did any other bandits come run to the area. They dragged the bodies behind some barrels and caught their breath before continuing.
Kivan crept along the edge of the tent, keeping behind some barrels that were stacked close to the cloth of the tent. He saw another bandit standing guard to the side of the tent, and brought him down with two well placed arrows. The bandit shouted as he fell to the ground however, and a couple others that were on patrol came to investigate the ruckus.
He scrambled back to Sahil, taking an arrow in the back in the process. He grunted, snapped the arrow off, leaving the head imbedded in his skin. Sahil, worried for her comrade, charged forward attacking the closest bandit before he could get another shot off. Once Sahil was in position to fight the first, Kivan swung around aimed his bow and began lobbying arrows towards the second.
Sahil moved fast, overwhelming the patrolling bandit before he could draw his sword. Kivan however wasn’t faring as well as he took another arrow from his attacker. Sahil charged the bandit, hoping to flank him and give Kivan some support, but the bandit fell to one of the elf’s arrows before she got there.
Sahil rushed to the elf’s side as soon as the last defender fell.
“Are you ok?” she said worriedly.
“I’m fine,” Kivan said, grimacing in pain.
“We should get Kagain to help,” Sahil said. “There are too many of them patrolling to keep this up.”
The elf nodded.
“Here,” Sahil said handing the ranger a small purple potion. “Drink it, it should help with the pain.”
“I thought we were out of healing?” the ranger asked.
“Just the salves,” she replied. “This is suppose to combat poison and cure it effects, but it should work on stinging arrow pain as well.”
The elf nodded and drank the liquid, grimacing at the taste.
“Now let’s hope no one gets poisoned,” she said.
“Let’s get the dwarf,” Kivan said and crept back to the tent.