FR Campaign from the Beginning.

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"You return to base, I'll make sure that you aren't spotted." a dark figure whispered looking down at the child sized form. "I'll meet up with you there."

The small form nodded his agreement and skurried across a small ledge circleing the tower the two were perched on.

The dark form smiled looking after him. "Be safe, Fly." he dropped himself down to a walk way his cape unfolding behind him. As he landed two guards that stood by a door that rested in the tower, let out cries of surprise.

The clanking of armor and weapons being drawn let Shadow know it was time to be away. Feeling that Fly had made it far enough he looked back at the two men charging towards him. "Nice night isn't it gentlemen?"

"What" rasped one of the men as he slid to a halt. His jaw fell open as the figure dressed in all black with a mask across his lower face dove into a dark corner of the walk. The other guard was unable to slow his charge and lost consciousness as he slid into the corner. The Shadow was long gone.

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dragon Fly ran until he was out of breath and was far enough away that he could look through what he had pilfered. The halfling made his way through the streets of Westgate to a dark alley that he knew would be empty at this time of night and when he was sure he was alone he opened a sack that he had pulled from a chest not 20 minutes before. A smile crossed his face as he thought about the reaction of the previous owner as he opened that chest and all he found was a small card with a squiggle etched into it.

Looking into the bag he saw the two gems he was told to retrieve. "Now what would Kinkar want with these stones." he thought, "and why would he send both Sol and I to get them?" he weighed the two stones in his hand trying to assess some sort of value. "A few hundred gold at best. Must be something else about them." he held up a dark red ruby and glanced through it. He dropped it back to his palm and tossed it into the air shaking his head, but when the stone did not return to his palm he gasped. The stone floated up and began spinning his head. "AH!, magical properties. I see. I'm sure Kinkar could buy stones such as these anywhere, why would he have us steal these peticular ones." He grabbed the stone from it's orbit and dropped it into the sack along with the second. "Maybe Llewellyn could shed some light on these. And if he can maybe this is our chance to be gone from this place." he tied the sack back onto his belt and slid back out into the night streets, headed to Llewellyn Bryce's home.

As he walked his mind wandered back to Sol. "I'm sorry, friend." he thought, "But if this is my chance to leave the Night Masks, I have to take it."

 

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Fly hopped from one foot to the other as Llewellyn finished up his incantations. "This are rather powerful, but of course it's beyond my abilities to know exactly how powerful they truly are."

"The chance we've been waiting for," the halfling asked eagerly.

"Possibly, but are you sure that you want to do this," Llewellyn sat the stones down on a small desk and turned to the halfling, "We'll get a small fortune if my divining is accurate, and we'll be able to start over, but you know as well as I do that the Night Masks won't stop looking for you."

"I know." Fly stomped his foot, "But I want out, and if they come after me so be it, but at least I'll have the most powerful sorcerer in all Faerun to protect me."

"You flatter me, Fly. But I'll go with you, I'm sure that you'll get me into enough trouble that I may increase my skills without too much of an effort." He smiled.

The rest of the evening was spent flipping through maps of the surrounding areas. Trying to figure out a way out of Westgate and far away from this part of Faerun.

"We should head west, towards Waterdeep, I've heard so many tales of wizards in that area that I'm sure we could find someone to buy these from us." Fly piped.

"I think we should head west then north, to Shadowdale. Elminster lives there, and I've always wanted to meet with him."

"Fine by me, but we should get on it soon. Kinkar won't sit around and wait for me to come back long before he sends someone to find me, and Sol will probably be the one sent to find me." with that the two packed up a few things and were quickly on their way out, leaving Westgate, and the Night Masks behind them.

 

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Magnus sat watching the fire flicker as he nursed an ale from hours before. His heart felt heavy inside his chest and the flickering flames were somewhat soothing. His mind wandered about, remembering the times of old.

The flames that rose up about the two warriors, Bane and Torm.
He watched the battle again within the fire of a small inn set on the outskirts of Shadowdale. He was a young boy then, and was inspired to become the fighter that he now was from Torm's valiant battle. He watched the image of Torm, now flame, lunge at the firey form of Bane with a large sword, turning his head he looked at the great sword that leaned against the table beside him.

The door to the small inn burst open at that moment pulling Magnus of Tantras from his daydreaming. A gaunt and old man leaning on a withered staff entered the wide room shedding light throughout. Magnus squinted as his eyes adjusted to the light from outside before the old man pulled the door closed again.

"You are Magnus of Tantrus, are you not" the strange old man rasped his voice that of a much younger man.

"I am, what of it?" Magnus glared up at the man that was still making his way to the table Magnus sat at.

"I have something to ask of you." he pulled a chair out from under the table and sat down. "My name is Handragath, and I wish you to perform a task for me."

"A task? First maybe you should explain how you know of me, and then you can talk about your business."

"I found you through divinations, I searched for power, and I found it within you. I searched for you and I found you here."

"Whatever wizard, out with your task and payment."

"The task is easy, I wish you to find a few more people to accompany you but you may go alone if you wish. But regardless, I wish you to go investigate an old, nearly flattened ruin near here. My great uncle, Darnarest the Bladesmith, purchased the land from a local lord that was in need of currency. He built the tower there well on 60 years ago, and fifty years have gone by since a dragon attacked the place bringing it down. I now wish to reclaim the contents of the tower. I have little interest in most of what lies in that old ruin, but I would like for his spellbook to be returned to me. As for payment, I offer a pearl worth at least one hundred gold, and you may also keep whatever you find there, other than the spellbook of course."

"And why exactly can't you do this on your own?" Magnus said finishing off his warm ale.

"In my old age I'm not able to partake in such expeditions any longer. So I am left to offering you the task." He smiled a wry smile.

"Fine, I'll see what I can do."

"Now Magnus, I ask that you find whoever you wish to accompany you there and bring them to my home outside town. I shall reveal a little more information there and I'll give you your payment." Handragath rose from his chair and onto the withered staff and slowly made his exit.

"I'd like to partake in this as well." said a voice from behind Magnus. He spun around to find a hooded man standing behind him. "I do not mean to eavesdrop, but it's hard not to hear such things. I am Elec, Elec Mournbringer, and I offer you my services." the hooded man extended a coal black hand out to Magnus.

"Your skin betrays you elf." Magnus bellowed, "But it is not my business to judge you. And so you may come with me if you so choose, but your life is not in my hands but your own." Magnus turned away and began picking up his things, just as the door swung open once more. Magnus squinted at the light, but he noticed that the drow pulled his hood down farther over his eyes.

Three figures enter the bar. Two of which were human, one wearing robes, the other wearing a traveller's outfit. The third was a halfling who wore a strange looking vest from which hung all manor of strange things, pulleys and ropes and the like.

Magnus looked at each in turn as they made their way to the bar and then coughed. "I suppose you three wish to partake in my task as well."

"Your task?" said the robed man. "Why would we be interested?"

"Shhh," said the halfling, "Let him speak of his task, Llewellyn, maybe we would like to partake in his task."

"Well, I've been asked to return a spellbook of some Blademaker guy, and return it to a wizard here in town." with mention of a spellbook the robed man perked up. "I've been offered at least a hundred gold to do it, and I was asked to find others to assist me. A pearl is nothing, but I was getting bored so I took the job. So you in or not?"

"I suppose." said Llewellyn, "We will come with you, besides we have a few days left before we have our meeting. What do you say Bard?" Llewellyn glanced over at the other human that had already order a drink and had it half finished.

"Whatever you say Llew, I'm game if you are." he said downing another swig from his tankard.

"Well we're headed off to that old wizards place for payment, and to get more information, directions and the like. He wishes to meet those I've recruited. So let's go." Magnus swung his greatsword up over his head and into a scabbord attached to his back and headed for the door.

"We?" Llewellyn asked.

"Aye." said the hooded drow, nodding and following after Magnus.

The rest of the group followed suit and Llewellyn couldn't help but noticed that the hooded man tried to stay in the shadows of buildings and had his hood pulled over his head as far as it would go.

 

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Handragath leaned back in a wooden high back chair, craning his neck to one side and an audible crack echoed off shelved walls. The old wizard sat behind a large wooden desk looking over four humans and a small halfing. "A fine looking group you have chosen, Sir Magnus of Tantrus. I assume he has told you all what I have asked of him."

The group nodded and Magnus spoke up, " Aye, return a spellbook for a pearl." his voice oozed with sarcasm.

"Well then, it seems I have left out a few things. I will pay one pearl up front and ten times that on your return with the book." The halfling let out a small chuckle, eleven pearls wasn't much of a payment. "You are looking for a book that is about a foot square, 3 inches think, and bound in steel plates with a gold inlay in the cover."

"Easy enough to find probably. But what will we face there? What traps has your great-uncle left for us to find?" The hooded drow, Elec, said this being the first time he had spoken since they arrived.

The wizard regarded him swearing that he saw something of a lavender tint from under the hood before procceding, "I am uncertain what traps or guardians you will come across if any at all, but Darnarest concerned himself with creating magical weapons, so if there are any to find they will most certainly involve magical or animated weapons." he finished by pulling a scroll from a drawer in the desk. "You will find this useful," tossing the scroll across the room, " It's a map of the surrounding area., it will lead you to the ruin."

"And we may keep whatever we find there other than the spellbook you described." Magnus said snatching the map from the air.

"You may, I have no use for such things any longer. I only wish to study the book." Handragath let a wry smile cross his lips but no one noticed, he didn't believe.

Magnus flatened the map out across the desk top, looked it over, then held it back over his head for someone to take. "I believe it will take close on three days to reach the ruin, we should purchase a few travelling supplies before we leave Shadowdale."

"Agreed," responded Llewellyn taking the map from Magnus' hand.

Magnus looked intently at the old wizard "We shall return as soon as this quest is done." he then turned and made for the exit.

The group followed suit, but in passing of a stand near the door Fly noticed a small pouch. He impersonated streatching his neck as he looked back at handragath, who had now spun around in his chair and was doing Tymora knows what. Fly slid his hand up along a small slit in his vest and pulled on a strap allowing a small card to drop into his palm. Switching the card for the pouch, Fly too made his exit.

***************

"I don't think that this Handragath fellow was totally honest with us." Bard said when they had exited the building.

"I felt that as well, but I'm not worried any," Magnus responded. "I've been cramped up in this town for 3 weeks now. I need to get out before my bones freeze up." he turned to face the group. "We shall leave within the hour, when you are all done with your shopping and all that meet me at the north gate. One hour no later. " The group nodded and dispersed. All leaving in seperate directions except Fly and Llewellyn who left side by side, all off to purchase a few things before leaving on thier trek.

"I like Magnus," Fly said his voice little more than a whisper as they passed by stalls of wares. "he's big enough for me to hide behind if and when I need to."

"Ha" Llewellyn laughed, "he's big enough for the both of us." The pair chuckled together for a few moments before, "But it's that hooded one that avoided the sunlight, there is something about him but I can't place my finger on it." he finished paying for six packs of rations before Fly replied.

"Do you think that we'll gain enough coin being in this group that I won't have to give up Kinkar's stones?"

Llewellyn stopped in his tracks midway between two stalls, "You wish to keep them now then?"

"You've seen what they can do, besides I've grown somewhat attached to them, seeing as what I've been through because of them." Fly cracked a smile as he checked the balance of a dagger that sat on the edge of the stall ahead of them.

"Fine by me, I suggest we stay with this group until our welcome becomes sour. You might want to keep those stones under wrap until we can trust these new guys. I'm still a bit ify with Bard. I just can't get past the fact that he won't reveal his true name, but he has served us for the good on more than one occasion during the 5 days since we met him. I don't think we have much to worry about with Magnus, I noticed the symbol of Torm etched into his sword. And from the looks of that Armor, he seems to have more Strength than Intelligence. He'll be a great help."

"Fine, I'll keep them hidden away until I really need them, oh and speaking of stones, look what Handragath left lying about his study." Fly tossed the pouch to Llewellyn as he walked backwards up the street to the Inn that they checked into.

"You stole from our employer?" Llewellyn smiled slightly at the irony. "You'll never learn will you?" he said looking into the pouch and seeing about 20 small pearls. "Seems we recieved our payments early." He let the smile fill his face and tossed the pouch back to Fly.

Fly chuckled to himself crossing the threshold to the Inn. The two gathered thier belongs and head North along the main street to wait for the rest of the group to find them.

*************

Elec found it hard to walk about during the day and couldn't help but complain to himself. "Curse you Jarlaxle, I will never forgive you for causing me to be stuck topside with this horrible light." After all that happened in Calimshan, Elec was left roaming the nights with the moon and stars upon his back. He loved the night, and the air, but even after several months of surface life he still found it hard to move with the sun on his shoulders.

It didn't take him long to gather his things and pick up a few trail rations before he headed North. Passing Llewellyn and the Halfling he made his way out of town.

"I wonder where he's off to." Fly asked, letting his eyes follow the hooded man walk off.

"Not sure, don't care too much either, but I believe I saw a bit of black skin under that hood, but that can't be, can it?" Llewellyn asked the question, more to himself than anyone else.

******************

Magnus spent his hour wandering from shop to shop and stall to stall but wasn't able to shake the one called Bard.

"Where you off to now?" Bard asked again as iritated Magnus made for the exit of a small general store.

"Why must you follow me? I'm not your lost lover. Take your leave and go do what you wish till we leave. I grow tired of you." Magnus spun on his heel, his bald head glinting in the light and his long top knot spinning around into his face.

Bard ducked the hair whip, which he learned four stores ago, and then followed Magnus out. Magnus aggitated by his pursuer gave up on looking for things to buy and grabbed a few days rations and headed to the Northgate. Bard following close behind.

***

 

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"An hour is up, where is Elec." Magnus grumbled.

"He passed us, maybe 20 minutes ago." Llewellyn spoke up, gestureing to Fly.

"He passed you?" Magnus turned and looked out the Northgate. Maybe half a mile away upon a low rise, sat a rider. The beast that he sat upon stood on two legs. The strange thing swished it's bulky tail too and fro and the rider just sat watching the wall of the city. "That's probably him, I don't think that he'd be able to keep up his disguise with a thing like that with him."

""Disguise?" the others thought but Magnus had already began walking out into the Northern plains and was unable to answer.

Magnus walked directly towards the hooded rider. "Strange beast for a strange man."

"Aye, a momento of where I come from." said Elec hopping down from the back of his riding Lizard.

"Well then, I wish I would have known about your 'riding' beast, this trip would be much faster with horses."

"Not a problem I'll walk. My companion here will not be any trouble."

The five set out on thier three day trek. The time went by slowly for the party was still unfamiliar with each other. Two days in to the journey, Elec stopped the group. "These tracks are rather fresh. They look human to me, and they seem to follow this trail to and from."

"Could be just a merchant caravan or something" said Bard.

"No, I don't think so, these humans were all on foot."

"We can not concern ourselves with such things. Our mission is to get that damn book, not to play with a bunch of people." Magnus grunted walking on past Elec when he stopped, the group weren't paying much attention to him and nearly walked into him. About 50 feet ahead along the trail sat five figures wearing hooded cloaks, four of them rise to a crouching position and ready shortbows, while the fifth begins chanting.

"Glitterdust!" exclaims Llewellyn, "Cover your eyes." but it was too late. The glittering dust exploded around them.

Magnus clenched his eyes shut tightly and shook his head. The blinding flash receded from his eyes and he was once again able to see. Reaching behind him he grasped the pommel of his greatsword and released it from the scabbard there. Letting out a loud cry he charged forward. The rest of the group was also unaffected by the glitterdust spell, and were able to make a retaliation. As they recovered 4 arrows flew through. One striking home in Bard's left arm. He let out a shallow cry and collapsed to the ground.

Fly dove into the wooded side of the path and made his way around the attacking party. Llewellyn quickly cast a spell, and a ball of fire bounced through the attacking men killing two archers and burning the wizard who threw his arms into the air from the pain allowing everyone to see the claw-like bracer he wore on one arm.

The pain didn't last long before Magnus cut him down useing the magcal properties of the hide armor he wore, and then dove into the last 2 men, slicing them down. "Far too easy." Magnus yelled back to his companions.

"Just a scouting party I'd suspect," said Elec whose hood had now fallen back from his head revealing his stark white hair, and coal black skin.

"Drow!" said Llewellyn and Bard in unison.

"Yes, but not of the variety that you are used to." Elec said as Fly snuck his way out onto the path behind the 5 dead men.

"Damn you. If we are going to be working together, you guys need to learn to let me get my attacks in before you take everyone.." He stopped noticeing the expression on his friends face. "Llew?" he asked following his gaze to the drow. "The Drizzt?" asked Fly allowed. And the party fell into laughter, except Fly who hadn't caught his own joke.

The party then rummaged through the belongings of the men that lay in pools of blood and ash. They placed everything on a pile and Llewellyn began an incantation that allowed him to see magical auras, he then set himself on seperating the magical from the mundane.

"Two purple potions, two pink, two green, a set of leather armor, and this wand, which I'm keeping for myself." Llewellyn said after looking over what he had seperated.

"How long would it take you to identify the stuff?" asked Bard.

"A really long time, since I don't have the ability. Do you?"

"No, I guess we are stuck with guessing. Which isn't good, since this wound is killing me." he whined.

"You'll be fine," said Magnus hitting him hard ont he arm. "Be a man. It's time we were on our way. Does anyone want any of this crap?" he gestured to the pile of gear.

They all, but Magnus, jumped into the pile pulling out ropes and arrows and bows. Llewellyn took the claw-like Bracer, and Fly made off with a few pouches that they didn't notice before. Then they were on thier way again. The drow tracking the scouting group, which seemed to come from the direction they were going.

As they passed through a group of trees and into a clearing the ruin became visibal too them. Rubble covered the clearing and a few short walls were all that was left of the previous tower.

"I suppose this is the place." said Magnus, "And since there isn't anything left of the tower itself, I suspect we need to go down. Go find a way down, drow, we'll look about here." Magnus lied pushing the responsability off on to Elec.

Elec only nodded and began following the trampled plants. The rest of the party sat down on the remaining walls and waited. A few minutes later Elec returned and "I found a stair case leading down, I couldn't see that much down there, and I didn't want to go down alone since there are so many tracks around here. The stairs go down and the turn so I couldn't see very far."

"Let's go," said Magnus, and the party followed Elec to the stairwell.

 

[Dungannon]

Sounds good so far. Can't wait for the next installment.

 

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The staircase went down about ten feet before turning clockwise and continuing, the bottom was faintly illuminated and appeared to have something blocking access to the area beyond.

"What do you suppose that is." voiced Bard standing a few steps up from the bottom. "Obviously someone is living....." his words were cut short as two points of light appeared in the cloth curtain that was draped across the opening. The arrows flew past Magnus, who was standing up front , and then ricocheted off the stone steps. One sunk itself into Elec's lower leg the other found a home lodged into the ceiling.

Magnus, hearing Elec's cry, charged through the curtain. He moved across the room beyond like a black ghost. He ripped the cloth away from him and was able to wield his weapon before the two men standing on the other side of the lit room nocked another arrow.

The room was roughly fifty feet wide by forty feet long, ten cots littered the area along with piles of rock and debris in the corners. A doorway lead on to the east and the two men stood before it. The two men Magnus now stared down.

Behind Magnus two men stood to either side of the stairwell. Waiting for another person to walk out from the stairwell.

From within, Llewellyn began an incantation, causeing two streaks of green acid fly from his fingers and a piece of parchment to crumble from his hand. They streaked through the air and past Magnus, digging into one of the two men by the door. The Acid of the spell bit into the man causeing him to collapse as the effects of the spell riddled him. The other loosed another arrow before fleeing through the door. The arrow went wide and stuck into the wall above the stairwell exit.

Magnus snorted as he looked down on the twitching man, the acid finally beginning to fade, a smile crossed his face. Raiseing his sword above his head he lunged through the doorway and out of site of the others.

Elec had limped his way down into the room and now held his own against one of the men that stood to the south of the stairs. Flailing his two scemitars in the air he nicked and cut the Sentry. His upper arm now bleed profusely from the first strike he recieved as he exited the stairs, but since the man had been unable to land a blow.

Bard was trying his hardest to keep the Guard to the north busy with his Rapier. He was holding the guard off, but not well enough. He kept calling out to someone for help, but had yet to recieve aid, and the arrow wound in his shoulder had opened up again and the pain was slowing him down.

Fly slowly crept around the Guard trying to find a good chance for a fatal blow. And just as the guard lunged at Bard with his shortsword, Fly made his move. Coming in to the fray he elegantly lunged his sword in and the flicked his wrist up causeing a nasty gash to open in the mans lower abdomen. The lunge he had made at Bard went off and he dropped the sword as he fell to his knees. His eyes went wide and he fell forward onto Bard's boots.

"What?" Bard stammered. And then noticed Dragonfly standing over the twitching guard. "I should have known."

Fly disregarded the Bard's comments and watched the battle to the south intently. Watching the Sentry's combat prowess, trying to find an opening in his manuevers, and just as he found one and began moveing towards the battle, Elec landed a killing blow to the side of the sentry's head and sent the man spraling backwards, onto Fly.

Llewellyn floated into the room, having casted a spell that gave him the ability to Fly and now laughed as Fly pushed the bloody body of the dead sentry off him.

"Shut up Llew, the Drow here hasn't learned to watch for me quite yet." he glared at Elec. "But he will soon enough."

"The name is Elec, and I can take care of myself."

"Fine by me, Elec." Fly added emphasis to the last word. as he stood up and brushed himself off.

The room was illuminated by to rods. "A magical property had been cast upon them to allow them to shed light forever." Llewellyn explained to the party as they searched the corpses.

"Any idea where the big guy went?" Elec said tightening the bandage he had applied to his upper arm.

"Through the doorway there." Llewellyn replied. "He hasn't been gone long, we should be able to catch up rather quickly."

"Then let us catch up." added Elec. "I don't wish to miss any of the action."

The party put away what they acquired from the corpses which included two more purple potions, a pink one, and a red. These men also wore hooded cloaks, much like the band that attacked outside, but the group wasn't interested in that, they were more interested in where Magnus had run off too. So they headed for the doorway, the sneaky Fly leading the way.

 

[Sniktch]

Enjoying it so far, man, half of this I didn't even remember.

Gotta call ya on one thing though - Llewellyn doesn't have acid arrow, so I had to have hit the archers with something else. I've got his sheet posted in my Rogue's Gallery if you forgot his spell list

EDIT: Although I might have had a scroll. Its been so long...

 

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You had a scroll. And I changed the text to reflect it. Thanks for the praise.

DC.

 

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The room behind the door was lit by a single rod with another flame spell cast upon it. To the southeast a staircase wound down, and a curtain blocked off the northern part of the room. There were also to doors set into the east wall, both closed.

Magnus stood over the lifeless body of the guard that ran away, and footsteps could be heard coming up the steps.

"Good one Magnus, you alerted someone." Bard said and quickly regretted it.

Magnus spun around and snorted his rage and as the man rounded the corner in the stairs he spun again planning on taking his anger out on this man instead of Bard. Before Magnus could make it to the stairs a streak of flame flew up and slammed into his chest, scorching the hide that he wore. Magnus was thrown back and Llewellyn took up his place.

Flying forward Llewellyn began his incantations, the mage, unable to fend off Llewellyn's magic, let out a scream and covered his eyes. He grabbed a wand from his belt and waved it around, his eyes clenched tightly shut.

Magnus by this time had regained his footing and was now dusting off his armor. "That does it!" he screamed charging down the steps at the mage, who waved the wand once more, but that was all. Magnus, his armor glowing, brought his greatsword down into the man's left side and cleanly sliced though, his two halves collapsed onto the ground and that was all. Magnus stood over his remains breathing heavily.

"It is okay now, Magnus." said Fly coming up alongside him.

"Yes, we have work to do," Magnus said moving on down the stairs.

"Shouldn't we finish searching up here first?" called Fly.

"Go ahead, I'm just going to see if anyone else is around."


*************

It didn't take long for the halfling to finish searching the area. One door opened into a strangely fresh Privy that Bard quickly consecrated in his own way, and the next opened into a small room filled with a rather dusty bathtub. The curtained off area held a small cot with rather fine looking pillow made from Waterdhavian silk stuffed with goosedown.

"I think the only thing of interest is this," he held up the pillow.

"Let it here for now," said Llewellyn "we'll pick it up on the way out. While you are at it search this guy." Llewellyn shuddered at the messy remains.

Fly walked to the corpse and began to riffle through it's belongings, trying not to get any blood on him. While he was unfastening the mage's Claw Bracer, a tiny serpent crept down the corpses arm. Fly went on tugging at the clasp, and then the viper attacked. The mage's familiar had survived and now latched it's fangs into Fly's right forearm. Fly swinged his arm around trailing the snake along with him, the venom coursing deeper into Fly. Fly flailed until the snake flew off and Llewellyn stepped on it. "That wasn't good," Fly swayed trying to fight the poison. "I think I'll make it though." he made a small grin at Llewellyn over his bloody arm.


Fly finally gathered the bracer along with an amulet on a chain, the wand that the mage was swinging around, another wand almost like the first, a set of keys and a good deal of coins. He would of had a sack of pearls if Fly wouldn't of stolen them from his house back in Shadowdale, but the Illusion had worn off and the party wasn't familiar with this version of Handragath.

They proceeded down the stairs and exited into a hallway lit by another rod that was placed inside a torch sconce. Four sets of manacles were attached to the south wall. Magnus sat on the floor across from these, and now stared at a nearly naked female elf.

Magnus looked up at the rest of the group as they made it down the stairs. "Hey guys, meet my new friend. I'm sorry I didn't catch your name." He looked back at her.

"Branwynn Eveningfall."

"Ah yes," Magnus continued. "Branwynn Eveningfall. She wants to be set free, what do you guys say?" he stood up and wandered off further down the hall.

Llewellyn watched Magnus go and then approached the girl. "I apologize for my friend, he seems to have a temper. So tell me what you can about the people that were here, and something about yourself. We must be sure before we let you go that you won't harm us."

"Not I," she returned. "The people that have been living here call themselves the Cult of the Dragon, of course my knowledge isn't wide spread so I have no idea what that means. But I do know that there is some sort of secret door or something in the next room because people have been coming and going for days now. And there were some others here with me, but they were taken into the next room a good hour or so ago."

"How did you find yourself here?"

"Ah, that old wizard. Handragath or whatever his name is, approached our group in a disguise, he just went up the steps, then you came down. He told us to find him a book and that he'll pay us in pearls. We agreed, and were taken prisoner. My friends have already been taken into that other room, but I'm not sure why they keep me here. I've been here for about two days or so. It's hard to tell time without the sun to help you."

"Where did your company come from?"

"Our band was wide spread, we were only companions for a short time before this. But I come from Evereska, the land of elves."

"I see, good enough for me. Fly can you release her?" He backed away and Fly stepped forward, pulling a set of lock picks from a small pouch on his vest. A few seconds later and Branwyn was on her feet rubbing her wrists.

"Something has been bugging me since I was brought here." She walked to the North wall, directly opposite from where she sat, and placed her hands against the it. "Hah!" she exclaimed pushing on a certain point and a large portion of the wall moved aside revealing a small room behind. The room was mostly bare except for a few shelves. One shelf contained three fine-looking rapiers, another two books and two scroll cases.

"So at least that part of his story was true." Llewellyn said picking up a book and brushing the dust from the cover. "This is Darnarest's spellbook. This other one," he blew on it as well "Darnarest's Guide to Enchanting Blades. Hmm.." He quickly evoked a spell allowing him to see magic, "Yup, this rapier is magical, the other two are well made though. I'm sure we could get a decent amount of money for all of this."

"May I have the Spellbook?" voiced Branwynn. "Mine was taken from me."

"Of course." Llewellyn opened the scroll cases and read the spells within with another one of his spells that allowed him to read arcane writing. "These are some decent spells. Here take one of these too." He handed one to Branwynn. Then Magnus appeared at the entrance.

"You take to freaking long, let's go already."

The group left the confines of the secret room and moved over to another, much larger room. This room was lit by three continual flame rods set into torch sconces. A long table covered one wall, and bookshelves were in two corners, a stone well in another corner. A deck of loosely piled cards sat on the table, with two sturdy wooden chairs sat nearby. An alcove to the south contained a brazier and an unusual carving on the wall.

Magnus picked up the cards and flipped through them then slid them into his pack, and turned to the group. "Now what, did you find the book?"

"Yes, but you killed the man that was going to pay us for it." Magnus snorted. "But Branwynn told us that these people are from the Cult of the Dragon and they are taking people from this area and through a secret door in this room."

"So I believe, I've never been in here so i don't know where they take them." she said.

"Fine, find the door and I'll knock it down." Magnus said plopping down into one of the wooden chairs.

The group split up and searched the room. Not finding much of interest. Dragonfly made his way to the alcove to the south of the room. An eight-foot-wide circular area on the wall of the alcove was carved to show a swirling cloudlike border, within which was a splendid city within a great forest. The iron brazier stood in the near portion of the alcove, its one-foot-wide bowl containing a granular white substance.

"Llew, what do you make of this stuff?" Fly called out picking up some of the stuff and letting it trickle through his fingers. "It just feels like sand to me."

Llewellyn came and stood over him. "It isn't sand, it's salt. But why is it here?"

Fly walked into the alcove more fully to examine the wall more closely.

"I believe I've seen pictures of that city before." Llewellyn said placing a hand to his chin.

"I don't see any mechanisms for a secret door, but there is a lot of that salt on the floor." He gestured to the piles of salt that had built up in the crack that separated the floor from the wall.

"Step back let me try something." Llewellyn said picking some of the salt up and sprinkling it in the alcove, but nothing happened. "Hmm," he said again, and picking up more salt he threw it at the carving. The carving then began to wave and turned a vibrant green and through it could be seen the interior of a small cave with a pool of water and a statue of a woman. "There you go Magnus." Llewellyn called back over his shoulder. "A door for you to charge through."

Magnus stood and walked over to the alcove. "And you expect me to go through there?"

"Yes, unless you are scared."

"Me, scared, hold your tongue." And with that Magnus an through the portal, the rest of the party following behind him.