Chatter boxes...
Spugnoir had returned to Peldan's Helm with the party. He wanted to get a horse for Ashabenford, his having disappeared. The party left him in the Common Room of the Inn with Wulf. They headed upstairs to catch up on things with Richter.
"Brandobaris, take me," Fiddle smacked himself. "I am such a greedy hin. I took my eyes off the prize. Alya, that note you recovered. What did it say? The one to Erlend. Something like; the second wagon will return for you before the end of the month. When is that? like tomorrow or something. And why would they need a wagon. If not to haul away something large or heavy or both. What did we see that would fit that description? The obelisk sitting next to the lift. The one we left behind. Obviously they excavated something from that pit. I'm guessing they took most of it in the First wagon. but they needed to return. Perhaps, we should set an ambush for them."
"That sounds like a grand plan, Fiddle!" Darian said smiling down at the halfling from across the room, well out of reach of light fingers. " I think we should."
Alya added, "Hmm, it's is certainly A plan, but we had a hard enough time with
two lowly acolytes, if they're moving an obelisk weighing several tons there
could be quite a few of them, tens maybe hundreds, with who knows how many of them
casting magic. I agree they need to be stopped, but I'm not sure if we're the
people who can do it, not alone anyway. I fear those who injured Corporal Sabine may be in their employ and there may be more even beyond them. Granted 20 new riders have refilled the barracks, but I wonder if it will be enough. I smell a battle on the coming wind, but I can only hope that I am wrong. Still...hmm...I have an idea that may help. I just hope Eliar and the priests of Tyr are up to the task."
Erin agreed, "You may be right, Alya. However, a well-planned ambush can often make up for lack of numbers. Perhaps if we can raise that porticullis, we could drop that on them, splitting their numbers when they venture into the depths there. Also, barrels of oil in combination with Spugnoir's fireballs could be effective as well. 'tis just a thought."
"And another thing," Fiddle lowered his voice. "Shouldn't someone check the magic on the whole pile of loot again. I mean now that we aren't standing next to that Magic Rock."
Erin mumbled some and tried to sense the magic. He reported several items of magic.
"A magic sword?" Fiddle beamed. "You don't find one of those every day. There must be something powerful and heroic behind its use and reputation. Alia, what stories can you remember about this marvelous weapon? I mean it probably slew countless scores of Dragons."
"Hmmm, let me see. Interesting...nothing really, but I don't doubt your enthusiasm, Fiddle," Alya replied. "Oh By the way, the Quaan, from that man Erlend's Journal. If memory serves it's some sort of an extradimensional plane. From the context of the note I'd say Moander has been banished there and not killed as everyone thought, it's probably a good bet that his cult is trying to free him and bring him back to this world. Hmmm, I
wonder, not that it's related but where did you leave the rest of that dragon
you killed again?"
"The carrion eaters picked it clean," Fiddle answered. Fiddle examined the sword again.
Erlend's short sword is an ugly weapon, with a slight curve to the blade and an oddly hooked tip. There is no crossguard; a poor grip could hurt the wielder as much as his opponent in the hands of someone unfamiliar with the weapon. The steel of the blade is dark tinted, as if the blood of many enemies had permanently stained the metal. A dull green gem is set in the hilt between blade and pommel where the crossguard should be; it too seems to show stains within. The gem seems almost to throb when the sword's hilt is grasped, as if it were hungry for more blood. Despite being removed from the deep crypt, the blade retains the cold of that awful place.
It radiated an aura of evocation, red with contained power.
"Oooo, this so reminds me of the other daggers." Fiddle pulled out the curved blade from the courtyard and the gold inlaid ceremonial curved dagger from the chest.
Darian's eyes grew wide, as he heard the description of the sword's aura. "'Tis an EVIL blade and pulses with the powers of Death and Darkness. We must DESTROY it!"
"Evil?" Fiddle scratched his head. "It is a weapon. Swords don't kill people, I do...no wait...you might be right."
"Surely," Darian said mildly, "but though I trust truly the friendly avarice of the little one (gazing at Fiddle), for if nothing else it is predictable, I trust not his judgment in such things." Darian turned and gathered himself, the Elven lass and the Sorcerous
Monk in a sweeping gesture, "Rather, let the three of us, Priest, Sorcerer and Bard look upon this thing and test it to see if yet it may have redeeming quality of goodly nature. Though as one intimate with 'faith', I can say that I have little regarding anything we find
upon the body of a Priest or Paladin of Moander to having redeeming quality of goodly nature." The others continued to look the loot over.
"Whoa magic pearl, and to think I was going to say cash it in for an identification," Alya remarked. "It is probably either a pearl of wisdom or a pearl of power. In either case I think Darian is the only on in the party who can use either right now since all the other people don't prepare their spells or whatever it is that the pearl of power requires."
Fiddle shrieked, "Say what? The pearl is magical? and my...er..the bad wand is not?"
Richter chose that moment to comment, "I don't care. Nothing I can use. I'm a fighter, not a mage, I just need my enchanting money so I can start unlocking the powers in my whip."
Alya said, "Hmmm, Fiddle, for once, has a point Darian, you have been
awfully anxious to destroy everything you thought was evil until we found a
wand with the symbol of Lolth's children engraved on it, which you did seem
awfully anxious to get your hands on it, and haven't mentioned how evil it is
even once...But we have more pressing issues than a wand which is slowly
corrupting Darian's soul, namely, do we wait here until the end of the month to
see if the rest of Erlend's companions show up."
"Truly, Elder Lass, 'tis as I thought as well." Darian said. "Such an item would grant me greater connection to Lathander and in all, beneits us all with healing and protection favor. And we there any other who could benefit and use this wand of Dooming, I would give it away for their use." Casting about in the things recovered, he held up the three cones and smelled them and then held them forth. "I believe these to be some form of enchanted incense? Typically such things aid those who are of Divine nature in their requests for favor from their deity. Of the rest I know little, though it is likely I will
recognize a Healing potion. I am not inclined to take upon me the Plate Armor for though trained in it's use, it has been tainted to my sensibilities and wouldst weight me down too far. Perhaps Master Eliar will perorm for us the divination magics and allow us greater facility with what we have? We may have something amongst this all that he would want in trade or gold enough from it's sale?" Darian checked on the location of the aforementioned wand. "You speak truly Alya," Darian eyes grew wide as he looked for the wand. Finding it he pulls it forth and looks it over, "Such evil is surely seductive, as I have heard is the Spider-Queen. I shall not be tempted by such evil any longer!" And so
saying he snapped the bone wand in twain. There was a brief flash of deep purple light and it was gone. "It shall tempt me no longer."
"I cannot say if its evil or not," Richter continued. "Since Darian is my brother in arms and Lathander and Kelemvor are close associates, what he says holds water. As for destroying things, yes, I spoke with Eliar and the guards. They watch the evil priestess, but I am keeping the religious items until we get to Cormyr. Both Darian and I are from Suzail and quite well known around there. I say we head to the barrows to stop Himool. Something is down there and I need to be getting to Cormyr anyway. I know a temple in Suzail that would induct me as a fellow priest. But my main reason for the barrows is we need weapons that are enchanted and of the light, not darkness. However, my whip needs to be unlocked first so my family's bloodline can take effect."
"Stop Himool?," Alya was outraged. "Stop Himool from what? Making an ass of himself? Taking credit for other party member's work? We're dealing with a cult of a dead god, who we've probably just pissed off, and you're going to let a little thing like
pride force us into a month long detour to go digging in the dirt to satisfy
your walking corpse fetish?! Have you lost all perspective?! We've got much
bigger problems on our plate now! If you want to head to first Cormyr that's
fine, but DON'T come crying to me when your arms are rotting off, we can't
afford to have you healed, and no temple owes us a favor because we decided to
go crypt crawling and playing with mummies instead of helping to strengthen the
presence of one of the gods whose priets would be able to fight this evil!
After all I'm sure them recently obtaining a seven ton obelisk and finding a
note that says 'The Slime temple will soon make its move against the forces of
Destruction' wasn't indicative of any great coming conflict for which healing
and disease removal will be needed"!
"I also would enjoy returning to Cormyr to speak with the Priests of my Temple," Darian tried to break the tension. "We can stay with my Family for free for they are kind and willing to take in weary travelers. They will feed us well and the beds will be soft," Darian then turned to Fiddle, "And NOTHING of theirs had best become missing while you are present, little one." The look he gave the Halfling was dire indeed. But I wish also to consider that not only would the Barrows be of great service to Lathander, so also
would seeking the mystical sword for our Church. 'Haps we travel to Cormyr I can ask what reward may be entitled to those who sought for it on behalf of my
Church? Truly, Lady Elf, you speak clearly, if a bit less elegantly than of the norm and on this I am in agreement. But I am torn, for the Church of Lathander could be great allies against Moander and his minions. Also they could rid us of these horrid artifacts of
Darkness. And there is that nest of Undead in that area but it is a month away, which could be an epic unto itself eh, Lady Bard?" He paused thoughtfully. "We have much to discuss and much to do- we must decide as an entity what our path is and support one another in that decision or we do nothing. I believe that since Richter has not been involed in the tests we have recently, he cares for nothing than his own ambitions.
It is neither evil nor selfish but rather lack of commitment. Perhaps it is best, Lady Bard, that you educate our friend Richter to our experiences and the evil that is Moander? Then he may make an informed decision and we may select a Path that we may all
support."
"Ahh, If the temple of Lathander needs help," Alya graciously took the out. "I'd sooner assist them over the priests of Correllian any day. Despite my blood, no warm spot resides in my heart for the church of Lotharian, though the prospect of them owing us a favor amuses me greatly. If we can assist another church then I've no objection to
heading to the barrows. As for that sword, Darian, this is the fifth item we've come across that you've wanted to burn on site. And since Richter hasn't taken them to the temple of Tyr to be destroyed yet. Can we at least verify that it's evil this time before we destroy what could be a perfectly neutral magical sword merely wielded by an evil man? On the one hand if we leave and let the new troops in the barracks take care of the evil cultists, they may be ill prepared to take on spell casters and could endanger the Helm. On the other hand those letters were not dated they may have already moved it with Erlend and the rest being trapped by the dragon before they could leave, and with all the magic we've run across from that cult so far they could very well know Erlend's dead already and have taken steps avoid our notice or even avoid coming back at all. If that's that case we risk, wasting several days for nothing when we could be spending it travelling or getting something accomplished."
"Well Darian and I both need to head back to Cormyr," Richter followed. "So we will need to register our party as well. Names anyone? I also need to pick up my quest for the church."
"I'm a Travelling hin," Fiddle added. "I've made a lot stops all over the world. For the right price, I say we tell Eliar and the citizens of Peldan's Helm about the trouble brewing at the Ruins. like say they I.D. our potions. it's their problem...well as long as no one knows we were involved. I'm up for traveling again. To the barrows or to Cormyr."
Darian followed with his own display of magic. Erlend's flailing armor made no sound. Erin summoned his force shield. He moved to defend Fiddle. Vlad fired an arrow over Erlend's head. Erlend touched the wall. It changed form. A large black yawning portal appeared. Out dropped a horrible creature seemingly drawn from a lunatic's nightmares, an amorphous ooze of flesh the size of a human with countless eyes and toothy mouths constantly forming and disappearing all over often retreating into its body even as they became apparent. It made no sound, but nothing near Erlend did. Erlend slipped sideways.
