Chapter 13
After the ice devil fled, Allanon floated slowly down to the rooftop, dismissing her spell of flying. As her legs again took on her weight they started to buckle and she swayed precariously. Her arms and legs were numb with the deadly cold and she could barely control them. She would have fallen but Rhys hurried to catch her. “Thanks,” she said, smiling up at the aasimar.
Rhys set to work healing Allanon’s and Gillian’s nasty wounds. Once they were taken care of, he turned to the astral deva that stood before them. Lisa seemed to have mastered her fright once the object of her terror had left, and she leaned against Terenon as the celestial being regarded them coolly. “Wise one,” said Rhys, “I am sorry that we allowed the devil to deceive us. If we had paid more attention, we might have noticed his falsehoods: no militia member would offer such an extravagant reward. We failed in our understanding of the situation, but in the end, we did the right thing.”
The angel shifted his gaze to the priest. "I thought the signs were quite obvious that the militia captain was not what he seemed, and that I had only good intentions for the girl. That is why I took on the form of a merchant; I assumed it would not be very threatening. I only asked to speak with the girl when she caught fright and leaped out the flophouse window." Lisa blushed sheepishly. "While the right thing was done in the end,” continued the angel, “the results could have very well been disastrous. Two of your companions were brought to the brink of death, and if the gelugon had been able to lay hands on the gem, naught but catastrophe would have followed."
At the mention of the gem, Lisa's eyes widened slightly. She reached into her trousers and found the hidden pocket there, retrieving from it a black onyx about the size of a walnut. The gem seemed to glow with an inner power. "All of this commotion is over this little trinket? I know it’s valuable, but I didn't think it would be reason enough for Heaven and Hell to come after me!"
The angel eyed the gem cautiously, his wings folding around his body as if to perform a protective barrier. "That 'trinket' you carry is a vile artifact named the Eye of Night's Embrace. The man you stole it from was no mere merchant: he is a powerful wizard named Helios who has held the gem for quite some time. He had cast various spells about his person to prevent any celestial or infernal beings from detecting it, but once you pilfered it, my master Raziel became aware of its location. He entrusted me to track it down and secure it before the forces of Hell could claim it for themselves. The Eye must not fall into the hands of evil. The best course of action would be to hand the gem over to me, so that I may return to the Seven Mounting Heavens and secret it away where the fiends will never find it. I know you mortals have some use of gold as currency, so I have been authorized to give you five thousand gold pieces for the gem."
Lisa’s eyes widened even further. “Five thousand gold pieces! That’s more money than I’ve ever seen in my life! Let’s give him the gem,” she said to Terenon. “I certainly don’t want it if more of those bug-guys are going to show up and try to kill me.”
Terenon was not as impressed with the deva’s offer, nor with his arrogant demeanor. “The only knowledge we had was a merchant was after a young girl who asked for protection. You speak to us condescendingly, as if this was our fault. It was your deceptive behavior that caused this. We will give you the gem, but only if you provide a service for us in return. A time is approaching when forces of evil, the Acolytes of the Hidden Flame, will release The Firebringer from his well-deserved prison. If this happens, a reign of death and destruction will pour like a river over this land. Your aid may help tip the scales. Take the gem. Return it to your superiors. As payment, you must promise to return and aid in our fight."
The deva's eyes flared with anger at Terenon's words. "Impudent mortal! You deal with forces beyond your ken! I was given leave to retrieve the gem by any means necessary, and normally I would not bandy words with you in such a fashion. But this is too important a task; I will not leave without the Eye, and I wish to avoid further bloodshed. You have done nothing wrong. Very well. It would appear we have a deal. As Raziel as my witness, I hereby swear this sacred oath: when the time comes to battle these Acolytes, I will fight by your side. My name is Ganamemnon. Call my name and I will arrive. Once the enemy is defeated, I will return to Celestia and my oath will be fulfilled. Now give the gem to me," the angel finished.
Terenon turned to Lisa to retrieve the gem, giving her a subtle wink. He hoped that she had learned something from this encounter: how best to manipulate a situation to achieve a goal. He tossed the gem to Ganamemnon, who caught it easily and quickly stowed it in a pouch. The angel then tossed another sack to the roof, clinking with the sound of coins. “Here is the promised payment; I have no use for it. A word of caution before I go, Lisa: you have earned the enmity of powerful beings today. When Helios learns that you were the one who took the Eye from him, there is no doubt that he will try to exact vengeance upon you. The devils may also seek restitution for denying them their prize, though they have many other concerns to deal with. Do not let your guard down.” The angel regarded the party one final time. "Well then, mortals, it seems our business is concluded for now." With a flash of light, the angel disappeared.
Grundar looked over to Lisa, who had grown pale in the face of Ganamemnon’s dire warnings. “Lisa, I’m sure you’ll remember this day for a long time,” he said.
“You can say that again,” the girl replied. “They don't call me Lisa "Bad Luck" LaBurton for nothing. Looks like I bit off more than I could chew when I swiped that gem. You'd think a wizard would be more careful with a thing like that." She looked at the adventuers, trying to hide the fear in her eyes. "What's going to happen now? I mean, you can't just leave me here in good conscience, right? Baldur's Gate isn't safe for me any more; not that it was before, but it's definitely even more dangerous now. Could...could I come with you? I won't be a bother, I promise! I'll stay out of trouble from now on! I won't steal anything from any more wizards! You've got to take me with you! Please?"
Allanon thought for a moment, then put a comforting arm around Lisa. "Lisa, in a little while, we will be leaving for the town of Silverymoon. There, I have to visit a close friend of mine, a powerful wizard, for some important business. Afterwards, she might be willing to grant you her protection on my word if you would like to stay in Silverymoon. A devil would be hard pressed to defeat her, if it could even evade the notice of the other powerful figures in the city."
“That’s an excellent idea,” said Terenon, smiling. “Hopefully your friend can make sure she stays out of trouble. On second thought, I think she would make a wonderful wild mage,” he said, poking playfully at the sorceress with his elbow.
"Silverymoon?" asked Lisa, a smile quickly spreading on her face. "I've never been to Silverymoon before, but I've heard stories about it. Hell, I've never even been out of Baldur's Gate before. This is great! Lisa LaBurton: legendary adventurer!" She giggled at her own joke, then moves over and embraces Allanon. "Thank you so much! You won't regret this! You've given me a chance to make something of my life instead of living out my remaining days as a crummy beggar."
“Don’t mention it,” said Allanon uncomfortably, disturbed by the strange sensations that passed through her womanly body with Lisa pressed so close against it.
Rhys frowned thoughtfully, reflecting on the situation. “Lisa, why did you steal the gem from Helios? If he had placed spells of protection on it, so as to make it difficult to find, I don’t believe that he’d have it out in the open."
"Why'd I steal it? I didn't even know he had it, not to mention who he was. All I saw was what looked like an inattentive man: an easy mark. It was easy enough to lift his purse and slip away unnoticed. As to why he was keeping the gem in the purse, I don't know. Maybe he was just arrogant: wizards are supposed to be arrogant, right? Oh, present company excluded of course," she added, blushing
“Perhaps the mage purposefully left the gem out to be stolen,” said Terenon. “It is a mystery for another time, though. We are behind on our timetable. Let’s head to the temple. Daylight burns.”
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Light as a feather on the breeze, Jelani Sandulf floated through the air above Baldur’s Gate. The wind gently caressed his face as he drifted lazily, as if welcoming a favored son back home. Clad in worn traveling clothes of brown and grey and a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a peacock’s feather, Jelani was not a very imposing sight: however, the keen intelligence sparkling in his eyes and the holy symbol of Akadi, mistress of winds, about his neck hinted at his true power.
From his vantage point in the sky, he had watched the battle with the ice devil and the subsequent conversation with the astral deva. He did not linger at the site long, however, as a gust of wind picked up and carried him away from the scene, over the rooftops of the buildings, over the bustling city below, all the way across town to the Temple District. He gently lowered himself to the ground, finding himself standing outside the entrance to the Temple of Torm. Jelani smiled thinly and nodded. Akadi had made his path clear to him.
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“Pardon me for saying so, but you don’t exactly look like a fierce warrior,” said Grundar, casting an appraising look at Jelani. The adventurers had gone to the Temple of Torm to recruit a new member to their group, but were surprised when they found this man outside who had asked to join with them.
“There are more ways to wage war than blades, my elven friend,” said Jelani. “I have dedicated my life to the combination of arcane and divine magic, and I am equally proficient with the use of each. You will find me a valuable asset to your cause.”
Terenon frowned, suspicious of this strange man. “And how did you know we were on our way here looking for aid?”
Jelani smiled from beneath his wide-brimmed hat. “I go where the winds take me. Akadi has seen it fit that I lend you my aid on your quest, and I trust her judgment. She has not steered me wrong before.”
“I do not detect the taint of evil on this man,” Gillian said thoughtfully. “He seems to be telling the truth, strange as it may be. I do not believe the Acolytes sent him. I believe humans have an expression about looking a gift horse in the mouth?”
“He seems nice enough,” said Lisa jovially. “We should trust him!”
Terenon sighed. “Very well, Jelani, you may come with us. Don’t try anything funny though.”
Lisa frowned in thought for a few moments, then tentatively spoke up. “Um…we’re going to Silverymoon right? Isn’t it really far away? It would probably take us a few weeks to get there by walking.”
“We’re not walking,” said Terenon simply. “Gillian, Rhys, you two ride in the portable hole. Once you’re secured, I’ll teleport us to Silverymoon.”
Grundar pulled out a folded black cloth circle and laid it out on the ground. Lisa was quite surprised as Gill and Rhys hopped inside and Grundar picked the circle back up. Before she could say anything, though, Terenon took her by the hand and spoke a few strange words, and suddenly they were gone.
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Serrila turned to Rumar as several figures appeared in a flash of light further down the road outside of Silverymoon. Her silver hair sparkled in the morning sun, and her new white robe hugged her figure tightly. “That must be them,” she said. “Let’s go greet them.” Silently, Rumar nodded and followed along behind her.
By the time the two aasimar reached the group, Gill and Rhys had clambered back out of the portable hole. It seemed the party had picked up some new members in Baldur’s Gate: an intense man with a wide-brimmed hat, and a young girl with a wide-eyed expression on her face. Serrila smiled radiantly as she approached, and Terenon greeted her with a smile and a wave. She briefly embraced the mage, who returned the hug with much affection. “I knew there was a beautiful woman behind all that dirt,” he said, and Serrila turned away to hide her blush before addressing the group.
"It is good to see you all again. It seems you have picked up a few stragglers along the way." She gestured at the heavily armored man behind her. "May I introduce my brother, Rumar Destare. He has expressed interest in joining with you on your quest."
Rumar bowed slowly, metal creaking as he did so. "Greetings. It is a great honor to meet those who have saved Serrila, for, though your meeting was short and your circumstances ill, she believes you to be quite capable. Thusly, so do I." The paladin delivered his entire greeting while bent over, resuming his earlier stiff position only once he had finished.
Terenon extended a hand to the iron-clad aasimar, who firmly clasped it. “If you have half the courage and heart of your sister, then that would make you one of the finest knights in the land. It is good to meet you,” the mage said. The mage returned his gaze to Serrila and the smile faded from his face. "Allanon..." He pointed to the sorceress, and then saw the quizzical look on Serrila's face. He shook his head and continued. "...I'll explain everything when we have more time. First we need a place to talk free from prying eyes and listening ears. Allanon will take the girl, Lisa, who we have picked up, to a friend of his...hers for safe keeping.”
"I'm afraid this is where I am going to have to part ways," said Gillian softly. "I wish you the best of luck with the rest of your quest and sincerely hope you all remain well. It has been an honor fighting alongside you." The halfling bowed low, then turned and began walking away. The party watched her go sadly, then Serrila cleared her throat.
“I know of a place we can speak that should be safe. Come with me.”
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Serrila led the party through Silverymoon to a large building with the holy symbol of Mystra prominently displayed on the doors. She told them that it was the arcane guild of Silverymoon, and that it was heavily warded against divination spells. After speaking with the clerk and waiting a few minutes, the group was ushered into a private room with plush chairs, a low wooden table, and several goblets of water.
"I managed to uncover some interesting information about that Merik Thornridge fellow," Serrila began. "Very interesting indeed. The Thornridge who hired you is not Thornridge at all. He is actually a simulacrum, a quasi-real duplicate made of shadowstuff and ice. The real Thornridge went missing several months ago, but this duplicate showed up a few days later so nobody really questioned his disappearance. I haven't directly confronted the simulacrum, so I don't know who it is working for. But it is certain that somebody is controlling it."
Terenon eyes widened a bit, impressed by the woman’s resourcefulness. “How did you discover this?”
"Whoever replaced Thornridge did a pretty good job of covering it up, but it was relatively simple for somebody determined to uncover the truth to do so. Most of the ploy involved avoiding raising any suspicion so as not to get more powerful individuals interested in the disappearance. First, I cast a few divination spells to try to find some clues as to what was going on. The spells indicated that there was more to Thornridge than met the eye. Using the funds you gave me and some funds of my own, I purchased a scroll of true seeing and arranged a meeting with him, during which the spell revealed to me his true nature. After that, it was a simple matter of spreading some coin around and loosening a few tongues to learn about the merchant's brief disappearance a while back, and all the pieces seemed to fit together."
Terenon nodded approvingly at the sorceress. "I have the name of the mage who probably created the impostor: Durzhul, a particularly nasty red eyed dwarf who killed both Berek and Rhys. Fortunately we were able to raise Rhys with the blessing of Torm. I don't think we need to confront the simulacrum, and interrogating him would prove dangerous to our secrecy. I think its time we took the fight back to the Acolytes. We shall scry on Degradzel and teleport in.”
“I am more than ready to deliver justice to these cretins for what they have done to my sister,” Rumar proclaimed. “These evil cultists will get what they deserve.”
Allanon cleared her throat. “Terenon, you'll need to hold off on that scrying spell for a little while. I need to visit my friend, Deirdriel Elethneril, and see what she can do for Lisa. I also need to see if she can change me back to my true form.”
Smirking, Terenon replied, “Of course. I would ask to come with you, though; I’d love to meet your friend.” Not to mention see her reaction, he added silently.
“Very well,” said Allanon. “Serrila, do you know if Deirdriel is visiting the guild today?"
“I think she’s studying in one of the private rooms,” replied Serrila.
“Thanks. The rest of you wait here. We’ll be back soon.”
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With Terenon and Lisa in tow, Al traversed through the halls of the guild, climbing up some stairs to the second floor before reaching the room where his half-elf friend was studying. Allanon knocked lightly on the door, and a few moments later it swung open. Beyond it stood Deirdriel Elethrenil, a tall half-elven woman with long strawberry blonde hair and deep green eyes. Her form was slim and graceful, and she moved with a quiet confidence. Deirdriel looked at Allanon, Terenon, and Lisa quizzically, then asked in a light, honeyed voice, "May I help you?"
"Hey Deir....," Allanon said before pausing in thought for a moment. The wild mage seemed at a loss for words. "It's Allanon. This may come as a surprise to you, but remember how I told you I used to be a halfling for a while? Well, I seem to have goofed again. Thankfully, the change isn't permanent." The sorceress smiled sheepishly.
Deirdriel stared at Allanon and blinked a few times. At first, she thought this to be a joke of some sort, but then she saw the embarassment in Allanon's eyes and realized that it was true. She took a small step back and gasped slightly. She closed the door, only to open it again and gape at Allanon's new form.
"Al, is that really you?" she asked in shock. When the mage nodded at her, she rubbed her hands over her face and sighed. "No," she said. "No, this simply will not do. I can't date somebody who's prettier than I am. And I don't think any of my clothes are going to be able to fit you: you'll have to find some of your own. At least tell me you didn't do this on purpose. I wouldn't put it past you to indulge in some...experimentation."
“No, it was an accident. I was attempting to halt some undead with my magic, and this is the result. I've been thinking since it happened, trying to figure out how the spell could have warped so badly, but haven't been able to figure it out quite yet. It may have had to do with the wild magic zone in the ruins. Thankfully, this change isn't permanent. The other Harpells were able to strip away my previous halfling form with a limited wish spell, and I don't see why it shouldn't work here."
“Wait, Allanon’s a guy?” asked Lisa. She chuckled softly to herself and shook her head. "I've heard stories of wizards changing form before, but this really takes the cake!"
Terenon smiled broadly at the exchange between Allanon and Deirdriel. He wondered whether the two ever had had a romantic relationship with each other. If they are lovers, he wondered, would they try a night of passion before he changed back? The image of Allanon the male and Allanon the female flip-flopped in his head. No he thought, that would be too weird. Memorable, but weird.
"Oh, forgive my absentmindedness,” said Allanon. “Deir, this is Terenon, a powerful evoker whom I've been traveling with since I left you a few days ago. This is Lisa LaBurton, and I have something to ask of you concerning her. After we fix this situation, of course."
Terenon’s grin only grew broader as he extended his hand to Deirdriel. “Yes please change him back,” he said. “I grow weary of defending his...her honor from the propositions of every drunken knave we run into.”
"It is nice to meet you, Terenon and Lisa," said Deirdriel. "It is good to know that Allanon's femininity disturbs you almost as much as it disturbs me. Come in and let us be rid of it." The half-elf led the three into the sumptuously appointed room. She motioned to a few cushions for Terenon and Lisa to recline in while she made the preparations for her spell. "You know, Allanon," she continued, "a limited wish spell is not the easiest to cast. I don't do it very often because it is very draining on the caster: I do expect something to recompense my loss. Now, this may sting a little..."
Deirdriel intoned a powerful arcane phrase and made a few passes through the air with her hands, and suddenly Allanon's form began to change again. Her hair shortened back to its original length, as did her nails. Her chest and hips shrunk to their normal proportions, and her shoulders broadened. Her facial features became more and more masculine, and a beard sprouted from her chin. Finally, with a last contortion, Allanon was his male self again.
Deirdriel swooned unsteadily on her feet and leaned against the wall of the room for support. Her face looked a bit haggard, and her hair had fallen across her face. Straightening back to her full height and tucking a loose strand of strawberry blonde hair back to its rightful place, she regarded her handiwork. "There you are; everything should be in order now. I trust I won't have to do that again."
Allanon smiled, then moved over to Deirdriel and hugged her. Their embrace lasted an uncomfortably long time for the others in the room, but they finally separated. Allanon retrieved a sack of gold out of his robe and handed it to her in payment for the spell. "Now, onto our other business," he said.
Allanon sat down on one of the cushions and related everything that had happened since they last parted. After he was finished with the tale, he gave Deir a few minutes to digest it, then spoke again. "…and so, Lisa would like to begin a new life in Silverymoon. She needs some protection until the mage and devils forget about her. I would help her myself, but we have to return and take care of the Acolytes. Could you grant her your protection, love?"
"I promise I won't cause any trouble," Lisa said. "I don't want anything to do with acolytes or devils or frogmen. All I want is to be safe and happy and have the opportunity to make the most of my life. Maybe...maybe you could teach me to be a wizard!" she exclaimed. "Oh, that would be grand! Lisa LaBurton: wizard extraordinaire!" The girl laughed a bit, then looked up at Deirdriel sheepishly. "That is, if it's alright with you, ma'am. I don't want to be a bother."
The half-elf’s worried expression disappeared at Lisa's outburst of youthful exuberance. She smiled down at the girl. "Lisa, I would be honored to watch over you and make sure you remain safe while these men finish their business. I may even teach you a few cantrips if you behave yourself."
This drew a big grin from Lisa. “Oh thank you, ma’am! You won’t regret it, I swear!”
“She’s quite the handful,” said Terenon. “Keep an eye on her.”
Deirdriel turned back to Allanon. "I wish our reunion could have lasted a bit longer, but I understand the importance of your mission. You must not allow the Firebringer to be released. I will contact Lady Alustriel and inform her of the developments you have reported to me. Stay safe, my love: I could deal with you being a woman, but I don't know what I would do if I lost you."
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“Well then,” said Terenon as he and Allanon reentered the room. “Our friend is back to his normal self. I am ready to scry on the secretary. Then, we will cast preparatory spells before teleporting in. Any objections?”
Grundar shrugged. “Whenever you mages are ready, Wynona and I will be by your side.”
Rhys nodded. “It is time for us to avenge Berek.”
Jelani, who had remained silent long enough for some of the party members to forget his presence, adjusted his hat. “Very well. Let us bring down these, um, Acolytes of the Hidden Flame, was it?”
Rumar silently rose to his feet, a cold gleam in his eyes.
Terenon smiled, satisfied. “They won’t know what hit them.”
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Degradzel stood before a stone workbench, gathering together a stack of parchments. She was in a long, low room finished in crumbling red brick. Four thick, square pillars supported the low, barrel-vaulted ceiling. The whole room was illuminated by the angry red glow of braziers filled with hot coals.
"Damned Durzhul," she muttered to herself, "making me do his grunt work. Oh sure, he pops his head out to grab his precious spellbooks, but then makes me drag down the rest of his things." She continued to mutter and gather the papers until, with a flash of light, a heavily armed party of adventurers appeared in the room behind her. She let out a shriek and threw the papers into the air, scattering them around the room.
“Not again!” she wailed.
bye
