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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 377974" data-attributes="member: 143">Book VI, Part 6The room smelled of age and experience, paper and old leather mixed with faint undertones of flowers.  Bookshelves covered the walls, punctuated by occasional space left for well-done paintings of family members or other mementos of the Calloran family history.  There were odd juxtapositions, with a menacing-looking battleaxe hanging just a pace from the frayed stole of an elder priest.  There was no dust visible on any surface, and the light that sifted through the room’s five windows was unmarred by the slightest blemish.  A broad but low desk sized for a gnome dominated the far side of the room, flanked by a small hearth one on side and what Cal recognized as a wizard’s worktable on the other.  Even a cursory look was enough for him to notice several foci that were of considerable rarity and value, including a metal-bound spellbook that was almost a full foot thick.  Alera Calloran looked up as they entered.  She didn’t seem that imposing at first, an elderly gnome with wrinkled features and shoulder-length hair of pure white, barely three feet in height as she sat in a high-backed chair that almost swallowed her up in its padded bulk.  But her eyes danced with energy and life as they fixed on the two newcomers, weighing both her great-nephew and his companion in a single sweep, and an aura of power barely checked seemed to hang about her as she slowly rose and came around the desk to face them.“Matriarch, it is good to see you, even if the occasion is a sad one,” Cal said, meeting the old woman in a warm embrace.  “Thank you, Nora,” Alera said, dismissing the woman still hovering in the doorway.  She waited until the door had closed, then she turned back toward the desk and her chair.  “Thank you for coming, Balander.  Please, sit down,” she said, indicating two smaller chairs in front of the desk. She shifted her attention to Benzan.  “I’m sorry that circumstances do not allow me the luxury of polite conversation, so I must be blunt.  I do not know you, sir, and I can honestly say that I have not had the occasion to entertain one of your bloodline in my house before.  You come as a guest of my great-nephew, however, so I will give you the benefit of the doubt unless your actions indicate otherwise.”“This is my blood-friend, Benzan, Matriarch.”Benzan met the old woman’s look without flinching.  “I don’t expect that you’re ever anything but blunt, Matriarch.  I don’t know you either, but I’ve known your great-nephew here for a while, and anyone that could hold a family like this one together has earned my respect.  And no offense intended, but from what Cal has told me about your problem here, I’d guess that you could use all the help you can get, at this juncture.”“No offense taken,” Alera replied.  “In fact, from what I’ve seen of you in action, Benzan, your help would be greatly appreciated.”Benzan looked a little surprised, but she did not elaborate, turning instead back to Cal.“I thank you for coming so swiftly at my call, Balander, but time is brief.  Earlier this morning, I consulted with the high priest of Oghma, Telan Caroth.  Old Tel owes the family a few favors, so I was able to prevail upon him for some magical assistance.”“As you no doubt know, most forms of divination and transportation magic function very erratically, if at all, in the halls of the Mad Mage.  My own resources are not inconsiderable, but my own divinations have not proven fruitful in this matter.  My thought was that perhaps divine magic would have a chance where the arcane failed.”“The priest’s divinations met with some of the same difficulties as my own, but the trip was not a complete waste.  We were able to determine that Nelan still lives, although...”For a moment, the shell of iron that surrounded the old woman’s feelings cracked enough for them to see the very real grief that she carried around with her.  She quickly regained control, however.  “What I mean, is that... he lives, but he is not fully well.  I cannot be more specific, only that his aura has been corrupted somehow.”“I fully know the gravity of what I ask you, Balander, fully understand the lethal dangers of the Undermountain.  Were I a few decades younger, I would go myself, and the responsibilities of my position be damned.  Nelan is the last of my direct line that yet lives, and I do not want to be one of those rare and cursed parents to outlive all of their descendants...”  The last thought tore Alera’s veil of self-control yet again, and a sob wrenched itself free from her as she sagged back into the padding of the chair.  “Please, bring my boy back to me.  He is all that I have left...”Cal glanced at Benzan, and the tiefling nodded.  The two rose, as did the aged gnome matron.  “I will not send you into such danger without all of the aid that I can provide.”  She reached into a drawer in the desk, and withdrew a polished mahogany box that she lifted with some effort onto the desktop in front of them.  The box had a lid that folded back, and Alera opened it, revealing a small collection of items.  She catalogued the contents of the box quickly for them, removing each item in turn and placing it in a row across the edge of the desk.“While visiting the church of Oghma, I picked up these potions.”  She laid the six stoppered vials out on the desk.  “Cure serious wounds, among the most potent healing aids you will find in a bottle.”“I know that you are familiar with wands, Balander,” she continued, holding up a slender piece of polished black wood.  “This wand of acid arrows is approximately half-charged, but even so is capable of unleashing considerable damage.  The command word is ‘malicar’.”“Perhaps you might find these useful, Benzan.” She held up a thick bundle of arrows, each of which was covered in runes along the shaft and bore a wedge-shaped arrowhead of dull gray metal.  “Ice arrows, which inflict additional cold damage upon impact.”Finally, she lifted a cluster of metal tubes similar to the ones that Cal had gotten from the stone messenger bird.  “For you, Balander, a collection of scrolls by my own hand, bearing some of the most potent spells from my arsenal.  Use them as you see fit, but understand that their efficacy might be affected by the strange auras that exist in Undermountain.”“I understand,” Cal said, taking the scrolls.  He and Benzan shared out the other gear, adding the items of power to their arsenal.  “Even with these items, it’ll be tough, with only the two of us,” Benzan said.“Did you hear from Pelanther?” Cal asked.  “I know we’ve had our differences, but his skills would be useful on this mission.”Alera sighed, a gesture full of meaning.  “He will be here.  I will send him to you, at the Yawning Portal.”Benzan looked at both gnomes, but neither seemed in a mood to elaborate.  “Even so, a few hired swords might be helpful,” the tiefling finally ventured.“I considered using mercenaries, or hiring adventurers,” Alera admitted.  “But ultimately, I decided to leave this in the family.  Undermountain... the place has been known to do strange things to those who brave its corridors, and I think you would be better served with sound allies at your back, people you know and trust.”“Given the limits of divination magic there, how are we supposed to find Nelan?” Cal asked.  Alera hesitated, then reached into a pocket of her robe and drew out a small item, which she placed upon the desk.  It was a small sculpture of a dog, expertly carved from black onyx. “His name is Valor, and he comes at its call,” she said.  “Please be careful with him... he is very dear to me.”“A magical figurine...” Benzan said, as he admired the small item.  “Are you saying a real dog comes when you call its name?”“Better than a real dog,” Alera insisted.  “His tracking abilities are unmatched, and while he is brave, he is not much stronger than a real dog in combat.  He can only remain on our plane for up to six hours a tenday, so you must be prepared to be swift, once you call him.”“Is there something of Nelan’s we can bring, to give it the scent?” Cal asked, picking up the figurine.“Valor knows Nelan’s scent,” Alera said.  “You will find him far more intelligent than an average dog.”“We’d better get going, then,” Benzan said.Alera closed her eyes for a moment, and mouthed something silently; she seemed to be talking to herself.  When she opened her eyes, she said, “Horses will be waiting for you in the courtyard, and one of the staff will take you directly to the Yawning Portal.  I have already made arrangements with Durnan to let you use the shaft down, although he has kept it closed to general use of late.”“We’ll find him,” Cal said.  He went around the desk and embraced his kinswoman once more, then the two turned and left the room.  “Gods be with you,” Alera whispered after they had gone, suddenly looking very small indeed within the warm embrace of her chair, behind the heavy desk.</blockquote>

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