Adrian: Baldur's Gate

Candlekeep.

Xzar eyed it uncertainly. The place was known to him of course, an extensive library, a cloister of knowledge, walled up and protected here on the Sword Coast. But there Necromantic knowledge was said to be slim.

Xzar's mind blurred and flickered, and buzzed. He knew he was mad, had beeen since...since....his mind shied away from the memory. But for a long time, he had been. And he knew it. But he could function through it, even on bad days. On good days, which this one was, relatively, he could be dangerously creative.

He eyed Adrian, who was staring at his former home with mixed emotions.

"No other way in then?" he asked Adrian one of his more sing-song voices.

Adrian started a little, and turned to face him. "There's said to be crypts beneath, with a passage to the surface," he said, then smiled a little. "Such would no doubt be to your taste. But alas, that is not the way to get in legitimately, to stop Reiltar and his cronies."

As they marched closer to the walled fortress of Adrian's childhood, Xzar eyed his companions.

Tiax. Mad as himself or worse, trying to rule the world. No chance, no hope. And Xzar had already learned the hard way, as Tiax had yet to do, that you did not try to use Adrian. Xzar had seen Tiax's ambitions even before Edwin had, in the common shared langauge of madness it was even more clear to him than any other what Tiax had in mind. He also knew that the frighteningly sane Adrian could handle him.

Edwin. The pompous Red Wizard made a useful ally, but had no idea even know how much Thay was compromised by the Zhentarim. Xzar hoped he never found out.

Viconia. The Drow had Xzar's respect, but no desire. That was reserved for Kirya, who he pined after whenever he was not in her presence.

Kagain. He was no Montaron, for sure, but he served a somewhat similar purpose. Montaron...Xzar's mind shied away from the loss of his friend.

As for Adrian himself...Xzar knew only not to cross him, and to go where he led. That was enough.

Then Xzar's mind clouded, and the madness descended in it's fullness. He saw siwrling colors, screaming dead men, and grinning skulls with eyes, and of course rabbit's feet....by the time his mind cleared, they were inside.

Emirikol had watched as the grim warrior had given a magic tome to the guard of Candlekeep. The party had trooped in. It was no matter, living in the wilderness had taught him patience. He settled down to wait.