Adrian: Baldur's Gate

Kagain and Tiax indeed had a successful night, killing four isolated dopplegangers where they laired in the outer courtyard. They were able to rejoin the troupe well before midnight.

After a good night's sleep and a hearty breakfast--one of the few things Adrian had missed about this place was the great food--they made for the inner courtyard, where the castle proper was.

"I'm dutifully impressed," said Edwin, looking up.

"Aye, looks more like a war fortress than a place o learnin'," said Kagain.

"I've often wondered about that myself," said Adrian. "About what went on here while the place was being constructed."

There was a moment's pause as they considered this. Faerun was old. Time weighed down on them it does not in the "real" world of the scribe of this story and his audience, with all its supposed countless years of evolution. The history of civlization, of good and evil as they knew it, went back into the dusty lost pages of history, and there was much before that. So much.

Shaking it off, they focused on the here and now, and walked up to the front steps, passing the chanters as they went.

"The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his doom he shall--" the lead chanter began, in his preposterous bright yellow robes.

"Yes, yes," said Adrian dismissively as he passed. "We know that one already."

The chanter stared after him, nonplussed.

They were inside the vast echoing chamber of the bottom floor of the libary. The rising and falling sing song of the monk's chants could be heard. Rows upon rows of bookshelves lined the place. Adrian took in a deep breath of the musty air. Yes, it was as he remembered.

Kagain coughed. "Gak, how do ye even breathe in here?"

Edwin, on the other hand, breathed it in. "You become used to it," he said. "Mages know that smell well. (Which is just as well, otherwise we'd run mad. Some do anyways, not mentioning any names.)"

That crack earned him a long, long stare from Xzar. He shivered.

"Enough, children," said Adrian, and they moved on. "We have to get to Tethtoril and---"

"In the year of the turrets," a deep voice intoned, undercutting Adrian, "A great host will come from the east like a plague of locusts, so sayeth the Wise Alaundo."

Adrian stopped. Turned slowly to the right. And stared at the large "monk" standing there with his eyes closed, fingers tapping over the parchment.

Adrian walked calmly over and leaned against the bookshelf, watching the "monk" recite the prophecies. The others crowded around him, each looking on with expresisons varying from disbeleif (Viconia) to amusement (Kagain).

At last the "monk" stopped for breath, and Adrian said, "You have got to be kidding me."

The "monk" turned and looked at them. He blinked a moment, then his shoulders slumped. "This was not my idea," he muttered.

"Oh I'm sure not," Adrian responded. "This is that Winski's doing, isn't it."

"Er....well....yes."

Long pause.

"I begin to understand, brother," said Adrian, "Why you favor the fools-rush-in approach."

Sarevok glared at him but did not attack.

"I presume you're shielded against anything I could do?" Adrian asked.

"At least until Watchers arrived to stop your attack on an 'innocent' monk, yes," said Sarevok, sounding no happier about it than Adrian.

"So what are you doing?"

Sarevok considered. Honesty could not hurt him at this point. "Let's just say I won't mourn Reiltar's passing."

"Yes...." Adrian nodded slowly. "I rather got that feeling from your commentary on the Tower. But, understand this brother, understand it clearly. I do what I do for MY reasons. Not yours, and not Bhaal's."

"I've rather gotten that impression," Sarevok said drily, attempting to match Adrian's own wit.

Adrian gave a small, tight smile. Then he slapped Sarevok once across the face, hard. "Your turn will come."

Sarevok merely grinned hard in reply, the glow of his eyes leaking around the glamour a little. "I'll be waiting."

Adrian turned and marched away, the others following him.

"What now?" said Viconia.

"Now it is more urgent than ever that I speak to Tethtoril before....taking any action. I'll need him."