Adrian: Baldur's Gate

The Watchers came for Adrian and his party. They made no attempt to resist, though Edwin sneered as the Archmagi robe was taken from him. They were stripped of all their weapons and equipment.

They were manhandled down to the dungeons and thrown together in a single cell, barely large enough to hold them all. The rotting stench of the place was almost overpowering.

"We could've overpowered them," said Viconia.

"Aye, at this point we could've killed every Watcher in the place. And Ulrant. And Tethtoril. Candlekeep could've been knee-deep in blood. But that, my dear, is what my father would've wanted."

Viconia frowned at him. "Lover, you know I was only--"

He reached out, tenderly, and stroked her cheek. "I know. You remember what you told me on the Pirate Isle?"

Viconia blinked, then subsided, muttering to herself.

Tiax, being insane, took this, possibly the worst moment he could've chosen, to make his move. "Now the time has come Adrian, your planning could not keep us out of this cell."

"I took this cell into account, Tiax," Adrian said patiently, but with a dangerous undercurrent to his voice. Everyone else in the party, even Xzar, cringed back as much as the bars would allow.

"Your plan should have kept us out of here. Now is the time when Tiax rules. Bow to me, and I shall use the powers of the Black Sun to free us from this place."

Adrian sighed, got up, and grabbed Tiax by the front of his tunic.

"You dare to--" Tiax began.

Adrian picked up Tiax, one handed, and began to shake him.

"In the name of Cyric I command you to--"

Adrian shook faster.

"Stop thi--"

Faster.

"Tiax cannot--"

Faster still, until Tiax was almost a blur in his hand. Viconia laughed. Edwin sniggered. Kagain snorted.

"YeEeEeAaAaAaRrGgHhHhHh!" Tiax cried.

Adrian dropped him. The gnome crawled to the bars of the prison, and was violently sick.

"At least he managed to get most of it outside the cell," Edwin murmured.

"Now that's taken care of, we wait," said Adrian.

"You'll be waiting for the gallows!" a new voice called. Adrian was expecting Ulrant, but it was not him, not yet. Intead it was an unremarkable fellow in Watcher's armor.

"Beurros," Adrian snarled, and there was a rumble in his voice. This was the bastard that had bullied Imoen as a child. Adrian had once beaten him within an inch of his life. While that had taught him not to mess with Imoen, it hadn't changed his fundamental character.

"Aye," Beurros sneered, coming up to the bars of the cell to gloat. "It be good to be knowin' yer under the death sentence as you deserve."

Adrian could've bantered wtih him, but wasn't interested. He simply reached through the bars, grabbed Beurros by the through and yanked him hard. Beurros's head smacked into the bars with an audible *clunk*. Adrian let go and he collapsed.

"How typical of a Bhaalspawn," came Ulrant's voice. The old human, hobbling over a cane, in his white and gold robes, came limping up to the cell bars.

"Not really, he's still alive," said Adrian.

Ulrant ignored him. "By the authority invested in me, I hereby sentence you to death. You will be taken from this place on the morrow to Baldur's Gate, to be beheaded. You and all that stand with you."

Adrian waved a hand. "Yeah yeah yeah, blah blah blah. Whatever."

Ulrant glared at him. "Gorion must be spinning in his grave. You certainly killed him, not some other spawn, as you told Tethtoril."

Adrian got up slowly and looked at Ulrant with eyes that were like ice. "I can still reach *you* through the bars, old man," he said in a soft, terrible voice.

Ulrant recoiled and hobbled away. "Die, spawn! Die, abomination that should never have been born!"

"Run, coward," Adrian returned. "Go hide in your books and let Tethtoril run things as he always has."

"Pfagh!" was the best Ulrant could manage as a retort, then he was gone.

"What a charming conversationalist," said Edwin.

"You should talk," grunted Kagain.

"Not now," snapped Adrian irritably. "We have to get out of here."

"I hope your plan works," said Viconia.

"It is working," said a new voice. Tethtoril appeared out of the shadows, a grim look on his face. Behind him, a chest floated on a levitation spell, obviously full of their equipment.

Wordlessly, Tethtoril unlocked the cell and opened it. Adrian and the others quickly re-armed themselves, save Tiax, who was still being sick in the corner. Adrian threw his vestments at him.

"I will give you a wardstone that will let you into the crypts of the Keep," Tethtoril said, not looking at them. "Somewhere there is a passage to the surface, I know not where. You will have to find it, braving any undead you encounter on your own."

"You've given us a fighting chance," said Adrian. "That's all I ask." He reached out a hand, and Tethtoril reluctantly shook it.

"Don't come back any time soon," said Tethtoril.

"No worries," Adrian assured him.

When the green-faced Tiax finally gathered his arms and armor, they took the wardstone from Tethtoril and slipped into the darkness.