Adrian: Baldur's Gate

The next day, after indeed having some nightmare carnival ride dreams, Adrian led the party on, to the richest quarter of the city, for their appointed meeting with Eldoth.

Coran, Safana and Viconia had all wanted to wait a day, but Adrian had had enough of a "vacation" the night before. Now he wanted to get back to business. He could rest when his brother was dead.

They found Eldoth in the Helm and Cloak, the richest, plushest inn in the city. Eldoth smiled falsely at them from the mahogany bar. "Greetings, my friends. Tonight we raid the house of one of the Grand Dukes, so that I may win the hand of his daughter."

"We will do it according to my terms," said Adrian, bluntly.

For a moment Eldoth's facade faltered, and look of annoyance crossed his face. Then he recovered itself. "Why, may I ask?"

"Because we won't have time to hang around with you and wait to start collecting ransom money. We have other business." He glanced at Safana, then resumed. "So we will clean out the house of what valuables we can grab while taking the girl."

"That might attract attention," said Eldoth.

"Not as much as the missing girl will."

"No, I mean, while we're doing it."

"That is why the party that takes the girl will consist of yourself, Edwin, Coran and Safana. Coran and Safana are thieves, and can hide in the darkness. Edwin will make himself and you invisible."

"What about me?" whined Xzar.

"You will remain oustide with the rest of us. I can't afford your unpredictability in an operation of this sensitivity."

Xzar grumped.

"I presume," said Eldoth, "That this will all happen at night?"

"Naturally. When everyone's asleep."

Two AM. The Duke had no social visitors or official business that night, and so had drank heavily and turned in early.

Adrian was even more enamored of the city at night, with it's dark shadows for him to hide in as well as plunder. He got a fleeting understanding of what it was like to be a thief.

Coran and Safana slipped into the shadows a block or so away from the house, and Edwin made himself and Eldoth dissapear.

The thieves climed up the side of the house using grappling gear from their thieve's equipment, following Eldoth's directions to the girl's room. They opened her window, and slipped in, leaving a rope hanging down for the mage and the bard to shimmy up after.

The girl, Skie, was childlike and petite in her bed, sleeping. Her red brown hair framed her round face in a short bob.

"Skie," came Eldoth's voice from the darkness. "Wake up, my pet."

"Mmmmhhhh....Eldoth? Is that you, love?" The girl's voice was somewhat nasal and high pitched, setting Edwin's nerves on edge immediately.

"Indeed, my little angel. I am invisible. My sorcerous friend will guide you to the window. Then you shall be free. Go to the rest of our party, which awaits you below."

"Oooo, how exciting!" Skie giggled. Sighing in frustration, Edwin took hold of the girl and guided her to the window.

The theives and the bard crept quietly through the house. There were awake guards below, so they confined themselves to the upstairs areas, grabbing what gold and treasures they could find, qucikly but quietly.

"Hurry," hissed Eldoth.

They gathered what they could in a space of about twenty minutes, then hurried back to the window, and shimmied down the rope.

Everyone became visible when they returned to the group.

"These are your friends, Eldoth?" Skie pouted. "They look nasty."

"We are," Kagain snarled at her, and she recoiled.

"Come my angel, let us flee into the night. We shall be safe in Ulgoth's Beard, until your father has paid me what he owes me." The naieve girl took his hand, and they fled into the darkness without a look back.

"Good riddance," sneered Edwin. "(I feel this was a total waste of time, involving pawns not even in our game)."

"A good haul," said Adrian. "We'll hide it in our rooms at the inn, then attend to Safana's business in the morning."

"Actually we could go now, it would be a safer place for our goods," said Safana. "And we would be away from the Fist before the sun rises."

"Oh really," said Adrian. "Where?"

"The Docks."