Makings of a Monster

Again Tamoko was riding like chased by the demons, this time from the doppleganger-infested Candlekeep back to Baldur's Gate. Peri had been imprisoned for murdering Reiltar and his two closest underlings, as was the plan. She had escaped, however, apparently through underground tunnels. Tamoko didn't waste time looking for her in Candlekeep's surroundings. She had to be heading Baldur's Gate, as it was her only hope to find proof of her innocence.

Tamoko would find her once she reached the city. She prayed that the time they had left would be enough. As the news of Reiltar's death would reach Sarevok, he would waste no time to assume control of the Throne himself, and then his plan would be too near its completion. Tamoko would have to prevent the coronation. She barely slept, worked her horse into exhaustion, driven by the wish to salvage the only thing that truly mattered to her.

They would be in considerable trouble even though she succeeded. Sarevok's support in Iron Throne, such as it was, was already like a house of cards. The officials correctly suspected that his true priorities lay somewhere else than in Throne's best interests. What they could not fathom was that he didn't seem to be motivated by personal wealth either. Sarevok saw this as a sign of their despicable mindset and lack of vision, the Reiltars of the world. Indeed, he despised those whose influence was based on something else than the power and magnetism of their personality. Inherited privilege and excess wealth only created parasites in his opinion. Tamoko was amazed that the nobles and merchants couldn't perceive this. Perhaps some of them did.

As long as Tamoko would get Sarevok back as he had been before the madness took over, she didn't mind any trouble. She would fight off Throne assassins, bounty hunters, knights, and city guards. They could go anywhere, hunt their food, live by their blades. As long as they were together. As Tamoko finally saw Baldur's Gate city walls she was so tired she had to pinch herself to keep awake. Still she rode straight to the Thieves Guild to locate Peri. She mingled among the shadows of the night, locating the hunted group. She observed them for a while before approaching them.

Peri's glossy hair had lost some of its shine, her general appearance disheveled. Stout and muscular, she looked like a worthy warrior. She probably was. There was the pink-haired girl, carrying a bow and wearing leather. A mage in robes looking even more paranoid and jumpy than the rest of them. Surly little halfling, a prototypical dwarf complete with braided beard and horned helmet, and a giant of a man, as large as Sarevok. Tamoko thought for a moment he had some sort of rodent perched at his shoulder, but that was surely just because she was so tired. As a combination they looked like a ragtag band of misfits, but Tamoko knew better than to judge by appearances. She smoothly approached them and bowed courteously.

- "Greetings, Peri. I have a suggestion you will find interesting. I believe we can help each other."
The other woman's eyes flashed with recognition and hatred. Apparently she remembered how Tamoko had helped to kill her stepfather.
- "Who am I talking to? I mean, what is your name, murderess?" she snarled.
- "You may call me Tamoko. And I don't presume to be your friend or someone you implicitly can trust, though I doubt I am the only murderess around. You do know about your inheritance by now, don't you. But no matter. We can be allies in this matter, and I can help you. I will explain later what my interest in this is. But you must give me a promise, or I won't help you."
She considered this, her grayish-green eyes intense.
- "Tell me what you want of me, Tamoko," she asked, looking less hostile. The others were listening intently.

- "What I want may seem odd to you, but hear me out. I charge you to defeat Sarevok, to destroy his plan. As you have gathered by now, he is the man behind all of your troubles. You must stop his mad plan in its tracks, and strip him of the belief he can succeed. But doing so you must leave him his life. If you don't promise this to me, I won't tell you how to do this."
- "No! What has given me strength, what has driven me has been my revenge. He robbed me of my father, slaughtered him before my eyes. I can't rest until I spill his blood. You must want something else. Tell me - magical treasure, money? I care little for such things." Peri seemed unconvinced. She seemed to have trouble with what to make of Tamoko.
- "Then we are alike, Peri. And this condition is not under negotiation. It is the only thing that matters to me." Tamoko's gaze was firm, her jaw set. She had no time to waste, and Peri must understand.

- "I... I promise to save him if it is in my power to do so. Seems that I have little choice in the matter," said Peri quietly. She spoke as though it pained her, and gripped her sword more intently.
- "I thank you. Sarevok seeks to destroy many, not just you. He wants to start a senseless war, and in order to do so he needs to assume control of Baldur's Gate. He will be coronated as a Grand Duke, and at the ceremony he seeks to assassinate two of the other Dukes. The fourth, Duke Eltan, is ill, and it is his own healer who is poisoning him. "
- "He does have style..." squawked the mage in high-pitched voice, smiling unnervingly. Peri shot him an irritated glance.
- "And why is he after me? Why does he hate me so much?" asked the confused woman.
- "You have felt the pull of your divine blood, have you not?" countered Tamoko.
- "Oh, aye." Peri's voice was grave, her eyes filled with purpose and darkness.
- "It's pull is very strong in him, and he thinks... he wishes to become a god, and sees you as a rival as you share the blood. He does not see this, but he has no sway over his own soul. You had Gorion to guide and help you, but Sarevok's life has been cruel. He had no-one and has no means to deal with it. This is why I need you to stop him, to realise that he can live as a man, firmly among us who are flesh and blood."

The pink-haired girl looked closely at Tamoko. There was something unexpected in her expression. Compassion.
- "But... why are you doing this? You don't... love him, do you?" she asked, perplexed.
Tamoko chuckled, her eyes almost brimming with tears.
- "Oh, I do. I do not love the beast he wishes to become, the only Sarevok you know. I love with all my heart the man within the beast. But all that you need to know is that Sarevok is...I share Sarevok's company, and would do so until I die, given the choice. I don't share his belief that he is chosen to be a new god. Gods don't play nice with mortals, especially if they are specialized in murder and have foreseen their deaths. I don't believe he will survive the plan, and I want to redeem him. Just as you can be redeemed, should you pursue the same path."

- "Well, being a god seems to be vastly overrated if you ask me," said Peri dryly. "But I do know about the lure of the blood. I do. Very well, Tamoko. I will do this for you. What else can you help me with?"
- "In the Undercellar you can find Sarevok's doppleganger assassins. They will have documentation to prove your innocence and Sarevok's involvement. And..there is... a bitch that needs removing. Her influence is poison to Sarevok's soul. Her name is Cythandria and she lives atop Iron Throne building. She is an opportunistic whore encouraging Sarevok in his plan hoping to profit should he succeed. She has most likely incriminating documents in her possession just in case she happens to need them. If she is removed, I may yet be able to make Sarevok listen. I must go now. He must not know that I have helped you."

Tamoko turned around and started walking, as the dwarf called after her.
- "Girlie? Who DID kill Reiltar Anchev?"
Tamoko turned around to face him. The eyes glinted below the bushy eyebrows.
- "Me," she simply answered. It wouldn't make any difference at this time.
- "He suffer?" Why did the dwarf care?
- "Oh yes," answered Tamoko. The dwarf smiled and saluted her.