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Chapter 8 - First Night in Athkatla


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#1 Guest_Clovis_*

Posted 14 May 2005 - 09:39 AM

It took several moments for the shock to pass. They’d escaped their captor’s dungeon, and found their captor, only to have a mysterious third party whisk him away, along with one of their own.

“What in blazes is going on here?” swore Theodoric. “Who were those mages?”

“The Cowled Wizards”, Yoshimo answered. Theodoric snapped his head around. “The who?”

“The Cowled Wizards, the law when in comes to magic in Amn.” Yoshimo pointed to the plaza they were in. “I recognize this place, Theodoric. This is the Promenade, the commercial district in Athkatla.”

“Yes, I recognize it too” added Jaheira. “We are surely in Athkatla.”

“Are we far from home?”

“Not so far. Perhaps ten days’ journey by horse. The Cowled Ones are known to me as well. They are entrusted with maintaining control of magic in Amn.”

“Why would they need to do that?” asked Theodoric.

“This is Amn. Magic is not so welcome here as it is in the Sword Coast. Anyone not licensed to practice magic does so with the threat of dire consequences.”


“Enough talk!” bellowed Minsc. “The murderer of Dynahier has escaped justice, and he takes Imoen with him! We must find him quickly!”

“Careful, my friend” Yoshimo warned. “The Cowled Ones are not to be crossed lightly. And we do not even know where to look.”

“Yoshimo’s right, Minsc” said Theodoric, hating the words as he spoke them. “We must get our bearings and discover where they have been taken before we do anything else.”


“I would suggest we head to the slums as soon as possible” Jaheira interrupted. “We do not know if Irenicus has allies in this city. The slums of Athkatla have always been favored by those not wishing to be found.”

“I agree, the slums would be the place to lay low while planning our next move”, added Yoshimo. “There is often information available as well. For a price, of course.”


Theodoric considered their words and nodded. This is going to be a lot more difficult than breaking out of a dungeon. We’d best be prepared.


"Fine, we will go there as soon as we finish a bit of business here. We need to trade some of this treasure in for gold and better equipment.” Wearily, he added, “and perhaps a meal and a night’s rest first are not uncalled for?”

“I am quite hungry.” conceded Jaheira, realizing she could not remember when she had last eaten.

Minsc nodded in agreement “Boo needs something to eat, and Minsc needs to rest, lest evil get the jump on him.”

“It’s settled then.” Pointing to a sign in front of a nearby shop, he said “that looks like an equipment shop over there. Let’s check it out.”

The shop, simply called the Adventurer’s Mart, was impressive. Equipment, both mundane and exotic, lined the shelves and walls. Some of the best items were in cases lined with wizard’s glass-steel to deter thieves. Several burly guards and what appeared to be a hired mage stood watch, not smiling.

An unassuming, middle-aged man stood behind the counter, hawking his pitch to a prospective customer. “Ribald Barterman’s the name”, he said. “We have the best goods anywhere in Amn at a fair price.”

The customer finished his transaction and walked off with a marvelous looking magic shield. Theodoric’s party stepped forward. Barterman looked up and frowned.

“Greetings to you, good sir”, Jaheira said pleasantly. “I trust all is well?”

“It is…well enough, Miss Jaheira.” Barterman looked at her with suspicion, and his jaw clenched a bit. “You’ll not bring Harper trouble to my doorstep this day. Might I remind you my days with your kin are over?”

“I am not here in on behalf of the Harpers, Ribald. You needen’t be so supicious.”

“With your kind, there’s always cause for suspicion” he retorted, heat creeping into his voice. “But…I forget my manners. Please, forgive me. How can I help you and your friends today?”

“We’re just looking to sell some items, and maybe buy a few things” Theodoric said.

“Ahhh!” Barterman rubbed his hands together, grinning. “That, I will gladly help you with!”


Barterman proved to be a fair-minded man, and very good at his trade. They traded in the small gems and scrolls they’d recovered, and also the armor they’d taken off of the Duergar leader Illyich. Despite its ugly appearance, Barterman offered them well over a thousand gold coins for it. With the money they acquired, they set about equipping themselves.

Magical items were out of the question, but the coin they’d acquired was sufficient to purchase some well-made armor and a good supply of arrows and sling bullets, with enough left over to identify a few items that Imoen hadn’t recognized. They were quite surprised to find that the helmet recovered near the portal had been none other than Balduran’s, the hero and founder of Baldur’s Gate. The horned helm looked rather striking on Minsc.

Ribald was kind enough to give them directions to shops that carried more mundane goods. After leaving his shop, they purchased some fresh clothing and traveling gear from the open air markets, and bought some food from a street vendor. The last stop was a little inn near the top of the promenade called the Den of the Seven Vales. There they rented a small room for the four of them. The innkeeper was a surly, hatchet-faced woman, and the inn itself was of questionable quality. But it was cheap, and it was too late in the day for anyone in the party to want to argue.


*

Jaheira stepped out into the hallway, putting the last of her still wet hair into braids.

“Feeling better?” asked Theodoric.

“It was good to wash the stink of that dungeon off me” she said. “Though there was no need to insist I go first.”

“It would be improper to make a lady wait, Jaheira”, replied Theodoric, with such earnestness Jaheira decided to withhold her pithy comeback.

“It was a noble sentiment, if unnecessary” she said. “But now perhaps you should use some of that noble spirit to clean yourself up?”


*

Theodoric pulled on a pair of trousers and stood up. His wounds still protested a bit from the rigorous scrubbing they’d received, but he ignored them. Who’d have thought a basin full of cold water and a bit of soap would have seemed like such a luxury? For a moment, he felt almost normal. Almost. He looked at a long scar that ran along his bicep. One of the many Irenicus had given him. Again his thoughts focused on the sorcerer that had captured him.

The pain had been so great, so constant. That was all he could remember, the pain. And those cold, cold eyes watching him. Even now he felt those eyes on him, and the feelings he dreaded again rose in him.

“Stop this!” he swore. I must master this. I must!

There was a polite tapping on the door. “Theodoric?” The muffled voice of Yoshimo called out. “Is everything all right?”

Pulling a linen tunic over his head, he replied “ah, everything’s fine, Yoshimo.”

He wondered if Yoshimo believed his words. Because he surely didn’t.


*

The night passed peacefully, each of them too tired even to dream. In the morning they bid the surly innkeeper farewell and made ready to travel to the slums.

“The thoroughfare we need is over that way.” Yoshimo pointed at the far side of the Promenade.

“Lead on, then”, Theodoric said. “Wait, what’s that?”


A crowd was gathering on the street level of the Promenade, near a large, brightly colored tent. An Amnian soldier stood in front of the tent’s entrances, futilely trying to disperse them.

Yoshimo looked at the crowd. “It looks like there has been a disturbance at the circus.”

Minsc’s ears pricked up. “Circus? Boo has told me many things about the circus. Minsc would like to see the dancing bears.”

“Dancing…bears?” Yoshimo stared at Minsc, then looked to Theodoric, who just shrugged and grinned. Minsc was Minsc. “Well, I don’t know if there are any dancing bears there, Minsc”, said the paladin. “But perhaps we should see what the trouble is.”


The crowd around the circus tent had grown quite large, and the guard posted at its entrance was looking quite harried.

“Excuse me”, began Theodoric. “I was wondering-”

“Hold!” snapped the guard. “This tent has been closed off for your own safety. The circus has been closed until the matter has been resolved.”

“Please, we are only here to help, if we can” Theodoric said in an assuring tone. “What has happened here, exactly?”

“I am not sure, exactly. There was a show earlier this morning. Things seemed fine until no one came out. Several citizens entered the tent looking for friends and family, and did not come out.”

“Nobody at all has gotten out?”

“No. We were summoned to investigate about an hour ago.”

“We?”

“Myself and three of my fellow guards”

“And where are they now?”

“They…have not returned, either.”

“You have not gone to see if they are in need?!?” Theodoric said sharply. “You have not gone for more help?”

“I, ah, cannot leave my post” the guard replied weakly. “Besides, no doubt foul magic is in play here. The Cowled Wizards will arrive soon. Yes, the Cowled Wizards will know how to handle this!”


Theodoric made little effort to hide his contempt for the guard. The man is a coward. His loyalty is not to his fellow soldiers, but only to his own safety. “Perhaps we could investigate this for you. My friends and I are adventurers, and have experience in dealing with these sorts of things.”

“Suit yourself” shrugged the guard. “Ye’ve been warned, and I’ll not risk myself to rescue you.”

“So we have”, Theodoric replied curtly. He motioned to the others to make ready.

Yoshimo slid up alongside him. “Are you sure this is wise? If there is something going on in there that the guard cannot handle…”

“Heroes have no need to fear!” boasted Minsc, cutting Yoshimo off with a friendly, tooth-jarring backslap.

*

The guard moved aside to allow them entrance to the circus tent. They stepped through the entrance flap, emerging onto a wide stone walkway, which opened into cavernous space. A massive, ornate dome lay at the end of the walkway.

“What?” gasped Jaheira. “What is this place? Have we passed through another portal?

“I don’t know.” Theodoric responded, staring at the structure. “We must have. That building would barely fit in the Promenade, much less the tent we just entered.”

Yoshimo made an unhappy noise. “The way back is gone.”

The tent flap they had entered was nowhere to be found. Behind them was only a wall of smooth stone. Yoshimo searched it for signs of a hidden door, but none were to be found.

“It would seem our only choice is to go forward” said Jaheira.

Yoshimo’s frown deepened. “We should be doubly careful. Someone has gone to great lengths to trap whoever enters the circus tent.”


They traveled up to the walkway to a small stone bridge midway between the entrance and the dome. The unmistakeable form of an efreet hovered just above the bridge.

Letting out a diabolical laugh, the efreet demanded the adventurers prove their worth to Kalah by answering a question.

Unfortunately for the efreet, the adventurers remembered what happened the last time they played that game.


*

“Hmph. What kind of genie doesn’t have any treasure?” grumbled Yoshimo, picking through the remains.

“Nevermind that”, said Theodoric. “We have more company.”


A scantily clad woman stood before the entrance to the dome. She looked like some panderer’s version of the dryads they had encountered in Irenicus’ dungeon. Her beauty was evident, but it was coarse, lustful. When she spoke, it was with an almost absurd suggestiveness.

“Kalah welcomes thee”, she cooed.

“Who is this Kalah?” asked Theodoric.

“Kalah is lord and master of this place. Thy fate is in his hands, so do not anger him, lest he destroy thee.” Her bosom heaved provocatively as she spoke.

“I did not come here to hear dire warnings by some half-naked tart. And I am very tired of whatever game is being played here. Where is this Kalah? I demand to speak with him!”

The woman pouted. “Kalah will not like your attitude. It would be best for you to heed his words.” With that, she giggled and disappeared inside the dome. Theodoric shook his head.

Yoshimo stroked his mustache thoughtfully. “This should be an interesting adventure, Theodoric.”




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