Jump to content


Chapter 10 - The Quest Begins


  • Please log in to reply
No replies to this topic

#1 Guest_Clovis_*

Posted 14 May 2005 - 09:46 AM

Cheers erupted from the crowd as the adventurers led the spectators out of the big top tent. One little boy ran up to the woman who had been the giant hunting spider. “Mommy!” he cried.

“We are all heroes” beamed Minsc. “You and I and Boo!”

“It brings us no closer to finding Imoen or Irenicus, but our victory here is a good feeling, no?” Jaheira said to Theodoric.

“It is indeed” he replied, watching the tears of joy stream down the mother’s face.

The lone guard stared at them. “You mean you just waltzed right in and solved our problem?” Theodoric turned to the guard and glared.

“We did indeed. We finished what your fellows started at the cost of their own lives.” The guard shrank from him. Theodoric stepped into the man’s personal space and continued. “They died doing their *duty* to the people they were hired to protect.” The guard cast his eyes down, shame burning his cheeks. Theodoric let the moment sink in, then spoke quietly.

“Did the men have any family?”

“Ah, no sir, they didn’t.”

Theodoric pulled out a small bag of gold coin. “This will be enough to give them proper burial.” He handed the bag to the other man. “Will you see that this is done?”

“I will” he said, looking up. Theodoric could see the regret in the man’s eyes. “Aye, I swear it.”

“Very well, then” replied Theodoric. “Our work here is done. We must be off.”

As they emerged from the crowd, Aerie tugged on Theodoric’s arm. “How do you know that man will do as you ask?”

“I trust in my judgment, and in his character. He is cowardly, but there is good in his heart. He will do what is right.”

Yoshimo overheard the conversation, and wondered where his leader’s sensibilities were. Surely he is not that naïve? Even a paladin must have common sense to survive.


*

With nothing to delay them further in the Promenade, the journey to the slums took but a half hour. The streets became progressively dirtier and less well kept. And the brightly painted shops of the Promenade gave way to run-down buildings of various types. Beggars were on every corner, pleading for coin.

‘I’ve never seen this part of the city” said Aerie. “Everyone seems so sad...”

“Those that live in squalor rarely have cause to celebrate” Jaheira said harshly. “There are many here who are desperate, child. Best you be on your guard.”

“O-okay, Jaheira.”

“The slums are not without their charms, if one knows where to look” Yoshimo said breezily, stepping up to Theodoric’s side. Still smiling, he casually murmured “we are being watched, Theodoric.”

Theodoric kept his expression neutral and tried to smile a bit himself. “Are you sure, Yoshimo?”

“Positive. One does not last long as a thief without growing eyes in the back of one’s head.”

“Who do you think they are?”

“I don’t know. But we are being shadowed, and someone is taking a great effort not to be noticed.”

“I see. Pass the word, quietly.”

Yoshimo drifted back towards his place in the group, discreetly informing the others. Aerie started to look about, but Yoshimo took her arm and murmured something to her in a low voice. She corrected herself, and looked straight ahead. Jaheira let out an annoyed sigh.

A young, sleepy-looking man leaned against a rundown house, absently picking his teeth with a sliver of wood. He saw a small group of people approaching, adventurers from the looks of them. Though the man feigned disinterest, he was following them closely out of the corner of his eye. He heard a faint whistling from the alley behind them. That be the signal then , he said to himself.


The man stepped out into the street and in front of the adventurers. “Coo!” he said. “You be the ones I be looking for!”

Theodoric halted the party and stepped forward. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword. “Excuse me, do I know you?” he asked.

“Nah, we have never met before now, I’m sure. Tell me, be you the one they called Theodoric?”

“I am” the paladin replied tersely. “Who are you and what is it you want?”

The man raised an eyebrow at the Theodoric’s audacity, but did not seem offended. “My name be Gaelan Bayle”, he said. “And I have information about the one you called Imoen. The wizard you seek, too.”

“You know something about their whereabouts?” Theodoric said. “Tell me what you know, I demand it!”

Bayle broke into a wide, ugly grin. Well, that got yer attention, ye pompous git. “I’d be happy to tell ye what I know. Only, not here. It would be best if we adjourned inside for a bit of privacy.”


“Inside?” Theodoric frowned. The offer was tempting, but common sense and suspicion were telling him this was a trap. Gaelan rubbed the scar on his cheek and laughed.

“Ay’ve no interest in setting a trap for ye” he chuckled. “In this case, it be far more profitable to serve.” His eyes glinted as he said so.

“I have heard of this man, Theodoric.” Yoshimo had wandered up to the front of the group again. “A man with many ties to the underworld in Athkatla. A man of his word, too. As far as that goes in his circles.”

“Is he alone?”

“No, there are at least three others nearby. Two in the alley, and I think that woman over there pretending to buy fruit.”


“All right, we’ll play it your way, Bayle” Theodoric said, loudly enough that all could hear him. “Take me to your home and we shall…discuss things.”

Gaelan smiled and motioned for them to follow him. Theodoric noticed the smile did not reach his eyes.

*

“20,000 gold is an outrageous sum, you bandit!”

Theodoric and Bayle were standing nose to nose in the dingy flat, shouting at each other at the top of their lungs.

“ Outrageous is it?” Bayle replied in a nasty tone. “I guess ye think that the Cowled Wizards be easily crossed? Ye did not do so well against them yourself, I be told!”

“And exactly who are these friends of yours that you claim can rescue Imoen?” Theodoric snarled.

“Blast it, I told ye I cannot say!”


Jaheira saw the two men’s tempers had gotten the better of them and they were close to exchanging blows. “It is much to ask when we do not know even who we are dealing with” she said, stepping between Theodoric and Gaelan, hoping her tone would soothe both men. “Is there no way to lower the cost?”

“None” Bayle said flatly. “It be 20,000 gold or my friends cannot be helping ye.”

Theodoric continued to fume at the audacity of Bayle and his so-called “friends.” Jaheira spoke into his ear. “Do not forget Irenicus’ power, Theodoric”, she whispered. We will likely need all the help we can get.”

Theodoric’s anger evaporated at the mention of the sorcerer’s name. Taking a deep breath, he spoke to Gaelan Bayle.

“Fine. I suppose I do want their help. But I will need time to collect such a large amount of coin.”

“Coo!” grinned Bayle, his own anger forgotten. “They’re many opportunities in Athkatla for a man such as yourself. Me nephew Brus can show you about a bit, to where ye can be finding work. I hear there be a government official in the district looking to hire one such as you.”

“So be it.” Theodoric said. “We will return with the money as soon as we are able.”

“Aye, I’ll be waiting for it.”


*

Stepping outside, a small boy of about ten waited for them. He was dirty and thin, and looked hungry. Poor child , thought Theodoric.

“Oy, you must be the ‘adventurers’ my uncle Gaelan talked about”, the boy said sarcastically. “Listen up, cuz I ain’t got time to waste on ye louts.”

“Charming child” Yoshimo murmured under his breath. Aerie giggled in spite of herself.

“I can take ye to the local inn, or I can be showin’ ye the way to the other districts. Which’ll it be?”

“Ah, the inn will be fine, boy” replied Theodoric.

“Roit! Come on then, and don’t get lost on the way!”


*

The Copper Coronet was a few blocks away, and Brus led them there in record time. He paused to harass a storekeeper about making the weekly payment to his uncle, and again to bully a copper out of another street urchin. Jaheira muttered something about the Tethyrian tiger eating its young, and Aerie giggled again, in spite of herself.


Brus dumped them off unceremoniously in front of the Copper Coronet. By comparison, the inn at the Promenade had looked like a palace.

“We’re staying…here?” asked Aerie.

“We need a base to start from, and this will serve our needs” Theodoric said. “Besides, right now we need to save money as best we can.”


The Coronet was about as appealing on the inside as it was from the street. Like the rest of the slums, it was a dingy, rundown place. The patrons tended to be rather dingy, rundown looking characters themselves. But the rates were reasonable, and there was space available. They rented two small connecting rooms from the barkeep, who recognized Jaheira from somewhere. These Harpers do get around , thought Theodoric. They headed upstairs to their rooms to store their excess gear (which wasn’t much) and plan their next move.

“So, where to now, oh omnipresent authority figure?” barbed Jaheira. Theodoric winced. To his surprise, she apologized for her words immediately. “I am sorry. “I should not have spoken so.”

“It’s okay, Jaheira.” “It has been a difficult time for all of us of late. It is understandable.”

“Understandable, but not acceptable” she frowned. “We are friends, and should act as so.”

“Well, I will try to be pleasant if you will” Theodoric joked. Jaheira smiled in relief.

“Let’s go downstairs and see if anyone has seen this official that wants to hire adventurers”, he said.

*

The 'government official' was not hard to spot. A harried-looking clerk was making his way through the crowd of patrons, alternately looking disdainful and frightened of the people around him.

“Oof, look out you clod! I am here on official business. Official business!”

“Hello”, Theodoric said, approaching the man with an outstretched hand. The clerk jumped when he spoke, but recovered quickly when he saw the young warrior's hand extended in friendship.

“Yes, ah, hello to you too” the clerk replied, taking Theodoric’s hand into a sweaty, limp handshake.

“I understand there is an Amnian official in the district looking to hire adventurers”, Theodoric said. “Might you be that official?”

“Why, yes, yes I am!” the clerk said, puffing himself up. “I am Cassien, senior administrative clerk to Master Tolgerias of the Cowled Wizards.”

“The Cowled Wizards?!? My friend was taken prisoner by them yesterday!” Theodoric said sharply.

The clerk flinched, but relaxed when he realized Theodoric was not going to hit him. “I’m sure I don’t know anything about that”, the clerk said nervously. “But maybe you could discuss that with Tolgerias, if you are interested in hearing his offer.”

“What offer is that?”

“He has need of hirelings for a task, that’s all I know”, the clerk sniffed, shifting into his comfort zone of bureaucratic indifference. “He has instructed me to direct interested parties to the Government District to meet with him.”

“Tell Tolgerias we will arrive as soon as we can”, Theodoric replied.

The clerk nodded and made his way through the crowd to the exit. He was quite oblivious to the fact that one of the patrons relieved him of his coin pouch en route.

“Hirelings for a task, eh?” Yoshimo said. “I am not sure I like the sound of that, though the Cowled Ones have the means to reward generously.”

“I’m sure”, Theodoric replied. “Yoshimo, where is the government district?”

“The government district is at the far northern end of the city, past the temple areas” Yoshimo explained. “Do you intend to work for the Cowled Wizards?”

“That would depend on the task, Yoshimo. But what I really want right now is information. It will be some time before we have the money for Bayle. I need to know Imoen is being treated all right, and is in no imminent danger, in the meantime.”

‘A noble plan, but likely an unfruitful one”, the thief responded. “Amnish government is not known for its accessibility. And the Cowled Wizards are said to answer to no one but themselves.”

“I must try, Yoshimo.”


*

Meanwhile, in another part of the city…

“So he met with their contact?”

“He did”, replied the woman who had been buying fruit outside of Gaelan Bayle’s home.

“Did he accept their offer?”

“I cannot say for sure, Valen. Two of their people were watching the house the whole time.”

The other woman’s face darkened. “The mistress will not be pleased.”

The first woman paled. “But there was nothing I could do!”

“She will not care. Best you find out before she…wakes up.”

“You want me to go back to the slums? But if they find me…”

“If they find you it will be no worse than what the mistress will do to you if you fail her.”




0 user(s) are reading this topic

0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users

Skin Designed By Evanescence at IBSkin.com