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Adrian Shdows of Amn 359


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#1 Arcalian

Posted 06 August 2006 - 09:33 PM

Piero Kessenden felt old.

He had four new wounds along his body, right through his elven chain mail. He was bloody, battered, and above all, tired. Tired in a way that true Elves, with their ability to go into Reverie, could never understand.

Ironically, this had gained him more support from them than anything else he had done in all his years here. He could see the surviving generals eyeing him not with contempt, pity, or condescension, as they had so many times before, but with respect.

"He fights on despite his mortal weariness," one priestess had remarked. "He fights for us and our home. I am greatful for it. I never truly understood the weariness mortals felt before. Such short lives lived with such determination and energy, even when their bodies fail them."

"It is all they have," another had replied. "And this one has done his best to make his home amongst us and prove himself worthy. How could we bedgrudge him now?"

"He has the favor of the Queen," the first said, "Yet he fled the castle the other night. I know not why. She has remained steadfast in her support of him, though."

"If I may be permitted to speak?" he asked them. "Since you are speaking of me."

"Of course, more than ever you hae proven yourself," the first priestess said.

"I fled because she told me one of the terrible secrets she knows. I am burdened with it now, and it motivates me to fight on," he said.

Both priestesses nodded, haunted looks in their eyes. They understood he could not tell them.

But then, Piero reflected as he hefted his halberd and returned to the battle, maybe they knew it. Both of them were old enough, he judged, to remember what Irenicus had looked like before he had become an exile. Perhaps both had guessed that the boy had the Queen's favor due to his almost identical facial features, or at least as close as one could have on a mere Half-Elf's face.

The knowledge had taken what sense of belonging he had for the city, though. Now he only fought for survival.

Once the battle was over, if he survived, Suldanessalar would no longer be home to him.

He wondered where he would go.

---

Knowing they would not catch the Council member, the party had reluctantly returned to the Copper Coronet and rested before heading en masse to the Bridge Disrict.

The door was magically sealed, of course. The matter was what kind of ward or sigil it needed.

After perhaps twenty minutes of studying, Edwin stood. "It is not a spell or cantrip. Rather a device is needed."

"Probably a non-magical one," Jan agreed, staring at the doorway through his goggles. "A gem of some sort, perhaps."

They still had some valuable stones from their adventures. Adrian and the others rifled their packs.

It was Imoen who lifted a rogue stone out of her pack, and she noted at once the multicolored egg was glowing softly. "Heya, could this be it?"

Edwin took it from her and looked inquisitively at Adrian, who nodded once.

The Thayvian touched the stone to the door, and the entire party vanished in a flash of purple.....
The road to the abyss may be paved with good intentions, but it is those with bad intentions that race down that road as fast as they can.




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