Chapter 39: Arrival in Baldur's Gate
If things had gone as planned, Ember and her companions would have reached Baldur's Gate in the afternoon, but a fair part of the day had been spent dealing with a quarrel between some fishermen and a young priestess of Umberlee. The fishermen had told them the priestess was souring the weather against them, and had begged their assistance. The priestess, who turned out to be little more than a child, had told them that the fishermen had killed her mother and stolen her mother's summoning bowl. When confronted, the fishermen made excuses and offered a slightly greater payment for their help.
Ember had stayed in the background and let Kivan and Imoen do most of the talking, but at that point, she lost her patience and stepped forward. "The child has said that you killed her mother and have been taking far too much from the seas. I don't like being used, Sonner. It makes me... angry," she'd growled.
All three fishermen stepped backwards. "Well that's it then! The jig's up isn't it?" one of them cried.
"That bitch priestess was taking tribute from us for years!" the one named Sonner said. "The price just kept climbing, and you can't sail without appeasing Umberlee! The cleric of Talos in Baldur's Gate said... Suffice to say, we made other arrangements for our safe passage at sea. Part of that deal was a little pay-back as well. So you see, we are all pawns within the 'friendly' rivalries of the gods. You had best tread carefully, lest you step on some pretty powerful toes."
This guy should hear the voice in my dreams. Her hand was itching for her sword. "Give me the bowl, Sonner," she said in a low voice. "I'll not ask so nicely a second time!"
Sonner turned pale and hurriedly pulled a rather flat bronze bowl from his pack. "I've kept it with me; we felt it was safest that way. Take it, but know that the Storm Lord knows who it is that opposes him!"
"Oh, I doubt he ever liked me in the first place," Ember said, snatching the bowl from Sonner's hand. The fishermen scurried away.
When they returned to the child priestess, they were greeted with near indifference. "You return. I trust you bear good news?" she asked, standing with arms crossed in the doorway of her small hut.
"Here is the bowl that was taken from your mother," Kivan said, handing her the item. "Perhaps now she will rest."
"Umberlee is mother now, and she is well pleased," the girl said. "She will deal with Sonner's group in time, and Talos will no doubt abandon them for their failure. If they are wise they will never set sail again, for the sea will take their worthless lives." The girl smiled briefly. "I have no reward for you, but the Sea Queen remembers those that serve her well. You will be paid... in time." With that said, she closed her door in Kivan's face.
"Perhaps you should have let me hand her the bowl," Coran said, stifling a laugh.
"We prefer to live," Edwin said.
---
It was early evening when they finally reached Baldur's Gate. Lanterns were being lit on the Gate bridge, but there was still enough light in the sky to be able to see the full scale of the city walls. Imoen gasped with surprise as the city came into sight.
"I've never seen anything like it," Ember said.
"It is even more impressive on the inside," Coran said.
"Impressive? In Thay, this would be a mere village," Edwin said huffily.
They paid a small fee to cross the bridge and were allowed entrance into the city. The path led through a giant stone gate with heavy wooden doors; beyond the gate, they found themselves amidst a clutter of houses and businesses. Even at this hour, the streets were swarming with people.
"Now what?" Imoen asked.
"We should find an inn," Kivan said, "but we should also seek out the Flaming Fist headquarters."
"I know where to find both," Coran said.
"Then take us to the Fist first," Ember said. "The sooner they know, the sooner..." Her eye caught an old man in voluminous red robes and a pointy hat, moving through the crowd towards them. "Brace yourself, Edwin. He's back," she muttered.
"Who?" Edwin asked, looking around. He saw Elminster approaching, and groaned.
"Good day to thee, young one," Elminster said as he halted in front of Ember. "What a marvelous happenstance that we should again cross paths, especially in such a grand city as this."
Ember glared at the old wizard.
"Ahh, I see by thine eyes that thou've no time for my wry banter. 'Tis true, our meeting was no accident, though I do honestly take pleasure in seeing thee again," Elminster said.
"A pleasure I do not share. Why won't you leave me be?" she asked.
The wizard frowned. "I am not some old letch that follows thee around for the good of mine eyes, upstart," he said. "If I am to be accused of anything, perhaps it is that I have been a touch too mothering."
Mothering?!
"I think this can be excused, however, when compared to the zeal with which thy true parentage pursues thee," he continued. "I trust thou dost suspect that thou art not 'normal.'"
A chill ran down Ember's spine; one of her worst fears had just been confirmed. "What do you know of this? Why have you come here?" she demanded.
"Oh, all citizens of the Sword Coast eventually pass through Baldur's Gate, and I knew thou wouldst as well," Elminster replied. "Forgive my continued meddling but I believe it is warranted, especially considering the pressures thou art no doubt confronting. My pestering of thee certainly pales in comparison to the influence thou've felt from others, including thine own self. Gorion raised thee as best he could, but 'tis hard indeed to overcome what is bred in the bone. Much more so in this case, I would imagine."
"So what is it you wish of me?" Ember asked through gritted teeth. It was too much to hope that he'd actually explain, wasn't it?
"I was about to ask this same question of thee. Thou've come quite far, and though my answers are often less than obvious, I do hope they help a little. Gorion often chided me for my obliqueness, though he was fond of a little verbal hide and seek as well."
"A little?" Ember laughed harshly. "I'm tired of these games. If you will do nothing for me, leave me to my own means!"
"Thou art determined to be confrontational, aren't thee?"
"I think very few would blame me."
"So be it," the wizard said with a small sigh. "I will leave thee to whatever fate that thou dost carve for thyself. I will extend the courtesy of a warning though; thy manner may come natural to thee, but obeying thine impulses is not always the best course. Being true to thyself is only wise if that is truly the self thou dost wish to become."
Elminster tipped his hat at Ember, then walked away. Colour slowly returned to Ember's face as she watched him leave.
"Em! Are you all right?" Imoen asked, clutching Ember's arm.
"I'm fine. Really," Ember said. "Don't worry."
"Ember, we can go directly to an inn if you wish," Kivan said.
"No. Let's go to the Fist and get that over and done with."
"What just happened here?" Coran asked.
"That," Edwin said, his face a blend of curiosity and concern, "is none of your business. Take us to the Fist headquarters, now."
The elf complied without further questions, and led them down many streets under the darkening sky; they arrived at the gate of the Flaming Fist headquarters as the first stars were appearing. After explaining their errand once at the gate and twice within, they were brought before the Fist's second in command, a large, strong-looking man who introduced himself as Commander Scar.
"Though it is not necessary for you to reveal your names, please answer me this: are you the group that was involved in the events at the Nashkel mines?" he asked.
"Yes, that was us," Kivan replied.
Scar smiled. "Well I'll have to say, you've made quite the commotion up here in Baldur's Gate," he said.
"You probably don't know half of it," Imoen said, pulling a large stack of letters out of her pack. The following hour was spent telling Scar about events in the mines and the bandit camp, all backed up with the letters they had found.
"Well, that sheds new light on things," Scar said when they were finished. "Unfortunately, while these letters are deeply incriminating, they are not sufficient proof to start a case; not against an organization as powerful as the Throne. I will expand my investigations, of course, and you may be able to assist me with that."
"How?" Ember asked.
"I can't really put my finger on a single source," Scar said, "but there have been many strange happenings going on within the city. It's been getting harder and harder for me to put trust in someone. I need outsiders to do some investigations, people with no connections to anyone within the city; would you be interested in working for me in such a capacity?"
The group exchanged glances. "We are," Kivan said.
"All right then; what I'm about to tell you must be held in the strictest confidence, do you understand? The Seven Suns leadership has been acting strangely of late, selling off valuable assets and neglecting many of their more profitable trading ventures. Considering the importance that the trading coster holds over the economy of the city, the Grand Dukes are noticeably upset," Scar said. "I tried to talk to the coster's head, Jhasso, but he rudely rebuffed me, telling me to mind my own business. I've known Jhasso for many years, and this isn't his usual behavior. I can't start up an official investigation, as there is no real reason for doing so. That's why I need you."
"The infiltrators may be behind the changes," Ember said. "What do you need us to do?"
"I want you to go to the Seven Suns compound, on the south-west side of town, and find out what's wrong. Use stealth in your investigations; I don't want this operation to cause too much fuss. Once you've found out as much as possible, report back to me. I'll pay you 2000 gold for this favor."
"We will go there tomorrow," Kivan said.
"Excellent!" Scar said. "I wish all of you the best of luck."
---
"I hope the phantom voice comes back. I'd like to hear it," Imoen said. She and Eddie had holed themselves up in a corner of the Elfsong tavern and were poring over their collection of scrolls and magical items. The landlady had told them about the strange singing that the tavern was named after; for some reason, it had not been heard for a tenday. The landlady was worried it was a bad omen.
"We'll no doubt get more done without it interrupting us," Eddie said, but she distinctly heard him mutter under his breath, "(Not that I would mind hearing it.)"
She smiled at him; to an extent, they shared an obsession with magical things, and she really enjoyed these intense study sessions with him. "So, do you think I am ready to try to scribe Fireball yet?" she asked.
Eddie raised his head from the parchments and was about to answer her, but paused and frowned as if someone'd stuffed a lemon in his mouth. "Not tonight. We are about to experience a disturbance," he said.
A hand rested on Imoen's shoulder; she turned and found herself staring at Coran's broadly grinning face. Rats.
"Well hello there!" Coran said. "Where's Ember?"
"She has a headache and went to bed early," Imoen told him. And that's all he needs to know.
"What a pity," Coran said. "The city has much to offer that can only be experienced at night."
"Such as what?" Eddie asked sourly. "Rats, drunks, dark streets? (Smarmy elves ogling women they have no right to as much as look at?)"
"You never know, and that's the charm of it!"
"Yes. You never know when a gnome is going to tiptoe towards you behind your back," Eddie said.
"A what?" Coran asked.
"HELLO!" a shrill voice said behind him, visibly startling the elf. Imoen hid a giggle with her hand.
"SHHH! Shh... ah... um... I mean... hello," the voice said. Coran turned around, moving enough for Imoen to see a gnome standing behind him, holding a feathered cap in his hand and squeezing it nervously. "Might I have but a moment of your... ah... time? Ooh, this IS exciting isn't it? Oh, wait...you wouldn't think so. You're probably used to it."
"Of course you can," Imoen said with a smile.
"Ah yes, well, um... you... you ah... oh how do I approach this? You are... ah... for hire? I mean... ah... I need a... job done. Get my intent? A... JOB done. Strictly hush hush, I believe you would say."
Coran's grin returned, as broad as ever. "Didn't I tell you? You never know," he said to Eddie and Imoen before focusing his attention on the gnome.
