Chapter 42: An Offer that Can't Be Refused
"That was completely unnecessary," Edwin growled at Coran as they left the Helm and Cloak Inn. After dinner, Coran had settled down at the bar, where he'd made friends with a group of adventurers led by a man named Gorpel Hind. They'd made so good friends, in fact, that when a third group, the Maulers of the Undermountain, had shown up and demanded that everyone else leave the bar, Coran had told them off in no uncertain terms. A brawl had ensued.
"And you really didn't have to tell that Gorpel Hind about Cloakwood," Ember added.
"Where was the harm in that? They enjoyed the tale, even though they didn't believe a word of it," Coran protested. He limped slightly.
"You didn't know them," Imoen pointed out. "For all you knew they could have been Iron Throne agents."
"Their doggies tried to bite me!" Alora exclaimed.
"No girl will become a doggie snack while Minsc and Boo look on!" Minsc proclaimed.
Alora giggled. "Save me you did! Did you see how they ran away when you shouted at them?" Minsc beamed at her, and nodded enthusiastically.
"All in all, there was no harm done, I'd say," Coran said. "None of us were seriously hurt, and we taught some blowhards a lesson. Invigorating, that's what it was!"
Ember slowly shook her head. "Let's just get back to the Elfsong," she said. "I'm tired."
As they passed a cluster of houses near the inn, a young man dressed in dark brown approached them. "'Ere, stop a moment. I've got a word or two ye need to hear," he said.
Ember froze. "And what words might that be?" she asked carefully.
The young man looked them over and nodded to himself. "Aye, you're a fine group o' mercenaries are you? Leastwise that's the word on the street. I've a boss who'd like to have a word wit you if you can spare the time. He don't ask fer free though, and here be 50 gold just to hear him out."
"50 gold just to listen? A fair deal, lead on," Coran said.
"A wise choice o' action," the young man said with a grin. "Now just follow me, an' I'll show ya the way ta the Guild. If yer asked the password, it's 'Fafhrd'. When yer in the guild just look fer the man named Ravenscar." He led them to a nearby house, opened the door, and gestured for them to enter.
Behind the door was a dark corridor. As soon as the door was closed behind them, a voice asked, "Password?"
"Fafhrd," Coran said.
"Enter," the voice said, and they continued onwards.
As soon as they entered the next room, which was sparsely furnitured and lit by a single candle, Edwin grabbed Coran by the scruff of his neck. "What have you gotten us into now, elf?"
"That was very rash," Kivan added.
"Oh come now, what's the harm in just listening?" Coran said. He pried Edwin's hand from his collar, and opened the door to next room. This was a much larger chamber, and there were a dozen or so people within, all glowering at the newcomers. Ember reached tentatively for her weapon; around her, her companions were doing the same.
"Um, excuse me?" Alora said in her most timid voice. "Is Ravenscar at home?"
A large man, almost as large as Minsc, entered from a side chamber. His clothes were dark yet flamboyant, and three white scar lines crossed his left eye. "Welcome, my little friends!" he said, raising a hand in greeting. "Please relax, and keep your weapons at your sides. No need for hostility." He made a small hand gesture, and the others in the room backed away, vanishing into the shadows.
"I must apologize for the manner of my thieves," the man said. "I suppose a thieves' guild must keep a measure of malice about it, but it does tend to put a cloud over introductions. I am Alatos Thuibuld, though I thank you not to mention that too often; you may call me Ravenscar. You are Ember of Candlekeep, of course," he said, looking at Ember. "Be not surprised, there are very few people in Balder's Gate I cannot name. You have been here for only a few days, and have already made quite a stir."
Ember stared puzzledly at Ravenscar. "Your interest in me is flattering, though I question your intent," she said.
"Oh I don't intend to flatter, merely to assure you that you have been watched since you entered the city. As for my intent, I do have a proposition for your group to consider. A small task really, best suited to someone unknown here."
"We are not interested in your organization, or in working for it. You will have to look elsewhere," Kivan said.
"I'm afraid it is not that simple, though it never is, is it?" Ravenscar said. "You see, you have been allowed into the inner chambers of my guild, you have met me, and you have seen a number of other members. While this knowledge might not directly benefit you, if made known to the guard it would certainly harm me. I submit to you that I cannot allow this information to leave with someone... not of good standing with the guild. Your choice is somewhat limited in this manner. Choose wisely."
Ember sighed. "What exactly is it you would have us do?" she asked.
"And what would be our reward for this service?" Edwin added.
Ravenscar grinned. "It's quite the bit of intrigue actually. A local wizard by the name of Shandolar makes his home in a moored Halruaan skyship. It would appear that he has the knowledge to reproduce these flying marvels, and is currently organizing the sale of the recipe to Grand Duchess Liia Jannath. He has drawn up a set of rituals, and has procured an artifact fragment and an ancient statuette vital to the spell that keeps the ships aloft. These he has divided amongst his daughters until the deal is to proceed."
"I have been contacted by a representative of the Halruaans," he continued, "and they have no wish to see scores of flying ships manufactured in every port. You are to infiltrate the place of exchange, steal the ingredients, and return here with them. Simple enough. You would be well paid. Enough gold to give you a backache and, if I am well pleased, mayhaps a magical weapon or two. Perhaps a little more, perhaps a little less. It entirely depends upon your performance."
Coran stepped forward. "Seems a fairly straightforward bit of burglary, and well within my ability," he said, grinning every bit as broadly as Ravenscar. "I accept this challenge!"
"A wise decision!" Ravenscar said. "Informants have told me that the Duchess intends to take possession of the components in exactly a tenday, and the exchange will be hosted by Oberon at his estate. Good luck."
"(We will need it,)" Edwin muttered.
Ravenscar dismissed the group, and they headed back to the street. Ember was fuming; they had been all but forced to take this job, and it was not a task she would have accepted if she'd been allowed a choice.
"'What's the harm in just listening,' you said," she told Coran angrily. "You said you could do this; you'd better be as good as your word."
"Don't worry," Coran said, sounding a little less confident than he had inside. "I have a plan."
---
Coran was gone a very long time, and the rest were starting to get impatient when the elf finally returned.
"Well?" Edwin asked.
"They keep the items in plain sight, on a table in their study," Coran said.
"Any wards or traps?" Imoen asked.
"None that I saw," Coran said.
"I'll keep an eye out for them," Imoen said. "What about the girls?"
"They were all sitting in the study, but I should be able to distract them enough to make them leave the room," Coran said, flashing a grin. "I'll present myself as an infatuated suitor, bedazzled by their looks and wit!"
"(That shouldn't be too difficult, even for him,)" Edwin muttered.
"We have enough invisibility potions. Alora, are you ready?" Imoen asked.
"Like a bumbling bee!" Alora replied cheerfully. "This will be so much fun!"
Imoen smiled at the halfling. "Yeah, it will, won't it?" She handed a potion to Alora, who drank it and instantly vanished, and swallowed a similar potion herself.
"Follow me, ladies," Coran said, and sauntered into the Oberon estate as though he didn't have a care in the world.
Ember sighed deeply. "If anything happens to them, I'll hold him personally responsible," she said, clenching the hilt of her sword. There were too many risks in this plan. What if Alora or Imoen lost their invisibility at the wrong time? What if Coran couldn't lure the mage's daughters away? What if there was a trap Imoen couldn't handle? What if Alora dropped something?
"If we are lucky, the magelings will leave the room whilst chasing the elf out of the house," Edwin said. "(If we're extra lucky, they may even kill him.)"
"Coran is reckless," Kivan said. "Too reckless, often. If this continues, we should ask him to leave."
"I agree," Ember and Edwin said simultaneously.
"Boo thinks Coran means well," Minsc said, "but he does not approve of the elf putting little Imoen and tiny Alora in danger where Minsc cannot watch over them. It's not right!"
"We shall discuss matters with him as soon as this Halruuan affair has been dealt with," Kivan said.
They waited in silence; other than Minsc telling Boo not to fret about the girls, nobody spoke. The night air grew cooler. Soon, fog rolled in from the sea, thick enough that it became difficult to see across the street.
"(Finally!)" Edwin said quietly. A single figure sauntered towards them with Coran's unmistakable gait. Behind him, there were two odd swirls in the fog.
"Success," Coran said, grinning.
"We have all the thingies!" Alora's voice said from the fog. "They're not very pretty but oh do they look interesting!"
Ember smiled; tense muscles in her shoulders relaxed as relief filled her. I guess I won't have to kill Coran tonight after all. "Let's return to the Elfsong and rest. That Halruuan can stand to wait till morning."
They slowly made their way through the fog to the Elfsong tavern - Imoen and Alora became visible again when they were half way there - and retired to their rooms. None of them stirred till late in the morning, and they didn't return to the thieves' guild until almost midday.
"Well done, if I do say so myself!" Ravenscar said as he surveyed the items, which had been placed on the table before him. "A fine bit of burglary with no unnecessary attention brought to yourself. This is Resar, my Halruaan contact," he said, indicating a tall man in orange mage robes that stood beside him. "He is well pleased, and will now see to your reward."
Resar stepped forward. "Alatos was most assuring in his description of your abilities. Right he was, and it is unfortunate I must close all loose ends. This includes potential loose tongues, and though talented, you are also expendable. I offer my sorrows, but you must die!"
Alora squealed.
The mage raised his hands and chanted rapidly.
Kivan raised his bow, and fired.
The chanting ceased. Seconds later, there was a soft thunk as Resar's body collapsed to the floor.
Behind the fallen mage, Ravenscar cleared his throat. "So you've killed the Halruuan," he said. "Well, don't take it personally that I let him attack you; he was a powerful mage, and there was little I could do to dissuade him from killing you. You have my apologies for the entire incident."
"That's not good enough," Ember said quietly. "We want our payment."
"You just killed your employer," Ravenscar pointed out. "Have his belongings, if you will. I owe you nothing."
"You are a cheater!" Alora cried, throwing herself at the thief and hitting him with her small fists as tears gushed from her eyes. Without too much roughness, Ravenscar pried her from his legs.
"I have business to attend to," the thief said. "Resar's belongings are in that chest. Take them, and leave." He stalked out of the room; Imoen and Edwin immediately searched the room for valuables, and were able to find several wands, potions and trinkets.
"Why'd you hit him like that?" Ember asked Alora as they left the guild. "I'd think him too large for you to hurt with your fists."
Alora gave Ember a mischievous look, and showed her a heavy coin purse. "Pay us, he did!" she said, giggling delightedly.
