Ember's Tale 90: Peace and Harmony

Chapter 90: Peace and Harmony

After a quick conversation with Lord Coprith and with Mazzy, who immediately offered her assistance, the halfling led Ember, Minsc and Cernd to another office. Minsc pulled the door open, revealing Yoshimo and Edwin sitting at a large table of polished oak. Anomen stood in the middle of the room, looking as if he'd been pacing back and forth and then stopped in mid-stride at the sound of the door.

"My lady!" Anomen exclaimed. "Have they treated you well?"

"Reasonably," she replied. "This is -"

"The druid they wanted us to escort," Edwin said dourly. "Yes, we are well aware of the situation. Since he is with you, are we to assume you agreed to the mission?"

"Yes, I did."

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

"My lady, I must question the wisdom in doing such a service for these people," Anomen said. "With the unkind manner in which they have welcomed you, I see no reason to trust that they will treat you courteously when we return."

"Things are not usually as they are now," Mazzy said. "Under normal conditions, all travellers are given a warm welcome, and we are at peace with the druids of the forest. This situation need not last; we may well be able to put an end to it."

"But why should we have to waste our valuable time with this... this nonsense, when there are far more important matters to attend to?!"

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

"You have been away for some time, no? There may be things your townsfolk are keeping from you."

"Are you questioning the honour of Lord Logan?"

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

"SHUT UP!" Ember shouted.

The room fell silent. Six pairs of eyes, their expressions ranging from confusion to wariness to calm curiosity, stared at her.

Ember drew a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "You can speculate all you want; it won't matter, because I didn't accept this mission for the sake of the town. But if it helps, I don't think they know anything more than what they've told us, and they are going to pay us enough that not even you, Edwin, can consider it a waste of time." The wizard huffed angrily. "So, if you're done arguing about a decision that has already been made," she continued, "we have to go prepare to get ourselves out of town."

She turned and walked out of the room along with Minsc, Mazzy, and Cernd; a few moments later, the three others followed.

---

The group escorted Cernd out of Trademeet an hour past sunset. Mazzy led them all down a zigzagging path through empty streets towards the little used western gate, where the guards studiously took as little notice of the group as possible; once out of the town, they looped around it, moving first southwards, then eastwards, and headed into the forest.

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood. It came as a relief when Cernd called for a halt near a giant sweetmaple tree, large enough and dense enough to provide a sheltered campsite for the night.

In the early hours of morning, they woke up to the slow pattering of rain against the tree's canopy, and the dawn was hidden behind a thick layer of grey clouds. The rain only intensified as the group prepared to continue, and when they moved onwards, large drops pelted the ground around them, bouncing off the leafy fronds of ferns and spawning ripples on the many puddles that lay along their path. The sound of the rain mingled with croaking frogs and a few chirping birds, and every now and then, the quiet chorus was accented by a peal of thunder as it rolled across some distant, unseen hill. It was a very different forest from the ones Ember had seen before, but its presence was still somehow familiar, almost like some distant cousin or a long-lost friend, and she felt infinitely more comfortable traversing its wet and tangled paths than she had felt in the shadowed forests around Umar Hills.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

The group had followed the uneven trail for about an hour when Cernd suddenly veered off the path, into an almost inpenetratable tangle of shrubs and ferns. "There are trolls ahead. I would prefer to avoid them," the druid murmured in explanation. They headed away from the path, moving as quietly as they could, but it was impossible to avoid all sounds; before long, a splash and a muffled curse told their surroundings that Anomen had stepped in a hidden mudhole. The noise was answered by growls, grunts, and the sound of several bodies crashing through branches.

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Four trolls burst out of the undergrowth. They were as tall and gangly as the sketches Ember had seen of them, with long, sinewy limbs and gaunt faces; the slimy appearance of their yellow skin, and their smell, which reminded her of rotting moss, came as more of a surprise.

With a ferocious roar, Minsc charged at the beasts and brought his sword down on a troll leg. It was a blow that would have severed the leg of a human, but it barely broke the troll's skin, and the cut immediately sealed itself.

"Just knock them down! Keep them busy!" Mazzy shouted, using her short sword to ward off one of the trolls. Anomen struck another troll with his warhammer, bowling it over into cluster of reeds, and Cernd and Yoshimo worked together, using staff and katana to trip up one of the trolls, forcing it to its knees. Ember tried using her own staff to do the same, but the troll was more agile than it looked, and easily avoided her attempts to get at its legs.

Edwin raised his hand and chanted a string of syllables. A sphere of flame struck the troll Anomen had knocked over, setting both it and the reeds around it on fire; as resilient as it was when it came to physical damage, the troll's flesh burned easily, and within moments, it was reduced to a charred husk.

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

As quickly as it had started, the fight ended, leaving behind only the stench of burnt troll flesh and a few smouldering plants which were soon put out by the rain.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

"Pathetic or not, it appears to have drawn attention," Yoshimo said quietly. An old man, dressed in wet hides and supporting himself with a crooked staff, was walking towards them along the path the trolls had created through the undergrowth.

"You there!" the man shouted. "You will go back the way you have come! This area is under care of the druids of Tethyr, and if you do not leave you will face nature's wrath!"

"And by what authority do you make this threat, Pauden?" Cernd asked, stepping forward to place himself between the man and the rest of the group. "This is not the way of right-thinking servants of nature. Explain yourself."

"Cernd!" Pauden exclaimed, clearly surprised to see the other druid. "You... you have been away some time. Much has changed."

"So I see, though I am confused. The Grand Druid has not heard good things about what has happened here."

"It is the new way, Cernd. We have a new leader to follow, and she has moved us in this direction."

Cernd nodded. "I guessed there might be a new leader; Gragus would never have allowed this."

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

"I don't think we could forget her if we tried," Ember said. "We met her last autumn; she was with a group of Shadow Druids in Cloakwood. In her eagerness to destroy an old mine in the forest, she almost drowned us and dozens of others."

"I know of that group. Their removal was a blessing for the Sword Coast," Cernd said, and turned to Pauden. "But now you follow a leader from that stock, obeying her as ants do their queen? Have you not the courage to face her?"

Pauden looked down. "She is very violent, and... she has bonded with the grove."

"She would do such a thing? Performing such a ritual is unheard of, and quite costly to the grove!" Cernd exclaimed, more agitated than Ember had thought him capable of.

"Nevertheless, she has done it. She is now invulnerable outside of challenges, and none have dared issue one as of yet."

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

"Walk carefully, Cernd," Pauden said. "I do not enjoy this new role we take, but others do." The older druid bowed his head slightly towards Cernd, then turned and headed back the direction he came from.

"This is worse than I feared," Cernd muttered. "I would never have imagined that any druid, not even a shadow druid, would dare to bond with a grove!"

"If anyone would do it, she's the one," Ember said. She remembered all too clearly what Faldorn had been like; she'd gladly rid the world of people, if she could, and by all means necessary. "What can we do to stop her?"

"I will challenge her for leadership. The ritual of the challenge will temporarily sever her connection with the grove. She will have to fight me as she is, with only her own strength."

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

Thanks for the update!!!

i have a sudden...urge...to maul Anomen into lava :/

And Edwin too, but that goes without saying!

Good luck with the challenge Ember!

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

Don't worry, Minsc. This is Boo we're talking about. We all know Boo is the most hardcore hamster in all of Faerun. He's not gonna get beat by some silly little ghosts and goblins or whatever these things are!

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

Say that louder, buddy boy. Say it within earshot of the hamster. We'll see how you like it with no eyes.

Edwin raised his hand and chanted a string of syllables. A sphere of flame struck the troll Anomen had knocked over, setting both it and the reeds around it on fire; as resilient as it was when it came to physical damage, the troll's flesh burned easily, and within moments, it was reduced to a charred husk.

Harlequin: (Hefts a white phosphorous grenade) "Want some? They're handy."

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

Raven: "Immy. Get the target painter."

Harlequin: "You wanna drop a nuke on her?" (Blinking) "That's... a bit much, even for us."

Raven: "I just like having my options open."

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

Raven: "Cipher. Get Aerie on the horn, will you?"

Cipher: "Omega 7 to Sideshow One, come in, over."

Seraph: "I copy. W-what's going on?"

Cipher: "Stand by for Omega Lead, Sideshow." (Nods to Raven) "Go ahead, Major."

Raven: "Might need you and your birds to drop some ordnance on a target. Bring the incendiaries."

Seraph: "C-copy. What kind of target?"

Raven: "A person."

Seraph: "-One- person?"

Raven: "She's a really -bad- person."

Chapter 90: Peace and Harmony

...and no irony at all, no sirrah!

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Oh, that's just great! (just in case: absolutely no sarcasm here) I was really curious why you put this without any ', Ember said.' - one line without that, I did let pass by, but... the way you add up the tension from here until the end of the conversation - well, quarrel, at that point... Wow. I love it.

As an aside, it's nice to see angry!Ember, for once.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

I love this whole part - the description, the way you cut it with Edwin's single word...

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

...and this one, especially. Sheer greatness.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

Oh, dang. And now, I want this whole party to stay. Especially if you ever actually write out the Mazzy / Edwin bickering... And, possibly, mention Alora there somewhere, although I don't have the slightest shred of idea of how you might do that. But they feel like people, all of them. Anomen's dialogue was especially great.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

Ehh. Now, if only this dialogue felt a bit less like Necessary Quest Dialogue... (I know that it's not only that... I think it's the effect of these short, one- or two-line sentences going uninterrupted for a long time.)

I think you know it already, but... I loved the chapter!

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Ahh, the wonders of inter party strife.

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

It will nibble on your spellbook!!!

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

"SHUT UP!" Ember shouted.

The room fell silent. Six pairs of eyes, their expressions ranging from confusion to wariness to calm curiosity, stared at her.

Good ol Bhaal. Trust him to come with advice at the right time.

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood. It came as a relief when Cernd called for a halt near a giant sweetmaple tree, large enough and dense enough to provide a sheltered campsite for the night.

Clearly that calls for logging and road construction.

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

Nice fight scenes.

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

So bad, so delicously bad.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

So Ember will be getting herself a groove then. Neato!

"But why should we have to waste our valuable time with this... this nonsense, when there are far more important matters to attend to?!"

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Heh, well said. Edwin and Yoshi had forgotten Ember's a druid?

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

Hmmm, imagine a rabid hamster attacking Trademeet...

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood.

That's exactly the look and feel. I'll bet it's mosquito-infested as well.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

I did that this morning

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

He has a big point here

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer.

*slaps Anomen*

Pauden looked down. "She is very violent, and... she has bonded with the grove."

I never quite understood what that meant, except that Faldorn can apparently draw strength from the earth of the grove. I sorta hope you explain it a little when we meet the ecoterrorist...

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

Ha, finally some decisive action from Cernd.

"If anyone would do it, she's the one," Ember said. She remembered all too clearly what Faldorn had been like; she'd gladly rid the world of people, if she could, and by all means necessary.

Save the planet! Kill yourself!

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

Bite her head off! Uhh, I mean, teach her new respect for all things living, restore her serenity, make her meditate once more on the nature of change... (and then bite her head off).

"The druid they wanted us to escort," Edwin said dourly. "Yes, we are well aware of the situation. Since he is with you, are we to assume you agreed to the mission?"

Now what adventurer turns down quests and exp?

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

Yeah, it’s not like Ember being a *druid* herself could have a personal interest in this!

"You have been away for some time, no? There may be things your townsfolk are keeping from you."

"Are you questioning the honour of Lord Logan?"

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

*looks at the group*

You could spare the wizard.

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

Anomen, your PnP campaign doesn’t count.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

Having torches or something like that would help, I think.

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

They certainly aren’t smart enough to realize where death is coming from.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

He was supposed to pay attention to you?

"Pathetic or not, it appears to have drawn attention," Yoshimo said quietly. An old man, dressed in wet hides and supporting himself with a crooked staff, was walking towards them along the path the trolls had created through the undergrowth.

Theo: Why the hell do druids choose to live in a swamp anyway?

Jaheira: Swamp is a part of nature just like the forests, the plains or the highlands.

Theo: So, you’d like to live in a swamp then?

Jaheira: Not a chance.

Cernd nodded. "I guessed there might be a new leader; Gragus would never have allowed this."

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

Right, and she’s even more insane this time around.

"She would do such a thing? Performing such a ritual is unheard of, and quite costly to the grove!" Cernd exclaimed, more agitated than Ember had thought him capable of.

Well, yeah, the countless dead animals around Trademeet kind of proves that.

"Walk carefully, Cernd," Pauden said. "I do not enjoy this new role we take, but others do." The older druid bowed his head slightly towards Cernd, then turned and headed back the direction he came from.

His cowardice is so palpable.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

Well, she uses poor animals to fight her battles… can’t get any less fair than that, can you?

Thanks for the update!!!

i have a sudden...urge...to maul Anomen into lava :/

And Edwin too, but that goes without saying!

Good luck with the challenge Ember!

I hope I'll manage to make the challenge satisfying

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

Don't worry, Minsc. This is Boo we're talking about. We all know Boo is the most hardcore hamster in all of Faerun. He's not gonna get beat by some silly little ghosts and goblins or whatever these things are!

Of course he isn't.

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

Say that louder, buddy boy. Say it within earshot of the hamster. We'll see how you like it with no eyes.

Edwin raised his hand and chanted a string of syllables. A sphere of flame struck the troll Anomen had knocked over, setting both it and the reeds around it on fire; as resilient as it was when it came to physical damage, the troll's flesh burned easily, and within moments, it was reduced to a charred husk.

Harlequin: (Hefts a white phosphorous grenade) "Want some? They're handy."

Edwin: *sniffs, looks haughtily down his nose*

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

Raven: "Immy. Get the target painter."

Harlequin: "You wanna drop a nuke on her?" (Blinking) "That's... a bit much, even for us."

Raven: "I just like having my options open."

Well, if she's going to take the forest with her anyway...

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

Raven: "Cipher. Get Aerie on the horn, will you?"

Cipher: "Omega 7 to Sideshow One, come in, over."

Seraph: "I copy. W-what's going on?"

Cipher: "Stand by for Omega Lead, Sideshow." (Nods to Raven) "Go ahead, Major."

Raven: "Might need you and your birds to drop some ordnance on a target. Bring the incendiaries."

Seraph: "C-copy. What kind of target?"

Raven: "A person."

Seraph: "-One- person?"

Raven: "She's a really -bad- person."

Chapter 90: Peace and Harmony

...and no irony at all, no sirrah!

No, none whatsoever

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Oh, that's just great! (just in case: absolutely no sarcasm here) I was really curious why you put this without any ', Ember said.' - one line without that, I did let pass by, but... the way you add up the tension from here until the end of the conversation - well, quarrel, at that point... Wow. I love it.

Glad you liked it (I'm wondering if Edwin's first nameless line is clear enough, or if I should plant a '...said' type phrase in it.)

As an aside, it's nice to see angry!Ember, for once.

Try as she might, she definitely still has it in her.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

I love this whole part - the description, the way you cut it with Edwin's single word...

He couldn't find the adjectives to describe how deeply he loathed the weather

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

...and this one, especially. Sheer greatness.

What can I say? He was on a surly roll

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

Oh, dang. And now, I want this whole party to stay. Especially if you ever actually write out the Mazzy / Edwin bickering... And, possibly, mention Alora there somewhere, although I don't have the slightest shred of idea of how you might do that. But they feel like people, all of them. Anomen's dialogue was especially great.

The Mazzy/Edwin bickering is actually in their in game interactions, and I was originally going to weave their game dialogue into this, but it seemed to flow better with only focusing on what Anomen said (which was, of course, also taken from his game dialogue ) and then letting Yoshimo report Pauden's arrival.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

Ehh. Now, if only this dialogue felt a bit less like Necessary Quest Dialogue... (I know that it's not only that... I think it's the effect of these short, one- or two-line sentences going uninterrupted for a long time.)

They were I Want To End The Chapter sentences

I think you know it already, but... I loved the chapter!

Thanks

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Ahh, the wonders of inter party strife.

What would a BG serial be without it?

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

It will nibble on your spellbook!!!

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

"SHUT UP!" Ember shouted.

The room fell silent. Six pairs of eyes, their expressions ranging from confusion to wariness to calm curiosity, stared at her.

Good ol Bhaal. Trust him to come with advice at the right time.

His taint, anyway, but yeah. It's always looking for an opening.

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood. It came as a relief when Cernd called for a halt near a giant sweetmaple tree, large enough and dense enough to provide a sheltered campsite for the night.

Clearly that calls for logging and road construction.

Ember:

Cernd:

Minsc:

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

Edwin: (Well, I do!)

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

Nice fight scenes.

Thanks. Edwin enjoyed it very much.

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

So bad, so delicously bad.

Are you sure about that? After all, there's bad, and then there's Faldorn.

Faldorn!

"But why should we have to waste our valuable time with this... this nonsense, when there are far more important matters to attend to?!"

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Heh, well said. Edwin and Yoshi had forgotten Ember's a druid?

Edwin thinks they shouldn't stop to hug trees when there's an Imoen to rescue, Yoshimo doesn't want them to take needless risks on their way to where they're headed, and Anomen is still upset about the treatment Ember's received so far.

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

Hmmm, imagine a rabid hamster attacking Trademeet...

You have to admit it'd be quite a sight

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood.

That's exactly the look and feel. I'll bet it's mosquito-infested as well.

Of course!

Thankfully, they're not in season yet at this point of the story

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

I did that this morning

If I'm lucky, it won't rain here until april (because if it does rain, we'll get ice sheets on the roads).

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

He has a big point here

And doesn't he know it!

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer.

*slaps Anomen*

Anomen:

(He does have a point; all they did was smack the trolls around so that Edwin could incinerate them one at a time...)

Pauden looked down. "She is very violent, and... she has bonded with the grove."

I never quite understood what that meant, except that Faldorn can apparently draw strength from the earth of the grove. I sorta hope you explain it a little when we meet the ecoterrorist...

She is bonded with it. She draws her strength from it. To kill her, you'd have to cause the amount of damage that would destroy the entire grove. And a large area of forest is not easily killed (unless you're acid rain or radioactivity or a stray comet).

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

Ha, finally some decisive action from Cernd.

Yeah, he's angry now.

"If anyone would do it, she's the one," Ember said. She remembered all too clearly what Faldorn had been like; she'd gladly rid the world of people, if she could, and by all means necessary.

Save the planet! Kill yourself!

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

Bite her head off! Uhh, I mean, teach her new respect for all things living, restore her serenity, make her meditate once more on the nature of change... (and then bite her head off).

He'll do something, that's all I'll say.

"The druid they wanted us to escort," Edwin said dourly. "Yes, we are well aware of the situation. Since he is with you, are we to assume you agreed to the mission?"

Now what adventurer turns down quests and exp?

Edwin: Adventurers that have more pressing matters to attend to. (Why must I always spell everything out for these simans?!)

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

Yeah, it’s not like Ember being a *druid* herself could have a personal interest in this!

Their point is: It's not even her task. It's Cernd's. So why can't someone else take him where he's going?

"You have been away for some time, no? There may be things your townsfolk are keeping from you."

"Are you questioning the honour of Lord Logan?"

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

*looks at the group*

You could spare the wizard.

Edwin:

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

Anomen, your PnP campaign doesn’t count.

Be careful what you say, or he might tell you allllll about his encounters with trolls!

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

Having torches or something like that would help, I think.

Torch + rain = ?

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

They certainly aren’t smart enough to realize where death is coming from.

No, they're too preoccupied with the annoying people that are hitting them.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

He was supposed to pay attention to you?

Edwin: My point exactly!

"Pathetic or not, it appears to have drawn attention," Yoshimo said quietly. An old man, dressed in wet hides and supporting himself with a crooked staff, was walking towards them along the path the trolls had created through the undergrowth.

Theo: Why the hell do druids choose to live in a swamp anyway?

Jaheira: Swamp is a part of nature just like the forests, the plains or the highlands.

Theo: So, you’d like to live in a swamp then?

Jaheira: Not a chance.

It's not her natural habitat, eh?

Cernd nodded. "I guessed there might be a new leader; Gragus would never have allowed this."

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

Right, and she’s even more insane this time around.

Hard as that may be to imagine.

"She would do such a thing? Performing such a ritual is unheard of, and quite costly to the grove!" Cernd exclaimed, more agitated than Ember had thought him capable of.

Well, yeah, the countless dead animals around Trademeet kind of proves that.

Faldorn: Trademeet will pay for their deaths.

"Walk carefully, Cernd," Pauden said. "I do not enjoy this new role we take, but others do." The older druid bowed his head slightly towards Cernd, then turned and headed back the direction he came from.

His cowardice is so palpable.

Hey, he's old. At least my Pauden has that excuse.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

Well, she uses poor animals to fight her battles… can’t get any less fair than that, can you?

Only by doing something crazy like bonding to a grove or something...

Chapter 90: Peace and Harmony

Imoen: "Bran, sarcasm readings are off the scale in this title!"

Bran: "Really? I didn't notice."

Imoen:

After a quick conversation with Lord Coprith and with Mazzy, who immediately offered her assistance, the halfling led Ember, Minsc and Cernd to another office. Minsc pulled the door open, revealing Yoshimo and Edwin sitting at a large table of polished oak. Anomen stood in the middle of the room, looking as if he'd been pacing back and forth and then stopped in mid-stride at the sound of the door.

"My lady!" Anomen exclaimed. "Have they treated you well?"

*Implied rest of that statement* "If they didn't, I'm going to bring the beat and bring the funk. With my Funky Warhammer."

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

Bran: "Using that brilliant deductive reasoning again, Eddie?"

"Things are not usually as they are now," Mazzy said. "Under normal conditions, all travellers are given a warm welcome, and we are at peace with the druids of the forest. This situation need not last; we may well be able to put an end to it."

"But why should we have to waste our valuable time with this... this nonsense, when there are far more important matters to attend to?!"

*snerk*

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

And needlessly dirty, itchy and scratchy, no doubt, eh Yoshimo?

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Hackles... rising.

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

Only if you don't value your eyes. Because if you don't, then, you're right. Right up until the point he crawls into your skull through the eyehole.

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

Hi Dad!

"SHUT UP!" Ember shouted.

That was to everyone.

Ember drew a deep breath and forced herself to calm down. "You can speculate all you want; it won't matter, because I didn't accept this mission for the sake of the town. But if it helps, I don't think they know anything more than what they've told us, and they are going to pay us enough that not even you, Edwin, can consider it a waste of time." The wizard huffed angrily. "So, if you're done arguing about a decision that has already been made," she continued, "we have to go prepare to get ourselves out of town."

She turned and walked out of the room along with Minsc, Mazzy, and Cernd; a few moments later, the three others followed.

I like the fact that there isn't perfect party unity at this point. Very nice touch.

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood. It came as a relief when Cernd called for a halt near a giant sweetmaple tree, large enough and dense enough to provide a sheltered campsite for the night.

Yeah... that's a rather nasty little swamp.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

More eloquent than the finest soliloquy.

The group had followed the uneven trail for about an hour when Cernd suddenly veered off the path, into an almost inpenetratable tangle of shrubs and ferns. "There are trolls ahead. I would prefer to avoid them," the druid murmured in explanation. They headed away from the path, moving as quietly as they could, but it was impossible to avoid all sounds; before long, a splash and a muffled curse told their surroundings that Anomen had stepped in a hidden mudhole. The noise was answered by growls, grunts, and the sound of several bodies crashing through branches.

Troll! In the hole!

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

*Chuckles* Another great Edwin line. I love it.

Four trolls burst out of the undergrowth. They were as tall and gangly as the sketches Ember had seen of them, with long, sinewy limbs and gaunt faces; the slimy appearance of their yellow skin, and their smell, which reminded her of rotting moss, came as more of a surprise.

Bran: "You know, it's times like this I'm really glad to have energy weapons. Minsc? Fry em."

Minsc: "Ya hey! Minsc and Boo and Larry will make troll steak!"

With a ferocious roar, Minsc charged at the beasts and brought his sword down on a troll leg. It was a blow that would have severed the leg of a human, but it barely broke the troll's skin, and the cut immediately sealed itself.

Tough buggers, aren't they. Course, I always saw them I guess more... plant like. You could cut them and stab them, but it just didn't do a lot of damage. The bones were hard as rocks, but the flesh soft. But it healed so quick and it leaked so little.

This isn't a criticism, as I see your version as valid as well. Just felt like sharing.

Edwin raised his hand and chanted a string of syllables. A sphere of flame struck the troll Anomen had knocked over, setting both it and the reeds around it on fire; as resilient as it was when it came to physical damage, the troll's flesh burned easily, and within moments, it was reduced to a charred husk.

FOOM! TOASTY!

The troll Ember was fighting lunged forward, trying to grab her face with long, clawed fingers. She brought her staff up and rammed the end into the troll's shoulder, knocking it away from her and towards Minsc, who struck it with the flat of his sword. It hissed sharply and clutched its arm, which appeared to be wrenched out of its socket or maybe even broken. Guttural screams of pain filled the air as one of the other trolls clawed frenetically at its own torso, which was being seared by spatters of a bright green fluid. Edwin shot a jet of flame at its head, and it crumpled to the ground. With a gleeful look on his face, the wizard spun around, aiming the flame jet at the remaining two trolls.

Mmm. Roast troll.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

*chuckles*

One of my favorite paras. Combining one of the best early Ano arrogant lines with Mazzy/Edwin bicker.

"You there!" the man shouted. "You will go back the way you have come! This area is under care of the druids of Tethyr, and if you do not leave you will face nature's wrath!"

"And by what authority do you make this threat, Pauden?" Cernd asked, stepping forward to place himself between the man and the rest of the group. "This is not the way of right-thinking servants of nature. Explain yourself."

Cernd versus Pauden - druid snark?

"It is the new way, Cernd. We have a new leader to follow, and she has moved us in this direction."

Not a good one.

Cernd nodded. "I guessed there might be a new leader; Gragus would never have allowed this."

"She is a shadow druid. Her name is Faldorn."

That lovely wench.

Aleria: "Her. Wonderful."

"Faldorn? Minsc remembers Faldorn! She is a very bad girl!"

Bran: "I'm not going to say it."

Aleria: "You remember what she smelt like? A compost heap? In summer? And you're going to make some naughty girl crack?"

Bran: "As I said... not going to say it. Because... eww."

"I don't think we could forget her if we tried," Ember said. "We met her last autumn; she was with a group of Shadow Druids in Cloakwood. In her eagerness to destroy an old mine in the forest, she almost drowned us and dozens of others."

Not so much on the safety first, dear Faldorn.

"I know of that group. Their removal was a blessing for the Sword Coast," Cernd said, and turned to Pauden. "But now you follow a leader from that stock, obeying her as ants do their queen? Have you not the courage to face her?"

Pauden looked down. "She is very violent, and... she has bonded with the grove."

I'm still not sure what that means, but it doesn't sound good.

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

"Walk carefully, Cernd," Pauden said. "I do not enjoy this new role we take, but others do." The older druid bowed his head slightly towards Cernd, then turned and headed back the direction he came from.

This should be fun...

"This is worse than I feared," Cernd muttered. "I would never have imagined that any druid, not even a shadow druid, would dare to bond with a grove!"

"If anyone would do it, she's the one," Ember said. She remembered all too clearly what Faldorn had been like; she'd gladly rid the world of people, if she could, and by all means necessary. "What can we do to stop her?"

"I will challenge her for leadership. The ritual of the challenge will temporarily sever her connection with the grove. She will have to fight me as she is, with only her own strength."

And if he can go all wolfwere, it could get real... messy.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

You know, you actually manage to make Cernd sound... almost badass.

You should be lauded for this mighty accomplishment.

VH

After a quick conversation with Lord Coprith and with Mazzy, who immediately offered her assistance, the halfling led Ember, Minsc and Cernd to another office. Minsc pulled the door open, revealing Yoshimo and Edwin sitting at a large table of polished oak. Anomen stood in the middle of the room, looking as if he'd been pacing back and forth and then stopped in mid-stride at the sound of the door.

"My lady!" Anomen exclaimed. "Have they treated you well?"

Ah Anomen, ever the attentive... well, he's awfully anxious to see that you're all right, at least. That's nice.

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

He needs to learn to speak up or shut up, I think. If he was really all that special he'd say what he has to say aloud and accept the consequences.

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

And also, Yoshimo was never a fan of the woods. What wealth do bears drop there, after all?

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Yes, Mazzy, but you're awfully small...

"Minsc will also go, for Boo must know what has changed the animals! His very own hamster spirit is in danger until this evil is found and tied down with many difficult knots!"

"(I think we have little to fear from a dire rodent.)"

You do when the rodent in question is Boo!

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

Yes, actually, it would. Which is why she should under no circumstances do anything of the sort.

The group escorted Cernd out of Trademeet an hour past sunset. Mazzy led them all down a zigzagging path through empty streets towards the little used western gate, where the guards studiously took as little notice of the group as possible; once out of the town, they looped around it, moving first southwards, then eastwards, and headed into the forest.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

Wizards, they're like cats, I think. They don't like getting wet. Disturbs their spell components. It's no wonder that there are more wizards in Thay, where the weather is magically controlled, and Calimshan where it's nice and dry, than elsewhere in Faerun.

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

Good way to show who's been 'round the block and who needs a few more adventures under their belt.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

Four trolls burst out of the undergrowth. They were as tall and gangly as the sketches Ember had seen of them, with long, sinewy limbs and gaunt faces; the slimy appearance of their yellow skin, and their smell, which reminded her of rotting moss, came as more of a surprise.

Nice description. Bringing smell in is a good touch.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

It is, and he didn't.

"I know of that group. Their removal was a blessing for the Sword Coast," Cernd said, and turned to Pauden. "But now you follow a leader from that stock, obeying her as ants do their queen? Have you not the courage to face her?"

You write a delightful Cernd. He's one of my favoritest.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

You also write a delightful Minsc.

Great story, Cel. I look forward to reading more.
-Blue

Chapter 90: Peace and Harmony

Imoen: "Bran, sarcasm readings are off the scale in this title!"

Bran: "Really? I didn't notice."

Imoen:

"My lady!" Anomen exclaimed. "Have they treated you well?"

*Implied rest of that statement* "If they didn't, I'm going to bring the beat and bring the funk. With my Funky Warhammer."

I think you've pretty much nailed my Anomen. Except for the usage of the word 'funk', at least in the meaning you intended

"Things are not usually as they are now," Mazzy said. "Under normal conditions, all travellers are given a warm welcome, and we are at peace with the druids of the forest. This situation need not last; we may well be able to put an end to it."

"But why should we have to waste our valuable time with this... this nonsense, when there are far more important matters to attend to?!"

*snerk*

Edwin: Other than my becoming the Greatest Wizard Ever, nothing is more important than rescuing Imoen. (Nothing!)

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

And needlessly dirty, itchy and scratchy, no doubt, eh Yoshimo?

You know it!

"Aye, indeed! One must wonder why they would ask such a favour of a group of strangers, when they would not send any of their kind."

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Hackles... rising.

Party:

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

Hi Dad!

Taint: *waves*

"SHUT UP!" Ember shouted.

That was to everyone.

How'd you guess?

She turned and walked out of the room along with Minsc, Mazzy, and Cernd; a few moments later, the three others followed.

I like the fact that there isn't perfect party unity at this point. Very nice touch.

If I wanted perfect party unity... I would have used different characters

It was far from a pleasant jaunt through the woods. The forest floor was damp, with many small puddles and patches of waterlogged moss to step into, and the drier areas were clogged by heavy undergrowth. Traversing that kind of landscape would have been difficult even in daylight; in the glow of Edwin's magelight, it was almost impossible, and the effort only served to worsen everyone's mood. It came as a relief when Cernd called for a halt near a giant sweetmaple tree, large enough and dense enough to provide a sheltered campsite for the night.

Yeah... that's a rather nasty little swamp.

All the other strongholds are nice places. My druids have always felt they get the short end of the stick. Especially since they have to zigzag all the way across the map to get to the dratted cave if they want to visit it.

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

More eloquent than the finest soliloquy.

Edwin: (Ah, yes, my well-earned accolades...)

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

*Chuckles* Another great Edwin line. I love it.

Edwin: *preens*

With a ferocious roar, Minsc charged at the beasts and brought his sword down on a troll leg. It was a blow that would have severed the leg of a human, but it barely broke the troll's skin, and the cut immediately sealed itself.

Tough buggers, aren't they. Course, I always saw them I guess more... plant like. You could cut them and stab them, but it just didn't do a lot of damage. The bones were hard as rocks, but the flesh soft. But it healed so quick and it leaked so little.

This isn't a criticism, as I see your version as valid as well. Just felt like sharing.

That's probably the best reasoning for a troll that I've ever seen, and if you'd shared it up front I might have stolen it

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

*chuckles*

One of my favorite paras. Combining one of the best early Ano arrogant lines with Mazzy/Edwin bicker.

Need I say that my party is Still Disgruntled?

"You there!" the man shouted. "You will go back the way you have come! This area is under care of the druids of Tethyr, and if you do not leave you will face nature's wrath!"

"And by what authority do you make this threat, Pauden?" Cernd asked, stepping forward to place himself between the man and the rest of the group. "This is not the way of right-thinking servants of nature. Explain yourself."

Cernd versus Pauden - druid snark?

I suppose you could call it that. Anyway, it's stock dialogue.

"It is the new way, Cernd. We have a new leader to follow, and she has moved us in this direction."

Not a good one.

Nope, but I think everyone's guessed that by now...

"I don't think we could forget her if we tried," Ember said. "We met her last autumn; she was with a group of Shadow Druids in Cloakwood. In her eagerness to destroy an old mine in the forest, she almost drowned us and dozens of others."

Not so much on the safety first, dear Faldorn.

Well, there were no animals there, and she'd be close enough to the exit herself to escape... so where was the problem?

"I know of that group. Their removal was a blessing for the Sword Coast," Cernd said, and turned to Pauden. "But now you follow a leader from that stock, obeying her as ants do their queen? Have you not the courage to face her?"

Pauden looked down. "She is very violent, and... she has bonded with the grove."

I'm still not sure what that means, but it doesn't sound good.

Her life, and the life of the grove, are one. Injure her, and she will draw from the life force of the grove to remain whole. You'd have to destroy the grove to get to her.

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

"Walk carefully, Cernd," Pauden said. "I do not enjoy this new role we take, but others do." The older druid bowed his head slightly towards Cernd, then turned and headed back the direction he came from.

This should be fun...

I hope so!

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

You know, you actually manage to make Cernd sound... almost badass.

You should be lauded for this mighty accomplishment.

Thank you

I've never actually had him in my party for anything but this quest, but looking at his dialogues has made me tempted to try once. His sense of humour appeals to me

After a quick conversation with Lord Coprith and with Mazzy, who immediately offered her assistance, the halfling led Ember, Minsc and Cernd to another office. Minsc pulled the door open, revealing Yoshimo and Edwin sitting at a large table of polished oak. Anomen stood in the middle of the room, looking as if he'd been pacing back and forth and then stopped in mid-stride at the sound of the door.

"My lady!" Anomen exclaimed. "Have they treated you well?"

Ah Anomen, ever the attentive... well, he's awfully anxious to see that you're all right, at least. That's nice.

He has his priorities straight

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

He needs to learn to speak up or shut up, I think. If he was really all that special he'd say what he has to say aloud and accept the consequences.

I think that deep down, he knows that.

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

And also, Yoshimo was never a fan of the woods. What wealth do bears drop there, after all?

Well, they do drop *something*

"I am one of 'their kind', and I am going."

Yes, Mazzy, but you're awfully small...

Too small for a stormtrooper, eh?

Wouldn't it feel good to just kill them all?

Yes, actually, it would. Which is why she should under no circumstances do anything of the sort.

Yeah... it's a good thing she's aware of that

"Rain," Edwin grumbled, making the word sound like the foulest of curses.

Wizards, they're like cats, I think. They don't like getting wet. Disturbs their spell components. It's no wonder that there are more wizards in Thay, where the weather is magically controlled, and Calimshan where it's nice and dry, than elsewhere in Faerun.

Hm, I think you're on to something!

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

Good way to show who's been 'round the block and who needs a few more adventures under their belt.

Minsc: But when my dajemma is completed, I will be a man!

Four trolls burst out of the undergrowth. They were as tall and gangly as the sketches Ember had seen of them, with long, sinewy limbs and gaunt faces; the slimy appearance of their yellow skin, and their smell, which reminded her of rotting moss, came as more of a surprise.

Nice description. Bringing smell in is a good touch.

I figured that they needed good descriptions; I didn't want to go into this fight and have it be understood that you needed fire/acid to harm them.

"I know of that group. Their removal was a blessing for the Sword Coast," Cernd said, and turned to Pauden. "But now you follow a leader from that stock, obeying her as ants do their queen? Have you not the courage to face her?"

You write a delightful Cernd. He's one of my favoritest.

I'm enjoying him myself

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

You also write a delightful Minsc.

Minsc: Did you hear that, Boo?

Great story, Cel. I look forward to reading more.
-Blue

Thanks!

"The druid they wanted us to escort," Edwin said dourly. "Yes, we are well aware of the situation. Since he is with you, are we to assume you agreed to the mission?"

"Yes, I did."

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

Aheheh. Edwin's parenthesis-es make me . That wasn't especially helpful, but you might like to know.

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

I love the fact you have him asking Cernd's name here, despite the fact he's advocating not working with him. It really puts across Yoshimo's personability, I think. Plus, I haven't actually ready anything like that before, y'know, where someone has to check to make sure they;ve got the facts straight. That's a pretty awesome thing.

In the early hours of morning, they woke up to the slow pattering of rain against the tree's canopy, and the dawn was hidden behind a thick layer of grey clouds. The rain only intensified as the group prepared to continue, and when they moved onwards, large drops pelted the ground around them, bouncing off the leafy fronds of ferns and spawning ripples on the many puddles that lay along their path. The sound of the rain mingled with croaking frogs and a few chirping birds, and every now and then, the quiet chorus was accented by a peal of thunder as it rolled across some distant, unseen hill. It was a very different forest from the ones Ember had seen before, but its presence was still somehow familiar, almost like some distant cousin or a long-lost friend, and she felt infinitely more comfortable traversing its wet and tangled paths than she had felt in the shadowed forests around Umar Hills.

That's beautiful! Well, y'know, clearly the forest is more awe-inspiring/dangerous than beautiful, but the whole description's really cool, and I happen to like puddles and thunder.

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

The 'talking tactics' is similarly cool. And y'know something? I'm really starting to like Edwin. Can't think why.

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

I love the context to that line. It really makes it... well, make more sense!

"She would do such a thing? Performing such a ritual is unheard of, and quite costly to the grove!" Cernd exclaimed, more agitated than Ember had thought him capable of.

"Nevertheless, she has done it. She is now invulnerable outside of challenges, and none have dared issue one as of yet."

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

Heey, he's getting tough! Awesome. Go Cernd! Buttkicking!

Oh, wait. Slight confusion.

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

That's the stuff! I quite like Minsc calling her a mean little girl. Just makes me smile. And Cernd's speech as well I find telling. Woah, they're quite a team, story-wise! I love it!

"The druid they wanted us to escort," Edwin said dourly. "Yes, we are well aware of the situation. Since he is with you, are we to assume you agreed to the mission?"

"Yes, I did."

"(Of course she did,)" the wizard grumbled.

Aheheh. Edwin's parenthesis-es make me . That wasn't especially helpful, but you might like to know.

I do

"I must agree with the wizard," Yoshimo said. "Our skills and talents do, of course, make it far easier for us to get this druid - your name is Cernd, is it not? - out of town than it would be for the guards, but escorting him into the forest sounds both time-consuming and dangerous."

I love the fact you have him asking Cernd's name here, despite the fact he's advocating not working with him. It really puts across Yoshimo's personability, I think. Plus, I haven't actually ready anything like that before, y'know, where someone has to check to make sure they;ve got the facts straight. That's a pretty awesome thing.

Yoshimo: I can dance on the head of a pin as well!

My original thought was that Yoshimo would not be so rude as to talk about Cernd in his presence without acknowledging him in some way.

That's beautiful! Well, y'know, clearly the forest is more awe-inspiring/dangerous than beautiful, but the whole description's really cool, and I happen to like puddles and thunder.

Nothing wrong with puddles and thunder, as long as you don't get caught in a storm.

"How many of you have fought trolls before?" Cernd asked.

Mazzy, Yoshimo, and Anomen raised their hands.

"Good. Do you all know what must be done?"

"What does it matter as long as I know what must be done? (And I do,)" Edwin said, a wicked grin spreading across his face.

The 'talking tactics' is similarly cool. And y'know something? I'm really starting to like Edwin. Can't think why.

Hopefully because he amuses you

"Pathetic skirmishes such as this aren't worth the time I spend cleaning my weapons after the battle," Anomen grumbled, using wet grass to wipe troll slime from his hammer. Behind him, Mazzy and Edwin argued about whether or not the wizard had aimed his spells carefully enough to not endanger his allies during the battle.

I love the context to that line. It really makes it... well, make more sense!

I once had a party where Anomen said that just as we finished killing off Galvarey and the other harpers. Minsc told him he was arrogant

"Then I shall discuss this matter with her in a language that she will understand," Cernd growled. "Get out of my sight."

Heey, he's getting tough! Awesome. Go Cernd! Buttkicking!

He literally is the wolf in sheep's clothing, you know.

Oh, wait. Slight confusion.

How so?

"But Boo does not trust Faldorn!" Minsc exclaimed. "She will try to douse our flames of righteousness with the waters of treachery! The mean little girl will not fight fair, like heroes do!"

It does not matter," Cernd said. "As she denies her people's place in the balance, she cannot fully understand her own place, and the only one she will deceive is, ultimately, herself. Come, my friends, let us continue. The grove is not far."

That's the stuff! I quite like Minsc calling her a mean little girl. Just makes me smile. And Cernd's speech as well I find telling. Woah, they're quite a team, story-wise! I love it!

They're not cooperating as much as I'd like for the next chapter, but I'll get there eventually

Nice chapter. I like Ember's reactions and I'm curious to see how she will handle the confrontation with Faldorn.