The next day, Adrian's skin was still red and raw, his hair not even stubble yet. But there was nothing else for it. Viconia gave him a single healing spell to stop the pain, and then they moved on.
Finding the wizard's house was not difficult, but it was unexpected; unlike Ragefast, his house was a much more normal estate. Perhaps, Adrian mused, he would be reasonable.
"Don't count on it," advised Edwin, when Adrian spoke this thought aloud. "The most dangerous Red Wizards had the most normal dwellings."
"We're not in Thay," Kagain pointed out.
"No, but some things about Wizards are universal. Is it not so?" Edwin turned and eyed Viconia.
The Drow gave an unpleasant smile. "Indeed, the wiser mage males in the Underdark avoided the ornate towers and such nonsense."
"Tiax would remind you all that we get no closer to world domination just standing about and talking!"
"Nevertheless, they have a point," sighed Adrian. "I'll be wary."
And so it proved that Edwin was right. The door was not locked, but when they entered, they were confronted by animated empty shells of armor, and other things they could not see but could hear.
With desparate speed, Viconia cast a dispel magic prayer, but it didn't help much; the invisible things only showed their shadows. It did seem to weaken the armored ones, though.
Adrian didn't bother with his crossbow. He and Kagain charged the nearest helmed creatures, hoping to create a phalanx between themselves and the other party members. And mostly it worked; only a single invisble stalker slipped past them, to face off against Viconia. Tiax unlimbered his sling, Edwin started hurling magic missles at a frantic pace. Xzar summoned his undead monstrosity, then when Edwin had exausted his magic missles, they worked together to summon their pet jellies.
The undead monstrosity and the jellies were able to battle the foe, but both mages new instinctively that any other summoned monsters would be useless against these creatures.
The battle was going well enough. The party was winning in terms of doing more damage to the monsters than the reverse, but they simply weren't hurting them enough; they were too strong.
"Corner shot!" Xzar cried. Edwin blinked, then nodded. They threw fireballs into the furthest corner of the room, hoping to get some of the monsters but not themseleves. It worked, and more importantly, it lit the position of some of the surviving invisble stalkers with flame.
Kagain, Adrian and Viconia gave a good accounting of themvels, hacking slashing and pounding. Slowly, finally, the enemy began to fall.
Adrian aquired three bone bruises through his armor, and Kagain lost a tooth, but eventually they won. None of them were seriously injured, but all were exhausted.
"This bodes ill," said Adrian.
"Can't be helped," sighed Viconia.
They advanced, and indeed found the mage in residence.
"I am Borogove!" he bellowed.
"How very nice for you," Adrian muttered.
"Silence! Er no, on the other hand, tell me why you have invaded my home!"
So they told him, and he nodded. "Yes yes yes, it is so. Bring me the helm and I will give you 3000 gold. The cloak and I will give you 5000. Both together, and you shall have 12,000!"
And what of the leads we've uncovered?" asked Adrian
"The whore's den under the city and the rich inn you speak of are your best bets. But seek the petrified adventurers as well."
They trooped out.
"We're going to kill him," said Adrian. "Had he offered 14,000 gold or more for the pair, I'd've spared his miserable hide. But no."
"I presume we're going to get the items first?" asked Edwin.
"Aye."
They went on a little raiding mission first, though, seeking out another fancy eastate to rob. But as it turned out, another haughty mage was in attendance, with a pair of skilled archers. That battle did indeed harm the party, but it was well worth it. From the wizar'ds corpse, Edwin held aloft a ring and cried for joy. "A ring of archmagi! A ring of archmagi!!!"
Xzar's eyes blazed. "Mine! My precious! You already have the robe! Give it to me!"
The wizards began struggling over the ring, grappling like wrestlers.
Adrian and Viconia looked at eachother. Then they advanced.
Adrian punched Edwin in the head; Viconia kneed Xzar in the groin.
"Control yourselves," Adrian snarled. "You need to work together."
"Last time we tried you Bhaalscreamed at us," Xzar mumbled.
"That was because you were trying to use me," Adrian said, in the tone of voice wone would use for idiots or small children. "You two are worthy mages, if only you would get your acts together. Now. You will share the ring, using it in turns. It shall be Edwin's for the next tenday. Then Xzar's. And so on.
Edwin slipped the ring on his finger. With Davaeorn's archmagi robes laid over his own scarlet ones, he was a formidable figure indeed.
----
They made to rest in a nearby inn, but a spear wielding paladin challeneged them.
"There is evil in your party," he informed them in a sombre voice. "I am sorry but you must die."
This fight was not long. Within a minute, Adrian had knocked the spear high, cuaght it in one hand, and run the fool through with it.
"It's enchanted," he noted, pulling it from the paladin's body as the dead do-gooder slumped to the floor. "We can make some money off it."
"Not here though," said Kagain, seeing the hateful stares of the inn customers.
"No," Adrian agreed, "To the Helm and Cloak."
"What, already?" Viconia was surpised. "The day is long, and filled with battles as it is."
Adrian smiled at her. "To rest, my dear, not to investigate. We'll do that after a good night's sleep. It is the nicest inn in the city, or so they say."
"Ahhhh," Viconia nodded.
Adrian
