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Rush Of Blood To The Head, part 2.45.


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#1 Guest_Theodur_*

Posted 29 June 2003 - 07:28 AM

Rush Of Blood To The Head, part 2.45.

I am glad to see that Copper Coronet is still in its place this morning, not demolished and burned to the ground like Hendak had promised. As we enter the inn, I see that the former slaves are working hard to bring this place back in order, quite the contrast to their intentions of yesterday.

Hendak stands in the middle of the main hall, giving orders to his comrades, seeing us entering he rushes towards us to shake our hands.

“I have wonderful news for you, my friends,” he speaks, grinning widely, “I decided that this place could be used to a better purpose, than burning it down to ashes… my friends and I will make it the best inn in Athkatla. I am still thinking about a new name for the inn – “Under Hendak’s Mighty Heel” or perhaps simply “Hendak’s Dream” …”

“Err… you better consult on the name with our little gnome, when he arrives here,” I laugh, “why the sudden change of mood? You were so intent to reduce this place to ruins yesterday…”

“I was, but… well, Viconia convinced me to do otherwise,” he smiles.

“I have to say, that is a very sensible advice from someone like Viconia,” Jaheira admits.

“I suppose I should thank you for these words,” Viconia has sneaked upon us from behind and grins seeing us startled, “sadly, your opinion, Jaheira, is totally insignificant to me.”

“Ah, there you are my morning rose,” Hendak grins and reaches out to grab Viconia, who much to Hendak’s surprise pulls back to avoid his grasp.

“What do you think you are doing, male?” she snarls, “do you think Viconia can be touched whenever you feel up to it only because she once graced you with an opportunity to feel her flesh against yours? It was nice, but not worth remembering… to be honest, you bore me male. Now go away.”

Hendak only gapes at Viconia for a moment before shaking his head and walking away. I cannot help but to think of this as another reminder that rejecting Viconia’s affections and staying true to a love that I never thought possible of fulfillment, was the right thing to do…

Jan arrives shortly and we can proceed to our usual errand running, which today also has a touch of nobility and honor about it – extermination of slavery is a respectable thing to do. Jan quickly unlocks the hidden door and I don’t feel one bit surprised that it indeed leads to sewers…

Sewers. Again. It seems that something is always pulling or dragging us towards sewers. Maybe I should look for some kind of parables in this fact? Perhaps it is a symbol of our hopes, always flying so high only to end up being stomped into the mud? Nah. I have always been a very poor philosopher…

My muscles are extremely tense and aching this morning, I really feel that such activities as we partook last night, should not be allowed before a serious days job… I wonder how Jaheira would react to such sentiment though - she seems fully prepared for whatever lies ahead, while I have trouble even lifting my sword without wincing in pain. Oh well, the pain will probably wear off quickly – perhaps we can find something small to practice upon before tackling the slavers themselves. Starting small and working all the way up to a big, fat slaver…

 

Twelve kobolds, six hobgoblins, three carrion crawlers and an otyugh later, we stand before steep wooden stairs that end in a hole on the ceiling. Something tells me that this is the entrance to the slaver ship and my companions seem to agree. We make our preparations, starting with the inspection of our weapons and armor.

“I am starting to hate this places,” Jaheira snorts, looking at her armor covered in parts with green blood of the otyugh, “I would not be a little bit surprised if this Spellhold will turn out to be one big sever in itself…”

“I share the same sentiments… at least being dirty gives me a good reason to share a bath tub with you later on…” I whisper, but loud enough for others to hear it.

“Oh, please…” Viconia snarls, “All that you two ever seem to think about is coupling. Are all of you, half-breeds, like that?”

“I was NOT thinking about THAT!” Jaheira retorts angrily.

“Err…” I try to add a meaningful comment, remembering last night.

“Not. A. Word,” Jaheira scolds, “let us not forget what we came here to do. Let us prepare ourselves.”

Soon rhythmical chanting fills the air and I feel my body being filled with the enhancing magical effects. It doesn’t take long for our spellcasting trio to complete the necessary incantations and with increased speed we climb up the ladder to find ourselves inside the dry-docked ship. We find ourselves in the middle of a large number of slightly surprised men - they look at us with lack of understanding of what is going on.

“You! It is you! The same who took out my partner Lehtinan, yes, you fit the description perfectly,” the man speaking to us is seemingly already informed about yesterdays occurrences at the inn. Not that it is a surprise.

“We had such a good business in this town, why did you have to get in the middle of it, what do you gain by ruining me?” he speaks angrily.

“You’re a slaver. I don’t need any more reasons than that,” I retort, drawing my sword, “besides, I like the idea of getting some of the loot you’ve obviously gathered during the years of business…”

“You dare to taunt me, even when being completely outnumbered?” the slaver laughs, “You are a fool, boy… soon to be a dead fool. At them, lads!”

Jan is quick to release a fireball to the farther corner of the room and the priest that was just about to cast a spell to help his slaver comrades is burned to a crisp and several other men are stunned and badly injured. The ensuing melee fight is quick and furious, the slavers are not particularly skillful opponents and our superior skill, equipment and protective spells quickly turn the battle in our favor.

My opponent, the slaver captain, is slightly more skillful and he swings his two-handed sword with moves that testify of long practicing with this kind of weapon. Still, I deflect his swings with ease and while he prepares for a counterattack, my swift lunge forwards catches him unawares. He drops his sword to the floor and bends down, hands holding his ripped up stomach. My next swing is directed towards his unprotected head and with loud splash small bits of slaver brain drop on the floor…

Jan is quick to search the slaver captain’s body and whilst we gather the other valuables and throw them in our packs, he retrieves a set of keys.

“Look, my Worship,” he throws the keys over to me, “no doubt the keys to the slave cells.”

Having retrieved everything of value from the dead bodies, we move forwards through a long, dark corridor, all the time on the lookout for the place where the slaves may be held. Halfway through the corridor we notice doors on each side, after a short examination keys fit perfectly to the locks. We open the door on the right as the first and carefully walk in, realizing that the slaves might mistake us for their captors. There are slaves inside this cell and Hendak’s suspicions are confirmed – all of them are small children… seeing me in bloodied armor, carrying my Sword Of Chaos, a panic breaks out and some of the little ones burst in hysterical crying.

Jaheira angrily pushes me aside and rushes to calm the kids, not that she would look less intimidating, but somehow she does manage to calm them down. Perhaps, the unfortunate kids do not think that a woman could possibly be associated with slavers. With that in mind, I hand over the keys to Viconia and tell her to check the other room.

“None of them are physically hurt,” Jaheira speaks, having finished her inspection of the still shaking children, “but what effect this captivity has left to their minds… I shudder to think… they are also extremely jaded, I wonder what have they been fed with. We have to get them out and quickly, but I do not want to lead them back through sewers - they are dirty and contaminated. We should battle our way through to the other entrance.”

“Let us see what Vic has discovered,” I turn around and clash into Viconia’s chest, she has just returned from her inspection.

“Another eight of them,” she says, “unharmed, but scared. We should let them stay here, until we secure the exit.”

Jaheira and I both nod in agreement and after reassuring the frightened kids that we will not forget them and will return soon, we proceed onwards. There are bound to be more slavers on this ship and woe to them if they stand in our way…




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