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All That Glitters...43


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#1 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 05 September 2003 - 08:53 PM

I know a lot of you don't like sir scimitars'n'chainmail, I but have to keep a consistent character regarding Keldorn, and many of you should know Keldorn's reaction to meeting him. Aside from that, this is another long one which I spent altogether too much time revising. But that's just me.

 

Chapter Forty-Three

Kal, Viconia, Keldorn, and Yoshimo assembled in the taproom of the Flagons the following morning. After a few minutes, Keldorn was about to ask where Anomen was when he appeared, red-faced, at the top of the stairs.

"Is there a problem, Anomen?" Kal asked.

"Er...nothing important, Kal. It appears only that...I forgot something at the Copper Coronet. I was about to polish my armour this morning when I discovered that my armour polish was not in my pack; it was likely misplaced and left in my room in the Coronet, since I did polish my armour yesterday morning."

"Right. Well, let's go down to the Coronet and pick it up. No inconvenience."

The Copper Coronet had not changed much from the previous day, except for one thing. A red-haired young woman in mud-spattered, travel-stained blue robes was apparently discussing something with the leader of one of the adventuring groups, a fighter by the look of the sword at his waist. Anomen climbed the stairs to get to the room he had previously occupied while the party waited for him by the door.

The young woman's voice raised, suddenly, as the man she was talking with started shaking his head. She held her hands out imploringly, but the warrior shook his head and turned away. She also turned away, gaze roving over the other adventurers clustering the bar, but not a one responded.

"Is that...is that all of you?" she asked in an exhausted voice. "I...the lives of my family depend on your assistance! None of you are willing to help?"

The deafening silence that followed was answer enough. Some of the adventurers at the tavern even went so far as to turn their backs toward her.

Kal's expression grew grim. If you can't or won't do it, at least have the guts to say it to her face. As for him, this was just the thing he was looking for, and if there was one thing he'd learned during his numerous trips up and down the Sword Coast, it was that he had a positive talent for doing things that most other people couldn't.

"Easy, now," Kal said as the party approached her. "What's the problem?"

"My family's lands are under siege...we're being attacked by something, I don't know exactly what...and no one here will help me!"

"Well, you've just found some people who will help you," Kal assured her.

She remained doubtful. "Really?"

"On my honour as a knight, m'lady, I so swear it," Keldorn said firmly.

"A...a knight of the Radiant Heart! Oh, thank the gods! My family's lands...three days east of here on foot - are under attack, and we...we can't hold out much longer. We have to get there as quickly as we can!"

Keldorn was nodding. He turned to Kal. "On fast horses we can..." he began.

"Can Anomen ride?" Kal interrupted.

"No," Keldorn said. "His priestly training has prevented him from attending some of the knights' classes."

"Then it doesn't work, Keldorn. If Anomen can't, that means too many of us can't ride, and it's been extremely rainy and muddy lately. I can't ride, Viconia can't...Yoshimo, can you?" Kal asked, suddenly realizing that he'd never bothered to ask. Yoshimo shook his head.

"Even if she can ride, that's two of six. I don't think we have time for the fumbling and bumbling that an attempt to throw us on horses would result in." Kal stared at the ceiling, planning rapidly. "We'll do it this way. You and Anomen get over to the High Hall and secure the supplies we'll need for a three day overland trip. I'll pick up everything else we need from the Adventurer's Mart, and we'll meet at the gates in an hour."

"A sound plan," Keldorn agreed.

"What's your name?" Kal asked the woman, another thing that he hadn't bothered to ask. That was two rare slip-ups for him.

"Nalia. Nalia de'Arnise. My family's keep is known as the de'Arnise hold."

Kal turned to Yoshimo. "I know this isn't a lot of time, but find out whatever you can about the de'Arnise hold and surrounding terrain. If we're going to help, we're going to need to know something about where we're going."

Yoshimo didn't bother responding, heading right for the door. An hour wasn't a lot of time, and he intended to use as much of it as he could.

"Should...should I travel with you?" Nalia asked. "I...I can pick the odd lock or two, and I've had some formal magic training. And I can...tell you a few secrets about the keep."

"Of course you should. You're a mage?" Kal asked, to confirm.

"Yes. Father always said that I'd have to learn how to take care of myself if need be."

"All right. Come with me and Viconia, then. That's Viconia," Kal said, gesturing, "but there will be plenty of time for introductions later. For now, let's get going."

Anomen came down the stairs just in time to see the group split up and head for the exits. "Excuse me? Excuse me? Kal, what is going on?"

Kal turned to look at Anomen over his shoulder, not even breaking stride. "We found something to do."




It did take a little over an hour to get everything prepared, but the party left in reasonable time. Yoshimo had indeed delivered, with a roughly scrawled map on crumpled parchment indicating how to get to the hold, with treacherous areas marked, as well as a serviceable map of the De'Arnise lands.

It had been a while since Kal and his party had done overland travelling. Not that he lacked experience, having spent the better part of a year wandering around a more northerly area of the Sword Coast. Muddy and rainy travelling was not unfamiliar to him.

Amn, being at least a somewhat coherent political entity, kept its roads a little clearer than the ones found further north around Baldur's Gate. For a half mile out of the city, the road was paved, and the party made good time. The wetness about them did little except make the roads a little slippery, which everyone could handle. Small dips in the road collected puddles of muddy water, splashing slightly as the party moved by.

After that half mile, however, the paving stopped. The setting of the stones became far less regular, and eventually dispersed into a stone or two every few feet before vanishing entirely. Beyond that, there were a number of well-travelled trails, but none paved. Grass and weeds which dared venture on to the oft-used roads were quickly beaten down by hooves and wheels and feet, and so the trails were bare, uncovered earth. Rain transformed it rapidly into mud.

The first into the mud was Keldorn, whose boot sank two inches in on the first step. He pulled it free a few seconds later, a loud sucking noise coming from the mud. Without saying a word, Kal moved off the path and on to the damp grass beside it. The terrain was uneven, gently rolling and studded with rocks and trees, but it was better than wading through mud.

The smell of rain still hung in the air well into the day, the sunlight that might have cleared it up blocked by a wall of grey cloud. The air was heavy and thick with moisture, and it lay like a blanket over everyone's mood.

"So, Nalia, what's the nature of this threat we're going to help out with?" Kal asked.

"It's a small force besieging the keep," she answered.

"An army?" Anomen asked.

"Not quite," she corrected. "It's an army-like entity, I'll grant you, but it isn't nearly large enough to be called an army. It outnumbers the number of guards in the keep approximately three to two."

"A difference of precisely how many?" Yoshimo wanted to know.

"Sixteen to eighteen."

Now everyone was crowding around, asking questions. Viconia spoke up. "And how are our five going to make a difference?"

"Most of the besieging forces are standard mercenaries - with just enough skill to use a sword, but not much beyond that. Unfortunately, our guards are much the same way. The way I figured it, a few experienced warriors could turn the tide and make all the difference we need."

"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"

"That's good," Nalia replied neutrally. Anomen looked like he wanted to say something else, but didn't. They continued on in silence.

Kal kept an eye on Anomen's expression as they walked along. Anomen was clearly not paying much attention to the people around him. He was nervous, and edgy, and...fearful?

That can't be right, Kal thought. Fearful...of what?

Anomen's hands flexed unconsciously, gripping into fists and then relaxing only slightly. They twitched as if to take up his mace into a fighting position.

Interesting.

As evening was approaching, Kal spied a section of forest off the path that seemed fairly dry, with a small stream running by it. There was perhaps an hour or two of daylight left, but it seemed a good spot. There was no point in going for another hour or two and then having to pick a poor campsite.

"I object," Anomen said, when Kal pointed out the campsite he had picked out. "It is not a defensible position!"

"And...?" Kal asked with just the slightest edge in his voice.

"What if we are attacked in the middle of the night? We will perish without the chance for glorious combat! In this position, we shall be overwhelmed and defeated!" Anomen's eyes were showing fear again, but not because of the prospect of being defeated.

"Let me get this straight...you want a defensible position because you're eager to engage in ‘glorious combat'?" Kal asked him.

Anomen nodded. "Such is the task of all true servants of righteousness!"

"Perhaps you can during your watch. But, as you may notice, your watch won't be the whole night. At other times, you won't have the opportunity...and neither will anybody but the one person on watch."

Anomen's eyes seemed to bulge out a bit. "I am always ready for glorious combat!"

"In your tunic?" Viconia asked scornfully. "Unless you intend to sleep in your armour."

"And why not?" Anomen said. "I am of Helm's faithful, and I should be on guard at all times!"

Kal shrugged. "If you want to. But my objective is not to get attacked - which is why these tents are black, you might notice. If you're so passionate about it, why don't you try sleeping a night out here in your armour? If it works for you, we'll try it your way."

"I shall!" Anomen declared.

Kal shrugged again. "Suit yourself."

After pitching the tents, Kal gathered some wood and started a fire in a pit dug in the middle of the campsite. Then he removed some cooking gear from his backpack and began to set up.

"What is it that you are doing?" Anomen asked.

"Well," Kal said, adding some water to a small pot, "I'm setting up cooking gear. This is done primarily in advance of, well, cooking. And, of course, cooking is done to prepare food." Do I need to explain what food is?

Anomen looked shocked. "That is menial work!"

"And do you think there's anything wrong with that?" Nalia asked, a little bit of challenge in her expression. "Someone does it, you know, unless you've been eating raw food all of your life - not to say that there's something wrong with eating raw food, but I don't think you have. Anyway, just because the work they do is menial doesn't mean that they're inferior."

"I...I would never claim so, milady. But it is not a knight's duty!"

"Then you're so lucky I'm not a knight, aren't you?" Kal replied, as calmly as he could manage. "Unless you'd prefer to chew on iron rations. They're nourishing, I'll grant you, but hardly a desirable experience." Kal gestured to the tightly-tied packs of dried food.

"Young Anomen, I think you need to learn a better distinction between what is a knight's duty and what a knight may do," Keldorn said.

Anomen grew stiff. "If I need to learn, Sir Keldorn, I doubt that you could teach me." He stood and walked off.

Keldorn sighed. "It is ever so with Anomen. I cannot reach him. I can only hope that you have more success, Kal. As for the cooking - firstly, I thank you, and secondly, I am more than willing to rotate duties with you. There are at least some things I remember from my adventuring days, and you are right - iron rations are not ever pleasing meals."

"Keldorn, you don't have to...." Kal began.

Keldorn shook his head. "No, but I will. At least once, to provide perhaps a bit of an example to Anomen."

Kal shrugged. "As you wish."

"If I may ask, Kal - where did you learn such a thing?" Yoshimo asked. "I would guess that it is picked up from adventuring, if not for one thing." He gestured to the array of spices and seasonings that were partially visible inside Kal's backpack. "I have some minor proficiency in the art myself, though it is with Kozakuran cuisine. However, even though I am unfamiliar with the style as practised in this corner of the world, I recognize the mark of a professional when it meets my eyes."

"I wouldn't call myself a professional, exactly," Kal said a little dubiously.

"He is being modest, as he tends to be," Viconia commented. "Professional or not he is better than most, I can assure you of that."

"Ah," Yoshimo said with a smile. "But my question remains."

"I learned from Khalid, actually," Kal said. "I never found out where he himself learned. But it was different, with Khalid - he had a real passion for cooking, and he was far, far better than I ever will be. He taught me a number of things about adventuring, of which cooking was one."

Kal added spices and some food to the pot, then sat down and leaned back. "We rotated. Kind of. Khalid would cook most of the days we had to stay out in the field, and a number of days when we didn't. He taught me on the side, and I ended up covering for him on the days when he couldn't or didn't want to, which weren't many."

"You were fortunate," Keldorn said. "On my journeys it was often the case that we rotated among all members of the party, and none of us had any particular talent. Certainly the result was more palatable than iron rations...but just barely."

"Oh, I insisted on trying that the first time. Khalid wasn't one to talk me out of it either - he was part of the ‘learn by experience' school. I tried it one week and at the end I admitted Khalid was right and let him do the cooking. Ajantis tried, too, but he only succeeded in creating a series of small disasters."

Keldorn chuckled. "Of that I am aware," he said. "I tried to teach him the basics, and he tried to learn, but I admit it was an utter failure. I was never the most talented cook myself, however."

"No, I think it's something natural," Kal said with a smile. He leaned forward and stirred the pot. "Jaheira was no good, either, and Imoen didn't exactly have the patience for it. And Viconia, here...well...."

"Drow nobles do not cook," Viconia said with a smile of her own.

Nalia looked up from her spellbook. "You feel you're above cooking?"

Viconia shook her head. "No, that is not it at all. What I mean is that in drow society, drow nobles do not cook. I was as completely unfamiliar with the process as I was unfamiliar with the sky."

"To her everlasting credit, she tried, she certainly tried," Kal said. "But she managed to accomplish the most amazing fusion of burnt food to iron. After she ruined a few pots, we decided together to exempt her from any kind of cooking, or should I say, property destruction."

Viconia turned towards Kal, hands on her hips. "I recall threatening you with various types of spiny death if you ever mentioned that again."

Kal grinned wider. "Yes. Yes you did."

Viconia held her gaze for a few more moments, prompting Keldorn to draw in a breath, almost reaching for his sword. Then Viconia started laughing and playfully swatted Kal across the shoulder in mock disgust. Keldorn let the breath out...slowly.




Keldorn was disturbed. It wasn't by Viconia, exactly. He was more disturbed by her expression. She was happy, joyful even, and clearly comfortable with where she was and what she was doing. And she was just as clearly absolutely genuine - she was not hatching some evil plan, nor plotting to kill them all. To someone who had become accustomed to labelling all drow as evil, this was profoundly disturbing, and Keldorn could feel his mind resisting.

Why? He knew about Drizzt Do'Urden, clearly a hero and clearly drow. He didn't have a problem with that. Viconia was also a priestess of Shar, and that would be enough reason to be suspicious. But it wasn't as if every priestess of Shar was evil, and Keldorn knew that even the purest-hearted peasants offered a few words to Shar every now and then when they despaired.

Shar was a good reason. Keldorn knew that. Yet somehow, that didn't bother him as much, and it should. Or rather, if it had to bother him at all, her priesthood should be the only thing to do so.

Keldorn gritted his teeth. Torm stood for loyalty, and chief among those loyalties was a loyalty to justice, justice that was fair and true and equal for all, human or elf or dwarf or gnome...or drow. And Torm had never once promised that those loyalties would be easy.

But why in the names of all the gods did it have to be so hard?




The conversation went on, ignoring Keldorn's inner turmoil.

"I probably wouldn't be much better," Nalia admitted. "Nobles here don't do any cooking either. Not that I didn't pick up a little bit here or there, but there was always my aunt barging in and taking me out of the kitchen, telling me that good little girls didn't explore the keep and, in fact, sat in their rooms all day."

"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"

"The one and the same," Nalia said with a nod.

"Oh," Keldorn said, quite at a loss for words. "Oh. Uh...well, then."

"You've met my aunt before?" Nalia asked perceptively.

"Once or twice. You'll forgive me if I don't go into further detail," Keldorn said.

Nalia nodded. "I know what you mean."

"There!" Kal said with some satisfaction, as he stirred the contents of the pot one last time, throwing in a pinch of something from an earthenware jar. "Done. Yoshimo, bring Anomen back from his extended sulk, would you? I'm thinking he might have tripped over something." Yoshimo nodded and left.

Kal brought out a number of bowls. "I can't say this is going to be particularly memorable...but it beats chewing on dry-as-a-bone rations."

Keldorn chuckled. "I think you might surprise us all."

#2 Guest_Theodur_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 09:07 AM

Kal's expression grew grim. If you can't or won't do it, at least have the guts to say it to her face. As for him, this was just the thing he was looking for, and if there was one thing he'd learned during his numerous trips up and down the Sword Coast, it was that he had a positive talent for doing things that most other people couldn't.


Gosh, I do believe that Kal should get to know his future employer a bit better... many a Bhaalspawn wanted to feed Nalia to the trolls after spending a day in her company.

"What's your name?" Kal asked the woman, another thing that he hadn't bothered to ask. That was two rare slip-ups for him.


Nice way to show just how distracted he is, without actually making him think or say it.

It had been a while since Kal and his party had done overland travelling. Not that he lacked experience, having spent the better part of a year wandering around a more northerly area of the Sword Coast. Muddy and rainy travelling was not unfamiliar to him.


First time outside Athkatla, iirc... so many things to solve yet, before heading to Spellhold.

"Most of the besieging forces are standard mercenaries - with just enough skill to use a sword, but not much beyond that. Unfortunately, our guards are much the same way. The way I figured it, a few experienced warriors could turn the tide and make all the difference we need."


Err... are you sure you're speaking the truth, Nalia? :wink:

Kal shrugged. "If you want to. But my objective is not to get attacked - which is why these tents are black, you might notice. If you're so passionate about it, why don't you try sleeping a night out here in your armour? If it works for you, we'll try it your way."


"I shall!" Anomen declared.


Kal shrugged again. "Suit yourself."


Oh, dear... poor Ano is in for an eye-opener. If he can't learn and change his ways quickly, he'll be dead by the end of the tenday.

"And do you think there's anything wrong with that?" Nalia asked, a little bit of challenge in her expression. "Someone does it, you know, unless you've been eating raw food all of your life - not to say that there's something wrong with eating raw food, but I don't think you have. Anyway, just because the work they do is menial doesn't mean that they're inferior."


Heh, add bonus points to Nalia. And another bonus point for thinking of something other than to 'help the needy'. I could only write her, once I abandoned that aspect of her character... then she seemed even likeable.

"I learned from Khalid, actually," Kal said. "I never found out where he himself learned. But it was different, with Khalid - he had a real passion for cooking, and he was far, far better than I ever will be. He taught me a number of things about adventuring, of which cooking was one."


Hehe, I knew it... Khalid probably had to deliver breakfast in bed to Jaheira, every morning... my, but I bet it was worth it. :twisted:

Why? He knew about Drizzt Do'Urden, clearly a hero and clearly drow. He didn't have a problem with that. Viconia was also a priestess of Shar, and that would be enough reason to be suspicious. But it wasn't as if every priestess of Shar was evil, and Keldorn knew that even the purest-hearted peasants offered a few words to Shar every now and then when they despaired.


Hmmm. How come that your Viconia can still be a priestess of Shar? I know that many say that the in-game Viconia does not exactly seem a Sharran, esp. evident in her romance, but yours is even more milder... wouldn't Shar be a bit displeased with her lack of accomplishments? Actually, she's been doing some things that contradict his dogma, like consorting with the followers of the good deities.

Heh, don't get me wrong - I like this version very much. Besides, if she had acted like the one in the game and picked on Khalid, I wouldn't have thought Kal would like her all that much.

"Once or twice. You'll forgive me if I don't go into further detail," Keldorn said.


Nalia nodded. "I know what you mean."


Heh, me too. :twisted:

#3 Guest_Bjorn_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 09:31 AM

"Er...nothing important, Kal. It appears only that...I forgot something at the Copper Coronet. I was about to polish my armour this morning when I discovered that my armour polish was not in my pack; it was likely misplaced and left in my room in the Coronet, since I did polish my armour yesterday morning."


LOL! Make him do without, Kal - it'd be a good start to getting used to the hardships of life on the road.

"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"


:wink:

"Perhaps you can during your watch. But, as you may notice, your watch won't be the whole night. At other times, you won't have the opportunity...and neither will anybody but the one person on watch."


Anomen's eyes seemed to bulge out a bit. "I am always ready for glorious combat!"


LOL! Let him take the watch all night then, and everyone else can get a decent night's sleep.

"In your tunic?" Viconia asked scornfully. "Unless you intend to sleep in your armour."


Wouldn't put it past him.

Kal shrugged. "If you want to. But my objective is not to get attacked - which is why these tents are black, you might notice. If you're so passionate about it, why don't you try sleeping a night out here in your armour? If it works for you, we'll try it your way."


Just hope he doesn't move around much in his sleep, or the rattling will keep everyone awake!

"Well," Kal said, adding some water to a small pot, "I'm setting up cooking gear. This is done primarily in advance of, well, cooking. And, of course, cooking is done to prepare food." Do I need to explain what food is?


Anomen looked shocked. "That is menial work!"


Well, someone has to do it, Ano...

"I...I would never claim so, milady. But it is not a knight's duty!"


Well, you're not a knight yet, Ano. So feel free to lend a hand...

"To her everlasting credit, she tried, she certainly tried," Kal said. "But she managed to accomplish the most amazing fusion of burnt food to iron. After she ruined a few pots, we decided together to exempt her from any kind of cooking, or should I say, property destruction."


LOL! That's the best way to get out of cooking - be so bad that no one else will let you try.

Viconia held her gaze for a few more moments, prompting Keldorn to draw in a breath, almost reaching for his sword. Then Viconia started laughing and playfully swatted Kal across the shoulder in mock disgust. Keldorn let the breath out...slowly.


:twisted: Relax, Keldorn.

The conversation went on, ignoring Keldorn's inner turmoil.


LOL! I like that line :twisted: .

"There!" Kal said with some satisfaction, as he stirred the contents of the pot one last time, throwing in a pinch of something from an earthenware jar. "Done. Yoshimo, bring Anomen back from his extended sulk, would you? I'm thinking he might have tripped over something." Yoshimo nodded and left.


Just let him go hungry - that'll teach him to go off in a huff.

Nice chapter :twisted: .

#4 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 03:11 PM

Gosh, I do believe that Kal should get to know his future employer a bit better... many a Bhaalspawn wanted to feed Nalia to the trolls after spending a day in her company.


Yeah, but this isn't that Nalia.

First time outside Athkatla, iirc... so many things to solve yet, before heading to Spellhold.


It is his first time outside Athkatla, but the weather in Amn isn't significantly less temperate than that in the northern Western Heartlands.

Err... are you sure you're speaking the truth, Nalia? :wink:


It's a nicely crafted lie, isn't it? Too bad Kal wasn't checking.

Oh, dear... poor Ano is in for an eye-opener. If he can't learn and change his ways quickly, he'll be dead by the end of the tenday.


Changing his ways is the least of his problems.

Heh, add bonus points to Nalia. And another bonus point for thinking of something other than to 'help the needy'. I could only write her, once I abandoned that aspect of her character... then she seemed even likeable.


Upon reading the dialogues supplied in-game, it turns out that the "help the needy" aspect of her character is essentially at odds with every other dialogue written for her. Either she doesn't understand the poor and blindly tries to help, or she does understand the poor. She can't do both. I removed one half and emphasized the other.

Hehe, I knew it... Khalid probably had to deliver breakfast in bed to Jaheira, every morning... my, but I bet it was worth it. :twisted:


Perhaps, but I don't see Jaheira as the kind of person who would stay in bed any longer than was absolutely necessary.

Hmmm. How come that your Viconia can still be a priestess of Shar? I know that many say that the in-game Viconia does not exactly seem a Sharran, esp. evident in her romance, but yours is even more milder... wouldn't Shar be a bit displeased with her lack of accomplishments? Actually, she's been doing some things that contradict his dogma, like consorting with the followers of the good deities.


Shar simply hasn't checked on Viconia yet. She will. And when she does....

But that's saying too much.

#5 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 03:20 PM

LOL! Make him do without, Kal - it'd be a good start to getting used to the hardships of life on the road.


It would be a little too much of a shock to his system at this point. After all, priests of Helm are expected to polish their armour every morning, it's virtually their holy symbol.

LOL! Let him take the watch all night then, and everyone else can get a decent night's sleep.


As tempting as that is, Anomen would be much more likely to fall asleep during the middle of the night, exposing the party to attack. Not worth the risk.

Just hope he doesn't move around much in his sleep, or the rattling will keep everyone awake!


Hah! If you're lying down in a suit of plate, moving won't rattle, it'll just grind whatever body part you're moving against the plate (which is prevented from moving by the ground).

Just let him go hungry - that'll teach him to go off in a huff.


Aw, do I sense hostility toward dear Ano? Punishment, such as it is, doesn't work on him. It's just his personality.

#6 Guest_Hunter_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 04:03 PM

"Easy, now," Kal said as the party approached her. "What's the problem?"


"My family's lands are under siege...we're being attacked by something, I don't know exactly what...and no one here will help me!"


"Well, you've just found some people who will help you," Kal assured her.


Talk about dumb adventurers. :twisted:

She remained doubtful. "Really?"


"On my honour as a knight, m'lady, I so swear it," Keldorn said firmly.


It's "the damsel in distress" syndrome. :twisted:

The smell of rain still hung in the air well into the day, the sunlight that might have cleared it up blocked by a wall of grey cloud. The air was heavy and thick with moisture, and it lay like a blanket over everyone's mood.


"So, Nalia, what's the nature of this threat we're going to help out with?" Kal asked.


"It's a small force besieging the keep," she answered.


How could a "small force" take a keep?

"An army?" Anomen asked.


It seems anomen is wondering about that too.

"Sixteen to eighteen."


I would say that the defenders have a serious advantage then.

Now everyone was crowding around, asking questions. Viconia spoke up. "And how are our five going to make a difference?"


"Most of the besieging forces are standard mercenaries - with just enough skill to use a sword, but not much beyond that. Unfortunately, our guards are much the same way. The way I figured it, a few experienced warriors could turn the tide and make all the difference we need."


But the keep walls would give the defenbders a huge advantage, somethings not right in her story

"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"


:twisted:

Anomen looked shocked. "That is menial work!"


"And do you think there's anything wrong with that?" Nalia asked, a little bit of challenge in her expression. "Someone does it, you know, unless you've been eating raw food all of your life - not to say that there's something wrong with eating raw food, but I don't think you have. Anyway, just because the work they do is menial doesn't mean that they're inferior."


"I...I would never claim so, milady. But it is not a knight's duty!"


Would somebode please kick his butt? Right now please.

"I learned from Khalid, actually," Kal said. "I never found out where he himself learned. But it was different, with Khalid - he had a real passion for cooking, and he was far, far better than I ever will be. He taught me a number of things about adventuring, of which cooking was one."


And i bet that jaheira was the worse cook of those two :twisted: Not that i'd ever dare ask her.

"Oh, I insisted on trying that the first time. Khalid wasn't one to talk me out of it either - he was part of the ‘learn by experience' school. I tried it one week and at the end I admitted Khalid was right and let him do the cooking. Ajantis tried, too, but he only succeeded in creating a series of small disasters."


I've done that too, and i've had to eat other people's "small disasters", and pretend to like it. i guess we all have to go through that.

"Drow nobles do not cook," Viconia said with a smile of her own.


Nalia looked up from her spellbook. "You feel you're above cooking?"


Is she like anomen?

Viconia shook her head. "No, that is not it at all. What I mean is that in drow society, drow nobles do not cook. I was as completely unfamiliar with the process as I was unfamiliar with the sky."


Aha, it's logic.

Keldorn was disturbed. It wasn't by Viconia, exactly. He was more disturbed by her expression. She was happy, joyful even, and clearly comfortable with where she was and what she was doing. And she was just as clearly absolutely genuine - she was not hatching some evil plan, nor plotting to kill them all. To someone who had become accustomed to labelling all drow as evil, this was profoundly disturbing, and Keldorn could feel his mind resisting.


It is understandable.

Shar was a good reason. Keldorn knew that. Yet somehow, that didn't bother him as much, and it should. Or rather, if it had to bother him at all, her priesthood should be the only thing to do so.


Well, shar is not exactly your "all good godess"

Keldorn gritted his teeth. Torm stood for loyalty, and chief among those loyalties was a loyalty to justice, justice that was fair and true and equal for all, human or elf or dwarf or gnome...or drow. And Torm had never once promised that those loyalties would be easy.


But why in the names of all the gods did it have to be so hard?


The wrong way is somehow always the easy one.

"I probably wouldn't be much better," Nalia admitted. "Nobles here don't do any cooking either. Not that I didn't pick up a little bit here or there, but there was always my aunt barging in and taking me out of the kitchen, telling me that good little girls didn't explore the keep and, in fact, sat in their rooms all day."


Boooring.

"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"


"The one and the same," Nalia said with a nod.


"Oh," Keldorn said, quite at a loss for words. "Oh. Uh...well, then."


We understand. :wink:

Nice story

Hunter

#7 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 06 September 2003 - 05:42 PM

How could a "small force" take a keep?


Fairly easily, all things considered. After all, De' Arnise Hold isn't exactly in great condition.

But the keep walls would give the defenbders a huge advantage, somethings not right in her story


Something isn't right in her story, but the walls aren't it. The possibility of the presence of mages changes the tactical equation in all FR situations. You're correct that without magic support, there shouldn't be a problem.

And i bet that jaheira was the worse cook of those two :wink: Not that i'd ever dare ask her.


I think Khalid was already used to cooking for her.

Is she like anomen?


Curious question. I don't understand what makes you ask it.

#8 Guest_Ursula_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 03:12 AM

Hi. :)

Yay, more ATG!!!!!!!!!!!! Psych! :(

I know a lot of you don't like sir scimitars'n'chainmail,

I'm afraid I don't understand this reference. I'd be much obliged if you were to explain. Please?


"Er...nothing important, Kal. It appears only that...I forgot something at the Copper Coronet. I was about to polish my armour this morning when I discovered that my armour polish was not in my pack; it was likely misplaced and left in my room in the Coronet, since I did polish my armour yesterday morning."

Lol! I liked how your Anomen used the passive ("...it was likely misplaced...."), almost imho as an attempt to distance himself to the mistake he reluctantly admitted earlier in the passage. This is just one example of why I enjoy your series so much.

"Can Anomen ride?" Kal interrupted.

"No," Keldorn said. "His priestly training has prevented him from attending some of the knights' classes."

Oh. I've wondered for a while whether there would be some conflict in his religious instruction & his Order training. I'll be interested in seeing what other insight you have to offer. ;)

I'm glad you've provided a suitably explanation of why Kal et als. stick to walking as opposed to riding.

The only faintest ghost of a quibble for this episode would come from this passage:

Kal turned to Yoshimo. "I know this isn't a lot of time, but find out whatever you can about the de'Arnise hold and surrounding terrain. If we're going to help, we're going to need to know something about where we're going."

Yoshimo didn't bother responding, heading right for the door. An hour wasn't a lot of time, and he intended to use as much of it as he could.

I'm not sure whether the 2nd paragraph counts as perspective creep or not. I do know that when I first read this, the change of pov did jar me, but that might just be a personal preference thing...

"Should...should I travel with you?" Nalia asked. "I...I can pick the odd lock or two, and I've had some formal magic training. And I can...tell you a few secrets about the keep."

ROTFL! Um, no offense, but I found Nalia's theftly ability claim here very funny, and sadly true. Had her in my party as the thief, and her p/l skill wasn't even good enough to do her own keep unassisted. ::shrugs:: Made the game much more entertaining though. :(

"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"

Your portrayal of him is accurate, if not exactly complimentary. Poor Kal...

Kal kept an eye on Anomen's expression as they walked along. Anomen was clearly not paying much attention to the people around him. He was nervous, and edgy, and...fearful?

That can't be right, Kal thought. Fearful...of what?

It will be interesting to see your theories behind his personality as this novel evolves. ;) Your interpretation of Aerie was sophisticated, imo plausible, and therefore all the more enjoyable.

Kal shrugged. "If you want to. But my objective is not to get attacked - which is why these tents are black, you might notice. If you're so passionate about it, why don't you try sleeping a night out here in your armour? If it works for you, we'll try it your way."

"I shall!" Anomen declared.

Kal shrugged again. "Suit yourself."

LOL, great pun!

"I learned from Khalid, actually," Kal said. "I never found out where he himself learned. But it was different, with Khalid - he had a real passion for cooking, and he was far, far better than I ever will be. He taught me a number of things about adventuring, of which cooking was one."

I appreciate how you integrated this sweet anecdote into your tale. Khalid isn't just Mr Yellow Circle, or another corpse in Irenicus' dungeon.

Ajantis tried, too, but he only succeeded in creating a series of small disasters."

Keldorn chuckled. "Of that I am aware," he said. "I tried to teach him the basics, and he tried to learn, but I admit it was an utter failure. I was never the most talented cook myself, however."

Ditto!

"I probably wouldn't be much better," Nalia admitted. "Nobles here don't do any cooking either. Not that I didn't pick up a little bit here or there, but there was always my aunt barging in and taking me out of the kitchen, telling me that good little girls didn't explore the keep and, in fact, sat in their rooms all day."

And I like your Nalia so far. :)

"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"

"The one and the same," Nalia said with a nod.

"Oh," Keldorn said, quite at a loss for words. "Oh. Uh...well, then."

Poor Keldorn!

Thank you for sharing this chapter. :(

#9 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 07:59 AM

I'm afraid I don't understand this reference. I'd be much obliged if you were to explain. Please?


Drizzt. I was referring to Keldorn's complimentary views of Drizzt. Some people dislike any character expressing any positive view of Drizzt anytime, anywhere. I was trying to nip such comments in the bud.

Lol! I liked how your Anomen used the passive ("...it was likely misplaced...."), almost imho as an attempt to distance himself to the mistake he reluctantly admitted earlier in the passage. This is just one example of why I enjoy your series so much.


He doesn't admit mistakes easily. In fact, he'd rather not admit them at all. Something he gets from his father.

I'm not sure whether the 2nd paragraph counts as perspective creep or not. I do know that when I first read this, the change of pov did jar me, but that might just be a personal preference thing...


Good catch! As it came out, that is a perspective jump. The word that's missing is "evidently". As in, "and he evidently intended to use as much of it as he could", which returns the point of observation correctly to Kal. I'll correct the for-archive copy now.


ROTFL! Um, no offense, but I found Nalia's theftly ability claim here very funny, and sadly true. Had her in my party as the thief, and her p/l skill wasn't even good enough to do her own keep unassisted. ::shrugs:: Made the game much more entertaining though. :(


Yeah, she isn't going to be much of a thief in this tale. She'll be more mage...much more mage.

It will be interesting to see your theories behind his personality as this novel evolves. ;) Your interpretation of Aerie was sophisticated, imo plausible, and therefore all the more enjoyable.


Anomen's not nearly as neurotic as poor Aerie is. His traumatic, psyche-damaging experiences are nowhere near hers in intensity, and so he isn't mentally ill, he just has personality flaws. A far simpler task.

LOL, great pun!


I was waiting for someone to pick up on it ;)

I appreciate how you integrated this sweet anecdote into your tale. Khalid isn't just Mr Yellow Circle, or another corpse in Irenicus' dungeon.


As I've said many times before, I like Khalid. And as much as I think BG1's too boring for me to write, I still want to press home the point that they did spend a year together.

Plus, given all my references so far to how Khalid-like Kal is, there's the interesting subtext that there's more than one reason why Jaheira might have been interested in him. That's all implied, of course, but it's something to ponder.

Poor Keldorn!


Indeed. Dear old Delcia is too much for any one person to handle.

Thank you for sharing this chapter. :)


You're welcome. And thanks for reading!

#10 Guest_Hunter_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 01:11 PM


Is she like anomen?


Curious question. I don't understand what makes you ask it.


I was wondering if she didn't want to cook, like anomen, She's a drow noble, she might consider it beneath her, after all, or if she couldn't, but you answered that later

#11 Guest_Rand Al'Tor_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 06:00 PM

Well, that was a long stroll through the arcives. But definately worth i. Which means I'll get to read more updates. YAY!

I know a lot of you don't like sir scimitars'n'chainmail, I but have to keep a consistent character regarding Keldorn, and many of you should know Keldorn's reaction to meeting him. Aside from that, this is another long one which I spent altogether too much time revising. But that's just me.


Me, I'm the opposite. I just can't wait before posting. And it shows. 8)


"Not quite," she corrected. "It's an army-like entity, I'll grant you, but it isn't nearly large enough to be called an army. It outnumbers the number of guards in the keep approximately three to two."


An army-like entity... that's precise.

"A difference of precisely how many?" Yoshimo wanted to know.

"Sixteen to eighteen."

"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"


"There is strength in numbers, and I am two or three at least"

"I shall!" Anomen declared.


hey, at least he puts his money where his mouth is.

"Young Anomen, I think you need to learn a better distinction between what is a knight's duty and what a knight may do," Keldorn said.

Anomen grew stiff. "If I need to learn, Sir Keldorn, I doubt that you could teach me." He stood and walked off.


Wrong person to try to be a 'father figure' to, keldorn.

"To her everlasting credit, she tried, she certainly tried," Kal said. "But she managed to accomplish the most amazing fusion of burnt food to iron. After she ruined a few pots, we decided together to exempt her from any kind of cooking, or should I say, property destruction."


I am sure that, given tie, she'd have made a wonderful new alloy that would have Cromwells eyes fall out. Eating it might be les ideal.

Why? He knew about Drizzt Do'Urden, clearly a hero and clearly drow. He didn't have a problem with that. Viconia was also a priestess of Shar, and that would be enough reason to be suspicious. But it wasn't as if every priestess of Shar was evil, and Keldorn knew that even the purest-hearted peasants offered a few words to Shar every now and then when they despaired.


Shar? Now, You know a lot more about FG then i do, i know that. But from reading the book of 'Sisters of light and Darkness' Shar really seemed a 'really evil' godess. I mean, she's basically opposed to that whole 'light and life' thing, right?

"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"


Keldorn: Oh no. I don't care if it's an army of DRAGONS that's sieging the keep, but I'm NOT facing Lady Delcia Caan.
Thorm: Can't blame you for that Keldorn.

"Once or twice. You'll forgive me if I don't go into further detail," Keldorn said.


I don't... I want all the bloody details.

#12 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 10:27 PM

Well, that was a long stroll through the arcives. But definately worth i. Which means I'll get to read more updates. YAY!


Just read through them? Glad to have you on board :wink:

"There is strength in numbers, and I am two or three at least"


But Minsc is a little bit more accurate when he says so.

Wrong person to try to be a 'father figure' to, keldorn.


He's exactly the kind of person who needs a father figure, given the pathetic excuse he had before.

Shar? Now, You know a lot more about FG then i do, i know that. But from reading the book of 'Sisters of light and Darkness' Shar really seemed a 'really evil' godess. I mean, she's basically opposed to that whole 'light and life' thing, right?


She's evil, but she's not opposed to life (after all, that is from whence come her worshippers). She's all about vengefulness, hatred, jealousy, and bitterness...but also about the sweet forgetfulness that is a relief from painful memory. Even the most good-hearted of individuals feel jealous or bitter, from time to time, and even the noblest of people might want to forget their despair and bitterness.

Just like Umberlee, she's an evil goddess that receives worship from all alignments, and so there are (though rare) non-evil clergy of Shar.

I don't... I want all the bloody details.


Well, meeting her will be bloody enough (figuratively, of course).

#13 Weyoun

Posted 08 September 2003 - 10:29 PM

I know a lot of you don't like sir scimitars'n'chainmail,


DIE, DRIZZT! DIE! :wink:

Errmm, sorry, but I have to admit, that I've only read the first two books in the Dark Elf series, and I just kept rooting for Drizzt's (wonderfully portrayed and characterized) family to kill him. Sadly, I didn't get my wish.

"On my honour as a knight, m'lady, I so swear it," Keldorn said firmly.


"A...a knight of the Radiant Heart! Oh, thank the gods! My family's lands...three days east of here on foot - are under attack, and we...we can't hold out much longer. We have to get there as quickly as we can!"


Keldorn was nodding. He turned to Kal. "On fast horses we can..." he began.


Or if you can run fast. Hey, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli could run fast. :roll:

After that half mile, however, the paving stopped. The setting of the stones became far less regular, and eventually dispersed into a stone or two every few feet before vanishing entirely. Beyond that, there were a number of well-travelled trails, but none paved. Grass and weeds which dared venture on to the oft-used roads were quickly beaten down by hooves and wheels and feet, and so the trails were bare, uncovered earth. Rain transformed it rapidly into mud.


Well, at least there's no asphalt. That's at least something. :cry:

"An army?" Anomen asked.


"Not quite," she corrected. "It's an army-like entity, I'll grant you, but it isn't nearly large enough to be called an army. It outnumbers the number of guards in the keep approximately three to two."


I notice she still hasn't told just WHAT is trudging around her keep. :cry:

"That's good," Nalia replied neutrally. Anomen looked like he wanted to say something else, but didn't. They continued on in silence.


Kal kept an eye on Anomen's expression as they walked along. Anomen was clearly not paying much attention to the people around him. He was nervous, and edgy, and...fearful?


Stage fright, perhaps? :?:

"Well," Kal said, adding some water to a small pot, "I'm setting up cooking gear. This is done primarily in advance of, well, cooking. And, of course, cooking is done to prepare food." Do I need to explain what food is?


Anomen looked shocked. "That is menial work!"


LOL! Nope, just 'overqualified', it seems. :)

"No, I think it's something natural," Kal said with a smile. He leaned forward and stirred the pot. "Jaheira was no good, either, and Imoen didn't exactly have the patience for it. And Viconia, here...well...."


"Drow nobles do not cook," Viconia said with a smile of her own.


Nalia looked up from her spellbook. "You feel you're above cooking?"


Viconia shook her head. "No, that is not it at all. What I mean is that in drow society, drow nobles do not cook. I was as completely unfamiliar with the process as I was unfamiliar with the sky."


Hell, nobles aren't the only ones not cooking. It's considered a tedious job usually given to males and slaves, if I'm not mistaken.

"To her everlasting credit, she tried, she certainly tried," Kal said. "But she managed to accomplish the most amazing fusion of burnt food to iron. After she ruined a few pots, we decided together to exempt her from any kind of cooking, or should I say, property destruction."


Ooooh, he'd better be on his toes now. :)

Keldorn was disturbed. It wasn't by Viconia, exactly. He was more disturbed by her expression. She was happy, joyful even, and clearly comfortable with where she was and what she was doing. And she was just as clearly absolutely genuine - she was not hatching some evil plan, nor plotting to kill them all. To someone who had become accustomed to labelling all drow as evil, this was profoundly disturbing, and Keldorn could feel his mind resisting.


LOL! Looks like the old badger is learning a new trick. :)

Keldorn gritted his teeth. Torm stood for loyalty, and chief among those loyalties was a loyalty to justice, justice that was fair and true and equal for all, human or elf or dwarf or gnome...or drow. And Torm had never once promised that those loyalties would be easy.


But why in the names of all the gods did it have to be so hard?


Loyalty also extend to party-members. I don't think Torm would like it if Keldorn started to attack a comrade in arms.

"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"


"The one and the same," Nalia said with a nod.


"Oh," Keldorn said, quite at a loss for words. "Oh. Uh...well, then."


"You've met my aunt before?" Nalia asked perceptively.


"Once or twice. You'll forgive me if I don't go into further detail," Keldorn said.


Errrg, poor guy...

Keldorn chuckled. "I think you might surprise us all."


Great stuff,
---Weyoun
TnT Enhanced Edition: http://www.fanfictio...rds-and-Tempers

---
Sith Warrior - Master, I can sense your anger.

Darth Baras - A blind, comotose lobotomy-patient could sense my anger!

---

"The New Age? It's just the old age stuck in a microwave oven for fifteen seconds" - James Randi

#14 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 08 September 2003 - 10:56 PM

DIE, DRIZZT! DIE! :wink:

Errmm, sorry, but I have to admit, that I've only read the first two books in the Dark Elf series, and I just kept rooting for Drizzt's (wonderfully portrayed and characterized) family to kill him. Sadly, I didn't get my wish.


I've read quite a bit more than that, and I've also been rooting for him to die, just because it seems to me that it might inject a bit of plot into the stories. Salvatore's so ridiculously combat-heavy that he uses fifty percent more trees than the plot warrants.

Or if you can run fast. Hey, Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli could run fast. :roll:


Yeah, but Anomen and Keldorn can't run fast. Too bad.

I notice she still hasn't told just WHAT is trudging around her keep. :cry:


Naturally. That would spoil the surprise :cry:

Stage fright, perhaps? :?:


A little.

Hell, nobles aren't the only ones not cooking. It's considered a tedious job usually given to males and slaves, if I'm not mistaken.


Most of the time, you're right. There's evidence that the drow do appreciate good cooking, however, so I'd imagine that a talented cook might be a prized member of a House.

Loyalty also extend to party-members. I don't think Torm would like it if Keldorn started to attack a comrade in arms.


Quite right. But prejudices are really hard to undo.

#15 Laufey

Posted 10 September 2003 - 04:09 PM

I know a lot of you don't like sir scimitars'n'chainmail, I but have to keep a consistent character regarding Keldorn, and many of you should know Keldorn's reaction to meeting him. Aside from that, this is another long one which I spent altogether too much time revising. But that's just me.


Oh, I may not like Drizzt, but I'll be interested to see what you've come up with. :P


"Is there a problem, Anomen?" Kal asked.


"Er...nothing important, Kal. It appears only that...I forgot something at the Copper Coronet. I was about to polish my armour this morning when I discovered that my armour polish was not in my pack; it was likely misplaced and left in my room in the Coronet, since I did polish my armour yesterday morning."


Disaster! ;)

"Easy, now," Kal said as the party approached her. "What's the problem?"


"My family's lands are under siege...we're being attacked by something, I don't know exactly what...and no one here will help me!"


Poor Nalia...

"Can Anomen ride?" Kal interrupted.


"No," Keldorn said. "His priestly training has prevented him from attending some of the knights' classes."


"Then it doesn't work, Keldorn. If Anomen can't, that means too many of us can't ride, and it's been extremely rainy and muddy lately. I can't ride, Viconia can't...Yoshimo, can you?" Kal asked, suddenly realizing that he'd never bothered to ask. Yoshimo shook his head.


Ah, I liked this little practical detail. :)


The first into the mud was Keldorn, whose boot sank two inches in on the first step. He pulled it free a few seconds later, a loud sucking noise coming from the mud. Without saying a word, Kal moved off the path and on to the damp grass beside it. The terrain was uneven, gently rolling and studded with rocks and trees, but it was better than wading through mud.


And this one too. Part of the adventurer's daily grind, I would say. I marvel that our parties don't get blisters more often. :)


"You were right to ask us, then," Anomen said, thrusting his chest forward. "I am easily the equal of three or four. In valiant combat, I am unstoppable!"


Ano, Ano...


Kal kept an eye on Anomen's expression as they walked along. Anomen was clearly not paying much attention to the people around him. He was nervous, and edgy, and...fearful?


That can't be right, Kal thought. Fearful...of what?


Of being a failure, perhaps?


"What if we are attacked in the middle of the night? We will perish without the chance for glorious combat! In this position, we shall be overwhelmed and defeated!" Anomen's eyes were showing fear again, but not because of the prospect of being defeated.


"Let me get this straight...you want a defensible position because you're eager to engage in ‘glorious combat'?" Kal asked him.


Anomen nodded. "Such is the task of all true servants of righteousness!"


*sigh* Your Ano has a lot to learn still...


Kal shrugged. "If you want to. But my objective is not to get attacked - which is why these tents are black, you might notice. If you're so passionate about it, why don't you try sleeping a night out here in your armour? If it works for you, we'll try it your way."


"I shall!" Anomen declared.


And don't come calling on *me* when you get a cold from sitting outside in the damp wearing a suit of armor.


"Well," Kal said, adding some water to a small pot, "I'm setting up cooking gear. This is done primarily in advance of, well, cooking. And, of course, cooking is done to prepare food." Do I need to explain what food is?


Anomen looked shocked. "That is menial work!"


"And do you think there's anything wrong with that?" Nalia asked, a little bit of challenge in her expression. "Someone does it, you know, unless you've been eating raw food all of your life - not to say that there's something wrong with eating raw food, but I don't think you have. Anyway, just because the work they do is menial doesn't mean that they're inferior."


"I...I would never claim so, milady. But it is not a knight's duty!"


He *really* needs to learn.

Keldorn was disturbed. It wasn't by Viconia, exactly. He was more disturbed by her expression. She was happy, joyful even, and clearly comfortable with where she was and what she was doing. And she was just as clearly absolutely genuine - she was not hatching some evil plan, nor plotting to kill them all. To someone who had become accustomed to labelling all drow as evil, this was profoundly disturbing, and Keldorn could feel his mind resisting.


Why? He knew about Drizzt Do'Urden, clearly a hero and clearly drow. He didn't have a problem with that. Viconia was also a priestess of Shar, and that would be enough reason to be suspicious. But it wasn't as if every priestess of Shar was evil, and Keldorn knew that even the purest-hearted peasants offered a few words to Shar every now and then when they despaired.


Shar was a good reason. Keldorn knew that. Yet somehow, that didn't bother him as much, and it should. Or rather, if it had to bother him at all, her priesthood should be the only thing to do so.


Keldorn gritted his teeth. Torm stood for loyalty, and chief among those loyalties was a loyalty to justice, justice that was fair and true and equal for all, human or elf or dwarf or gnome...or drow. And Torm had never once promised that those loyalties would be easy.


But why in the names of all the gods did it have to be so hard?


Oh, I *really* loved this bit! Best part of the chapter I thought. This is how I see Keldorn, as a wise man capable of reasoning, despite his firm opinions. As I've said before, I've always thought that the way he just up and attacks Viconia in the game, without her even saying something first, feels very 'tacked on', and to me it doesn't mesh with the way he's otherwise portrayed.


"Wait...," Keldorn said, coming out of his reverie. "De'Arnise Hold...your aunt...not the Lady Delcia Caan?"


"The one and the same," Nalia said with a nod.


She's certainly...unique.
Rogues do it from behind.

#16 Guest_Tenebrous_*

Posted 10 September 2003 - 05:14 PM

And this one too. Part of the adventurer's daily grind, I would say. I marvel that our parties don't get blisters more often. ;)


After a lot of travelling, you don't get blisters any more. I imagine that's the case for most adventurers. But yes, long, boring walks are a part of any adventurer's life, and though I won't take the Tolkien approach of describing every! single! boring! walk! I wanted to show at least one.

Of being a failure, perhaps?


Oh, most definitely. You've done a great job in your work with Anomen's insecurity, and I hope to do the same in mine.

And don't come calling on *me* when you get a cold from sitting outside in the damp wearing a suit of armor.


Never mind the cold. Lying on the ground in your armour and going to sleep? Not good.

Oh, I *really* loved this bit! Best part of the chapter I thought. This is how I see Keldorn, as a wise man capable of reasoning, despite his firm opinions. As I've said before, I've always thought that the way he just up and attacks Viconia in the game, without her even saying something first, feels very 'tacked on', and to me it doesn't mesh with the way he's otherwise portrayed.


I'm glad you liked it. BigotedAggressiveKeldorn really didn't work for me, and so I'm presenting something a little more in keeping with his character. A number of the characters in the game are inconsistently written; I'm hoping to fix that.

#17 Laufey

Posted 10 September 2003 - 05:35 PM


Oh, I *really* loved this bit! Best part of the chapter I thought. This is how I see Keldorn, as a wise man capable of reasoning, despite his firm opinions. As I've said before, I've always thought that the way he just up and attacks Viconia in the game, without her even saying something first, feels very 'tacked on', and to me it doesn't mesh with the way he's otherwise portrayed.


I'm glad you liked it. BigotedAggressiveKeldorn really didn't work for me, and so I'm presenting something a little more in keeping with his character. A number of the characters in the game are inconsistently written; I'm hoping to fix that.


Glad to hear it. ;) As I said, it always felt to me as if his character was written in one way, and then the attack on Viconia was added in afterwards to create bloody conflict in the party. If she had severely taunted him first I might have bought it, but not him just trying to cut her down in the middle of the street.
Rogues do it from behind.




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