In The Cards

I don't have a particular problem with spiders. Not the regular kind of spider at least, the sort you can simply toss out the window if you're feeling nice or chop up for spell components if you aren't. But then there is that other sort of spider, the sort that is more likely to chop you up. A halfling I met once told me of this huge spider that was almost as large as a horse, and I've seen plenty of different variants myself, including those pesky things that teleport in right on top of you. Of course, to the inexperienced traveler the ordinary Giant Spider is dangerous enough.

Excerpt from 'Ruminations Of A Master Bard'

Beregost wasn't a particularly large town, nor a particularly exotic one, but Zaerini was intrigued with it nevertheless. It was a new experience and new scenery, and she was all for that. Most of the houses were in two or three stories, and many of them had flowerbeds out in front, creating the impression of a neat and moderately prosperous small-town. It was a calm and sunny day, and she was in a good mood after the events at the Friendly Arm and the short walk south. The journey had been uneventful, except for the finding of a destroyed caravan. According to what Khalid and Jaheira had said there were plenty of bandits plaguing the roads these days, far more than usual. And they weren't after gold alone, they were seemingly just as interested in iron. That coupled with the taint of the Nashkel iron ore was giving the inhabitants of the Sword Coast more problems day by day.

Zaerini shrugged. Nashkel was still a ways south. They wouldn't make it there today, and besides, they had promised to clear out those spiders. That shouldn't take too long.

Confident, aren't we? Softpaws said. The small black cat gave her that sidelong, superior look once more, as if the cat knew a thousand secrets she didn't and wasn't about to share them.

What's that supposed to mean?

Oh, nothing. Just that there are all sorts of spiders. And some of them prefer larger prey than flies, if you know what I mean? Still, I'm sure you know best. Just waltz in there and get killed. Don't worry about who's going to feed your poor familiar once you're a spider snack.

I'll be careful, OK? It was then that Rini noticed that the cat was carrying something small and shiny in her mouth. What's that?

What's what? The familiar sounded suspiciously innocent.

That thing you're carrying.

Oh. That's my shiny thing. And you can't have it! I found it in the bushes, and it's all mine! You can get your own.

If you give it to me I'll buy you some cream later.

Softpaws thought about this. And some fish?

Deal.

Fine, you can have it. But don't try to renege on the deal or I'll use your boots for a toilet facility tonight.

The cat dropped a small and round object into Zaerini's outstretched palm. It was a ring, a gold ring with tiny runes that twisted their way around it. It felt heavier than it ought to.

"Oh, that's pretty", Imoen said as she saw her friend examining the ring. "Put it on, why don't you?"

"Not right now", Rini said. "I think it's magical. See these runes? I recognize most of them, but not all. What I wouldn't give for Candlekeep's library right now, I could look it up so easily then… But anyway, I don't think I want to wear it just yet. Who knows what it does?"

"Yeah, I suppose you're right", Imoen grinned. "There could be some sort of powerful evil spook looking for it or something. A Dark Lord who channeled all of his power into it and then managed to lose it."

The girls looked at each other and then shook their heads at the same time.

"Nah."

"No Evil Overlord would be that silly."

By now they had made their way to the southern part of the town and stood before a small and ramshackle house that looked like it had been abandoned for some time.

"This is it", Jaheira said. "This is the place that the dwarf spoke about it. Here, each of you take one of these." She handed out a small bottle per person. Rini shook it and could hear something sloshing about inside.

"It will work against most venoms", Jaheira said. "Hopefully the giant spiders infesting this house use one of them."

See? Softpaws sounded rather satisfied. Told you they wouldn't be regular garden spiders.

"J-Jaheira? Are you sure the girls should come inside? It w-will be dangerous." Khalid gave Zaerini and Imoen a worried look as he strapped on his shield.

"Perhaps you are right", Jaheira said. "You children can…"

"No", Zaerini interrupted. "I'm not getting left behind like some sort of useless luggage. And don't call me child."

"Yeah!" Imoen said, pulling an arrow out of her quiver. "We can handle ourselves." She had bought herself a set of soft leather armor at the Friendly Arm Inn and was very impressed with it. The fact that she had dyed it pink detracted just a little bit from the warlike impression though.

"Very well", Jaheira said with a sigh. "But stay behind the two of us, your bows will be of no use at close quarters."

Imoen nodded good-naturedly at this. Rini simply shrugged, and she had a stubborn look on her face.

"Ready?" Khalid said. "L-let's go then."

Afterwards Rini and Imoen agreed that the noise the spiders made was the worst thing about them. It was a persistent chittering noise that sounded very hungry and more than a little hostile. There were four of them, each the size of a large dog, with hairy legs and more eyes than Rini wanted to think about. At the sight of the four intruders they immediately charged towards the door. Khalid moved to engage the fastest one, keeping the second away by bashing it with his shield. Zaerini and Imoen fired their arrows as quickly as they could and a second spider shuddered and went down, all eight legs still twitching. Meanwhile Jaheira had raised her hands and was starting to chant in a loud and commanding voice.

She's a priest, Zaerini thought as she fired another arrow. No, a druid! I wonder what else she hasn't told us. Between the cracks in the floorboards tiny leaves and vines were shooting up, caught by the half-elven woman's spell and coaxed into rapid growth. Clinging vines caught one of the spiders and held it fast, an easy prey for the incoming arrows. As it died the plants fell upon it, putting down new roots and tearing it apart. Khalid had almost finished off his spider, and Jaheira attacked the last one, batting at it with her quarterstaff, trying to keep the length of wood between her and the poisonous teeth. And then the spider leapt into the air, a final desperate bid for victory. It landed on Jaheira's staff and ran up the length of it before the surprised druid had time to swat it away. She grunted with sudden pain as it sank its teeth into her hand and wouldn't let go. The poison was already inside her bloodstream, weakening her, and while unable to use her hand she couldn't get to her bottle of antidote.

"J-jaheira!" Khalid shouted. "No!" He was still battling his own spider and couldn't turn aside.

Zaerini didn't have any time to think. All she knew was that she had to get that spider off Jaheira fast, or the woman would likely die. But she didn't dare touch the thing with her bare hands. Hurriedly she looped her bow around the beast, using the weapon to scrape the spider off and fling it aside. She must have used more force than she thought, for the spider hit the wall with a wet sound and was still.

Jaheira was gray in the face and sweating heavily, but somehow she had managed to stay on her feet. Rini couldn't help but admire such sheer stubbornness. "Antidote…" Jaheira croaked.

Khalid had just run the final spider through and now he hurried to his wife's side and held her steady as he helped her open the potion bottle and raised it to her lips. After a few seconds she stopped shaking. "That is better", she said. She still sounded a little tired, but no longer ill.

"B-but Jaheira, your p-poor hand…"

The wound was bleeding a little, but the swelling had already gone down, and it was no longer as angry a red as before. "It will heal", Jaheira said. "Nothing worth wasting a spell on. Now, we are supposed to bring back a spider as proof that the deed is done."

"Well", Imoen said. "Rini sort of squished one, and the plants ate one. That leaves either the one that Khalid split in two or the one that looks like a pincushion."

"We'll take this one", Zaerini said and started pulling arrows out of the shot spider. "It's the least gooey one. But I'm not carrying it in my pack. I don't want spider gunk all over my spell scrolls."

Or in my fur, Softpaws said. The cat had stayed invisible during the entire fight, but now she came sauntering out from under the bed. I'll allow you to carry me when I get tired, after all.

You could have helped, you know.

Why? You were having so much fun on your own. Are you going to buy that cream any time soon?

"I'll c-carry the spider", Khalid said.

"Just one more thing", Jaheira added. She almost looked like her old self now. "The dwarf wanted us to bring back a pair of old boots and a bottle of wine." She pulled the items in question out of a bureau drawer. "If you ask me she has had far too much wine already if she wants to keep these smelly old boots, but that is her business. Now we are done."

"Good", Zaerini said. "Let's take a closer look at the town, see what sort of inns are available and so on. Me and Immy need to buy some more arrows as well, and I heard some people in the street mentioning a smithy."

And some cream. Don't forget the cream.

Yes, yes. You'll get your cream. Stop nagging me.

"You did well in there", Jaheira admitted grudgingly as they walked outside. "Perhaps you are not completely helpless after all."

"Why, Jaheira!" Rini said with a teasing smile. "That almost sounded like a compliment. Guess my bow wasn't completely worthless at close quarters, was it?"

Jaheira's only response was her trademark glare.

A short visit to the smithy later the party was walking about Beregost, trying to decide what inn to stay in. Apparently there were four. Feldepost's Inn being the most expensive, The Red Sheaf being the roughest and the Burning Wizard and the Jovial Juggler somewhere in-between. They were just about to go inside the Burning Wizard to take a closer look when a young man stepped up to them.

"Hail, adventurers", he said. "I have a proposal for you. I have heard that you're an excellent group of warriors. How would you like a well-paying job as bodyguards for my mistress?"

Zaerini thought he was really rather good-looking, what with his curly brown hair and large expressive eyes. The foppish voice detracted from the general impression though.

"Much as I enjoy flattery", she said, "I really don't see how you could have heard of us, seeing that we only just arrived."

"Oh!" the man laughed. "Silly me." His laugh sounded rather empty-headed and the way he batted his eyelids at Zaerini didn't help endear him to her. What a fool, she thought. Still, the work may be worthwhile.

"Well-paying sounds promising", she said. "What exactly is it that you want us to do?"

"I'm Garrick", the man said. He sounded as if he expected her to know the name and looked a little disappointed when she gave him a blank look. "I am a bard, and I work for Silke Rosena. She's the most skilled musician and actor along the Sword Coast; in fact, she's to play at the Duchal palace before the month's done. But.....she's been having some problems of late." He was pink in the cheeks with righteous indignation by now. "Some thugs have been hired by Feldepost to hurt her bad, because she didn't perform at his inn when she was supposed to. You can't blame her for not showing up, what with a villain like Feldepost running the place. She needs mercenaries to protect her until she's ready to go to Baldur's Gate. She's willing to pay about 300 gold. What do you say?"

"A bard", Zaerini said. "That sounds interesting. Since I am one myself I should very much like to meet the 'most skilled musician and actor along the Sword Coast'. Why don't you introduce us to her, and then we can talk this over?"

"Excellent!" Garrick gushed. "I just know we're all going to be great friends. Come with me then, I will take you to her."