Prologue
A chill wind blew through the city, people shivered under their cloaks and hoods. Winter had come to Baldur's Gate and it brought terror and fear to its citizens. Guards in full armour stood upon the battlements with grim expressions marring their features, they looked out over the walls at a sea, a sea of surging writhing figures. With the winter war had come to the coastal city.
A small figure hurried through the barren the streets, at first glance it appeared to be a child, but on closer inspection one could see a small shapely Halfling woman. She turned to look over her shoulder and another gust of wind blew back her hood to reveal a round face surrounded by thick brown curls offset by her misty grey eyes, she hurried on to her destination. She reached a tower with large iron doors, mumbled a few words under her breath and the doors swung open of their own accord. Stepping across the threshold into a long hallway she was greeted with a pleasant warmth and soft glowing light, removing her cloak she walked down the hall until she reached an oaken door slightly ajar, she knocked on the door and a quiet melodious voice answered "Enter if you please, Felira."
Felira entered the room and took note of her surroundings, no matter how many times she visited this room she was always stunned by its craftsmanship. The walls were white marble with Dwarven scrollwork engraved throughout them, upon the floor was engraved a symbol of a human hand pointing up surrounded by blue fire. A large desk made from blueleaf was pushed up against a wall and a high-backed chair of zalantar sat turned to the left of it. Felira smiled at the figure seated in the chair, he was a figure of striking appearance with pale alabaster skin, green eyes that swam with flecks of gold and black hair tinged blue tied behind his pointed ears.
"Well my dear are you going to stand there smiling or tell me what news you bring?" He asked in a tinkling voice that Felira took as amusement; she nodded and took a small cushioned seat that had been in the corner of the room and recounted the news of the city for the elf "I went to the Ducal Palace in your place as you requested, the dukes were not over joyed at this but they allowed me to stay on your behalf. From their spies that managed to return they estimate the Zhentarim's numbers to be around three thousand, mostly humans and half-orcs."
The elf raised an eyebrow and asked in a concerned voice "Well, how many of the Flaming Fist remain within the city to muster to our defence?" Felira bit her lip and frowned before replying "We only have roughly six hundred garrisoned here, with maybe one hundred town guardsmen. It's not looking good for us Anthalis, the Dukes have been trying to get messengers to Waterdeep, but we'll have no way of knowing before it's to late, and they don't want to use magical means for fear of it being intercepted and polluted." Felira stood and began pacing the room in worry, her small body not even making a sound as she strode up and down the length of the room.
Anthalis rubbed his chin in a very human-like gesture he had learnt from his adoptive father. It was a long time before he eventually spoke again "What is it exactly that the Dukes wish from me? I doubt they would have called on me simply hurl a few spells at our enemy and hope they go away." Felira smiled at this flippant remark from her mentor and sighed "Unfortunately Anthalis, mage most mighty, child of the gods and former Bhaalspawn, they want just that."
Reidon Cantle sat upon his horse and surveyed the surrounding area, he sneered at the sight of the city beyond, a city he planned to see burning in a few hours. The sound of an approaching rider made him turn his mount around to greet this unknown personage. A woman in full plate coloured black and embossed with the Black Hand of Bane rode towards Reidon, a look of irritation crossed his face before he demanded "What is it now Seli? I thought you would have been rutting in some bush with one of the troops."
A look of pure hatred shone in Seli's brown eyes as she answered "Everything is in accordance Dreadmaster, they are ready to move and have only to wait on your word, my lord." Seli let that last part drawl out as though something vile had died in her mouth. Reidon contemplated beating the impertinent woman down but thought better of it, she was an able commander and loyal, to a certain extent. "Very well, give the order to attack. We will see how these pathetic warriors hold up against the will of Lord Bane." And with that statement Reidon left Seli in the dust as rode towards his lieutenants.
Reidon dismounted when he reached his command tent, throwing his helm to one of his guards as he entered. He stood there for a moment taking in the sight of his three lieutenants standing over a map of the city provided by one of their spies, his handsome looks offset by the matted blonde hair and burning rage in his brown eyes. One of his lieutenants turned to see their commander standing there watching them, the dying sun glinting off his spiked black armour and the play of shadows across his to young face, the lieutenant jumped to attention in fear "Lord Cantle, we were just coming to inform you….." that was all he could stammer out before Reidon knocked him to the floor as he pushed past him. "Get to your troops now, we begin the attack and I do not wish for any mishaps, I want to see that city burning to the ground come morn." He raged as he reached for his morningstar, and turned to leave. His lieutenants picked up their stunned comrade and left to gather their troops.
The attack began just as the sun passed below the horizon, the thousands of troops surrounding the city surged forward like some dark tidal wave and crashed against the walls, the attack was so sudden that the defenders had barely enough time to react before the enemy was upon them. Zhent mages launched fireballs and lightning bolts at the walls and drawbridge, soldiers ran across the river, frozen by one of the enemy mages, and raised ladders to climb over the walls. The defenders threw down what ladders they could reach and poured alchemists fire over the Zhent soldiers, but the enemy attacked with such ferocity and suddenness that sections of the walls were already being overrun and with that realisation the city guards began a fighting retreat.
Reidon sat in his saddle and watched impassively, surrounded by forty of his finest cavalry troops, awaiting the destruction of the drawbridge. When the drawbridge finally collapsed one of the Zhent mages began casting, laying a wall of force over the gap in the bridge and signalled to his commander that it was done. Reidon raised his morningstar and led his troops in a charge through the gap into the city beyond.
Darwin Dundragon stood clutching his sword and shield tightly in his sweaty palms, his sweat rolling down into his eyes from under his helm stung and he kept wiping it away so that he could see. The screams and curses from the fighting along the walls filtered down to him in his position near the gate. He turned to look at his fellow soldiers, Flaming Fist members all of them, he had joined just a few short months ago and was now wishing he hadn't. A firm hand clapped him on the shoulder and a voice whispered in his ear "Don't worry lad, this Zhentish scum won't hold up against us, we'll send em back home afore they even realise what be a happenin." Darwin smiled a sickly grin over his shoulder at the grizzly voice.
He had barely begun a reply when the sound of clattering hoof beats could be heard approaching, he turned and saw fully over two-score cavalry troops rushing towards him led by a warrior in black spiked platemail with a helm shaped into a black skull and the symbol of Bane upon his breastplate brandishing the largest morningstar he had ever seen. Darwin was knocked from all around as his fellow Flaming Fist surged toward the oncoming enemy, he watched as the two forces crashed into each other and that was all he had time for as to he was carried forward into the fray.
Reidon swung his morningstar downward into the shield of another defender, he kicked out to send the warrior of balance and proceeded crush his head in a shower of bloody gore. He turned to look for another foe, saw a boy barely old enough to hold a sword, and grinned viciously as he charged towards him. He saw the look of pure terror on the boys face as he brought his spiked weapon down onto the child's sword with his full strength, forcing the bladed weapons edge into the young mans' face, cutting through the helm and shearing off the top of his head.
Reidon laughed in exultation and looked at the broken bodies of his foes lying all around his men. He wheeled his horse around and led his troops through the slaughter and on towards the battle now raging within the city proper.
Anthalis stood atop his tower and watched the fighting below, the Zhentarim had already reached the docks and it looked like the defenders were barely keeping them in check, superior numbers were winning the day.
He turned to look at his companions, Felira his apprentice stood to the left and watched him anxiously, beside her stood an aging man, Zanzibar "The Astute" Romando Duke of Baldur's Gate and a mage of some renown, with his mouse brown hair, dark skin and plain appearance most would not assume he was one of the most powerful men in Baldur's Gate. Unfortunately for him he was and he had volunteered to help Anthalis in the casting of this difficult spell. "Are you ready my Lord?" Anthalis asked in a clear and musical voice, his only reply was a terse nod from the aging wizard and wave of his hand to continue.
Anthalis stood for a moment with his eyes closed, reciting the incantation so that he had it in his mind perfectly. Than began the casting, he started to chant, lifting his musical voice high into the air to drown out the sounds of the battle raging below. His hands moved in an almost blurring speed as they went through the somatic component of the spell. Felira stood enraptured as she watched the powerful spell take form; a golden thread seemed to leap from her masters' body bursting into thousands of tiny sparkling motes of light and than proceeded to coalesce into the shape of a man before finally in a blast of golden light transformed into an exact replica of Anthalis.
Felira stood agape as she stared at two of her master, she quickly gained her senses and rushed forward to steady one of them as he nearly collapsed. "I'm sorry, that spell takes quite a lot of power and draws from the soul of the caster. I'll need just a minute to steady myself." Felira nodded, still too stunned to trust herself to answer properly. Zanzibar merely raised a single mousey eyebrow, determined not to be impressed by such a thing but reeling inside from the thought of the power and concentration required to rip part of ones soul out to create a fully living being. The eidolon of Anthalis simply smiled at the old man and prepared for the second spell.
A minute passed and Anthalis stood, steadying himself on his staff as he began the second casting. He planted his feet firmly and struck his staff into the ground as he began to chant. This time another musical voice rang out with his, along with a strong, deep baritone that seemed to add a pleasant overtone to the elven voices. As the voices began to reach their peak each wizard began to move their hands in the complicated gestures of the spell.
Felira stood back in awe as she watched the three mages move in perfect concert to achieve some as yet unforseen goal. As the mages began to move and chant at a more rapid pace, sounds of thunder could be heard and the sky crackled with magical energy, a fork of lightning lit up the night sky and illuminated the entire city as if it were day. Soon clouds began to form and the lightning became almost constant, so much so that Felira could completely make out the figures below, rather than indistinct dark shapes.
The thunder became so loud that Felira thought she might go deaf, the wind constantly blew and threatened to send her tumbling over the edge. Just when she thought she might actually fly off into the night sky the wind died and the thunder stopped, all that could be heard in the dead silence was the constant chanting of the mages until even that ended and a bolt of lightning larger and brighter than all the others split the night sky and a roar loud enough to shatter glass was heard throughout the city causing everything to stop as the soldiers below wondered what had been unleashed upon them.
Reidon stood in the midst of the city surrounded by enemies, his troops were all around fighting and killing, they were putting up a much better resistance than he had first thought. An enemy soldier came rushing towards him with a longspear pointed at his heart, a city guardsmen by her armour, he batted away the spear with one gauntleted hand and brought his morningstar up to smash into the unfortunate warriors chest, crumpling her breastplate and sending her flying three feet into the air before landing with an audible "WOOSH". He vainly searched for his horse in the chaos, he looked around him and noticed the sky was getting lighter, thinking dawn was breaking he looked into the sky and saw lightning streaking through the night.
Than he heard the thunder, great big crashes that almost deafened him and stunned those around him. He looked around to see what was causing all this and saw atop what he assumed to be the former Iron Throne, three figures. A feral grin took hold of Reidons features as he realised what this portended, he quickly gathered what warriors he could and found a riderless mount before heading towards the Iron Throne. He didn't know what spell they were casting but he knew it wasn't good and he had to find a way to stop it before they finished. Reaching under his breastplate he gripped a small necklace in the shape of a wyverns head and sent out a telepathic command.
He led his warriors to a clear space near the statue of Balduran and awaited his summons. He did not have to wait long as the sky around them began to darken with shadows and the horses became skittish. His warriors held their mounts just barely under control as four wyverns came to rest just beside the statue. One of the soldiers could barely contain his fear and cried out " Lord what is this? Are we to be feasted upon by beasts?" Reidon scowled and leapt from his mount to head towards the wyverns, mounting it in one graceful leap. He pointed at three of his warriors "You three mount up, we're going mage hunting!"
The three warriors swallowed their fear and proceeded to mount the dragonkin. With his warriors mounted and ready Reidon took to the sky with wild delight and headed towards the Iron Throne. As the four wyvern riders headed towards the tower the wind that had been blowing so fiercely in their faces and the thunder and lightning died off. Reidon looked around the sky to see what had happened and nearly fell off his mount as a great peal of thunder rocked the sky and a lightning bolt ripped through the night taking one of his riders with it.
Reidon searched the night sky for what had happened and heard a mighty roar that set his heart racing and his blood pounding in fear. Looking out over his mounts scaly head he saw flying down out of the clouds above the Iron Throne the source of the roar, a large red dragon, it wheeled through the sky with a grace that was both beautiful and frightening at the same time. The mighty beast let out a roar once more and than began to send its scorching fiery breath over his army. Reidon watched in absolute terror as scores of his soldiers were burnt where they stood, or in some cases the skin was boiled away to reveal bleached bone eventually becoming blackened charcoal.
Anthalis watched the scenes of chaos down below with grim satisfaction. He derived no pleasure from the destruction the dragon caused, all that he allowed himself to feel was a sense of contentment, knowing that for once he was not the reason behind the assault on the city.