"It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray"
Eight Years Before Present Day.
The creaky metal hinges protested loudly as Khalid swung the door wide, glancing left and right as he entered first. He was followed by Imoen, though it was more of a push from Jaheira that sent her in, the druid watching their flank with narrowed and unflinching eyes. The half-elf warrior who had entered first moved across the room, opening the closet with hand on his sword, closing it and taking one check out the window of the room. Jaheira looked to him, question in her gaze. "Anything?"
A simple shake of the head gave Jaheira reason to pause for a moment, letting her tense muscles relax, even as Imoen scowled at the quick and ruffled treatment she'd just received at the hands of her old friends. Jaheira noticed her sour expression as Imoen rolled her eyes and tossed out, "Paranoid much?"
The druid inhaled sharply as she leaned in to lock the door behind them. "Paranoia is infinitely preferable to death, wouldn't you say? You're lucky we ran into you when we did."
"Oh yeah." Imoen snorted. "Because Montaron and Xzar were really causing me problems. Who knows what might have happened- they might've saved my life again for all I know!"
The girl's cutting wit was not lost on Khalid, though Jaheira's demeanor suggested that she could definitely have done without. He took her by the arm, smiling gently as he always did- her irritation softened as he sat down, leading her to do the same across from him. He removed his helm, letting the brown locks of hair that streamed from his head flow off, his pointed ears just barely protruding from underneath. "Imoen... y-you know we're only trying to help. There is m-much that we have to tell you b-before you continue on your own. T-the Sword Coast is not as safe as it once was."
"That would be an understatement, truly." Jaheira noted, folding her arms as she leaned up against the opposite side of the room, her slender figure half-shadowed in the candlelight that lit the room. "It is time we told you the full extent of the danger that threatens these lands. Gorion had hoped you would make a difference in the world we face today, but you must know what you are facing."
Imoen listened to them speak, a sense of foreboding building up within the pit of their stomach as she listened to their statements of warning. Still, she tried to brush it off, hoping that they didn't notice the quick swallow of nervousness. "So... what's going on then?"
"You know of the iron crisis; how bandits plunder the caravans of ore, and how even that which gets through is tainted and soon unusable." Jaheira said grimly. "It is much worse than those in power would have you believe. Amn and Baldur's Gate are on the brink of war. Each city believes the bandits are the work of the other; until balance is restored to this land, there will be no safety."
"War? I had no idea..." Imoen found herself at unease at the prospect; she'd heard stories from Gorion and read about the last war between the two major cities; hundreds of thousands dead, every town and city between them torn down and ravaged by the battle.
Jaheira's bronze complexion was glimmering lightly in the shadows as she uncrossed her arms and pushed off the wall to sit beside Imoen on the bed of the room. "We of the Harpers, including Gorion, have been investigating both the iron crisis as well as the banditry. Resolving either of these two problems would go far to easing the tensions in both Amn and Baldur's Gate. To that end, Gorion has been tasked to find the location of the bandit encampment. If he can find it and summon the Flaming Fist, or deal with it on his own- the threat of war might just be averted. The forces guiding these events know this. They will not let him go unchallenged."
Her words took a moment to sink in, but Imoen quickly understood, her eyes widening in fear. "Is he okay?! Where is he?"
Khalid placed one hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her. She whirled to face him, searching his eyes for some affirmation that her father was all right. "We met him at the F-friendly Arm Inn. An assassin showed up and tried to kill him- but don't worry. Your father is much more p-powerful than he would have both his friends and enemies b-believe. He can take care of himself; he said as much when we left him a day ago."
"So... what does all of this have to do with me?" Imoen asked hesitantly, the knowledge that her father was a hunted man giving her pause. She may not always have shown it, but Gorion, Khalid, and Jaheira were the closest people she had to family. She'd have done anything for all three of them, and even though she knew there was nothing that she was capable of doing to protect Gorion that he couldn't do himself, she still felt the urge to find him and stay at his side. At the very least, she'd feel better.
"You must understand, Imoen..." Jaheira paused for a moment, as though choosing her words carefully. "Gorion is well known as a Harper. Whoever is guiding these events knows he is on their trail. They know his goals... and they will do almost anything to stop him, this much we have seen. It is possible... it is possible that they will use you as leverage to make him cease his investigations, should they find you. This is why we had to get you away from those Zhentarim agents as soon as we could. As long as Gorion is hunting for the culprits behind all of this, you will not be safe."
The half-elven warrior who sat beside Imoen noticed the girl's hand begin to tremble slightly, and he took hold of it firmly, looking into her newly frightened eyes. "Don't worry. We don't even know if they're aware of your existence... we're just trying to cover all the opportunities that our enemies m-might take. Are you all right?"
"Yeah. Sure. Just... not every day you find out there're assassins out for your head, y'know?" Imoen smiled weakly, visibly trying to calm herself. "What happens now?"
Jaheira stood again and walked to the window, peering outside at the streets of Nashkel and the farmers and peasants who were returning to their homes in the fading sunlight of the evening. With any luck, and she couldn't believe she was thinking this, the assassins would continue to hunt Gorion, leaving Imoen unchallenged and undiscovered. Khalid had done his best to calm her, but there was little chance that Imoen's identity was unknown. Their opponents were too thorough, too well organized. Hopefully she would remain a target of opportunity, an option only to be targeted should they discover her by chance.
"Jaheira?"
Imoen's voice took her from her thoughts as Jaheira turned back to Imoen, the girl still looking at her expectantly. She forced a smile, brushing a stray braid of hair behind her delicately pointed ear. "Just considering our options, that's all. Trying to decide how best to keep you from harm's way. If you were wondering, traveling with us is out of the question. While Gorion searches for the bandit's encampment, Khalid and I will be investigating the two major sources of iron in the region. The Cloakwood and Nashkel mines have ceased reporting their activities by the methods we can intercept. If Cloakwood does not produce results, we'll return to investigate Nashkel."
"Too dangerous for me to be taggin along, right?" Imoen nodded with a sigh, fully expecting the reasoning. "I get it. Still, I'd much rather travel with someone else, y'know? The road's a bit rough on your own. Er... why aren'tcha just checking out the Nashkel mines now? You are here, after all."
"The presence of the F-flaming Fist is strong here; Cloakwood is a bastion of the Iron Throne, a powerful cartel of iron suppliers that includes Cloakwood and Nashkel. The Iron Throne has to be involved in this matter; they have too much leverage not to." Khalid answered quietly, frowning as Imoen's face lit up with a grin that he'd seen far too many times when visiting her as a child; it usually happened right after she came up with an idea that would horrify every adult who found about.
His wife had not let it go unnoticed; she guessed it just as he did. "No." Jaheira growled with as much vehemence in her tone as she could muster. "This is not a game, Imoen. People are dying, and-"
"And the best way to stop it is for this whole thing to end, right?" Imoen cut her off, fingering the dagger at her belt. "I mean, you said it yourself that the Nashkel mines are probably fine, right? But if I take a closer look, it'll save you time, and it'll keep me out of trouble for a while. No bandits running around inside mineshafts, right?"
"No, just a host of more trouble than you could possibly imagine." Jaheira narrowed her eyes, taking Imoen by the shoulders and forcing her to look the druid in the eye. "We told you that these men and women are possibly aware of your presence; if you start prying into their business, you'll go from a minor annoyance to the top of their list. These men and women are not to be trifled with."
"Then I'll be careful." Imoen retorted defiantly, gesturing to herself as she spoke. "I am a thief, after all. It's not like I'm going to be running in with a barbarian on one side and a wizard on the other, right? I'll be sneaky- they'll never know I'm there. In and out, see what I can see, get out and tell you guys what I found. See?"
Jaheira cursed, wincing as she looked at Khalid for some semblance of support. He bit his lip, looking at Imoen and her rapidly growing excitement... excitement and determination. She was looking at this as more than a chance for a little action- it was her way of aiding Gorion, too. And Jaheira and himself, if he wasn't mistaken. The Zhents had been right about one thing- her loyalty ran deep. "Imoen... I don't know about this-"
"Then how about I make it easy for ya both, kay?" she grinned. "Either you take me with you to Cloakwood, or once you leave I'll just go ahead and investigate the Nashkel mines without your permission. Looks to me like yer getting my help whether you like it or not. I'm not just going to sit around and hide, after all."
Khalid shut his mouth, considering her words... and realizing her point. It wasn't as if they could really do anything to stop her, short of doing what she said and bringing her along with them, a move that was out of the question. Besides, Cloakwood would be infinitely more dangerous than Nashkel. The lesser of two evils, perhaps. He glanced at Jaheira, nodding with a sigh.
Jaheira rolled her eyes again, shaking her head. "By the Horns of Silvanus, child, you're as stubborn as Gorion. He will not be pleased when he hears of this, you know."
"That's why he won't have to." Imoen grinned, hopping up from the bed with a new spring in her step and purpose in her mind. "So I go in, snoop around and report back what I find about the iron being tainted and all. You two will be off at Cloakwood- where will I meet up with you guys when I'm done?"
The prospects of a safe haven for them all ran through Jaheira's mind; three days prior she would have said the Friendly Arm Inn without a second thought. After their encounter with the assassin... she was uncertain. It had made one thing clear to her; there was no safety to be had in the Sword Coast. Not until this crisis was resolved. Would their foes be watching the fortress inn, expecting them to continue relying on it for their rest? She hesitated before reacting to Imoen's question, Khalid seeing her eyes and guessing the reason for her pause. "The Friendly Arm inn is not the b-bastion it once was... but it is still the closest thing to a f-fortress that we will be able to find." he pointed out, talking equally to Jaheira and Imoen. "I-I don't know if there will be a safer alternative. Jaheira?"
Jaheira let a slight smile creep onto her face as she nodded in agreement. Khalid would always be the one to ease her fears, even if she never admitted it to anyone but herself. Just another reason she found herself so content in his arms and company. "Of course. It will take time for us to reach Cloakwood and complete our own investigation, so do not hurry or rush yourself, Imoen. Take time to be careful and put your safety above all else. We will meet in a fortnight- I suggest you use the time to resupply yourself for this."
"And try to find a companion to travel with." Khalid advised, standing from the bed to look down at Imoen who was listening with an unflappable grin on her face. "It is far too d-dangerous to travel alone t-these days. Just... choose wisely."
The connotation was not lost on the girl as she thought of her Montaron and Xzar; despite the disapproval from Khalid and Jaheira, she couldn't help but feel some empathy toward the odd pair. She glanced down to her hand, her eyes lighting up as she noticed the ring Xzar had given her before departing. Whatever purpose it had been meant to serve in her 'training' was most likely gone, but she decided to keep it as a reminder of the two, if nothing else. Not that she would tell her adopted aunt and uncle that, of course. She looked up and nodded with a smile. "Of course! It's me, y'know? Careful's my middle name."
An arched eyebrow from both druid and warrior was enough to make Imoen shrug, her grin widening. "Or something like that."
X X X X X X
Downstairs, the door to the Nashkel Inn swung wide, letting a chill pass through from the sunset hours. The visitor was hooded and cloaked, his robes underneath a deep purple as they hung just low enough to obscure his boots from travel-worn boots from touching the ground. His shoulder length brown hair was wet with the slight drizzle that had accompanied the falling of the sun- a fitting addition to the dreary nature of his already horror-plagued quest.
He sighed and uncloaked himself, adjusting the circlet that rested around his head. Quite frankly, he was surprised it hadn't fallen off or been broken in one of the numerous battles he'd fought on his way to this far-flung town. Still, he'd made it in one piece, and that was enough to give him the tiniest bit of hope that his actions weren't in vain. He trudged over to the bar, blinking as a drop of water from his hair ran into his eyes. He ran one hand through his hair and brushed his locks back, then met the barman's friendly smile with a half-grimace. "Hello. Turmish wine, if you have it."
"Aye... looks like you got in just before the storm. One's a comin, y'know?" the barman nodded, using his perpetually dirty cloth that was tucked into his apron to wipe the counter before him as one of the serving girls poured his drink and passed it to the elf. "Looking for a place to stay tonight?"
"If you have anything available... though I wouldn't be surprised to find that you've no room." the dour man sighed, glancing behind him as he took the proffered glass, staring into it with an expression of what might have been considered apathy, if not for the dogged determination one could see glinting within his dark eyes. "If not, I suppose this is a fine a place as any to remain for the night."
The barman did not respond right away- the elf shrugged as he sipped his wine, only frowning in confusion as he looked up to see the barman having backed away from him, looking frightened as he gazed in his direction. The elf frowned- he felt a firm hand grip his shoulder, spinning him around to face two men, each one clad in chainmail over leather, swords and daggers at their hips. The one who had grabbed him was the taller, and had a nasty scar running the full length of his face. "What've we here? An elf, eh? You look like you might be the one me and my friend've been waiting for. Where're you from, hmm?"
The elf sighed despondently, glancing at his spilled drink with regret. "Of course. I should not have expected anything less. You are here to kill me, yes?"
"Now that depends." the shorter of the two picked his teeth with a dagger, nodding to the barman behind their captive. "S'long as he don't interfere, nor the rest of these folks, and you go ahead and do what we say- who knows, you might just keep your head, eh?"
"I doubt it." the elven man exhaled, letting his eyes slowly drift to the man who was still holding him by the shoulder. "I think I'd rather take my chances, as poor as they might be."
His hand was a blur, moving to slap his oppressor's hand from his shoulder, then quietly intoning a simple incantation as a glowing yellow light flashed from his hand, sweeping over and through the man as his Hold Person took effect. The man became little more than a statue as he froze in place, evoking a curse from his shorter partner as the man drew a sword, lunging out to slash the wizard before he could do the same to him.
The attack was hasty, and had it been planned a bit further it might've worked; as it was, the elf ducked out of the way and pushed the frozen assassin into his partner, sending both of them crashing over the bar and filling the room with the sound of shattering glass and wood as the barman ran for his life. The wizard backed away as the short man who was still able to move scrambled to his feet, growling under his breath as he began stalking around the bar towards his prey. "I'm going to gut you where you stand, elf!"
"I wouldn't doubt it." the wizard replied grimly, before raising both hands and letting the magics he wielded flow through him; his opponent rushed again, moving to disrupt his spell- too little too late. A blue sheen covered the enchanter, repelling the man's blade as it narrowly veered off course before hitting him. The elf threw back his brown robes, revealing his deep purple garments- more specifically, the glowing blue sword that rested at his side. He plucked it from its sheath with long practiced skill, then leveled it as he waited for his opponent to attack again.
It wasn't a long wait- the man came with a backhand sweep that was designed to cut him open from hip to shoulder; his protective magics, combined with a quick twist of his body sent the attack off course once again, even as he moved in with a quickness unexpected from the quiet, unassuming enchanter- the rune-covered Moonblade cut deep and true, piercing the chainmail and leather before embedding itself in his attacker's chest. The man gagged once with the impact, before the intrusion was removed, sending him tumbling to the ground as he overturned a nearby table in his fall.
The enchanter mouthed a quick apology to the former residents of said table, then wiped the blood off of his sword as he returned to the man whom he had frozen earlier in the short yet fierce battle. He bent over to the man, looking into his eyes- he placed one hand on the assassin's forehead, then whispered the words to another spell. When he had finished, the man blinked once, his imprisonment worn off and gone. He scrambled to his feet, blinking as he fixed his gaze on the elf. "I... why was I trying to kill you? Just a moment ago I knew, but..."
"It's not important." the elf waved it off. "Still, since we're such good friends, perhaps you'd be willing to remove that corpse for the barkeep here. As a favor for me, you understand. You did nearly wreck his bar, after all."
"Er... yeah. Sure." the man nodded, giving the elf a quick pat on the back as he moved to take hold of his dead partner, dragging him out of the bar into the darkness of the growing darkness. The elf watched as he disappeared, then turned back to the barman who was just returning to his post with hesitation. "I apologize for the trouble- it seems to follow me wherever I go. Quite frankly, I'm surprised more people weren't hurt..."
Across the room, Khalid and Jaheira piled down the stairway, both with weapons at the ready after hearing the commotion downstairs. Imoen was close behind them, though they would have preferred she stay behind. She caught a glimpse of the brown-haired elf as he handed the barkeep enough gold for the damages as well as a room and board; he spoke in low tones, but her hearing was just keen enough to make out what he was saying.
"When that man returns, tell him I've left and will meet him in... oh, Icewind Dale. He'll believe you, and should be well on his way there before the enchantment wears off." the purple-robed wizard sighed as he moved, already turning towards the stairway where Khalid, Imoen, and Jaheira now watched with suspicion, putting their weapons away as they watched the elven enchanter pass them up the stairs. "I should be moving on before the morn as well- the Nashkel mines are undoubtedly crawling with similar foes. Best not to keep them waiting."
"As you wish, er... what was your name, sir?"
The elf didn't bother to turn as he tossed his moniker back down the stairs, not even stopping to glance at the three he had passed at the bottom of the stairwell. "Xan. Not that it will matter. Life is so hollow."
