Another chapter, another adventure. Everyone ready?
Darkness and Light, Into the Chaos!
"Is now a bad time?" Elanee asked, coming into Kina's room at the Flagon.
"Big sis! What's up?" Kina asked, plastering her signature smile as she turned to the wood elf.
"I was just wondering what was bothering you." Elanee replied, sitting in one of the chairs.
"I just get the feeling that we'll have to get involved in the whole issue with the Blacklake murders." Kina replied with a sigh. "Don't get me wrong, I think we can get out of just as much trouble as I tend to get into, especially with Neesh and Khel with us, but I still can't shake the feeling…"
"You think we're in over our heads?" Elanee asked, stroking Ishi's head as he came to greet her.
Kina laughed. "We were in over our heads when we left Merdelain. Even more so when we got into this silent city." she declared. "I can't shake the feeling that not all of us will come out of this alive. And I don't want to lose anyone else."
"Who have you lost?" Elanee asked, slightly confused.
"Amie got brave against some green-skinned mage. He burned her to a crisp." Kina explained. She began tearing up. "You know how few people I have in this world. You, Ishi, and Bevil. Now I have new friends, and I imagine I'll meet even more people before this whole thing is over."
"Yes, the question is will they be more like Bevil or Qara?" Elanee sighed.
Kina groaned. "Do not remind me. I swear, she shoots me such dirty looks! And she's such a hothead! That girl may have power, but she needs some discipline to go with it."
"Speaking from experience there, Kina?" Elanee teased. "I remember a certain drow girl who had great skill with nature, but lacked the discipline to apply it to more than pranks."
"Oh shut up!" Kina laughed, remembering her younger days. "You know as well as I my circumstances were…. Different."
"I find little difference. And you were always the one saying being drow didn't mean anything for your character."
"Not that anyone believed it." Kina grumbled. Elanee nodded, having heard her "little sister's" complaints about her treatment when she was young. "But there's also what that wolf we found on the way back said." She declared. Elanee sombered up and nodded. "We have to find out what's destroying the balance. There has to be something we don't know." she muttered. "We need to get to the Skymirror. That's our best bet to contact other druids and maybe get an inkling of what's happening."
"I agree." Elanee replied. "Perhaps we will find the answers that elude us there."
The drow nodded, then yawned with a stretch. "I think I should turn in. Knowing my luck, the captain's gonna have some new chase lined up for us in the morning." she said, grabbing her nightclothes. "Night Big Sis." she called, noticing the wood elf leaving.
"Good night, little sister." Elanee replied. Kina fell asleep with a smile. That was the first time Elanee had called her "little sister."
…
Kina bit back a shout as the group rushed through the streets of the merchant quarter. "Eyes peeled, we don't know if Moire's thugs are already there, or how many will be there!" she called behind her. An informant on Moire's gang had been identified, and now the man was in danger. Kina had practically rushed out the door hearing this, Ishi hot on her heels and the others not much farther behind.
Stepping into the house, they only got through the foyer before being set upon by thugs. "Ishi, kill." Kina ordered, her wolf leaping to action as she drew her scimitar. She had a feeling this would be a long day.
Two hours and two million thugs later proved her right as she finally found where the informant was hiding. Moire and some thugs were glaring down who Kina assumed was her rescue assignment. "There is a price for betraying your own, traitor….always." She hissed. "And yours will be quite high indeed."
"Sorry, but he's coming with me!" Kina chirped, making her presence known as the rest of the group came in.
"Ah, so you're the one that's been causing me so much trouble." the crime boss sneered. "I had thought that the tales of a competent member of the Watch were just stories to scare my men." Moire grinned. "It's been a long time since I've killed someone in a fight…. I've missed it. And here you are, to make up for lost time."
Kina drew her scimitar with a grin. "I really hope you fight as good as you talk." she replied with a sadistic cackle. "Ishi, kill!"
"Naloch, no survivors!" Elanee ordered, both animals leaping to attack as the druid sisters began chanting. Lightning rained, making many of the thugs in the room fall and spasm, but Kina wasn't done yet.
Chanting again, spikes began shooting up from the ground. "Everyone is wearing the boots I made them, right?" she asked nervously. She received a shouted "YES!" from everyone before drawing her own blade and chanting a and fourth time, herself and Khelgar being coated in a layer of bark as they continued their assault. Between the spikes on the ground and the steel being swung, it wasn't long before the thugs lay dead at the group's feet. Kina grinned at the rapier before tossing it to Neeshka and donning Moire's helmet-like mask for herself and turning to her friends. "What do you guys think?" she asked.
"Looks good on you, Kina." Elanee replied with a slight eye roll. After everyone had finished going through the loot, they brought Fihelis straight to Brelaina.
…
"Good work, lieutenant. Now that Moire has been dealt with, maybe the Watch can turn its attention to matters outside the walls." Brelania complimented.
"I sense another mission coming on." Kina said dryly. "Where am I going and what am I doing?"
"Well, the Docks would not prove so important and tempting to thieves if trade routes around the Mere were not so dangerous. And now there is the matter of a missing emissary from Waterdeep." the captain informed.
"And he's gone missing." Kina guessed. "Who is he, and where should I look for him?" were the next two questions out of the drow druid's mouth.
"He was headed toward Old Owl Well." Brelania replied, a little annoyed at the drow's lack of respect. "If you can find any news of his fate, it would be welcome, as there's an orc problem in the area."
"Who do I report to when I get there?" Kina asked.
"You're to report to Commander Callum as he is commanding the Greycloacks trying to retake the Well from the orcs." Cormick informed. Kina nodded, gesturing for her group to follow.
…
Back at the Flagon, the group had just finished packing for the trip. Meeting in the common room, Kina surveyed her companions. "Listen up, we're not going straight to Old Owl Well." she declared.
"Why not?" Neeshka asked.
"Elanee and I want to try to contact some of the druids still alive and…. Sane." she replied, thinking of Kailel. "The Skymirror is the easiest way to do that, and it's in the direction we're going. So we're going to make a slight detour. Any objections?"
"I'll follow you, lass. I imagine there'll be fightin wherever we go." Khelgar replied.
"Sounds important. I'm in." Neeshka added. Their course decided, the group left the tavern.
And done! Well, I think that went well. What about you guys? And other than heading to Sand's shop to get some potions, I actually included everything here that happened in-game. Well, mostly. So I guess leave a review and see everyone next time!
