Author note:Ladies and gentlemen, please make some noise for the best Red Wizard of all times: Edwin Odesseiron enters the stage! Ideal soundtrack for this chapter: "Fireball" by Pitbull feat. John Ryan, obviously!
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When Margaret Dawn entered the basement, Mae'Var was busy cleaning his hands off of the blood of a poor man he called Lin and when she cleared her throat, he turned with a cold smile. "I hope you have a good reason to bother me, I am pretty busy at the moment. Ah, no, poor Lin has passed out. I guess I have a bit of time to dedicate to you, then. Who are you and why shouldn't I kill you?".
She handed him the papers without batting an eyelid, "I am the new recruit, Renal Bloodscalp sent me". "Yes, yes, I'm sure you have some piece of parchment to confirm it. But maybe I should put you in chains, see if you are sincere. Or maybe not. Did I scare you? Fear makes people cautious. You don't want to end up like Lin, here, forcing me to verify your honesty, mh? It's difficult to do it with accuracy".
"Believe me or not, but I'm here to help", she replied and smiled inwardly: technically, it wasn't a lie, because she was really there to help. Only, not to help him.
"Uhm. We'll see. For now, I'll put you to some menial task to keep you off of my back. Some old-fashioned work to prove your skill. I need…The amulet of the Weathermistress of Talos. Yes, it suits her perfectly and I have a beautiful Mozarabic cross that would suit her just as well. You don't have to kill her to take it, she usually takes it off to sleep. So, what more do you need? It's a mere burglary, I gave you the target, now go!".
She nodded and walked upstairs and when she reported Mae'Var's orders, Jaheira cuffed her hard on the head, as usual. "I knew it! What do you intend to do now? You can't steal in a temple!". "She can't, but I do", Yoshimo said, "I'm not afraid of Talos' wrath". "Oh, shut up! Even if you're the one to steal it, we'll be your accomplices!". "Talassans are evil!", Meg snapped, "Don't you remember that scumbag who hunted us on the Sword Coast?".
"Of course I remember him", the druidess replied, "But stealing a holy symbol is…". "It's justified, if the cause is good. And ours is, so I won't hear any more complaints! At nightfall, we'll go to the Temple District and take that trinket". Jaheira sighed, knowing that there was no arguing with her ward when she got like that, "Fine, then. It won't be the right time for another five hours, what will we do until then?".
"You're free to do as you please, but at sunset we'll meet in front of this building". So, they split up: Minsc was eager to send a letter to his betrothed, as he always did whenever he had the chance; Aerie went to the docks to see the ships; Jaheira went to the local Harper base and Yoshimo took his leader to the Sea's Bounty for a drink.
"So, Meg", the bounty hunter said, "How did you decide to become an adventurer? It's a dangerous profession, you know it, right?". "Well, yes, I noticed", she chuckled, "But circumstances left me little choice. Not that I'm complaining: Candlekeep was, after all, a prison and Gorion was my jailor".
"I thought he raised you". "Raised me? No. He fed me, dressed me, gave me presents, but he was only trying to get in my good graces. He knew how much I hated him and he tried to buy my forgiveness. It didn't work". "If I may ask, why did you hate him?". "Because he left my brother behind.
The day Gorion took me away from the old Temple, I told him that Sarry was there too, I begged him to go back and save him too, but that bastard, that horrible man, instead of doing so, cast a spell to put me to sleep!", she slammed her fist onto the table, startling the Kara-Turan, "He abandoned him. Sarry went through Hell, simply because Gorion didn't feel like saving him".
"I see. So even an Ilmatari can hate. That's quite a surprise!". She smiled despite herself, "I can't help it: Sarry means everything to me, he's my family, my home. Don't get me wrong, I love Khalid as a father and Jaheira is like a mother, but…It's different with my brother".
"Blood bonds are the strongest", he nodded. "Blood and soul", Meg whispered, so softly he had to strain his ears to hear her, but then she brightened, "And what about you? Why did you leave your homeland?". "In search of fortune, mainly, but also to see the world", Yoshimo leaned back in his seat, his gaze lost in faraway memories, "I started to work as an independent in Kozakura when I was thirteen and after four years, I left.
It's already been twelve years since then…Time passes fast, eh?". "You must miss it a lot". "I do, yes, but mostly I miss the food, in particular sake and yatsuhashi. I've last savoured them before I left home". "The food of home is the best, true.
I don't miss much of Candlekeep, apart from Winthrop's cream cake. Or maybe I should say the crumbs of the cake, since Immy used to eat also my share of it, while I was busy doing both my chores and hers. And do you know what she said, when once I scolded her? That it was for my own good, otherwise I would have become a curly-haired whale!", she concluded and they laughed together.
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The theft in Talos' Temple went smoothly, because the Ilmatari wisely chose to assign the task to Yoshimo: thanks to his masterful skills, he managed to get into the Temple, pick the lock of the chest, steal the amulet and get out unnoticed, despite the many acolytes who walked through the halls even at that late hour.
Margaret Dawn was breathless with admiration, "You're amazing, Yoshimo! Now I see why the Shadow Thieves didn't want you to operate in their territory: with your skill, you'll surely ruin their business!". He laughed and bowed, "Ah, my lovely friend, if you keep on paying me compliments, you'll spoil me!".
"And would that be a bad thing?", she asked, joining his laugh, but her good mood evaporated when they reached the guildbase, "Okay, same plan as before: I go downstairs and you wait for me here", she instructed, then descended the stairs, praying silently not to have to see more tortures.
Luckily, Lin was sitting in a small cell on the left side of the corridor, apparently unharmed (for that night, at least) and Mae'Var was reading a bawdy novel. When he heard her footsteps, he gave her a bored glance, "Ah, you are back. I guess I'll have to cancel the order to kill you, then. Let's see the amulet. Eeh, quite gaudy, isn't it? I'll put it with the rest of the garbage we'll send to Calimshan.
They like gaudy jewellery, or so I've heard", he said, throwing it into a basket carelessly, "Now, I don't have time to waste on you, so my right hand will keep you busy until you can work directly for me. His name is Edwin. A bloody good spellcaster, but one who likes his luxuries. Usually he happens to the adventurers who hate the road. He's on the third floor. Go now".
She nodded, biting her lower lip to suppress a smile at that name and only when she was upstairs, she finally smiled brightly, "We have to go to the third floor. Mae'Var's right hand has some work for us". Jaheira arched an eyebrow, wary and suspicious at seeing her ward beaming, "And does this fact make you happy?". "Oh, well, if it is as I think it is, then yes". The druidess waited for further explanation, but the Human girl simply took the stairs and she had no choice but to follow.
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Edwin Odesseiron, the only male heir to the noble Odesseiron family, extremely powerful Red Wizard and pride of the glorious nation of Thay, was sipping his tea while waiting for his minions, the 'new recruits' Mae'Var had told him about. Hearing some footsteps, he rose from his chair and straightened his blood-red robe trimmed with gold, trying to look authoritative and intimidating to the eyes of the useless simians.
When the door opened, he started the speech he had so carefully prepared, "Greetings, I am Edwin Odesseiron. You sim…". "Edwin!", a joyous voice interrupted him and a second later, the owner of said voice hugged him tightly, "So I was right, it's really you!". He would have recognized that way of pronouncing his name everywhere, it was unmistakable, just like the light scent of wild roses that reached his nostrils, "Meg?".
She released him and he saw that yes, it was really her, the bright, stubborn and affectionate Painbearer of Ilmater with whom he'd travelled along the Sword Coast. "I'm so glad to see you, Edwin! I missed you a lot, you know?". He suppressed a smile, "It doesn't surprise me at all, considering my undeniable magical prowess and my charming personality".
"True, every single word. But how did you end up working for the Shadow Thieves?". "I could ask you the same question, you know. I didn't hear anything about you since I left Baldur's Gate! Even the tracking spells I paid for were useless; it was like you had vanished from the face of Toril! (You made me worry, damn you! No! I can't tell her!)".
"I…I'm sorry. It wasn't by choice". The way she said it alarmed him, "What do you mean?". "A wizard called Irenicus captured us and kept us imprisoned for seven weeks", Jaheira answered, drawing his attention to the rest of the party for the first time.
Being a man of unrivalled acumen, Edwin immediately noted that three of his old acquaintances were missing and he turned to the Human girl, "The missing ones…Did this Irenicus…". "Yes. Well, not completely: Immy is still alive, the Cowlies took her. Father and Dynaheir…We buried them in the Grave District".
"Did he harm you?". She looked at her feet, "It's nothing". "Nothing?", Minsc bellowed, "The wizard Irenicus hurt little Meg every day! Minsc and Boo heard her scream, but couldn't help her…". The Thayan's olive skin became livid with rage, "Is what the Rashemi gorilla says true? Look at me, Meg! Is that true?". The Ilmatari shrugged, "It is, but…It doesn't matter anymore".
"When this charade with Mae'Var is over, I will join you: I have a Fireball ready with Irenicus' name on it! (Nobody must dare to harm my little one!)". "It will be good to have you with us again, but first we must end this job for the thieves. What task do you have for us?". The Red Wizard eyed her, uncertain, "Are you ready to fight?". She laughed, "Aren't I! We've done nothing else, since we escaped his dungeon!".
He bit his lower lip, but nodded, "All right. It seems that my magical arts attracted the attention of the Cowled Wizards. I'm sure of their envy, even if I have no proof at the moment. They sent an agent to spy on my moves, something I don't appreciate at all. I want the message to be clear, so this agent must be dealt with. Permanently. His name is Rayic Gethras, he lives in a grey three-floor building near the western wall of the Docks. If he's home, the door will be open".
She hesitated, "Well, if there really is no other way to keep them off of your back...". Jaheira grabbed her arm and took her away from the Red Wizard, furious, "Don't tell me that you actually intend to do it! It's a murder!". The Painbearer shrugged her off, "I know it, Jae. That's the same task the Church of Helm gave us, isn't it? They asked us to remove the Cult of the Unseeing Eye. And I don't recall you complaining about it".
"It's not the same thing...". "Yes, it is! No, come to think of it, it was even worse, because the cultists were nothing more than poor, desperate fools lead astray by a madman. But Oisig asked us to get rid of them!". There was a heavy silence, broken in the end by Aerie's soft voice, "So...What will we do?". "Easy: we'll pay a visit to this Gethras. Maybe, in the hopes of being spared, he will tell us where they keep Immy.
If any of you is uncomfortable with it, just wait for me at the Coronet". The druidess pressed her lips in a thin line and made a show of squaring her shoulders, "Fine, then. I call myself out of this...This work. Come looking for me, when you finally manage to regain your senses", she said, marching out.
The Avariel smiled weakly, "I-I...I don't like it that much, but I will remain with you". "Thank you, Aerie. I know it's hard for you and I really appreciate your loyalty". Minsc agreed with Aerie, "Minsc and Boo will help you, little Meg!". "So will I", nodded Yoshimo, putting a hand on Margaret Dawn's shoulder, "Don't worry, Meg, we're at your side". "And I am more grateful to you than I can say, my friends. Let's see if the Cowled one has anything useful to say".
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Yatsuhashi: Japanese traditional sweets, they are cookies made with rice flour, sugar and cinnamon and cooked in the oven.