Content warning: Bad-guy monologue dialogue is straight from the game.
Damion was glad they had mapped the sewers. It made carrying Duke Eltan from the flaming fist headquarters to the Harbormaster that much easier, though climbing up the somewhat slick ladder with a fully grown human tied to his back made the archer want to die a little inside. He was -heavy-, and Damion wasn't exactly built to carry heavy loads.
Still, they made it in due time and slipped quietly into the Harbormasters building to relinquish the wounded Duke to the halfling there and then carefully timed their way across the docks to slip into the Iron Throne building, one by one. On entering, they found what parts of it weren't abandoned were in chaos, with people leaving left right and center and exclaiming something about an imminent coronation. They continued up to the top floor, before being stopped by a woman in a gold and crimson robe.
"Mmmm, so you've come back. If you were smart, Damiondred, you would have left well enough alone. I don't know how you escaped my lord's trap at Candlekeep, but you won't be getting any further than here. Why did you come back here?I would have thought you would have gone after Sarevok directly."
"Oh, you know how it goes. Dropped my keys, someone said I left them on the desk here beside where Brother Dearest keeps his evil plans for domination so that I could clear my name." Damion knocked an arrow as the three arcane casters of his party fanned out behind him. Viconia stepped forward just enough to offer him cover.
"Who told you to come here?! Who betrayed my lord?! It was Tamako, wasn't it?"
The archer opened his mouth to answer, ask a question, anything and shared a backwards glance with a casting and shrugging Xzar as she proceeded to talk over him.
"I always knew her to be a traitorous whore! Well, it matters little if she did or did not - all that matters is that you will die!" Her voice rose to a shriek, and she held a hand up as two ogres appeared in a cloud of acidic greens, yellows and blacks while the Bhaalspawn's world seemed to stand still for a moment, pausing. Unable to move, unable to breath, a calmness settled over his mind and he considered his options. Everything was visible in grey scale tones, and the sudden realization that he could stretch these instants into eternities dawned on the archer as he mentally smiled while considering his options.
Two ogres, one mage. Dependent on the type of conjuration at work, the ogres might disappear if the mage was brought down but his mages would need at least twelve seconds to bring her down. This would leave them at the mercy of the ogres, as Viconia was but one person and wouldn't likely be able to choke the passage way to keep both ogres back at the same time. Certain of his course of action, he thought for a moment about how to move and panicked briefly when he realized he didn't know how to undo what he seemed to have done.
Calm down. Relax.
His copy stepped out from behind an ogre, clasping his hands behind his back as he padded closer.
This isn't magic. It isn't that you have stopped the world, I have simply... Accelerated your mind. This is one of my gifts to you. I've thought about it, you know.
The manifested taint paused next to Viconia, studying her before tilting his head.
I have decided that you made several good points. We get our strength from death, from the act of killing itself, and any faith that cannibalizes itself is doomed to fail. I wonder how long you will be able to keep these five stars orbiting about yourself, with how willingly or not you draw death into your presence. Will you survive long enough to ascend into godhood? Will they?
His image smirked at him, before stepping up to stand beside him, just out of his line of sight.
I do not fancy losing myself to our progenitor's ego. Are you ready?
He would have nodded if he could, and felt a hand rest on his shoulder.
Stepping over the bodies of the ogres, he approached the dead mage and carefully lifted the book he found in the small pouch of personal effects free. Cracking open the cover, he frowned at what he found within and turned to look at Xzar as the necromancer pulled free one of the ogres eyes, squishing it between his fingers.
"Xzar, the sect of Cyric worshippers that were in this city, were they attached to the Zhentarim?"
"Mmm, past tense. They are all dead and gone now. They welcomed us here from overseas."
"I imagine you giggled and laughed as they were killed, and that's how he realized you weren't a follower of their god. Don't answer that."
The necromancer tilted his head before ambling over and leaning in to inspect the diary that the archer was still skimming through. "This is..."
"Sarevok's diary. There's also two letters there. Let me know if there's anything important in them."
Xzar bowed slightly, stooping to snag both letters and start scanning through them. "... You have long since come to terms with my inability to speak of certain things, it seems."
"I've better things to be angry about. It's frustrating, but Sarevok's my target, not you." Damion continued to flip through the pages of the book, skimming through until he found paragraphs that seemed to catch his attention more than others. "It's not as if I don't understand why you can't, either. You, Xzar, are a man of faith and until I own yours I'll remain pleasantly surprised at whatever help you do give me. There's no point getting upset about something I can't actively change yet."
"Level headed. Collected. Dedicated to your purpose..." The necromancer crooned softly, reaching out as if to touch the archers hair before drawing his hand back to chew lightly on a fingernail. "... The letters dictate assassination attempts and the location of the assassins. They will likely have an invitation that will get us into the ducal palace, if we kill them quickly enough."
Damion closed the book and tucked it away to peruse at a later date and held a hand out. "Let me see then."
Not for the first time (and he was rapidly coming to realize not likely for the last time either) the Bhaalspawn was happy his little party had mapped what they had of the sewers. Baeloth and Edwin seemed to know precisely where they were going as well, which made Damion fight the way he was turning red in the face when the Entertainer slyly mentioned why.
"While we wander and while away our time in the Undercellar, why don't we win a wench for the weary womanless wonder what is our leader?" Baeloth grinned back at the archer who was utterly thankful that the helmet that gave him infravision covered his face.
"Business before pleasure, Baeloth. Once Sarevok's head sits at my feet I'll consider it."
"Your hatred for him has grown, Abbil." Viconia frowned at Damion's back as he shrugged.
"He paid a doppelganger to wear my father's face and the faces of the people I grew up with, specifically to torment me. He sent assassins to hound my steps after murdering my father -and- framed all of you for killing the leaders of the Iron Throne before we were even able to, thus getting us imprisoned. At this point, I'm not entirely certain if I want to kill him or if I want to watch you and Xzar take him apart. I don't normally go in for the screams of my enemies, but for Sarevok? He's very close to being an exception."
"The longer he is tortured, the greater the chance he has to escape or be rescued. (Really, is the simian so dense that he does not know even this?)" Edwin's look of mild annoyance was visible in the light of the small flame he kept cupped in the palm of his hand, using it to make sure he didn't step in anything and shaking his head. "It is better to simply kill him and move on."
Xzar tilted his head, trailing along behind the group. "Ohh, but you did not see, did you. He bemoaned the fact that our intrepid leader's mortal father died far too quickly for his tastes."
"When we fight, I want you guys to focus on his attendants. Just like I want you to focus on the task at hand, considering I believe we've arrived." The archer nodded towards the door that was flanked by red glowing lanterns. "We're here for someone named Slythe and his wife. Spread out, and meet back here if you find something. If you find them, do not engage until we know what they're capable of or until I shoot one of them. These are two assassins that took down a Grand Duke. I don't like being blind like this."
"I shall peruse my preferred people and perceive what can be peeped at." Baeloth winked, before pushing open the door and sweeping in, ignoring how Edwin rolled his eyes as the rest of them followed him in. They had just started spreading out when a human wearing rustic yellows who's image seemed oddly blurred looked up and grinned at them. Briefly, the archer spotted his copy eyeing the man up and down before meeting the bhaalspawn's eyes.
This is him. Can't you smell the blood on his hands? Feel the death that surrounds him?
"Well, well, well, dear. What have we here... Blade fodder?" Slythe grinned and stretched as he stood up from the couch, watching Damion as the archer wasted no time, bolting and hanging a hard left. The rest of his party continued to spread out, spotting the reason for their leaders burst of speed, a few of them frowning at the center of the chamber as a female voice seemed to come from thin air.
"I don't know, Slythe. They're so big and threatening... Oh my mistake, I was thinking of someone else."
Xzar tucked into the northeastern chamber, eyes narrowing as he drew the dragon-headed orange wand and finished the incantation for the protective spell of armor that shimmered into existence and then faded from sight. Leaning, he could see Damion as he settled a little ways up the hallway, speaking with one of the courtesans to try and get her to start clearing people out of the area.
"Ohh, she's got a tongue of steel and a heart of gold, my Krystin does... And she's so pretty that she makes herself all invisible so guys don't give her a hassle. Not that they would with a tough guy like me looking after her, of course..."
Viconia settled just above the twp steps that led to the pillow-laden circular depression that Slythe was grinning at those he could see of their party. She adjusted her grip on her mace and studied the blurred human as courtesans slipped away down the halls, glancing back with a mix of fear and apprehension.
"Slythie-baby, you tell them honey..."
"Oh baby, you know me. You know your Slythie... Hey you, don't you go watchin' us go all mushy, alright? It ain't none of your business... What's that you're whispering, sweetheart? ... Hey now, my girl Krystin tells me that yous all have a spot spot for the Grand Dukes. Sure is a shame about Entar Silvershield, isn't it?"
Edwin murmured an incantation under his breath, warding himself and shaking his head as he waited for the signal that they were all in position and ready to go. His eyes flit from Viconia to where Baeloth stood a handspan of paces behind her, noting the subtle way the sorcerer was flicking and weaving his fingers as he concentrated and turned to head to the north western passage.
"One down and two to go. Poor Dukes... Wouldn't it have been better if they had all died together?"
"Bah, Krystin, don't give it all away like that, now. It's on... what do they call it again, the silver bladder? ... Ah, enough of this cat and mouse stuff, anyhow. I ain't cut out for it. We'll kill'em now and do the Dukes after lunch like Sarevok said us to."
Baeloth slowly shifted closer to Viconia, close to finishing his incantation. The pair of them were potentially the more attractive target (which he had mixed feelings about) but the fact that it had been praised as critical and key to any combat had been flattery enough to get him to agree. There was also the fact that nobody else in their party except for Viconia could shrug off spells that made him smug. It was just another thing added to the long list of ways he was superior to Edwin. He made sure to wink over at the Thavian smugly.
"Mmm, I love you for your mind, Slythe."
Baeloth's spell went off, and the glowing orb of emerald green floated into the center of the room before exploding outwards in two separate smaller sections, one striking Slythe to solidify his outline and the other pulling a beautiful woman in a short black dress lined with yellow out of the invisibility she had been concealed by. She snarled, raising her hands and finishing her spells in time to snap a wavering field of blue into place that halted the magic missiles Edwin had tried to pepper her with.
"You'll reach the Hells before Krystin!"
Slythe bolted up the steps, drawing a particularly long dagger as he charged at Edwin. Viconia moved to intercept, swinging with the mace and cursing as she missed before a wash of flame rolled out from the center of the room, stopping just short of the Thavian. Baeloth cursed and launched into a second round of spellcasting, narrowing his eyes at Krystin as Xzar stepped out of the room he had ducked back into and wove his hands rapidly in the same pattern. He was almost insulted until he caught their opponents hands flicking through their own series of motions, and realized it was meant to cast in counter.
The necromancer knew the spell she was pulling into being, and knew it well. It was one of his favorites in function, after all, and grit his teeth as he fought to time his counter for the moment Baeloth tore down the protective barrier that made her immune to lower level spells. With a grimace, he realized that the sorcerer's spell hadn't successfully dismantled the minor globe and shifted his target ever so slightly as he completed his casting.
Waves of acidic green fog rolled outwards, chased by an expanding halo of emerald green that gave everyone the Cloudkill touched a six-second chance to get out of the cloud before the suspended effects took hold once more. Xzar wasn't certain he had ever seen the Thavian run as fast as he spotted him doing so, backpedaling with the dagger-wielding assassin in pursuit and cursing as he snarled.
"Of course I must do everything myself-!" Edwin dove to the side as Slythe stabbed and caught the edge of his robes, tearing through them and catching the conjurer along the ribs before an arrow slammed into the assassins shoulder and sending him staggering forward a step. Viconia followed it with a vicious downward strike with the mace, catching Slythe across the shoulder and drawing his attention for the time being, giving the Thavian time to get out of range.
The blue shimmering field flickered and vanished, leaving Baeloth looking terribly pleased with himself a few paces from Krystin before Xzar peppered her with magic missiles from just beyond the edge of the cloud. She already had a pair of arrows sticking out of her back, and spun to spit out a return volley plus one extra, leaving the necromancer staggering back a step and smarting from the impacts.
Damion turned back to the enemy caster and resumed firing arrows at her, trying to ruin her concentration as she lifted her hands to start casting another spell as a second barrage of magic missiles found purchase across her torso as Edwin finished passing through the chamber on the west side of the fight. Baeloth backpedaled away, hands rising as he sought to add his own barrage to the mix while Viconia brought the shield up and picked off another dagger strike by Slythe.
Xzar turned to where the two melee combatants were trading blows, frowning as he noted their cleric fighting more and more defensively with every strike before narrowing his eyes and running through the green vapors and ignoring the way it burned his eyes, fingers flicking through the motions of a spell that was second nature and sheathing his hands in crackling purple-black flames. He caught Slythe by surprise as he clawed at the fighters armor, feeling the magic seep through the studded leather and feed him the life that it stole. He gritted his teeth as the long dagger came for him, sliding through the defensive enchantment he had woven and burying itself to the hilt in his stomach as he clawed out with another hand, wavering between pained and exultant at the rush of stolen life as his second strike sealed the wound as the dagger was torn free of him.
It was enough of a distraction that Viconia was able to mend some of her wounds with a prayer before she came back into the fray. Baeloth's barrage finished Krystin off, allowing Edwin and Damion to turn and focus their fire on the fighter sandwiched between the cleric and necromancer. Another two stabs later, and Xzar was starting to worry that he was being killed faster than his vampiric touch could heal him, considering even with the mace being applied across his back and shoulders he seemed determined to go for the mage in the robe.
One particularly vicious strike almost crippled him, catching him high in left side of the chest and leaving the necromancer gasping for air and spitting blood, certain Slythe had jut hit a lung until a potion was dumped over him, soaking into his robes and sealing the worst of the damage even as Damion swept past in a spin. Shortsword in one hand, the Bhaalspawn tossed the empty vial away and brought the blade up on an angle to slip it between the assassins ribs, even as the long dagger found a home in his side. Reaching out, he pulled Slythe in by the caller as the other gasped and wheezed, shortsword having found something vital in his chest.
"I expected you to hit harder." Letting Slythe drop, the archer turned away from the dying man as he drew his blade free of the assassins ribs to survey Xzar. "Are you okay?"
"Admittedly, we have been better." The necromancer felt at the raw, raised skin through the hole in his robes that was scarring even as it healed, the purple-black flames vanishing. Turning his head, he coughed and spat to clear his mouth of blood before surveying the others in the group. Baeloth had shifted to sit down on the first step as the cloudkill faded, coughing into a handkerchief and grimacing at the blood he saw as a result. Edwin was carefully picking his way over, intent on going through Krystin's effects in search of her spellbook and Viconia was standing a short ways away with her eyes closed, lips moving as she quietly prayed and mended her own wounds. "We lost nobody, it appears."
"If Baeloth hadn't been able to tear her defenses down, we would have. She started casting that same cloud spell that she did the first time."
"Cloudkill." Xzar moved to find a serviceable cushion and sit down, rubbing his temples. "It kills the weak, and poisons those that are too strong otherwise. Holding your breath does naught to stop its touch."
"Interesting..." Damion crouched down, starting to go through Slythe's pockets, ahhing quietly. "... Rings, and invitations. So! Who wants to go to a ball as Krystin?"
"-Really-, do you have to ask? Of all of you -I'm- the only one that looks good in a dress." Baeloth lounged, eyes shuttered as he grinned at the others.
Finally another chapter, ayyyy.
Nimloth! Don't call me Shirley is from a movie called 'Airplane!' and is one of my favourite things to say to people when they say 'surely you (insert words here)'. Regarding Damion, I don't know if I'll ever go dark enough for him to torture someone. Probably be okay with Xzar and Viconia torturing people (relatively speaking) but I want to try and keep him neutral, more than evil. Killing is necessary sometimes to make sure people don't become recurring problems, but that doesn't mean be a murder hobo, after all.
Eyanid! Good to hear from you! Regarding the doppelganger and how he recognized them, who knows. That might get explained later. There -is- a reason, please rest assured. There will also be follow-up if I ever get off my arse and write a follow up for siege or bg2. Will work on adding more dialogue, too.
In answer to both of you about Scar, I always found it very odd that he just ups and dies, but they leave Eltan alive to die slowly instead of just murdering him too. I figured if one was left to die slowly, the other might have escaped, which would better explain why they might keep the Duke alive. Eg, bait to lure Scar back and -then- kill him, considering how close they are as friends.
I'm feeling averagely better. Still sniffly, still coughing, but no longer outright dying. Here's hoping I don't start getting worse again.
Questions? Comments? Consistency issues?
Leave a message after the tone.
-KD
