Content warning: As usual, monologue dialogue is right from the game. It's not mine at all. Sure, there's bits that I did that aren't in the game, but largely? No. Straight from the game.
"Now that all of our guests have arrived, we can begin with the ceremony that you have all been awaiting." The armored human tapped a glass hidden behind the medium shield he carried, the chiming tone it produced hushing the murmur of conversation and drawing attention while a woman in a robe stepped forward.
"As all of you know, this is a special occasion for the city of Baldur's Gate. It is time for a new person to join the ranks of the Grand Dukes. I do not wish to downplay the tragedy that we suffered with the loss of Entar Silvershield, but this is not the time for us to show grief. The votes have been tallied from those submitted by the landowners. The result was nearly unanimous."
"What of Duke Eltan? Has his condition improved at all? If he dies, who will replace him?" A nobleman in red boots frowned, lifting his chin as he called out to the two Grand Dukes addressing the room.
"What about the rumors of Amn mobilizing for war? Why aren't we preparing for war?"Another nobleman wearing red boots called out, this one wearing dark browns to contrast with the greys of the first one. Edwin glanced at him from where he was standing closer to the wall before glancing down, eyes narrowing in thought.
"With our iron shortage, how are we to defend ourselves, and who will give us the iron we need?" A third nobleman cried out, this one dressed head to toe in red.
"Don't panic. We believe that any wearing red boots may be doppelgangers." Xzar murmured to Viconia as he drew up beside her. She glanced at him as he took one of the drinks from her tray, using the motion to cover the slight curl of his fingers while he subtly cast a spell. She could feel the air thicken about her ever so slightly. "... I have done what I can to armor you. The armored gentleman looks to need a refill, and it would put you in the perfect position."
"What of the Zhentarim? I've heard that they may be somehow involved." The fourth nobleman to speak up was also curiously wearing red boots, though they clashed somewhat with his green doublet.
"I believe that Eltan was poisoned by members of the Shadow Thieves. They're obviously trying to kill our leaders." The first nobleman nodded as he spoke, folding his arms
"All of your questions will be answered in due time, you need not worry." The armored human raised his hand to call for silence from the crowd.
Belt. His name is Belt. Why is his name Belt. Damion blinked as he caught sight of the visualization of his Bhaalspawn taint circling the armored man. It caught his eye and glanced at the woman. Her name is far more interesting. Liia Jannath. She's a mage, and he's... Some sort of a holy fighter. Both fated to die at this very gathering, without intervention. Will you manage to save them, I wonder?
"Entar was killed by Shadow Thieves , agents of Amn. If it isn't obvious to the rest of you, it's obvious to me. Amn wants a war." The first nobleman scowled, looking to the others in the crowd.
Liia stepped forward, narrowing her eyes as she spoke. "The evidence we have about Entar's murder does resemble the work of the Shadow Thieves but-"
Baeloth made his way a foot or so behind the line of red boot wearing noblemen, delicately sipping his drink as he curiously watched the debate and utterly ignoring how Damion was slowly and deftly making his way along the edge of the crowd.
"Resembles?! That's ridiculous! The signature left behind on the body WAS the mark of the Shadow Thieves. Are you blind and stupid, woman?!" The dark brown-clad nobleman raised his hand, shaking his fist at the mage as she snapped her gaze to him.
"If I MAY continue... The signature left behind was very blatant and could have been put there to mislead all of us." She waspishly snapped back at the nobleman while Belt took a sip of his drink.
"Who would want to mislead us?"
"Perhaps I could interject something before this meeting degenerates into meaningless bickering." Belt set his empty drink onto Viconia's tray and snagged another. "We are here to welcome our new Grand Duke, so perhaps we should get on with it. Introducing the new Grand Duke, Sarevok Anchev."
Sarevok stepped forward with a slight bow as Duke Belt gestured to him. "I am honoured to be here before such a respected assemblage of noblemen. I accept my new position with full awareness of my new responsibilities, and I will have many of them."
"I would first like to address many of the questions that had been asked earlier. The rumors about Amn's mobilization for war are entirely true, as is the involvement of their Zhentarim cohorts. But do not worry, we are not bereft of a defense. Although the recent Zhentish attempt at depriving us of the most valuable war resource, iron, has weakened us, it has not crippled us. When my father was most recently murdered, I inherited his control over the western branch of the Iron Throne. They have a great deal of stockpiled iron, enough for all of our needs. I will give this to the city to do with as you will. Unfortunately, our greatest military commander lies on his deathbed, a grievous blow to this city. To ensure taht the Flaming Fist is well led, I will be assuming control of the mercenary regent, with permission of its current steward, Angelo."
"Wait one moment. That is not in your power to decide!" Belt set his drink down on Viconia's tray, turning to fully face Sarevok as the plate-armored man turned back to him with a grin.
"Shut up! Let Sarevok speak!" The red-clad nobleman cupped his hands around his mouth to try and get his shout to carry further, and Xzar's eyes flit to him from where he was across the room and then to the buffet as if trying to determine what there might cross the distance the easiest.
"Instead of waiting for the war to come to us, we will take it to them. With the Flaming Fist, we should easily be able to take down the town of Nashkel and then quickly fortify the mountain pass through the Cloud Peaks. What?! Who dares interupt?!" Sarevok lifted a hand, and the room descended into chaos. All six of the noblemen wearing red boots rushed forward, forms shifting as they shed their disguises and rushed both of the dukes.
Oh, but how Damion longed to do the same, though with Sarevok as his target. The smug bastard simply hung back, watching idly as Belt stepped in front of Liia and drew a hammer. He very likely had not expected Viconia to draw a mace from under her skirt and step up next to him, calling on Shar and ripping the sleeves of her blouse as her arms thickened with extra muscle. Xzar cast as he crossed the room, dodging two guards who were bewildered and hard pressed by a doppelganger, tagging the monstrosity on the way by and causing it to recoil from the black-purple flames with a howl.
Liia wove her hands through the air, sending a missile made of acid into the face of one of her attackers as it clawed at her, before shaking her head as Baeloth touched his thumbs together and sent a wash of flame out across the doppelgangers back. He tucked his hand on his hip as it spun around, orienting on him.
"You need a new tailor, your clothes are absolutely dreadful."
Edwin stood his ground, keeping well back from the fray and guiding his barrage of magic missiles to the already wounded doppelganger that was now trying to lash out and claw Baeloth, frowning as it was still up after the fact and drawing one of the wands he had tied to his forearms out, twirling it. Pointing the orange and green wooden implement towards the open space behind the doppelganger harrying Liia that Baeloth had not yet engaged, he murmured and focused, eyes narrowed.
Whatever standoffs the fighting in the room had settled into was disrupted with the arrival of no fewer than five large, spike-studded wolves. They wheeled as one, harrying one of the doppelgangers and dragging its feet out from under it. Baeloth hissed as the doppelganger knocked him over, one hand up trying to protect his face while the other fished down his bodice and came up with a blue rod. He aimed it upwards, spat out a word and squinted against the bright glare of the lightning bolt as it burst upwards. The doppelganger glanced at the wand, and then at the sorcerer before cackling.
"Youuu misssssed, AHAHAHA-"
The line of lightning hit the ceiling, before bounding back and slamming through both Baeloth and the doppelganger on top of him, only to rebound off the floor and firing back up at the ceiling, passing through both of them once more and then a third and final time as it came back down. The sorcerer pushed the smoking corpse off of him, disgusted and unharmed by the magic as he stood up and adjusted the wineskins in his top. He glanced at Liia, and dipped into a smooth bow, smirking.
"Hiii~, Grand Duke, right? We're here to rescue you."
Damion settled a few feet away from Sarevok, drawing the shortsword from where it had been sheathed under the back of his shirt. He met the glowing yellow gaze easily, and rested the flat of the blade against his free hand.
"You should have known I'd turn up eventually."
"There's a strict kill on sight order with your name on it, if I recall right Dear Brother. I'm surprised news of your arrival didn't spread."
"Surrender, Sarevok."
"Oh please, I worked hard for this position. Besides, what will the other Grand Dukes think when they see you attacking me? Come to finish what you started with my father?"
"I didn't think you would, but Father would have wanted me to try. I'm not going to attack you, Sarevok."
"Oh? Then what are you going to do?" Glowing yellow eyes narrowed, and he glanced at the quieting commotion to see that the last of the doppelgangers was being torn apart by wolves.
"It was lucky that such brave people as yourselves intervened on our behalf. Is there anything that I can do for you in return?" Belt smiled at Viconia as she murmured and prayed, healing the claw marks across Liia's stomach.
"Take a look at these documents we have. Sarevok is the one who tried to kill you, had Entar killed, and nearly killed Eltan." Baeloth ticked off all four Grand Dukes, barring Sarevok, on his fingers with the want tucked under his arm, before delving into his bodice again to recover the letters to Slythe and Krystin and offering them out. "We also have Sarevok's own personal diary, and a plethora of other tidbits of proof if you need. Quite the enlightening read."
"I'll take a look, but if you're wrong, the punishment for such false accusations is severe." Belt accepted the letters, frowning as he scanned each parchment.
"Angelo!" Sarevok barked at a Flaming Fist mercenary armed with a bow. "Those people are the ones wanted on multiple counts of murder: KILL them!"
"These men are not to be touched until I have finished reading these documents." Belt didn't even bother to look up, eyes narrowing as he passed the first to Liia.
"You don't need to read that document, but since I know you're too stupid to take my advice, I'll just take your head." Sarevok turned, and Duke Belt looked up just in time to see him draw a two handed sword from his back, aiming to cleave downwards as he strode forward. He grunted, jerking and staggering an extra step forward with his aim thrown off as he twisted, turning the downwards cleave into a swipe behind him, clipping the defensively braced shortsword and sending Damion skittering out from behind him.
"Oh, Brother Dear, you really shouldn't let your temper get the better of you. You were so close, too...!" Damion taunted and quick-stepped back around Sarevok as some of the guards rallied to defend both Grand Dukes, leaving the yellow-eyed bhaalspawn flanked until he simply turned to Damion and rushed him, trying to shoulder him into the wall. Damion was able to slip back out of the way, however, though this cost him the ability to flank him in the future. With his back to the wall, the older Bhaalspawn set about taking care of the guards. One of them staggered back, the sword having cleaved through his chest plate and digging deep while another was snagged by the throat and bodily tossed across the room as if he was weightless.
Duke Belt stepped up to fill the hole, shield raised and braced to catch the second sword strike and protect the unfortunate guard that would have crumpled under it. The shield creaked in protest, dented horribly, but he kept it in place and shifted around, trying to distract the yellow-eyed bhaalspawn. Liia raised her hands, sending a barrage of missiles into the fray and frowning as Sarevok seemed unphased.
"Magic has no effect!"
"Bah! You and I aren't finished yet, Damiondred. I'll kill you, just as I killed Gorion. The only way you'll ever live in peace is if you kill me first." Sarevok cleaved horizontally with the two handed sword, buying space as everyone shifted back to avoid getting hit before arcs of light streamed around him, curling into a circle and pulling him through the resulting portal that snapped shut as he passed through. The room remained quiet as each individual looked around, expecting him to pop back out, and Belt looked towards Damion.
"I think it is in your best interest to hunt Sarevok and kill him before he does the same to you."
"I think you're right." Damion tugged the sheath free from where it was strapped under his shirt, sliding the shortsword into it. "The only problem is finding the Bastard."
"Through the power of my god, I should be able to divine his location. Just wait a moment, and I'll tell you where he has gone." Belt frowned, eyes closing as he prayed before shaking his head. "He has teleported to the Thieves Guild. I will dimension fold you to where he has gone. From there, you can follow him, and kill him. Good luck."
"Thank you."
Nimloth! As always, I enjoy your reviews!
Baeloth is chaotic evil. Why -wouldn't- he have a hell of a good time making people think he's a woman?
Edwin, being lawful evil (and also having spoken no lie in game, ever, from what I can tell) would not want to lie directly. He never -said- anything false, though. If a Bhaalspawn is starting wars everywhere, it -does- involve Thay.
Damion is -never- going to forget his first kiss.
Questions? Comments? Consistency errors?
Leave a message after the tone,
-KD
