Happy New Year, my dearest readers!
I want to thank all of you for still being here, following my story. My heartfelt thanks in particular to Zhenta, Nikoru Sanzo, Late to the Party and the new entry Blinck22 for their support
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After having had a good bath, the Ilmatari led her party to the Adventurer's Mart to buy the equipment they needed and while she was rummaging in a shelf, she was accosted by a haughty looking woman. "Hello, there", the stranger said, her eyes fixing on the coin purse hanging from the priestess' belt, "You are one of those adventuring types, aren't you? I am Deidre, a member of Aurora's Store. Do you want to see my goods?".
Meg nodded, "Sure, why not? How much does this armour cost?", she asked, pointing to a suit of armour that shimmered with a thin blue film of protective magic. "Ah, the Plate of Balduran! It's a very fine piece, very expensive, but since I like you, it will cost you only forty-two thousand gold coins".
WHAT?, the Painbearer thought, shocked, "Er, it's a bit expensive for my pockets. What about this helm?". "This is the ancient Vhailor's Helm, it costs twenty-five thousand gold coins, my dear". She bit her lower lip, "It's more than we can afford...Well, maybe we can find another job. Do you know if there is someone who needs the services of an adventuring party?".
The merchant shook her head, "Sorry, darling, I don't. But the Copper Coronet may be a good place to find a job". "Thanks for the advice, we'll try there", the Ilmatari said, hiding her disappointment and leaving to rejoin her friends. Thankfully, the journey to the Adventurer's Mart was not in vain: Aerie had found a magic belt that gave her the strength of a Hill Giant and Jaheira wore a nice pair of Boots of Speed.
"Better than nothing, I guess", Margaret Dawn sighed and Minsc smiled brightly at her. "Don't worry, little Meg: Boo says that we'll find a nice job which will make us earn so much money that we'll strain to carry it!", he announced with his usual enthusiasm and she smiled back, her spirits lifted by her friend's sunny disposition. "Well, if Boo says so, who am I to doubt it? Let's go, I want to talk to Cromwell about the scale armour".
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Cromwell, a Dwarven smith, gaped in wonder when Meg showed him the scales they had collected in the Umar Hills. "Shadow Dragon scales!", he breathed, observing them with fascination, "By the Abyss, I never thought I'd see some of these beauties! And you want me to make some armour out of them?". She nodded, "If it's possible, I would like you to make a set of armour for Anomen and one for Minsc", she said, gesturing towards both men, "Can you?".
"Sure thing, lass! It will cost you five thousand gold pieces for each of them and I'll need some help to make them: my apprentice is on vacation, you see and I really can't do all this work all by myself". "I'll help you, then".
"Minsc will help too", the ranger said, "And Boo says he will supervise our work with his keen Miniature Giant Space Hamster eyes", he added when his hamster squeaked loudly. Anomen put his pack down, "I will help too, my lady: it is the least I can do, since one set of armour is for me".
The Painbearer gave both of them a grateful smile, "Thank you, really. While we're working on this little project, the rest of you guys can take a look around, see if you can find a new job for our party. If you think it's profitable and not contrary to the common morals, you can accept it".
Aerie's eyes widened with surprise, "You...You will let us make this decision on our own? Really?". "Sure! I trust your judgement, you know". The Avariel clapped her hands happily, "Oh, thank you!". "For what? Come on now, off with you, we have to get to work".
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The making of the armour was a long and tiring job, rendered more difficult by the nearly choking heat of the forge, but the result was definitely worth the effort: the two gleaming suits of Shadow Armour fit their owners perfectly, they were light and flexible, but at the same time extremely sturdy and they even granted their wearers a limited magical protection against acid, fire and cold.
Satisfied with their efforts, the three companions went back to the Coronet, but as soon as they entered the common room, a man dressed in a gaudy purple vest approached the young woman. "Hey, you there, woman! I want to talk to you", he said haughtily. Anomen's right hand reflexively clenched around the hilt of his Flail at the stranger's tone, "That is no way to talk to a lady!", he growled, "You will apologize to her, or...".
The stranger gave him a disdainful glance, "Or what, boy? Do you have any idea of who I am?". Sensing that her friend was at risk of getting into trouble, Meg intervened, "Sir, if you need to talk to me, I'm ready and willing to listen. Guys, why don't you join the others and wait for me at our table?", she added, taking the Helmite's hand in hers and gently unwrapping his fingers from around his weapon's hilt.
He opened his mouth to argue, but the Rashemi clapped him on the back and nodded. "Come, friend Anomen, let's go show our friends our stunning new armour!". Anomen grudgingly followed Minsc without further protest and the Painbearer let out a sigh of relief. "Quite...Colorful companions you have there", the stranger told her, twitching his nose, "But no matter. I have a proposal for you and your party".
"I'm all ears", she said, doing her best to hide her eagerness: this guy, whoever he was, seemed to be rich. Very rich. No, make that filthy rich, if the fine silk and velvet clothes and the stunning amount of shining jewels he wore were any indication about the fullness of his pockets.
"I am lord Jierdan Firkraag and I am the lord of the Windspear Hills, a territory east of Athkatla. I try to take care of my people the best I can, but fighting is not my strong point, alas. Lately, my lands have been plagued by bands of Ogres and Trolls and I have heard that you and your party are good at dealing with this sort of creatures. I need a firm hand to rid my lands of them, I need you, Margaret Dawn".
"Well, Ogres and Trolls are nothing new for us, that's true. And uhm, not to sound callous or anything, but...Will there be a reward for our services?". He sniffed disdainfully, as if offended by her question, "Of course! Who do you take me for, a common penniless peasant? I will give you no less than ten thousand gold pieces. It's not a small sum, you'll agree".
The Ilmatari bit her lower lip, troubled: that sum was tempting and they still had to free the Dryads in Irenicus' dungeon, whose queen lived in the Windspear Hills, but...There was something odd about Firkraag. It was nothing specific, just a feeling in the back of her mind, something vaguely familiar and dangerous. She decided to set aside her doubts and nodded, "We will help you get rid of those monsters. Can you mark your lands on my map?".
He quickly drew an X on the parchment she was handing him and sniffed again, "I hope you won't waste any time in reaching them, Margaret Dawn. My people are in a terrible danger", he said, then left the Coronet in a hurry, as if he couldn't stand to be there any longer. The young woman watched him leave, then joined her friends at their table, "Well, ladies and gentlemen, seems like we have a new job on our hands. By the way, did you find anything?".
Yoshimo shook his head, "We had no luck. But that man you were talking to, he's been here for a while now, apparently waiting for you to come back. Jaheira tried to talk to him, but he simply turned his head the other way, saying he didn't want to waste his precious time in talking to mere underlings", he added, suppressing a grin. Meg's eyes went as wide as dinner plates with disbelief, "He said what?", she turned to the Half-Elf, stunned, "And you didn't club him on the head to death? Really?".
Jaheira huffed, but a corner of her mouth twitched slightly with amusement, "Despite what all of you seem to think of me, I am not that short-tempered and inclined to violence as to club a man to death only because he was rude to me". "Noooo, of course you're not, Jae", the Ilmatari said, chuckling and the druidess cuffed her on the head, "Ouch!". "Stop making fun of me and tell us about this new job, child".
"Okay, well, the snobbish guy was some Jierdan Firkraag, lord of the Windspear Hills. He said that he wants us to rid his lands from an infestation of Ogres and Trolls and he offered us ten thousand gold coins. Besides, if we go there, we will be able to free the Dryads who Jo-Irenicus keeps captive".
Edwin intervened, "You don't sound particularly convinced about this matter, are you? (You know it's bad when even she becomes suspicious about something)". Margaret Dawn shrugged, "It's nothing specific, but Firkraag is...Weird. His aura is wrong and there is a faint trace of magic around him". "I felt it too", the Thayan agreed, "He may be a wizard of some kind (But not as powerful as I am, of course)".
"He's surely rich enough to pay our reward, from what I know about him", the bounty hunter said, "But in the past I've heard his name be mentioned more than once in less than reputable circles. He's not known for being the nicest noble of Amn, but then again who is? No offence meant, young Anomen", he quickly added, but the squire shrugged with a smile.
"None taken, my friend. I actually agree with you on that", Anomen said, leaving all of them to look at him in surprise. Meg gave him an approving smile and took his hand in hers for a brief moment, then turned to the others again, "Okay, we will leave imme...".
"I have good news!", Hendak announced, approaching their table along with a young boy of maybe fifteen dressed in the Order's attire, "This is Melvin, a squire of the Order". Melvin looked at the party and smiled widely when he saw his colleague, "Hey there, Ano, how's it goin', buddy?", he asked jovially.
The Helmite's face twisted in a pained expression, "Melvin", he muttered, his tone clearly indicating that he would have rather swallowed a whole pint of poison mixed with cow poop, than having to even be in the same room as the younger squire, "What are you doing here?".
"I'm lookin' for some adventurers to help the Order: they've a nasty problem on their hands, so they wanna someone to solve it for 'em". "We'll do it!", Anomen said immediately, then remembered himself and looked sheepishly at his leader, "Er, I mean, if you think it is a good idea, my lady, we could maybe look into this matter...". The Ilmatari nodded, "Sure, it would be an honour to help the Order", she said and he beamed. "Shall we go, then, my lady?". "Of course".
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Author note: Are you curious to find out why Anomen was decidedly less than happy to meet Melvin? Worry not, a future chapter will reveal it and your patience will be rewarded. Pinkie promise! ^-^