Chapter Seventeen: The Tale of Ajantis
The Jovial Juggler was a huge inn standing tall over the southmost part of Beregost. There were magnificent curtains on the windows, getting better the higher they rose. And on the front of the door was a sign with a juggler on the front.
Charname moved forward, opened the door, and entered. Imoen and Neera walked behind him, and they came into a magnificent wooden inn. People were drinking and speaking with one another in hushed tones. Several adventurers could be seen, talking, and discussing things over drinks. No doubt having adventures of their own planned.
Of course, Kivan was standing in the shadows.
He emerged and approached Charname. "So, you're here."
"Um, do uh... do we know you?" asked Neera.
"You do not," said Kivan.
"Kivan, you're alive," said Charname. "Where are Branwen, Ajantis, and Xan?"
Branwen and Xan are gone." said Kivan. "Ajantis is near, if you'll speak with him."
"How is he?" asked Charname.
"He has been healed well; however, our group is not yet at full strength," said Kivan.
Kivan led them to a table, where Ajantis was looking over a series of different maps. He had several new scars, and his sheath was empty. A spear was leaning against the table as he sipped a flagon of ale.
Charname and Imoen sat down. "Ajantis?"
"Charname, Imoen, it is good to see you well," said Ajantis.
"What happened?" asked Imoen. "We heard you were nearly killed. Also shouldn't you be uh... really injured or-"
"Healing magic." said Charname.
"Oh, right." said Imoen.
"Has Kivan told you nothing?" asked Ajantis.
Kivan had already marched back to the door with no one noticing, and Imoen glanced at him. "He's kind of the strong, silent type."
"So, um, I think I'll wait outside," said Neera. "This really seems like something you don't want a wild mage in." And she quickly strode out.
"Who was she?" asked Ajantis.
"A damsel in distress Charname saved from a group of evil red wizards," said Imoen quickly. "But what about you, how'd you end up so banged up?"
Ajantis sighed, seeming beaten down and despondent. "When my party arrived in Beregost, we were given a quest by a Lord named Sarevok. He tasked us with hunting down a notorious murderer, named Abdel Adrian."
"We've heard of him," said Charname, remembering Jaha.
"Yes, well, we set out at once to do as he asked. However, we never got that far," said Ajantis, motioning on the map. "Kivan is always scouring the surrounding lands for any sign of bandits. There is one, in particular, he wants to kill named Tazzok who...
"Nevermind.
"Well, Kivan found him as well as Adrian's camp. He came back to us and revealed he'd found a large group of them fortifying themselves in the mountains south-southwest of here. That shifted our plans quite a bit. Bandits need civilization to survive and act as parasites too. But ogres may just as soon destroy a town as raid caravans.
"Xan immediately sent out a sending spell to the garrison mage in Beregost to tell him of what happened. His name was Tranzig, I believe. We were then going to go about our business.
Unfortunately, we were marked. Though Kivan didn't notice anyone following him, so perhaps it was some spy or spell.
"They came as we rested, figures cloaked in mist. We hardly had time to take up our weapons and arms to fight. I knew at once that we could not fight so many in such a situation, so I called for Branwen to withdraw with Xan. From there, I faced the bandit leader Tazzok.
"He is immense, even for a Half-Ogre, but fights with vicious skill.
"I... well, I lost quite spectacularly, to be honest. Though I did kill two of them before Tazzok faced me himself. But he smashed my shield to splinters and shattered by sword.
"I would have been dead for certain and was well enough content with my life.
"Then out of the trees came dozens upon dozens of skeletons and arrows started whirring. Abdel Adrian led his men out, wielding a massive sword as large as he was tall. He was an immense beast of a man, and he cut two ogres in half with one blow. There was also a cleric, clad in violet casting unholy magic everywhere. And then there were gnolls, dozens and dozens of gnolls.
"Kivan slipped into the fray, then, and pulled me out of it. He'd gone back to help me when Branwen and Xan had pulled back. Tazzok and his men were too busy fighting to do anything else."
"That's some coincidence," said Imoen.
"It probably wasn't a coincidence," said Charname. "Remember, Adrian and Tazzok hate each other as much as the law. They're rivals."
"Yes," said Ajantis, sipping his ale. "Adrian has a blood feud going with Tazzok. Wicked men who work in one another's company hate each other as much as the righteous. I expect that he was made aware of Tazzok's movements and fell on him as soon as he arrived.
"If any comfort is to be found, it is that our enemies are killing eachother as well as us."
"But where did this cleric and the gnolls come in?" asked Imoen.
"That I cannot say," said Ajantis. "I am not as familiar with this region as I ought to be. Xan was more the expert on local events, and my focus has been entirely on the roads."
"The Gnolls Stronghold is way south of Adrian's area of operation," noted Charname, looking at the map. "If I were their leader, I'd be using the chaos of the Sword Coast to expand my territory. Maybe he's set up an Alliance with Adrian.
"By pooling their resources, they'd be in a position to conquer territory."
"Why would even a bandit want to work with such foul creatures?" asked Ajantis.
"Because he's worse than them," said Charname. "The gnolls, at least, are inherently stupid, wicked, and evil. Abdel is a human, capable of higher thought and benevolent deeds. He had the potential to be good, and so is far worse than common monsters."
"Well, maybe there are some good gnolls trying to throw off the reputation of their evil kin," said Imoen. "I mean, Drizzt Do'urdan is good, and he's a drow."
There was silence.
Everybody in the entire common room began laughing at that. Even Ajantis cracked a smile. After a moment, Imoen recovered, looking awkward. "But I mean, doesn't Drizzt sort of prove-"
"He doesn't prove anything," said Charname. "The entire Drow race is inherently evil. Every single drow that has ever been born since there have been drow has been evil. All of them except Drizzt.
"If Drow were capable of being good, they would be a noticeable number of good drow. At the very least, some would have been inspired to follow Drizzt's example.
"There aren't. And no movement of any kind has emerged to even slightly address any of his concerns."
"Well, what about Drizzt himself?" asked Imoen.
"He's insane," said Charname with a shrug. "My guess is that he has some obscure neurological disorder. One that has caused him to confuse good and evil as concepts. So he thinks he is being utterly evil but is actually behaving in sort of a good way."
"Isn't he officially recognized as good by his goddess?" asked Imoen. "I mean, I heard from Gorion that he met Drizzt once. Used a detect alignment spell, and he read as good."
"The gods are not an authority on good and evil," said Charname flatly. "They fail their own standards and therefore are wholly unqualified to judge anyone.
"Now, what about this cleric?"
"As for the cleric, I believe it to be Bassilus the Murderer," said Ajantis.
"Bassilus?" asked Charname, feeling a chill go down his spine. He still remembered the word of the manhunt years ago. Nobody had been permitted to leave Candlekeep at all for months. "You mean that mad cleric of Cynric who murdered his entire family and raised them as undead? I thought he died when he burned his own keep down." He'd fled into the wilderness and hadn't been seen at all.
"There have been rumors of him still being alive," said Ajantis. "Undead have been rising in the area around High Hedge to the east. I believe that Adrian has somehow convinced him to come over to his side. The man is gathering all the murderers of the Sword Coast to his banner.
"If you could give them a taste of justice, that would do me proud."
Charname nodded. "We'll do all we can."
"Wait a minute, where are Branwen and Xan?" asked Imoen.
"We don't know," admitted Ajantis. "There was no time to set up a meeting place, and they have not come to Beregost. It is possible they've been killed. Or perhaps taken prisoner.
"My hope is that they are merely lost."
"Xan isn't exactly the sort of person to mind getting lost in the woods, I guess," said Imoen. "We'll keep an eye out for them. Imoen the Wise and Charname the Valiant will find your friends.
"What um... what are you planning to do?"
"Train a militia," said Ajantis. "I'm already seeking permission for it.
"It was foolish to abandon this town when there are so many bandits on the loose. I intend to see to it that these people can at least give the bandits pause. In my own lands, I presided over such things before."
And then the door opened. Charname looked up to see Jaheira entering. The blonde elf was rubbing sleep from her eyes. "Oh, Jeheira, we've got a new quest to go hunt a mad cleric. Also, purge an army of gnolls. And kill off some bandits.
"So, we'll be delayed in going to Nashkel for a bit."
"I've just about seen enough waking hours, slavedriver." snapped Jaheira. "Neera, I presume you'll be accompanying us on this particular venture."
"Um, what venture?" asked Neera.
It was quickly explained. Neera took it... well.
"Oh, I see," said Neera. "Well, considering that it's either that or wait here for the Red Wizards of Thay to come flay me alive...
"Well, I don't have much in the way of options."
Khalid came in quickly. "Jaheira!"
Jaheira glanced back in, annoyed. "What is it, Khalid? What has you so flustered?"
Khalid composed himself quickly. "Um... good news and bad.
"Master Kagain and I have been pouring over the records together. We've also made contact with a number of local businessmen at his suggestion. We've compared a great many notes and well..."
"What is it?" asked Jaheira.
"We have gathered enough evidence to raise concerns against the Iron Throne," said Khalid. "If we were to bring this information to Entar Silvershield, we'll be able to press charges. It could be the start of a major victory."
"Surely this sort of business ought to wait until after the crisis is over, Khalid," said Jaheira. "We've got a war with Amn brewing, and an alliance of numerous monstrous creatures. If swift action isn't taken now, this situation could become a massive bloodbath."
"You know we're going to kill them all, right?" asked Charname. "So it's going to be a bloodbath anyway."
"Stop acting as if the entire world revolves around mass murder!" snapped Jaheira.
"But it does," said Charname. "Our entire economy is based around paying people to kill sentient creatures. Armorers, fletchers, leatherworkers, and animal breeders are able to have a constant flow of clients. Our young people are given the means to gain respectability through the ending of life.
"Fortunes can be made, both by adventuring and supplying adventurers. Great Kingdoms can be founded, and in their ruins, provide the means for adventuring. The Angels and Demons of our world can settle their differences through us.
"Our entire society revolves around slaughtering lesser creatures for its own sake. Everything else is just window dressing."
"You should not belittle the acts of the righteous, Charname," said Ajantis. "Paladins, clerics, and many others all fight to defend the innocent. Adventurers serve a critical role, but it is only useful as far as it aides the good."
"Yes, but the story is the same either way," said Charname. "Replace me with a female fighter trying to make money doing a job and what changes? Maybe she'd have different interactions with those around her.
"But in the end, things would unfold much the same. Maybe she'd use different tactics, or hook up with a different set of companions. Her opportunities for a career would be the same.
"We are insignificant, in the end.
"Our paths were preordained to go one way or the other, all we control is the details. We kill who we are told to kill because someone on high decided to kill them. No adventurer chooses his own path. All he has to decide is which path to take. And all roads lead to the same, inevitable ruin. The one that future generations shall loot."
Nobody knew what to say to that. There were murmurs from the common room. Several adventures detected evil and looked very surprised at the results. Khalid sighed while Jaheira put her head in her hands. "Be t-that as it may, it can't w-wait, dear. Every minute we dally here, things will unravel. Given how u-unscrupulous these individuals are, letting them run free could be disastrous.
"Master Kagain has decided to go to Baldur's Gate to present the evidence on behalf of the local merchants. I must go with him to ensure he gets a hearing as well as for... w-well, protection."
"Very well then, Khalid," said Jaheira. "Charname, Imoen and myself will have to deal with these bandits ourselves, it seems. And Neera, I suppose."
"Be wary," said Ajantis, looking relieved that the change of subject. "There are rumors about Adrian, some say he has the blood of a god of murder within his veins. And the less said about Bassilus, the better."
"We'll be careful," said Charname, standing up. "I think I'll have an ale, then we'll rest for the night and set out."
"Charname?" asked Ajantis.
"Yes?" asked Charname.
"Not all roads lead to ruin," said Ajantis. "Surely, you must realize that."
"Tell me if you find one that doesn't," said Charname. "The first round is on me."
They drank, ate and were merry. Then they slept soundly that night.
The next day, they would gather their party and venture forth.
