A Minor Magical Mishap

Peri blinked twice at the wizard making his purchases from the magic merchant before them. It was, wasn't it? The wizard didn't wear the brazen scarlet robes of Thay anymore, but the dark, suspicious and intelligent face was unmistakably the same.

- "Edwin?"

The wizard gasped, his fingers ready to cast a spell, and a woman beside him turned around as well.

- "Jumpy, aren't we?" Peri arched her eyebrow.

Edwin seemed to have recovered from his surprise, and straightened himself into the haughty position he normally carried himself with.

- "Child of Bhaal. What a surprise." But something in his voice told Peri that it wasn't such a surprise after all.

Then Edwin's dark eyes widened, as he craned his neck to observe Sarevok.

- "Interesting. It seems that the rumors were true after all. You have resurrected him."

- "You are a quick one to recover, have to give you that. But... who is your lady friend?"

The woman was rather lovely-looking as far as Peri could tell. Her skin was the color of dark chocolate, and her black hair had been braided into dozens of little braids, fastened with multi-colored beautiful beads. Her eyes shone golden like Sarevok's, and her mouth, full and purple, was currently curved into a genuine smile. She wore elegant, elven-made chain mail under her iridescent traveling cloak. She had a magically enchanted quarterstaff in her hand.

- "Hello, Peri. My name is Sarade Zaravhan, and I am a cleric of Azuth. Also, the fiance and future wife of one Edwin Odesseiron," she grinned.

- "Quite. Erm. It is only natural that a conjurer of my ability would attract the attentions of the loveliest priestess of the god of arcane spellcasters," Edwin nodded with his usual modesty and took hold of Sarade's hand.

Sarade rolled her eyes and Peri grinned. She had found Edwin extremely amusing on the previous occasions she had met him. The first time he had wanted Peri to track down a Rashemani witch and kill her, and though she had declined, she later found the witch in question and concluded it wouldn't have been a great loss. That she was the protege of Minsc's was something to think of though. Better leave that little detail unmentioned to the ranger.

Later on Peri had encountered Edwin in Athkatla, working for the local Shadow Thieves. At the moment the wizard had been too busy with his business to travel with Peri, but now obviously something had changed.

- "So you just happened to pop in here shopping?" Peri asked, letting her disbelief show on her face.

- "Actually... I have been reconsidering your previous offer and decided to give you an opportunity to benefit from my unmatched arcane abilities as your party member," Edwin said like a man who is doing someone a great favor.

- "Let me see. No red robes. No more Shadow Thieves. You have followed me all the way to Tethyr. In other words, you are in some sort of trouble and want me to help you out," Peri said, feeling like grinning but keeping the urge in bay.

- "Peri," Sarevok said. "Please enlighten me as to just who this wizard is."

- "Very well. I think it is only fair," she answered. "This is Edwin Odesseiron, a Red Wizard and a conjurer from Thay. Though for some reason he seems to be working undercover now. I have run into him before, and co-operated some in Atkathla, when we were associating with the Shadow Thieves."

- "Aye," Korgan nodded. "Arrogant prick, but a damn good spellslinger."

- "Minsc does not like this," Minsc said, frowning. "Thayans are the force of most sinister evil!"

- "Minsc, I usually don't bother talking philosophy with you, but if Thay is a dictatorship and magocracy then so is Rasheman." Minsc just frowned, so Peri softened her voice. "I'm sure Edwin doesn't seek to harm us. Let's hear him out."

- "Peri! Thay is an evil force, and you are actually considering to let another evil spellcaster instead of Viconia to join us?" Keldorn said.

- "Keldorn, Edwin's magic is not 'evil'. It is arcane magic he has studied, just like Imoen's magic. It is not granted by some evil entity. Whether it is evil or not depends on what he uses it for," Peri said. Keldorn nodded reluctantly.

- "If I may say a word," Sarade softly spoke. "Edwin indeed doesn't serve any cause of Thay. On the contrary, hence the lack of the red robes. I'm sure he could be useful... and not only that, I would serve your cause as well, and I am a cleric of no small ability."

Peri took a long look at Sarevok, then turned to face the woman and the petulant-looking Edwin, definitely interested.

- "Mind telling us what exactly happened, Edwin? How did the two of you meet?"

The wizard was blushing.

- "Yes... there was a minor magical mishap concerning an artifact..."

Sarade sniggered.

- "... and Sarade here is an expert on Netherese relics. I had met her before as she is a merchant of Halruaan artifacts and also a free agent of her church. She helped me with a sort of... curse and one thing left to another."

- "Well done Edwin, several sentences without an insult," Peri laughed. "You must severely indeed want to join me. And why are the Reddies after you?"

- "Let's just say that Thay is not big on free enterprise," Edwin answered dryly. "It is nothing to do with you, anyway. Let me assure you that a conjurer of my ability would certainly..."

- "Yes, yes. Is someone against Edwin and Sarade joining us?"

- "Minsc doesn't like a Red Wizard, but Minsc likes the pretty lady. Minsc will not object if Peri says so."

- "As you are a renegade, wizard, I will not object," Keldorn said. "I will trust your intentions for now."

- "(Good good, so the monkeys are appeased.) Well! You were shopping?" Edwin said.