Chapter 93: Deep, Dark

Keldorn Firecam, retired paladin of the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart, looked dubiously at the massive but bizarre device that had been constructed by Edwin in the cellars of the Delryn Estate. It was a seven-foot high upright ring, with runes and other odd scratchings covering it. Keldorn knew much of the arcane arts – had had to for his work, as you couldn't ferret out evil magic without knowing of what you hunted – but most of what he was faced with here was quite beyond him.

"I assume it is not… activated… yet?" the retired Inquisitor inquired, slowly walking around the portal Edwin had built. He hesitated, then moved his hand in the inside of the ring, waving it slowly about, as if expecting something disastrous to happen.

Edwin rolled his eyes. "No, it is not, simian. And don't touch it – it is an extremely delicate and complicated piece of art. You might break it with your fumbling as you attempt to understand what is so vastly beyond your comprehension!"

Keldorn paused to glare at Edwin, his look so dark that the others were amazed the Red Wizard didn't just drop dead that very instant. "Just be thankful I am not joining you on this escapade, Thayvian, or you would not get away with being so impertinent in my presence," he spat, straightening up.

"People? Just take it easy," Harrian interjected from where he was perched on one of the desks in the cellar, his legs crossed, eyes closed, back to the wall. The cellar, which had once been primarily devoted to storing wine, had been massively converted for use by Edwin. Now only a few sorry barrels and bottles remained in one corner, as the rest was taken up by desks, work surfaces, rolls upon rolls of parchment with plans on them littered everywhere, a wall covered in shelves full of thick volumes and, of course, the portal itself in the very centre.

Harrian had been perched there for five minutes, not moving as the others brought the equipment down to the cellar, and they had presumed he'd dozed off. He opened his eyes at last, unfolding his legs, and groaned a little as he stretched, still seated. "What will it look like when it's activated? I assume you have a key so that not just anybody can use it."

Edwin straightened up, looking at Harrian huffily. "Of course I have a key! You think I would allow you simians to be able to simply charge in here and use my device without my consent? I am here because you have promised me much by way of riches, and I will not let you cheat me out of them again!"

"Again?" Anomen echoed as he stepped down the stairs to the cellar, Imoen and Minsc in his wake. All three were laden with heavy packs, full of the necessary equipment. The group would have preferred to travel light, but considering the nature of their quest it would not be wise to risk being unprepared. "I do not recall our cheating you out of anything last time!"

Harrian chuckled dryly. "I believe our Red Wizard is referring to my kicking him out when he was in his little… predicament last time we met." He grinned cheekily.

"I was at your mercy! And you all abandoned me!" Edwin snapped, glaring. He had the sinking feeling that he was fighting a losing battle, but one which pride wouldn't allow him to retreat from.

"As far as I recall, you cheated us first," Jaheira reminded, appearing at the top of the stairs. Harrian glanced in her direction, his grin fading slowly at her arrival, but she did not so much as acknowledge her presence. "So I suggest we declare that we are all even, and work from there."

Anomen coughed lightly at the sudden tension that had settled on the room, and walked over towards Keldorn. "Sir Keldorn, I'd like to thank you again for agreeing to look over my estate during our absence. I hope it will not be for too long –"

"And I hope it won't be permanent," Edwin muttered audibly.

"…so as not to be too much of a bother for you. There is plenty of gold in the coffers to pay the servants, and all I ask is that you ensure the house is secure maybe once a week."

Keldorn smiled benevolently, nodding. "It is not a problem, lad. It is good to once again see this estate in good hands – the place went downhill under your father's supervision, and you have done well to fix things. I would hate to see your hard work go to waste to some brigand."

"Touching, paladin, though I suspect it would be because you have little else better to do," Edwin murmured, this time a bit more quietly. Fortunately, Keldorn didn't hear him, but Anomen did, and threw him a venomous look without passing comment.

Harrian sprang to his feet lightly, stretching again and spreading his arms out. "Anyway… are we ready to go?" he asked hurriedly, once again interrupting a confrontation. "We all got everything we need?"

"Yes, no thanks to you and your extensive lists," Imoen replied dryly, kneeling down and fiddling with the straps on her bag. "And I hope you have an idea of where we're going and what we're doing. You've been going on for ages about how you knew exactly what the plan was, but you do say that an awful lot."

The swashbuckler gave her a hurt look as he straightened up. "That would be because I know exactly what's going on an awful lot," he insisted unconvincingly, ignoring the snort from Jaheira the druid failed to stifle.

"Then I presume you know exactly where we are going and what our plan is," Edwin declared, smirking a little and folding his arms across his chest. "Because other than the location the portal takes us to – and I verified that it would suit our plans – I'm not too aware myself."

Harrian glowered at them, walking over to his pack on the floor and opening up one of the flaps. There was a second's searching, then he pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment and waved it at them. "This is a map of the area surrounding the drow city of Ust Natha, gathered together from accounts of various adventuring parties. I had the priests of Oghma dig it up for me, which they did most kindly. I know what we're doing. It may change distinctly when we see the situation, as none of us can predict what it will be like down there, but I know what we're doing," he stressed.

There was a long pause as everyone looked at him with varying degrees of conviction. Harrian pocketed the parchment and shifted uncomfortably. "Where's that damned tiefling bard?" he enquired loudly at last.

"To the deepest darkest depths we go,

And what awaits us I don't know,

But for vengeance and what is just,

We do only what we must.

We stride in line, heads held high,

Shoulder to shoulder with each ally,

To hunt, to find a dangerous foe,

And what awaits us I don't know."

They all looked around as Haer'Dalis meandered down the stairs, singing quite casually, oblivious to their looks as he hefted his moderately light pack to the ground and smiled at the rest of the party, finally fixing his gaze on Harrian. "He doesn't either."

"Shut up, tiefling," the swashbuckler replied, a little sharper than intended. "And I thought I asked you to stop composing that damnable ballad? It was bad enough when you sang the bloody thing in Trademeet, but all this doom and gloom doesn't help right now."

Haer'Dalis considered this, looking quite pensive. "Hmm, doom and gloom, you say? Sounds particularly inspiring, my raven!" He threw an arm cheerfully over Harrian's shoulder. "Believe me, my friend, when I say that once our heroic quest is over and everyone tells tales of your exploits, my ballad will be sung in every tavern, as the definitive guide to your adventures."

Harrian shifted away slowly. "What if I don't want a definitive guide to my adventures? Besides, it's fairly presumptuous to assume all of that. I could die a nobody, and all your composing will go to waste." He smiled sweetly, then picked up his pack and swung it onto his back, looking at the others. "Are we all ready to go?"

There was a shuffle and a few grumbles – mostly from Edwin – as the party collected their affairs one last time, unconsciously lining up before him as Keldorn stood back, arms folded across his chest, grimly watching the goings-on.

Edwin shifted around in his robes before pulling out a long, gnarly and shiny golden stick and approaching the portal. He waved it over the surface of the giant upright ring, murmuring a few things under his breath, and stepped back as it shimmered to life.

The activated portal was an odd thing to see, for it seemed as if it was filled with water standing up in mid-air. The surface of the air rippled, a little like the air directly above a fire, and though everything was so distorted when you tried to look through it that no details could be made out, the darkness was quite apparent. Edwin didn't look around as he could almost hear the discontent running through the party.

Harrian stepped up as Edwin withdrew, peering at the portal in a slightly confused way. He quickly made his expression resolute and turned to the others. None of them looked happy. Jaheira had her jaw set in the way she always did when something was bad but she wouldn't complain. Anomen looked distinctly uncomfortable, Imoen had gone a little green, Minsc was consulting with Boo frenziedly and Haer'Dalis… well, the tiefling looked alright, actually. Positively curious, in fact.

The Bhaalspawn swashbuckler straightened up and looked at them all. "A month ago, I asked if you'd follow me. I'll understand if you don't want to go on now. Things have changed, and I'm quite sure –"

"Harrian, shut up," Imoen sighed, unhappy but resolute. "You'll give us the speech about not having to go along, and we'll go along anyway. We're in this with you to the end, so save us the self-sacrifice, okay?" Her nervousness had given her voice a bit of an edge, but her bright blue eyes spoke of her determination.

Harrian nodded slowly, grimacing. He glanced at Keldorn. "If we're not back in a month… uh, we're probably dead," he told the retired Inquisitor before looking back at the portal and taking a deep breath. "Right. Let's get this show on the road. Just make sure you all follow me on this one-way ticket, or I'm quite screwed," he mumbled, half to himself, half to the rest of party.

Then he jumped.