Chapter Thirty-Three: Suldanessllar
Entrance to the City, 4 Tarsakh, 1370 DR
The gargantuan boles of the trees in the forest of Tethir were like towers. Each one towered above Jaheira, taller than any giant, as strong and unyielding as any basalt wall. Logs, moss and vines littered the floor, and she could sense the power of nature in the place. Here, at least, the forces of the ogre magi had not penetrated. Here, the corruptions were held at bay by the elves.
They had sworn not to let anyone take their forest from them, since the debacle with Irenicus. Because the forest had not been under elven control, the crazed wizard had been able to battle into the sacred city with ease. Looking around, sensing the peace that had descended upon this forest, Jaheira knew that the elves were patrolling it regularly, deciding to aid the Balance by cleansing the forest from evil.
But elsewhere she knew, the pendulum was swinging the other way. Murann was under siege, the rest of the south was held by small garrisons of the ogre magi. Only here, was there some semblance of peace, though she knew that once Murann fell, then this forest would fall, and the magical Suldanessllar would be trapped and lost in a sea of endless violence, surrounded by enemies on all sides.
Perhaps the troubles in the south would get the elves to listen, get the elves to end their dangerous policies of isolation, and exist more as brothers to humankind, rather than as distant, aloof neighbours. Amn could benefit from elven culture, certainly. Perhaps the care nearly all elves had for nature could help end the endless abandon with which the businessmen devoured the resources of the Coinland.
Jaheira stood before the massive tree that signalled the entrance to the city, but hidden by the strongest illusions that the elves could craft, she could not see it. Her powers were considerable, but while Nalia might be able to penetrate the illusion, Jaheira was nowhere near the strength of her old friend… in order to reach the elven city, she would have to wait for a guide… and she wasn't sure whether a guide would even come.
Around her, the gentle sounds of the forest made Jaheira smile. It was all so beautiful, the bounty of nature… perhaps, when all was done and over, she could found a druidic order within this forest, to aid the recovery of natural balance in Amn. Trademeet Grove was completely destroyed- nothing would grow there for years.
In order to redress the evil, perhaps she could set herself up as Great Druid… or even Grand Druid. There had been very few druids in Amn for the past year. The trouble with Faldorn had scared many off, and the death of the Grand Druid who had ruled from Tethyr had caused the groves of the Sword Coast to become leaderless and disparate.
All they needed was a strong, charismatic and committed leader who would gather them together, and forge them into a sword of balance and righteousness that would be able to protect nature with all the powers of druidry.
Jaheira sat in front of the tree, and closed her eyes, sending out her senses, becoming one with the land, forming the relationship… seeing if the land would accept her. What she felt was a desperate need for order, a craving for stability in the face of war.
The elves were doing well in creating that stability, but Jaheira knew that nature needed humans still. Elves were concerned with just their small areas, not the entire world… whereas humans had to be concerned with every part of the world.
Yes… the destiny for Jaheira was emblazoned within the very pulse of Mother Nature herself. After the war, she would take the tests to become Grand Druid… she would stand before the oak of Silvanus, and ask for his blessing. And if it was given, then she could begin to unite the druids of the Sword Coast… a dream that none had ever been able to accomplish.
Jaheira imagined the balance that would result from the amalgamation of tiny druid orders into one massive order… from her friendship with the Companions, whose powers were far beyond hers, from her association with the elves… and her partnership with the Harpers. Yes… Jaheira was the best candidate for Grand Druid.
"Jaheira of Tethyr, Great Druid of Trademeet… and Hero of the sacred city… I bid you welcome. Our lady the queen desires to speak with you in the palace. I have been commanded to guide you safely and surely before her presence."
Slowly, with a commanding presence, Jaheira opened her eyes, and stared at the elf standing in front of her. He wore green robes with gold trim, of a light silken material. Over those robes, he wore gleaming green chainmail that reached just above his knees. Bracers of green metal clasped the arms of his robes to him, accentuating the paleness of his skin. His long brown hair was braided, and a small band of emerald cloth bound it and kept it from his eyes. Even to Jaheira, he was attractive, his brown eyes filled with a knowledge and mystery that astounded her.
"May I have the pleasure of a name?"
The elven man nodded, the shadow of a smile on his fair, unblemished face. "If it pleases you, my lady. I am known as Eldeth, youngest wizard of Suldanessllar, and also skilled in the druidic arts… I could sense your bond with the earth before I even stepped through the illusion. You are strong indeed, Great Druid."
Jaheira, experienced, did not blush under his gaze, but her heart did thump slightly. "I should hope so. Not everyone is strong enough to lead the servants of nature. It is a demanding job that would devour the weak in an instant."
A simple nod. "I agree. But I am afraid that the queen is waiting for you even as we divulge such words. Perhaps after you have spoken to her, we could continue with this conversation… it is interesting indeed."
Jaheira smiled. "Yes, it is."
*
Ellesime sat, bedecked in jewellery of such delicate beauty that it astounded Jaheira. The jewellers of Amn could not match such skill. But then, that was obvious even from the buildings of the sacred city. It was all so beautiful, with everything not detracting from nature at all. Instead, it merely accentuated.
And the palace of the queen was no exception.
There was a lot of silver and gold, but mainly there was wood manipulated by the wondrous sorceries of the elves to form intricate shapes, intricate patterns that few humans could attain. Although Jaheira had seen all this before, it still did not fail to impress her.
Elves had such subtlety of mind. It almost made her feel ashamed of her human side… almost. Humans had a capacity for survival that most elves did not have… or at least, they did not have the same ferocity when it came to survival… or maybe that was wrong… but there was something about humans, some tenacity that was lacking in the civilised nature of the elven cities and settlements.
"Jaheira… I bid you welcome to my city, you who once saved it from the evil of Irenicus… yet I know exactly what you have come to ask. You wish to request my aid, on the behalf of Nalia de'Arnise, to aid the fight against the ogre magi and their empire… but I am afraid that I cannot. My city has only just recovered from the attack upon us by Irenicus, and we have to time, nor inclination to engage in a foreign war."
Jaheira narrowed her eyes. "I was not sent by Nalia de'Arnise. The lady of Amn, who has worked so hard for the good of her nation, has been killed. Imoen, only surviving daughter of Bhaal, now commands the defence of the south, and she has come to beg for your aid, Ellesime. We ask your aid as friends."
The queen looked trouble, and bowed her head as if the jade crown atop her forehead weighed down on her with all the burdens of rulership. "Forgive me, Jaheira… I cannot. The people of Suldanessllar would not condone a war."
The druid said, "But I saw signs in the forest that your elven warriors have been leading campaigns against the dark creatures in the shadows of the forest. You condoned that war without any qualms… and yet even when there are two hundred thousand enemies marching on Murann, keeping the south in an iron grip, you cannot act. For a so-called champion of the balance, Ellesime, you do little to preserve it. What will happen when Murann falls, for it will do so, without your aid."
"Why is it that the rulers of the nation cannot send their own troops against their enemies, rather than relying on foreign aid from elves? Surely it would be better to use human fighters. I for one would not want it said that Amn was saved only through the intervention of elven warriors and wizards."
Jaheira snorted. "For want of a better word, Ellesime, you are an idiot."
The elven queen smiled. "Insult me if you wish, but my opinion will not change."
"So would Kathryn have said that when it came to saving this city from Irenicus? She could have captured her soul from the mad wizard, but left your city to suffer… instead, she fought tooth and nail against the invaders, until the city was freed from the evil forces of Joneleth and Bodhi."
Ellesime said, "I suppose that she wouldn't have said that…"
Jaheira cut shortly. "Obviously, or you would be trapped with Irenicus, worshipping a new god of the elves, while the Tree of Life collapsed, and your city burned. The drow would have risen to defeat you. You were too weak to protect yourself, because of your foolish actions against Irenicus. So you had to ask Kathryn for help. You do realise that you are in her debt?"
The queen of the elves sighed. "I am in her debt, yes."
The druid shook her head. "You are in all of our debt. Imoen, me, Kathryn, Viconia, Keldorn… Anomen… Nalia… and yet you refuse to help us, as we helped you? You are a coward, Ellesime. You cast Kathryn out when the world turned against her, knowing that your city might fall. Now, you have a chance to redeem your honour, to restore your wasted, putrid glory."
Ellesime stood, her eyes glinting with anger. "Yes… yes, I suppose we have. But that does not give you the right to insult me in my own palace, Jaheira, Great Druid or not. But you are right. I will aid the Coinland… if only partly for revenge against the killers of Nalia. She was probably the one member of your company that I admired, and considered a true friend. To hear she is dead is a… painful loss."
Jaheira nodded. It wasn't important that she was liked… just that the forces of the elves were marshalled against the ogre magi horde. In her mind, she was content. Nalia would be revenged, Amn would be saved, and Jaheira would become the next Grand Druid of the Sword Coast… one of the most powerful figures in Faerun.
She smiled.
*
Amnwater, 4 Tarsakh, 1370 DR
Anomen led the surviving knights, victorious, through the town of Amnwater, and was greeted by confetti and thousands of joyous shouts. The knights of the Order had crushed the forces serving the dark gods, and the north was freed from its temporary grip under evil. And now, the Council was ordering Anomen to return to Athkatla.
But he wasn't going to go back.
He knew that when he did, he would be punished for sending Keldorn south with the pikemen, something that the Council had forbidden him expressly to do. Anomen intended to see Nalia safe before he returned. He also intended to send a message to the Council that the Order served the people, not the rulers.
And because of that, he was leading his knights south.
Seven thousand left, having defeated thirty thousand enemies east of Amnwater. But they were seven thousand paladins, strengthened by clerics of Helm, Torm and Tyr. The only fear Anomen had was that they would arrive too late. But if they did, and discovered Nalia dead, then Anomen would make sure that no warrior of the dark empire survived to bear witness to the fact that they had killed the wizard-protector of Amn, as he had heard the common masses call her.
He smiled.
Nalia would be pleased that the lower classes had united with her. Her constant preaching about the welfare of the poor hadn't really sparked much in Anomen's soul. If they were poor, they were poor for a reason, probably the displeasure of the god's. But he did feel that those in power had a duty to protect those below them, and that part of Nalia's beliefs, he agreed with.
Amn, a merchant's nation, was always going to have poor.
But the fact that those in power should protect them was still changeable, and it was a clash of wills that Anomen intended Nalia to win. In a purely cynical sense, House Delryn was far too well entwined with House de'Arnise to survive long if Nalia's power was broken… and the Council knew that.
They were all playing a game, a game that cost thousands of lives. But the prizes of this particular game were immense. In Nalia's case, it meant death, or such a dizzying rise of power that it was boggling to think about. For Anomen, and the Order, it meant complete servitude to the Council, or a new era where the Order was a force for goodness and justice in the Coinland.
And the dice that were deciding that outcome were being tossed hundreds of miles away, on the walls of Murann. Where Nalia struggled against the enemy alone, with few warriors, while Anomen and his knights attempted to reach her in time.
Anomen hoped that he could reach them, or everything he hoped to achieve would be wasted. Behind him, the knights marched, they had now left Amnwater… but there were still many days- maybe even a week or so, before they reached Murann.
Maybe it was already too late.