Getting Back
Solonund took Olwa by the had and they floated into the lightning clouds. It did not take long for Solonund to find the edge of the sphere in which their souls had been encompassed.
He concentrated on the talisman. It began to glow slightly and the clouds parted so that the sphere became transparent in front of where they floated.
"Oh great." Solonund said.
"What is the matter?"
"I knew we were somewhere on the astral plane, but I had hoped we were not here."
Olwa looked through the transparent area that Solonund had created and saw a lush garden full of fountains. Creatures of many types were wandering around doing various chores.
"Where are we?"
"Somewhere on the grounds of Blazerthai's fortress. He doesn't like unwanted guests."
"Who is this Blazerthai?"
"An arch wizard. He is a cousin of Elminster, or so some say. He left Toril because too many other wizards were after his head. He is a Magister of Azuth. Very powerful, and as selfish as he is powerful."
"Is he evil?"
"No, he is merely selfish. See all those servants out there. All of them that serve him sign a contract with him. He promises health, wealth, and prosperity to all that sign with him. As for his promises, he keeps them, but at a steep price. They are all under a geas. Each of his charges must complete at least one quest for him. The quests are difficult to impossible to complete. Most quests are deadly. Those who do not complete his quests are held in his service until their death."
"You didn't sign a contract with him?"
"Fortunately, no. I have known a few that have. Believe me, the lavish rewards Blazerthai dishes out to those who succeed at their quest makes him very popular. I have only met one person myself that succeeded in his contracted quest. Most die before it can be completed."
"How do we leave this place?"
"Raise your hands above your head. Then when I tell you, imagine yourself pushing this sphere up. We should be able to float this thing off of the grounds without too much problem, unless one of his wizards detects us. I am sure we would make a nice trinket for Blazerthai's magic item trove."
"I am ready."
"Alright, Now!"
The sphere they were in floated up as they pushed it. Solonund thought they were going to make it when a burst of energy surrounded the sphere. Olwa and Solonund looked to see a half elf wizard holding a staff. The Wizard was pulling the sphere towards her. In a moment the sphere was resting in her hand.
"Now what do we have here?" the wizard said as she looked into the sphere that rested in her hand.
**********
The possessor of Solonund's body did not bother to dress himself. Instead he started rummaging through Solonund's belongings.
"Where is it?!" he loudly howled.
Lareal carefully slided the metal plate that covered a hand sized peephole and looked inside the room. She knew as long as the exterior bolts and bar on the door were in place, the room was completely warded. She was glad that Khelben had insisted on putting them on all of the guest room doors, despite her protests.
"What is he doing?" Drizzt asked.
"He seems to be looking for something. Do you have any idea what he could be looking for?"
"Nothing. He may just want something that reminded Solonund of strong feelings. That could be his wedding band, his Meilikki crest ring, or…"
"Or what, Drizzt."
"The talisman. Twenty years ago, a Ranger from the far east who was called himself Shun Arayanni, gave Solonund a magic talisman. It is extremely powerful. It allows Solonund to travel through portals. That is mainly what I know about it."
Khelben came silently down the hall and stood behind Drizzt.
" If that is so, I will need to know all I can about that talisman. I saw it around his neck at dinner last week and could sense its power, but I chose no to pry. Perhaps I should have." He said.
"Khelben, look into the peephole. Who has taken over Solonund's body?"
"Kordon, but I think perhaps you may have guessed that by now."
Kordon looked through the peephole at Khelben.
"You spineless bastard! Khelben, where have you hidden it? Perhaps your whore took it out of here. I know the brat had it on him. He never took it off. I should have killed you when you were a brat in Myth Drannor. Now you will tell me where it is, or he and the wild brat are dead. Then I will raze this entire tower!"
"I am bored with your useless threats, Kordon. I do not know what you are looking for."
"Oh yes you do. The Drow animal out there told your whore. I heard him. You may have me trapped in here, but I am not deaf. Now tell me. Where is the Pilin'Solor talisman!"
"I do not have it. Perhaps Solonund took it with him wherever you sent him. Besides, from my studies, any talisman for that particular god would be useless. That god is dead. When Corellon went to battle Gruumsh, He eavesdropped on Aruashnee and found out about her plot. Malar killed him to keep him from warning Corellon. You should know this story, you are old enough to remember it."
"It works, trust me. I have no idea why his talisman works, but it does. I have watched him for months."
"If that is so, perhaps it only works for him. It is powerful magic. I sensed that myself. Unique items like that often stay with their owner. You are not wise, Kordon, but you are smarter than that. If it is not among his belongings, it is with his soul, wherever you have hidden it."
Kordon gave a howl of contempt and defeat. He went around the room and tore everything he could get his hands on to bits.
"If he keeps that up, Solonund may not have a body to come back to." Drizzt said with concern.
"Drizzt, take the boy to a safe room. I will keep an eye on Kordon and make sure he does not harm Solonund's body too badly."
"It looks like he underestimated Solonund," Khelben said, "and the power of that talisman."
" He is frantic. Do you think he also lost what he is keeping Solonund's soul in?" Lareal asked.
"If he did what I think he did, he did not want to know where he placed Solonund's soul. That way, no one could find it and force him out. He is clever. I grant him that." Khelben replied.
**********
Solonund looked at the wizard. She looked huge from his perspective, but he knew it was only because of the size of the sphere. He knew her instantly.
"We are in luck!," Solonund said with a smirk on his face.
"I thought you just said that it would be bad if we got caught?"
"Yes, but that wizard. I know her, intimately."
Solonund concentrated. He hoped that he could let his words travel out of the sphere to the wizard holding it.
"Hello Mozarikan Artemise. You look much lovelier than you did when I last saw you. "
"What?!" Mozarikan said as she nearly dropped the sphere, "Solonund Brasher!"
"Oh yes my lovely lady. I have missed the vanilla and ginger scent your hair gets when you are passionate. I would love to hold you again, but unfortunately, I am in a bit of a mess."
"You have got that right, Solonund. Do you know where you are?"
"Stuck in a soul sphere on the grounds of Blazerthai's castle. I am surprised at you, Mozarikan. I never thought in a million years that you would sign a contract with the old coot on the dead giant."
"Yes, I am under contract with Blazerthai. It is your fault too, I hope you realize. When you left me stranded in Calimport, Lai and me nearly starved to death. I had never been out of my mother and Cornelius' tower before. I was completely unprepared." She said as she walked to a bench and set the sphere in her lap.
"You told me you wanted to meet your real father, your mother's ex-lover."
"Yes, but you failed to mention that my mother was an ex- dancing girl and he was a thief and an assassin. No wonder my mother left the useless lout. I plan on killing him with my own bare hands someday."
"Enough of this banter, my sweet. Is there any way that you can help me out of this?"
"Why should I?"
"So, what does Blazerthai want you to fetch for him?"
"Oh nothing much, just a shaving off of Corellon Larethian's sword, you know, one of those tiny bits of metal that gets discarded when a sword gets sharpened."
"If you help me out, I can help you get one."
"In your dreams."
"Seriously, Moza, I know where there is a shaving from Corellon's sword. Barring that option, I have been to Arvandor. I can take there so you can plead your case to him yourself. Do we have a deal?"
"How can I believe you?"
"Ask Lai, the weasel can tell you if I am telling the truth or not."
"He is not a weasel, he is a ferret. But, you are right, he can smell a lie a mile away."
An animal crawled into Mozarikan's lap and wrapped itself around the sphere.
"Lai, hello boy," Solonund said, "Tell your master that I know where a shaving of Corellon's sword is and that I have been to Arvandor. I am telling the truth."
The ferret leapt up to Mozarikan's shoulder. It immediately began snuggling her neck and nuzzling her ear. Mozarikan's eves grew as large as saucers.
"You.. You are not lying! Gods Solonund ! How in the hell did you manage that?"
"Well, your half brothers used to say you were so cold that no one would ever manage to bed you. I managed that, didn't I?"
Mozarikan's face turned scarlet as she said," Alright, alright. You have a deal. I will carry the sphere off of the castle grounds. Mind you, I will be following close behind. Do not try to break our deal, or I will destroy that sphere and you with it."
Notes:
Elminster- The strongest of the chosen of the goddess, Mystra. Founder of the harpers. For more information on him, start with, Elminster, The Making of a Mage by Ed Greenwood
Azuth- Patron god of mages, the high one, lord of spells. Lover of the goddess of magic, Mystra
Pilin'Solor- (my creation) dead Elven god. the Herald, the Pathfinder, the Renewer. Elven equivilent to Hermes
Gruumsh- The one eyed. evil patron god of the Orcs. It is said that Corellon Larethian took out the other eye, after his sword was magically severed by Aruashnee.
Aruashnee- consort to Corellon Larethian, transformed into the demon godess. Lloth when her betrayal was discovered.
Shun Arayanni- See my story, "Kindred Spirits" Shun took an eastern name for the goddess Mielikki as his surname.
geas- a magic spell that comands a targeted person to suffer in some way. The longer the terms of the geas are not fulfilled, the more damage the spell does.
**For more information on the elven pantheon, see Evermeet, the Land of Elves by Elaine Cunningham**
**For more information on many other gods of Faerun, and the time of troubles. Read the Avatar trilogy by Richard Awlinson**
Dedicated to the doctors of Dornbecher's Children's hospital, and Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital in Portland OR, for keeping my son Daniel alive long enough to reach his fifth birthday and allowing him to be able to go to kindergarten before he passed away.
Solonund took Olwa by the had and they floated into the lightning clouds. It did not take long for Solonund to find the edge of the sphere in which their souls had been encompassed.
He concentrated on the talisman. It began to glow slightly and the clouds parted so that the sphere became transparent in front of where they floated.
"Oh great." Solonund said.
"What is the matter?"
"I knew we were somewhere on the astral plane, but I had hoped we were not here."
Olwa looked through the transparent area that Solonund had created and saw a lush garden full of fountains. Creatures of many types were wandering around doing various chores.
"Where are we?"
"Somewhere on the grounds of Blazerthai's fortress. He doesn't like unwanted guests."
"Who is this Blazerthai?"
"An arch wizard. He is a cousin of Elminster, or so some say. He left Toril because too many other wizards were after his head. He is a Magister of Azuth. Very powerful, and as selfish as he is powerful."
"Is he evil?"
"No, he is merely selfish. See all those servants out there. All of them that serve him sign a contract with him. He promises health, wealth, and prosperity to all that sign with him. As for his promises, he keeps them, but at a steep price. They are all under a geas. Each of his charges must complete at least one quest for him. The quests are difficult to impossible to complete. Most quests are deadly. Those who do not complete his quests are held in his service until their death."
"You didn't sign a contract with him?"
"Fortunately, no. I have known a few that have. Believe me, the lavish rewards Blazerthai dishes out to those who succeed at their quest makes him very popular. I have only met one person myself that succeeded in his contracted quest. Most die before it can be completed."
"How do we leave this place?"
"Raise your hands above your head. Then when I tell you, imagine yourself pushing this sphere up. We should be able to float this thing off of the grounds without too much problem, unless one of his wizards detects us. I am sure we would make a nice trinket for Blazerthai's magic item trove."
"I am ready."
"Alright, Now!"
The sphere they were in floated up as they pushed it. Solonund thought they were going to make it when a burst of energy surrounded the sphere. Olwa and Solonund looked to see a half elf wizard holding a staff. The Wizard was pulling the sphere towards her. In a moment the sphere was resting in her hand.
"Now what do we have here?" the wizard said as she looked into the sphere that rested in her hand.
**********
The possessor of Solonund's body did not bother to dress himself. Instead he started rummaging through Solonund's belongings.
"Where is it?!" he loudly howled.
Lareal carefully slided the metal plate that covered a hand sized peephole and looked inside the room. She knew as long as the exterior bolts and bar on the door were in place, the room was completely warded. She was glad that Khelben had insisted on putting them on all of the guest room doors, despite her protests.
"What is he doing?" Drizzt asked.
"He seems to be looking for something. Do you have any idea what he could be looking for?"
"Nothing. He may just want something that reminded Solonund of strong feelings. That could be his wedding band, his Meilikki crest ring, or…"
"Or what, Drizzt."
"The talisman. Twenty years ago, a Ranger from the far east who was called himself Shun Arayanni, gave Solonund a magic talisman. It is extremely powerful. It allows Solonund to travel through portals. That is mainly what I know about it."
Khelben came silently down the hall and stood behind Drizzt.
" If that is so, I will need to know all I can about that talisman. I saw it around his neck at dinner last week and could sense its power, but I chose no to pry. Perhaps I should have." He said.
"Khelben, look into the peephole. Who has taken over Solonund's body?"
"Kordon, but I think perhaps you may have guessed that by now."
Kordon looked through the peephole at Khelben.
"You spineless bastard! Khelben, where have you hidden it? Perhaps your whore took it out of here. I know the brat had it on him. He never took it off. I should have killed you when you were a brat in Myth Drannor. Now you will tell me where it is, or he and the wild brat are dead. Then I will raze this entire tower!"
"I am bored with your useless threats, Kordon. I do not know what you are looking for."
"Oh yes you do. The Drow animal out there told your whore. I heard him. You may have me trapped in here, but I am not deaf. Now tell me. Where is the Pilin'Solor talisman!"
"I do not have it. Perhaps Solonund took it with him wherever you sent him. Besides, from my studies, any talisman for that particular god would be useless. That god is dead. When Corellon went to battle Gruumsh, He eavesdropped on Aruashnee and found out about her plot. Malar killed him to keep him from warning Corellon. You should know this story, you are old enough to remember it."
"It works, trust me. I have no idea why his talisman works, but it does. I have watched him for months."
"If that is so, perhaps it only works for him. It is powerful magic. I sensed that myself. Unique items like that often stay with their owner. You are not wise, Kordon, but you are smarter than that. If it is not among his belongings, it is with his soul, wherever you have hidden it."
Kordon gave a howl of contempt and defeat. He went around the room and tore everything he could get his hands on to bits.
"If he keeps that up, Solonund may not have a body to come back to." Drizzt said with concern.
"Drizzt, take the boy to a safe room. I will keep an eye on Kordon and make sure he does not harm Solonund's body too badly."
"It looks like he underestimated Solonund," Khelben said, "and the power of that talisman."
" He is frantic. Do you think he also lost what he is keeping Solonund's soul in?" Lareal asked.
"If he did what I think he did, he did not want to know where he placed Solonund's soul. That way, no one could find it and force him out. He is clever. I grant him that." Khelben replied.
**********
Solonund looked at the wizard. She looked huge from his perspective, but he knew it was only because of the size of the sphere. He knew her instantly.
"We are in luck!," Solonund said with a smirk on his face.
"I thought you just said that it would be bad if we got caught?"
"Yes, but that wizard. I know her, intimately."
Solonund concentrated. He hoped that he could let his words travel out of the sphere to the wizard holding it.
"Hello Mozarikan Artemise. You look much lovelier than you did when I last saw you. "
"What?!" Mozarikan said as she nearly dropped the sphere, "Solonund Brasher!"
"Oh yes my lovely lady. I have missed the vanilla and ginger scent your hair gets when you are passionate. I would love to hold you again, but unfortunately, I am in a bit of a mess."
"You have got that right, Solonund. Do you know where you are?"
"Stuck in a soul sphere on the grounds of Blazerthai's castle. I am surprised at you, Mozarikan. I never thought in a million years that you would sign a contract with the old coot on the dead giant."
"Yes, I am under contract with Blazerthai. It is your fault too, I hope you realize. When you left me stranded in Calimport, Lai and me nearly starved to death. I had never been out of my mother and Cornelius' tower before. I was completely unprepared." She said as she walked to a bench and set the sphere in her lap.
"You told me you wanted to meet your real father, your mother's ex-lover."
"Yes, but you failed to mention that my mother was an ex- dancing girl and he was a thief and an assassin. No wonder my mother left the useless lout. I plan on killing him with my own bare hands someday."
"Enough of this banter, my sweet. Is there any way that you can help me out of this?"
"Why should I?"
"So, what does Blazerthai want you to fetch for him?"
"Oh nothing much, just a shaving off of Corellon Larethian's sword, you know, one of those tiny bits of metal that gets discarded when a sword gets sharpened."
"If you help me out, I can help you get one."
"In your dreams."
"Seriously, Moza, I know where there is a shaving from Corellon's sword. Barring that option, I have been to Arvandor. I can take there so you can plead your case to him yourself. Do we have a deal?"
"How can I believe you?"
"Ask Lai, the weasel can tell you if I am telling the truth or not."
"He is not a weasel, he is a ferret. But, you are right, he can smell a lie a mile away."
An animal crawled into Mozarikan's lap and wrapped itself around the sphere.
"Lai, hello boy," Solonund said, "Tell your master that I know where a shaving of Corellon's sword is and that I have been to Arvandor. I am telling the truth."
The ferret leapt up to Mozarikan's shoulder. It immediately began snuggling her neck and nuzzling her ear. Mozarikan's eves grew as large as saucers.
"You.. You are not lying! Gods Solonund ! How in the hell did you manage that?"
"Well, your half brothers used to say you were so cold that no one would ever manage to bed you. I managed that, didn't I?"
Mozarikan's face turned scarlet as she said," Alright, alright. You have a deal. I will carry the sphere off of the castle grounds. Mind you, I will be following close behind. Do not try to break our deal, or I will destroy that sphere and you with it."
Notes:
Elminster- The strongest of the chosen of the goddess, Mystra. Founder of the harpers. For more information on him, start with, Elminster, The Making of a Mage by Ed Greenwood
Azuth- Patron god of mages, the high one, lord of spells. Lover of the goddess of magic, Mystra
Pilin'Solor- (my creation) dead Elven god. the Herald, the Pathfinder, the Renewer. Elven equivilent to Hermes
Gruumsh- The one eyed. evil patron god of the Orcs. It is said that Corellon Larethian took out the other eye, after his sword was magically severed by Aruashnee.
Aruashnee- consort to Corellon Larethian, transformed into the demon godess. Lloth when her betrayal was discovered.
Shun Arayanni- See my story, "Kindred Spirits" Shun took an eastern name for the goddess Mielikki as his surname.
geas- a magic spell that comands a targeted person to suffer in some way. The longer the terms of the geas are not fulfilled, the more damage the spell does.
**For more information on the elven pantheon, see Evermeet, the Land of Elves by Elaine Cunningham**
**For more information on many other gods of Faerun, and the time of troubles. Read the Avatar trilogy by Richard Awlinson**
Dedicated to the doctors of Dornbecher's Children's hospital, and Legacy Emanuel Children's Hospital in Portland OR, for keeping my son Daniel alive long enough to reach his fifth birthday and allowing him to be able to go to kindergarten before he passed away.