The group once again entered the Order stronghold. They walked back to the
halls of the Paladin Lords. They were allowed to enter and confronted
Hrothgar. "Hail Lord Hrothgar. We have dealt with the threat of the Shadow
Thieves and put a stop to their activities. The mages are here and safe. I
must bring something to your attention however; during our travels we
encountered a vampire. She fled to the south headed for here. We fought
with vampires under Athkatla before; there was a big stronghold for them in
the crypts. Perhaps they have taken up in the crypts and have started their
dark arts again."
"This is very interesting; we have been hearing reports in the areas around the graveyard. There have been strange disappearances and murders in the night. We would like for you to go and investigate the crypts. If you find vampires, we want you to dispose of them, understand?"
"Very well, Lord Hrothgar, we shall do as you ask. Will we have the mages accompany us?"
"That you will, at least for one more journey. Good luck with your quest"
"Thank you sir." Arek turned around and led his group out of the hall. They left the Temple district and headed to the slums. They went into the Copper Coronet. The managed to get four rooms and Minsc and Valerine went to their separate while Keara and Victoria went to the rooms that they would share with Tavion and Arek. Tavion and Arek on the other hand, ordered two ales and sat by the fire. They sat there, at first, quietly drinking. Tavion was the first to speak.
"So what are you really planning on doing at the crypts. I saw your reaction when Hrothgar told you what to do. What's up?"
"I'm not going to wipe them out. I want to find Silke, that's the only one I have problem with. My hope is that I can convince them to leave Athkatla and go north, maybe up towards Luskan or Neverwinter."
"Why don't we just wipe them out, you've done it before, certainly you can do it again."
"I've been talking to Victoria; she has person ties with their kind. They are just trying to fit in with their place in the world. No one asked to be the way they are. It's just like me or you, neither of us asked to be born to a god, it just happened. Does that make sense?"
"Now that you explain it like that, it really does. I've felt that blood lust you talk about. Every time you or I kill something, I have to fight not losing control and turning into a Slayer. I have to hand it to you, brother; you have been able to control the blood lust damn well. I'm with you all the way, what ever you decide to do. We will need to be careful about Minsc; they are his racial enemy as a ranger. He won't be happy letting the lot of them leave alive."
"I've thought about that too. If it comes down to it, we'll leave him behind on this one. I don't want things going badly like they did in the Shadow Thieves Hall. But we'll talk about this later. Get some rest, we aren't going to get any sleep tomorrow, we may be out all night." Tavion went upstairs and Arek did shortly there after. He got into bed with Victoria and tried to fall asleep. Sleep, however, wouldn't come. Arek stood up out of bed and left the room. He went down to the main floor of the inn. There was no one downstairs. Arek went back upstairs and grabbed Daystar. He returned downstairs and looked around. When he entered the kitchen, he saw a woman bent over the inn's cook. The woman lifted her head and Arek saw blood dripping from her mouth. The vampire smiled as she spoke to Arek.
"Ahh, my little mercenary, I wondered how long it would be until you came here to find me."
"You should have gone somewhere else Silke, I wouldn't waste my breath trying to find you. But since you chose to come back to Athkatla, you really leave me no choice. I've been assigned to rid Athkatla of your kind. One way or another, you will not be here much longer. Now, if you want to send word to all your blood sucking friends, I suggest you leave with your unnatural life and return to the crypts." Arek held Daystar in an attack position and readied himself in case Silke attacked.
"Fine, mercenary, I'll leave. But be warned, I have many powerful friends. They won't take well to threats if that is what you'd call it. You will not live much longer if you wish to hunt the hunters." She left the kitchen and vanished out the door. Arek placed the dead chef's body in the cook's room. Arek went back to his room and waited to see if Silke would come after him. After an hour, however, sleep finally came, and Arek was dropped into slumber.
The next day, Arek awoke to the site of Victoria's naked body getting dressed in the early sunlight that crept into the room. Arek got up and wrapped his arms around his love from behind and kissed her neck. "How are you doing this morning love?" Victoria asked him.
"Much more the better to be wake up with you. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did, though I was upset to feel you leave during the night. Where did you go?"
"I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs to find the chef of the inn being sucked dry by a vampire, the one I confronted in Beregost. I told her to warn the others that we were coming. Tonight should be interesting."
"I'm sure that if we can go in peacefully, everything will be ok. As long as we are going to 'talk' to them without using violence, we should be able to get them to leave."
"I hope that you are right."
"Have faith, my love." She turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately on the mouth. They broke away from each other and dressed. Arek had put his armor on when he heard Minsc knock on the door.
"What's up Minsc?" Arek asked as he opened the door. A fist greeted him when his head came into view. Arek barely had time to bat the fist away with his fore arm. "What is your problem Minsc?"
"Boo heard you are going to let the vampires live. You know Minsc and Boo hate them. What are you thinking about?" He swung time and again, missing as Arek bobbed and weaved to avoid the fists.
"We don't need to kill them. If we can get them to leave, we don't have to worry about buying the stakes to finish them off. Dealing with Bodhi was hard enough, what if the ones that we'll be dealing with are harder?"
"Boo doesn't care, we will still deliver the Boot of Righteousness to their backsides." He kept swinging at Arek's head. Finally Arek grew tired of defending and pressed in on an attack at Minsc. He hit him solidly in the armpit with a gauntleted fist. His other hand landed against Minsc's jaw with a thud. The ranger's jaw clicked together and he fell backwards onto the floor. Arek stood over the ranger's body.
"Now, are you going to argue with my plan still, or are you going to suck it up and come along quietly?"
"Minsc and Boo will go. We won't like it, but we will do it, we owe you that much."
"Good, then go get ready, we will got to the crypts tonight. But first, I want to go back to the Temple district and pick up some stakes in case. After that we will go to the graveyard and wait for nightfall."
Arek and Victoria went downstairs with to find the rest of the group waiting. Arek addressed them about what was to happen, "We will go to the crypts and wait for nightfall. Then we will go down to the crypts themselves and find the vampires. Our goal is to get them to leave peacefully. I don't want to kill them, the last time I did that was to save my sister. Let's head out." The party left the inn and headed for the Temple district. Arek bought some stakes and holy water from the Temple of Helm. They then went to the graveyard and waited till night fall. When the sun had finally set, they entered the crypts. They soon found themselves in a large decorated entry hall. There were many hieroglyphics written along the walls in a language Arek couldn't identify, but one he had seen before. They were soon greeted by two vampires.
"Stop there mortals. You have intruded upon sacred ground. You don't wish to go further."
"I know what you are, fiends, and I don't wish for confrontation. I merely want to meet with the leader of your stronghold here. I do not come here to fight with you. I am Arek, a Paladin, and a Bhaalspawn. I know what it is like to be an outcast like you. We want you to leave here peacefully and go somewhere where you will not be hunted down."
"Your words mean little, but we will take you to Nehekaptra. I am Nagash, and this is Villarias, we are two of Nehekaptra's bodyguards. Be careful of your actions around us, they may be your last." The two vampires led Arek and the group into the stronghold. They then led them to a grand throne room where a ancient but powerful vampire sat on a throne of bones.
"I am Nehekaptra. Why is it that six mortals, two of whom are paladins, come to speak with a vampire? Well?"
"I am Arek. I have come here to strike a deal with you. We have been sent here to kill you all, but we do not wish that. We want you to leave freely and go northward, to Neverwinter or Luskan, where you won't be hunted like you are here."
"And why do you wish this?"
"I have dealt with your kind before. I romanced with one. I killed her too. I didn't want to but she took something of mine, and something of my sister's in hopes of becoming mortal again. Bodhi was a monster, even for a vampire. But I helped and been helped by other vampires. I do not wish to spill more blood."
"So what do you propose mortal?"
"Leave Athkatla and go north. You won't be hunted there."
"Well, we are reluctant to leave. How about you give us one of your mages, say her?" he asked pointing straight at Victoria.
"I cannot do that. But I will offer a challenge. If one of your vampire's can kill me, you may take her with you. If I win, you will leave Athkatla and never return. Do we have a deal?"
"Indeed we do. Who will accept the challenge?"
Silke stepped out of the crowd. "I will fight him. I have a personal conflict that needs to be dealt with."
"Very well then, you may fight him. Everyone clear a space, a battle is to take place." Nehekaptra vampires moved out of the way and Arek turned to face Silke. He drew Azuredge and Daystar and didn't wait for her to make a move. He charged at Silke swinging his weapons. She dodged out of the way and leapt on his back. She extended her claws and stabbed up under his arms into his uncovered arm pits. Arek dropped his weapons in reflex and started swinging at Silke. He eventually got his had around her throat and he squeezed. When he had a good enough hold, he pulled down, crashing Silke's face into his helmet. She released him and dropped to the ground. Arek recovered his axe, Azuredge, and readied himself for an attack. Silke tried to pick up Daystar but burned her hands in the process. While she was distracted with her boiling skin, Arek threw his axe at her and amputated her arm off at the shoulder. She shrieked in pain and fell to the ground. She regained her footing only to find Arek wielding Daystar and holding it to her throat. He pushed a little into her skin and she screamed as the sword burned her skin. When the sword had burned a small complete hole in her throat, Arek withdrew the sword and sheathed it. He listened with pleasure as Silke tried to draw breath. Arek withdrew a stake and looked at Nehekaptra. The old vampire nodded with sadness in his eyes. Arek closed in on Silke and stabbed the stake downward into her chest. The vampire exploded in a cloud of dust.
Arek looked back at Nehekaptra. "Will you be leaving now?"
"We had a deal. I must say I am glad that I only lost one vampire to you Arek, for you are a fierce fighter. We will be leaving Athkatla for good, you have my word."
"Thank you." Arek returned to his party and they left the crypt. They returned to the Copper Coronet to catch some sleep.
The next day Arek awoke and left the inn without waking anyone. He went to the graveyard and examined the crypts. Nehekaptra had been true to his word and had left the crypts of Athkatla. Arek then went to the Paladin stronghold and addressed the Paladin Lords.
"I did as you asked. The vampires will no longer bother Athkatla; however, they are not dead. I struck a deal with them that and they left personally. That is all you need to know. What else may we do to help you?"
Hrothgar fixed Arek with a glare. "The fact that you did not kill them leaves me to question your courage. But the fact that you found a peaceful solution leaves me to believe that you are a fine leader. For your next task I want you to investigate the Fallen Paladin Legion. They are led by a former squire of mine by the name of Octavion. They have been causing many problems and I want them to be stopped. We will let the mages help you with this one. You can find the Fallen Paladins to be holed up in their headquarters in Durlag's Tower, to the east of Nashkel."
"It shall be done." Arek turned and left the stronghold. He headed back to the inn and found the group still asleep. He got back in bed with Victoria and thought about his next mission. Octavion would give him trouble. He strongly remembered the Fallen Paladin. He and Tavion had been close friends while they were squires. Octavion had killed his wife in a dispute and had been stripped of his Paladin hood. And he also wondered why he had gone to Durlag's Tower. Arek himself had been there and had almost been killed there. Did Octavion not realize the dangers that were there? He would have to talk with Tavion about it later, for he's the only one that knows what Octavion may be up to.
"This is very interesting; we have been hearing reports in the areas around the graveyard. There have been strange disappearances and murders in the night. We would like for you to go and investigate the crypts. If you find vampires, we want you to dispose of them, understand?"
"Very well, Lord Hrothgar, we shall do as you ask. Will we have the mages accompany us?"
"That you will, at least for one more journey. Good luck with your quest"
"Thank you sir." Arek turned around and led his group out of the hall. They left the Temple district and headed to the slums. They went into the Copper Coronet. The managed to get four rooms and Minsc and Valerine went to their separate while Keara and Victoria went to the rooms that they would share with Tavion and Arek. Tavion and Arek on the other hand, ordered two ales and sat by the fire. They sat there, at first, quietly drinking. Tavion was the first to speak.
"So what are you really planning on doing at the crypts. I saw your reaction when Hrothgar told you what to do. What's up?"
"I'm not going to wipe them out. I want to find Silke, that's the only one I have problem with. My hope is that I can convince them to leave Athkatla and go north, maybe up towards Luskan or Neverwinter."
"Why don't we just wipe them out, you've done it before, certainly you can do it again."
"I've been talking to Victoria; she has person ties with their kind. They are just trying to fit in with their place in the world. No one asked to be the way they are. It's just like me or you, neither of us asked to be born to a god, it just happened. Does that make sense?"
"Now that you explain it like that, it really does. I've felt that blood lust you talk about. Every time you or I kill something, I have to fight not losing control and turning into a Slayer. I have to hand it to you, brother; you have been able to control the blood lust damn well. I'm with you all the way, what ever you decide to do. We will need to be careful about Minsc; they are his racial enemy as a ranger. He won't be happy letting the lot of them leave alive."
"I've thought about that too. If it comes down to it, we'll leave him behind on this one. I don't want things going badly like they did in the Shadow Thieves Hall. But we'll talk about this later. Get some rest, we aren't going to get any sleep tomorrow, we may be out all night." Tavion went upstairs and Arek did shortly there after. He got into bed with Victoria and tried to fall asleep. Sleep, however, wouldn't come. Arek stood up out of bed and left the room. He went down to the main floor of the inn. There was no one downstairs. Arek went back upstairs and grabbed Daystar. He returned downstairs and looked around. When he entered the kitchen, he saw a woman bent over the inn's cook. The woman lifted her head and Arek saw blood dripping from her mouth. The vampire smiled as she spoke to Arek.
"Ahh, my little mercenary, I wondered how long it would be until you came here to find me."
"You should have gone somewhere else Silke, I wouldn't waste my breath trying to find you. But since you chose to come back to Athkatla, you really leave me no choice. I've been assigned to rid Athkatla of your kind. One way or another, you will not be here much longer. Now, if you want to send word to all your blood sucking friends, I suggest you leave with your unnatural life and return to the crypts." Arek held Daystar in an attack position and readied himself in case Silke attacked.
"Fine, mercenary, I'll leave. But be warned, I have many powerful friends. They won't take well to threats if that is what you'd call it. You will not live much longer if you wish to hunt the hunters." She left the kitchen and vanished out the door. Arek placed the dead chef's body in the cook's room. Arek went back to his room and waited to see if Silke would come after him. After an hour, however, sleep finally came, and Arek was dropped into slumber.
The next day, Arek awoke to the site of Victoria's naked body getting dressed in the early sunlight that crept into the room. Arek got up and wrapped his arms around his love from behind and kissed her neck. "How are you doing this morning love?" Victoria asked him.
"Much more the better to be wake up with you. Did you sleep well?"
"Yes I did, though I was upset to feel you leave during the night. Where did you go?"
"I couldn't sleep. I went downstairs to find the chef of the inn being sucked dry by a vampire, the one I confronted in Beregost. I told her to warn the others that we were coming. Tonight should be interesting."
"I'm sure that if we can go in peacefully, everything will be ok. As long as we are going to 'talk' to them without using violence, we should be able to get them to leave."
"I hope that you are right."
"Have faith, my love." She turned around in his arms and kissed him passionately on the mouth. They broke away from each other and dressed. Arek had put his armor on when he heard Minsc knock on the door.
"What's up Minsc?" Arek asked as he opened the door. A fist greeted him when his head came into view. Arek barely had time to bat the fist away with his fore arm. "What is your problem Minsc?"
"Boo heard you are going to let the vampires live. You know Minsc and Boo hate them. What are you thinking about?" He swung time and again, missing as Arek bobbed and weaved to avoid the fists.
"We don't need to kill them. If we can get them to leave, we don't have to worry about buying the stakes to finish them off. Dealing with Bodhi was hard enough, what if the ones that we'll be dealing with are harder?"
"Boo doesn't care, we will still deliver the Boot of Righteousness to their backsides." He kept swinging at Arek's head. Finally Arek grew tired of defending and pressed in on an attack at Minsc. He hit him solidly in the armpit with a gauntleted fist. His other hand landed against Minsc's jaw with a thud. The ranger's jaw clicked together and he fell backwards onto the floor. Arek stood over the ranger's body.
"Now, are you going to argue with my plan still, or are you going to suck it up and come along quietly?"
"Minsc and Boo will go. We won't like it, but we will do it, we owe you that much."
"Good, then go get ready, we will got to the crypts tonight. But first, I want to go back to the Temple district and pick up some stakes in case. After that we will go to the graveyard and wait for nightfall."
Arek and Victoria went downstairs with to find the rest of the group waiting. Arek addressed them about what was to happen, "We will go to the crypts and wait for nightfall. Then we will go down to the crypts themselves and find the vampires. Our goal is to get them to leave peacefully. I don't want to kill them, the last time I did that was to save my sister. Let's head out." The party left the inn and headed for the Temple district. Arek bought some stakes and holy water from the Temple of Helm. They then went to the graveyard and waited till night fall. When the sun had finally set, they entered the crypts. They soon found themselves in a large decorated entry hall. There were many hieroglyphics written along the walls in a language Arek couldn't identify, but one he had seen before. They were soon greeted by two vampires.
"Stop there mortals. You have intruded upon sacred ground. You don't wish to go further."
"I know what you are, fiends, and I don't wish for confrontation. I merely want to meet with the leader of your stronghold here. I do not come here to fight with you. I am Arek, a Paladin, and a Bhaalspawn. I know what it is like to be an outcast like you. We want you to leave here peacefully and go somewhere where you will not be hunted down."
"Your words mean little, but we will take you to Nehekaptra. I am Nagash, and this is Villarias, we are two of Nehekaptra's bodyguards. Be careful of your actions around us, they may be your last." The two vampires led Arek and the group into the stronghold. They then led them to a grand throne room where a ancient but powerful vampire sat on a throne of bones.
"I am Nehekaptra. Why is it that six mortals, two of whom are paladins, come to speak with a vampire? Well?"
"I am Arek. I have come here to strike a deal with you. We have been sent here to kill you all, but we do not wish that. We want you to leave freely and go northward, to Neverwinter or Luskan, where you won't be hunted like you are here."
"And why do you wish this?"
"I have dealt with your kind before. I romanced with one. I killed her too. I didn't want to but she took something of mine, and something of my sister's in hopes of becoming mortal again. Bodhi was a monster, even for a vampire. But I helped and been helped by other vampires. I do not wish to spill more blood."
"So what do you propose mortal?"
"Leave Athkatla and go north. You won't be hunted there."
"Well, we are reluctant to leave. How about you give us one of your mages, say her?" he asked pointing straight at Victoria.
"I cannot do that. But I will offer a challenge. If one of your vampire's can kill me, you may take her with you. If I win, you will leave Athkatla and never return. Do we have a deal?"
"Indeed we do. Who will accept the challenge?"
Silke stepped out of the crowd. "I will fight him. I have a personal conflict that needs to be dealt with."
"Very well then, you may fight him. Everyone clear a space, a battle is to take place." Nehekaptra vampires moved out of the way and Arek turned to face Silke. He drew Azuredge and Daystar and didn't wait for her to make a move. He charged at Silke swinging his weapons. She dodged out of the way and leapt on his back. She extended her claws and stabbed up under his arms into his uncovered arm pits. Arek dropped his weapons in reflex and started swinging at Silke. He eventually got his had around her throat and he squeezed. When he had a good enough hold, he pulled down, crashing Silke's face into his helmet. She released him and dropped to the ground. Arek recovered his axe, Azuredge, and readied himself for an attack. Silke tried to pick up Daystar but burned her hands in the process. While she was distracted with her boiling skin, Arek threw his axe at her and amputated her arm off at the shoulder. She shrieked in pain and fell to the ground. She regained her footing only to find Arek wielding Daystar and holding it to her throat. He pushed a little into her skin and she screamed as the sword burned her skin. When the sword had burned a small complete hole in her throat, Arek withdrew the sword and sheathed it. He listened with pleasure as Silke tried to draw breath. Arek withdrew a stake and looked at Nehekaptra. The old vampire nodded with sadness in his eyes. Arek closed in on Silke and stabbed the stake downward into her chest. The vampire exploded in a cloud of dust.
Arek looked back at Nehekaptra. "Will you be leaving now?"
"We had a deal. I must say I am glad that I only lost one vampire to you Arek, for you are a fierce fighter. We will be leaving Athkatla for good, you have my word."
"Thank you." Arek returned to his party and they left the crypt. They returned to the Copper Coronet to catch some sleep.
The next day Arek awoke and left the inn without waking anyone. He went to the graveyard and examined the crypts. Nehekaptra had been true to his word and had left the crypts of Athkatla. Arek then went to the Paladin stronghold and addressed the Paladin Lords.
"I did as you asked. The vampires will no longer bother Athkatla; however, they are not dead. I struck a deal with them that and they left personally. That is all you need to know. What else may we do to help you?"
Hrothgar fixed Arek with a glare. "The fact that you did not kill them leaves me to question your courage. But the fact that you found a peaceful solution leaves me to believe that you are a fine leader. For your next task I want you to investigate the Fallen Paladin Legion. They are led by a former squire of mine by the name of Octavion. They have been causing many problems and I want them to be stopped. We will let the mages help you with this one. You can find the Fallen Paladins to be holed up in their headquarters in Durlag's Tower, to the east of Nashkel."
"It shall be done." Arek turned and left the stronghold. He headed back to the inn and found the group still asleep. He got back in bed with Victoria and thought about his next mission. Octavion would give him trouble. He strongly remembered the Fallen Paladin. He and Tavion had been close friends while they were squires. Octavion had killed his wife in a dispute and had been stripped of his Paladin hood. And he also wondered why he had gone to Durlag's Tower. Arek himself had been there and had almost been killed there. Did Octavion not realize the dangers that were there? He would have to talk with Tavion about it later, for he's the only one that knows what Octavion may be up to.