Chapter Two
"So Valas," Said Jarlaxle, "About Kimmuriel, how has he coerced my band so easily?"
Valas waited a while before answering, fiddling with one of his trinkets. "Kimmuriel has found a psionic artifact, one that greatly increases his psionic powers. He's using it to partially mind control your band. I was out in the wilds when he obtained it."
Valas looked at Jarlaxle and saw the gleam in his eye, and said, "The artifact is melded to his head, you'll never be able to get it and use it." Jarlaxle looked slightly disappointed, but recovered with a smile. He took his outrageous hat off and rubbed a hand over his bald head.
"Any questions,
my lovely assassin cohort?" Entreri was slightly annoyed, but hid
it well. "Why are we walking to the underdark instead of magical
transport?" Jarlaxle pretended to consider the question for a
moment, then said, "To annoy you."
Entreri
sighed. "No, really." Jarlaxle took a look around the nice
forested area they were currently walking through. "I like the
scenery." Valas gave a short chuckle, very out of character for
him, though people acted out of character around Jarlaxle all the
time.
Jarlaxle, not giving Entreri time to say anything, whirled on the assassin. Entreri's hand reflexively went to his dagger. He would have struck anyone else. "My dear assassin, could you think for a moment? My mercenary band is being taken over, we are hundreds of miles away, and time is most precious in our situation. We aren't going by magic because we can't, Kimmuriel has blocked off all transportation by magic in Menzoberranzan."
Jarlaxle whirled to face the front, then slowly turned back to the assassin with a faint smile on his lips. "Entreri, I am sorry. I shouldn't be losing my control. After all, I'm Jarlaxle."