His cloak, viewed regularly among those who dine well.

Lodo, Tharros, Thelvin, Kunne, and Katla made their way back to Wine and Spirits to find out the decision on the purchase of the strange tapestry.

Maara quickly ushered to group back to Eris' room. Several of the old woman's family were sitting around her bed. At the foot, the framed tapestry sat.

"We have considered your offer to buy the tapestry. " Maara said as they made themselves comfortable. "Grandmother agrees that selling it would be a good thing. We only have one problem."

"And what problem is that?" Lodo asked.

"We tried to take it out of the inn, to meet you at the arena. A light came from the frame and made it shoot back to it's place on the wall. All of us here in this room have been trying to break the frame and take the tapestry out of it. None of us have been successful."

Eris piped up wearily " It can not be broken. Only the blood scepter, the scepter that was lost during the reign of Ghalegha, in the hands of one of royal blood can break the frame."

"If we can get it out of the frame, we have settled on a price of fifty thousand platinum. It is a family heirloom, after all."

Lodo gave Maara a smirk. "I suppose it is a good thing that I am insanely rich." He tossed a bag to Maara. "That bag holds that much. You can count it if you wish. And, no upping the price. You have not made me a pauper by any means. I will not renegotiate the price."

Maara's eyes went wide as he dumped the platinum pieces onto the floor. The bag was much too small to contain that much platinum, yet the magical bag emptied the enormous pile of money on the floor.

"I am satisfied." Maara said, "But how are you going to get it out of the frame."

"I am a wizard of no small talent. I think I can manage. Although, I would ask that all of you except for Eris leave the room while I perform the spell. It is very dangerous and I do not want you to be hurt by it. Because of her condition, I will have my friends shield Eris from the effects of the spell. Agreed?"

The elves whispered among themselves. "Agreed," Maara said after the discussion dissipated.

The elven progeny of Eris slowly filed their way out of the room. Many angry and dissatisfied faces glared at Lodo as they left the room. Kunne closed the door after them.

"Kunne, can you place a ward on the door? Make sure no one can see into this room. Tharros, place a protective shield, around Eris. Make it sound and psi proof, if you can. Thelvin, hold the frame, you are the sturdiest of us."

"What about me? I have some powerful spells I can use." Katla huffed.

"Just a moment. I have something in mind for you." Lodo said, "Don't be difficult.

"Ye are not gonna fireball me again are ye?"

"No, Thelvin."

Lodo waited for Tharros to finish his spell over Eris before turning to meet Katla's angry glare.

"I am not some servant girl you can just push around, Lodo Celestide!"

"Shut up, Katla. I just wanted to make sure Eris was fully shielded before I said anything. Reach into your bag of holding and pull out that scepter your mother gave you before she died."

"What?"

"You heard me. Pull it out."

Katla slowly pulled out the scepter and looked at it closely. The scepter was blood red with gold filigree and black leather like bindings. At the top was a hollow looking globe also bound in gold and black. Within the globe was an oozing red, metallic looking substance that resembled blood.

"The Blood Scepter," Kunne said with a gasp. "How is she able to touch it? The magic on that thing is said to instantly kill anyone who touches it."

"It is because Katla is a Durothil. None must know she has the scepter. None must know she has the blood of Ghalegha running through her veins. She is an heir to Myth Fredaine."

"Impossible," Kunne retorted, "No female can hold the throne."

"Alright then, her son is an heir. Nonetheless, no one besides ourselves must know how that frame was broken. I swear all of you to secrecy about her possession of the scepter. I will put a geas on all of you if you don't."

"I agree," Tharros said quickly.

"I'll be agreein ta that. I do na want my hide on the block fer knowin her."

"I agree as well, on one condition."

"This is no time to be negotiating for a pardon, Kunne."

"During my concert by the ancient gate tomorrow, I want you to use your magic to open the gate, and allow some women and children to start filtering out of the city."

"I was planning on helping you do that anyway. Now Katla, hit the frame with the scepter."

Katla lifted the scepter and hit the frame. The frame shattered into hundreds of pieces. Slowly, the broken pieces turned to mist and disappeared. The 'tapestry' fell crumpled to the floor.

"Put the scepter away now, Katla. We don't want Eris to sense it once the barrier is removed."

Katla quickly stashed the scepter back in her bag and went to the cloth that was once perceived as a tapestry had been. Thelvin was carefully unfolding the cloth and looking at it closely.

"Now this be a very fine cloak."

The cloak had a capellet at the top, hiding long slits that made it easier to handle if being worn by a swordsman in battle. It had a finely crafted hood with tassels of silver on each side to keep it in place in the wind. The hem of the cape was weighted, making it useful as a weapon on its own if need be. Most of all, it radiated holy magic. The clasp that held it together in the front was the moon shaped symbol of Corellon Larethian."

"I have never seen anything so magnificent!" Katla said.

As the barrier around Eris faded, she took a gasp. She made a cheerful smile with her toothless lips and tears ran down her blind eyes.

"Send my children in to me. I am finally free. I want to spend my last moments among them."

"Of course, Eris, as you wish." Katla said softly as Eris labored to keep breathing.

"Put the 'tapestry' in your bag, Thelvin, before we open the door. Kunne, release the seal."

"Alright," Kunne answered as he dissipated his spell and opened the door for Eris' progeny, who had waited outside of it, to file into the room.

"Thank you so much! You can not fathom what this means to me!" Eris said as Lodo and his friends left.

"What did she mean by that?" Kunne said as they walked out of the inn and onto the street.

"She is finally dying. She will be dead within the hour." Tharros answered.

##########

Walisra cared for the rapidly healing wounds as the Ancient Captive lay on his stomach, in the grass, behind The Jagged Palace.

"Please do not cry, Walisra. They will heal, and they will leave no scars. They never leave scars."

"I know, Lokteruost, but knowing that they are even dealt to you makes me sad. You are the only person I can call a father. Any daughter would have heartfelt pain to know her father was in pain."

"Thank you. I will give you your lesson on the Seldarine as soon as they heal and we can make our way to the ruined temple. Kirisatt is too busy with his new 'concubine' to bother us today."

"I feel sorry for the poor young boy, being subjected to Kirisatt's cruelty."

"There is not much we can.." Lokteruost started when he let out a horrid sounding gasp.

"What is it!" Walisra said as she jumped to her feet. She felt a shudder go through her body but could not explain the exact feeling it caused.

The slowly healing wounds on Lokteruost's back healed in an instant as he felt a surge of enormous power enter his body. He rolled over and sat up. He was dizzy. His vision blurred and he saw himself standing in front of a mirror, trying on an ornate blue cloak. A woman behind him, put her arms around him and kissed his cheek. As the vision faded, he blinked his eyes and ran his fingers through his dark royal blue, often mistaken for black, hair.

"Luinil."

"What did you say, Lokteruost?"

"Walisra, I saw my cloak. Oh Luinil, I miss you my beloved wife. I wish I were in Arvandor with you."

Walisra looked at him and realized that he had regained a memory that he had been denied. She kneeled down and embraced him. Happy tears streamed down her face.

##########

Ty'Aero sat in a comfortable chair in his laboratory high in his tower. He wanted to work on a potion he had discovered in on of his tomes, but he was just not in the mood. He could not keep his mind on his work.

The eyes, the face, and the golden halo if hair that belonged to Katla Wisteria kept popping into his mind. It sent a fire through him like had never felt before. He found himself moving to keep his manhood from causing him an embarrassment. He did not want any of his master students walking in to see him in such a state. None of his slave concubines had ever aroused him so completely as that one elven woman did.

"She is much too good for Kirisatt." He said softly aloud. "Forget him touching her. I want her."

He stood and looked out the window at the academy below. All this power, all this prestige, all the honor and fear given by the populous, were nothing to him at that moment. He had worked so hard for many years to acquire everything he had. Yet, in one afternoon, he thought of giving up all his grand ambitions, for her. He frowned at himself and shook his head.

"A lady of wealth and power as she is, I am certain she will not want me to halt my rise to glory."

He turned, went to the door and made his way down to the grounds of the Academy. He walked around the ornate fountains. The air within the wards of the Black Academy was much better than that outside of it. Ty'Aero had seen to that. He wanted his students to be in the top of health, above all others in the city.

"What is taking Verien so long? I am sure he could have found her by now, easily." He whispered to himself," I am going to have to have him whipped. He must be in the brothel, coupling with his sister. Disgusting little beast. He is nearly as bad as Kirisatt. At least he is a little more discreet about his perversion."

Ty'Aero's ears suddenly stared ringing loudly. His temples pulsed with extreme pain. He resisted the urge to scream as his nose began to bleed. He fell to a heap to the ground near the fountain as the hideous power engulfed him. It felt like someone was literally trying to rip his head off. As suddenly as it came, it left him. He rose and took a handkerchief from his pocket to wipe away the blood before he was seen.

"What, what was that?" he said shakily."

##########

Verien searched through the crowded streets. He had not seen her leave the arena, so he was not sure where to look first.

"Damn it, Ty'Aero. Why do you have to send me after some little pain of a woman?"

He killed a couple of passers by to relieve his frustration. He wanted to go to his sister at Fredaine's brothel, but he knew what Ty'Aero would do to him if he did not finish this task and report back to him. It took his manhood several weeks to heal the last time Ty'Aero had him whipped for disobedience. He hated that the Shadow Arch-Wizard knew his weakness for feminine company, especially that of his own sister.

"Did you see that haughty little blonde elf that came through here," a merchant said.

"Yes, she pushed me to the side when I got in her way. She's a strong one." a slaver replied

"I wonder what she's like in bed," another said," I bet she is a wildcat."

"I think she is taken. She went to the Wine and Spirits on the arm of a blonde half elf."

"Lucky bastard," The merchant replied, "I wonder how long it takes for her to wear him out."

"Well if she leaves still hungry, I don't mind being second." the slaver said as the group of lewd talkers laughed loudly.

Verien listened intently at the conversation. " The Wine and Spirits," he thought," Hmm, maybe I will be able to go to my creature comforts after all."

As he made his way to the inn, his feet suddenly went out from under him. His legs felt as if someone had taken them and broken every bone in his legs and feet. He screamed in agony as the onlookers pointed and laughed.

"Ty'Aero must have 'scolded' Verien again."

Verien took several long breaths as the throbbing pain subsided. He stood and felt along his legs. Nothing was wrong with them.

"What in the hells was that?"

##########

Kirisatt giggles as he chased the sobbing boy around his bedchamber. He was roaring drunk and hopped up on aphrodisiacs.

He felt the need to seize his new toy at least one more time before he sent him back to the harem.

The boy was backed in to a corner when a searing pain washed over Kirisatt's head. It felt like someone had grabbed him by his lovely hair and was yanking it out by the scalp, all at once. He screamed and howled, giving the boy a chance to escape the bedchamber.

Kirisatt fainted out onto his bed as soon as the pain subsided, and fell fast asleep.

##########

Anga Norsa, owner and master of the Billowing Towers was sitting in his ornate dining room having another meal. To say that he was fat was a gross understatement. If it were not for his magic flying suit, he could not move from his seat. His hands were so chubby with fat, he had to be fed by his servants. His girth would not let him fit through normal sized doors.

He used a magic pen to jot down the specifications to all of his inventions, including the never rust gold golems.

There were constant bets on exactly how much the Drow Wizard weighed. He sometimes thought it might be worth his while to set up a scale during the circus at the arena, and cash in on some of those bets, but he never did. Most guessed he weighed in at about five hundred kilos.

As he gulped down another glass of wine, he felt a searing pain near his chest. He grabbed at the item he had on a chain below his shirt. He vomited twice as the intense pain vanished.

"I wonder what that was all about? Must have been the wine. Servants! Throw out that wine and bring another bottle! Clean up this mess and bring in the next course. I am still famished."

##########

The master of the slime lords, Goylar, swam among his pets in the lowest level of the temple of Ghaunadaur. He changed from ooze form to drow form and back again. He loved communing with his pets and his god this way. They could not hurt him, nor would the various slimes and oozes do so. He had raised nearly all of the them from the time they were no larger than spit. They obeyed his thoughts. They were comforted by the staff he has that resembled a black Sheppard's crook. He was happy here. If he had a choice he would never leave this room.

He was the High priest of Ghaunadaur. He had to let his pets out of the temple every night and call them all back in the morning. Any defiance in this duty would bring the wrath of the Emperor and Ty'Aero down on him and his children.

Goylar let out a sudden scream as his form drastically switched to its original drow form while he was still in the middle of an ooze. He quickly climbed out of the pool as racking pain spread through his body, centering around his left hip. He felt a swirl of magic as his pets felt his pain along with him.

"Shh, babies, daddy will be alright. Oh Ghaunadaur! Thank you for this punishment! I will be careful to no longer offend you!"

He held onto his staff to stand. He stood and trembled there for a few moments until the pain subsided. He let out a deep breath and transformed back into an ooze, to comfort his pets.

##########

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