Chapter 1
A figure clad in thick, black robes sat at a large table in the common room of an inn. He was busy carving something into the surface of the table with an ornate silver knife. A tall dark staff rested against the wall by his chair, within easy grasp. Made of a single straight piece of ironwood the color of its owner's robes, the staff seemed to attract the shadows to it even in a well lit room. The early morning sun struggled through the dingy windows barely providing enough light to see by. Several guttering oil lamps tried to make up for the sun's lacking. Although it was well into Spring Dawning the mornings in this part of Ansalon still held a chill, so a small fire burned in the large fireplace that dominated the center of the room. The room was fairly empty, most of the other patrons still snug in their beds. A few scraggly regulars were curing their hangovers with more ale at the bar. The men at the bar cast hurried glances at the stranger in the dark robes every so often. Though the War of the Lance had ended long ago and magic users had gained an amount of respect, or at least tolerance, those that followed the path of Nuitari by donning the Black Robes were still regarded as the enemy in some places. Most people had sense enough to leave the black robes alone should one be seen in public, they were known to have volatile tempers and little regard for the lives of others.
This particular Black Robe continued his work on the table despite the nervous mutterings of protest by the barkeep. Even with the heat radiating from the hearth the wizard had his thickest robe on with the hood brought all the way up obscuring his features. The only sounds in the inn were the crackle of the fire, the occasional curse and banging pot coming from the kitchen where the cook was busy making breakfast and the constant scratching sound of the wizard's knife on the wood. Even the drunks at the bar were strangely quiet, unnerved as they were by the presence of the dark wizard.
Footsteps sounded on the stairway leading from the guest rooms as another figure in robes made its way down into the main room. The drunks at the bar looked up and grinned. Standing at the foot of the stairs was a slender woman dressed in the long robes of a mage, a deep shimmering crimson in color. The robe hung loosely around her, accentuating rather than exaggerating her lithe frame. A supple red leather belt with a golden buckle was slung around her slight waist. Numerous pouches of red satin dangled from the belt, the sickly sweet smell of spell components thick about them. Her face was framed by dark brown hair that hung down to her shoulders in tight curls. Two emerald green eyes scanned the common room. A deep intelligence and cunning hid within those green pools. Spotting the figure cloaked in darkness she made her way gracefully to his table. One of the regulars, his courage bolstered by drink, made a grab for her as she passed.
"Hey darlin', join me for a drink..." The drunk's eyes widened suddenly as his hand passed right through the mage as if she were made of smoke. She kept walking as if nothing had happened, not even bothering to look at the man. He just stared after her for a few moments before returning to his drink muttering "damn uppity wizards" as he did so.
The wizard in black stopped his work as the mage in red approached.
"Good Morning, Jonah. What are you doing to that poor table?" the wizardess asked sweetly.
"Good morning to you, Kellindra. I was simply leaving a message for any of my brethren that happen to stop here. It warns them of the horrible vintage Qualinesti wine they serve here." Jonah added the final line to the last rune in his message and set his knife down. A faint blue light glimmered from the carvings then they vanished completely, leaving the table exactly as it had been. Only those that walked in the light of the black moon Nuitari would be able to read them now.
"All that trouble for a message about wine?" Kellindra asked a sly grin on her lips.
"I was bored waiting for the rest of you to awaken." Jonah pulled his cowl away from his head. The warm light from the oil lamps did little to brighten the stern face beneath. Though barely into his thirties already lines of suffering were beginning to etch themselves onto Jonah's face. Thin razor straight hair colored as black as a raven's wing hung loosely about his face. A neatly trimmed beard surrounded thin, tightly drawn lips that rarely saw a smile. Most startling, however, were his eyes. They were not the eyes of a normal person. Two pools of complete black stared out beneath his eyelids. The pupil, iris, even the whites were the same inky black color. A mark of the often fatal test all wizards had to undergo before they were allowed to practice magic. Kellindra pulled out a chair and sat down.
"So I am the first of the others to awake? Did you order breakfast?" Jonah shook his head.
"No, I wasn't very hungry, plus I thought it best to wait for the others." More footsteps sounded on the stairwell. This time it was a young man in his late twenties dressed in clean white robes. A myriad of soft leather pouches hung from a simple belt of white cloth around his waist marking him as a practitioner of magic. Spotting the other two mages seated at the table the man in white waved then hurried down the remaining steps. About two steps from the bottom his feet got caught in his robes robbing him of his balance. He fell down the rest of the way, landing in a small heap at the bottom. The drunkards at the bar broke out into loud fits of laughter and Kellindra tried to suppress a small giggle. Even Jonah couldn't help but crack a tiny smile. Embarrassed, the young mage picked him self up off the floor, dusted off his robes and hurried across the room. He avoided the gazes of the men at the bar who were still laughing loudly. He sat down heavily at the table and tried to salvage his dignity. Kellindra gave him a comforting pat on the arm.
"There, there Andrith. It happens to the best of us," she said comfortingly. Andrith seemed to be cheered by her words until Jonah broke in.
"I can't believe you were able to pass the Test when you can't even manage to walk down a flight of stairs." Jonah said wryly.
"Be quiet, Jonah. I don't need this right now; my head still hurts from last night." Andrith said as he ran a hand through his shaggy brown hair.
"That's what you get for trying to out drink the dwarf." Jonah said.
Andrith groaned and placed his head on the cool wood of the table. "Don't remind me" he replied. Andrith had barely finished his sentence when the pounding of heavy boots and loud dwarven laughter filled the room. Andrith winced slightly and clutched his head. The noise belonged to a dwarf with a long brown beard and a bald head who was making his way down the stairs. His armor was a mixture of chain and leather that looked old and well taken care of. The many buckles and straps caused an incredible amount of noise as he stumbled down the stairs. The dwarf was already calling loudly to the barkeep to bring him some ale and breakfast. Two figures followed behind the dwarf conversing together in light tones. One was a woman with straight brown hair and dressed in finely made priest robes of red and gold. A mace rode on her hip with practiced ease. She caressed a medallion made of gold in the shape of a flame that hung around her neck as if drawing comfort from it. The other man was dressed in leather armor dyed a deep black color. His hands were covered by a pair of gloves made of the same dark leather. Thrust into his belt were several daggers, their intricate handles glittering in the fire light. A slim rapier rode easily on his hip, his hand never far from the hilt. Following a few steps behind those two was a huge bear of a man. He had to walk hunched over to avoid hitting the ceiling with his head. His dark hair was tied back in a long braid that stretched to the center of his back. In his hand he carried a giant broadsword that was longer than most men were tall. It was kept in a sheath that was made of hand-tooled leather. Intricate, hand-drawn pictures of wild animals covered the well preserved sheath. His clothes were simple leather affairs in the style common to the barbarians from the plains to the south. Little decoration adorned the clothes apart from a few multi-colored beads.
Jonah leaned over to Kellindra. "It seems we are all awake now" he said. She nodded and rose to greet her friends. The dwarf reached the table first, after exchanging greetings with Kellindra and Jonah he walked over to where Andrith was still clutching his head in pain. He gave the wizard a hearty slap on the back and laughed deeply.
"How are ye m'boy? I'm surprised to see you still live. After all, I've never seen a human drink that much ale b'fore!"
"Not now Alec," Andrith groaned "leave me to die in peace, I beg you." Alec laughed again.
"You finger-wigglers are such sissies. Aye, fer sure you can set things on fire pretty good but ye can't handle yer ale!" Alec continued to laugh as he stomped over to the bar to find out what was taking his food so long.
"Good Morning, Christine." Kellindra said to the priestess as she reached the table.
"Good Morning to you as well Kellindra," Christine replied "and a good one it is. The sun is bright and warm today. The lord Sirrion has truly blessed us this day." Christine took a seat next to Andrith. She ran her hand over his head and said a quick prayer. Andrith immediately sat up and looked around, a look of shock and relief on his face. Christine just laughed and ruffled his unkempt hair. Kellindra smiled and turned to the big warrior as he took a seat next to her.
"And how are you today Shar?" she asked.
"I am well," Shar said his voice deep like distant thunder rolling off a mountain side "and I am hungry! Where is the food?" As if on cue the dwarf returned with a large skillet of fried eggs and ham. He was followed closely by a young woman carrying a large tray filled with mugs of ale. The tray must have weighed a great deal as she was having some difficulty keeping it steady. Luckily the serving girl managed to set the tray down without spilling a single drop. As she tried to return to the kitchen Jonah grabbed her sleeve stopping her.
"A bottle of wine and three glasses if you would" he asked "Solamnic this time." He pressed a steel coin into her hand for her troubles. The girl's eyes lit up and a huge smile crossed her lips as she pocketed the coin and hurried off into the back to fill his order.
"I was worried the silly tart was going to spill the beer" the man in black leather said as he slid into a seat next to Jonah. "Although, I hate to see good steel wasted on the likes of her, you should be more careful with your money Jonah."
"It's worth it if it makes her hurry back with the wine, besides, the coin wasn't mine. It was one of yours Benthl." Jonah replied coolly. Benthl's eyes narrowed dangerously. There was a slight whisper of air as Benthl quickly drew one of his daggers and leveled it at Jonah's neck. Jonah sat quietly, the dark pits of his eyes betraying no emotion. Benthl could see his face reflected back at him in those pools of darkness. He couldn't help but feel as if his very soul was being pulled toward those eyes. He suppressed a slight shiver then cracked a smile.
"I guess you got me that time, just don't let me catch you next time!" Benthl said with a laugh. The dagger disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, secreted away somewhere on the thief's body. He then grabbed one of the mugs of ale and drained half of it in one gulp. Jonah leaned back and let a rare grin cross his features as the serving girl returned with the wine. She poured a glass for each of the wizards then returned to the kitchen, leaving the bottle behind. The friends ate and drank their fill at a leisurely pace. Pushing back his third plate of eggs, Alec leaned back in his chair and produced a small ivory pipe carved to look like the head of a dragon. He took several puffs then let out a contented sigh. His head wreathed in smoke, Alec turned his eye to the black robed mage.
"Well boy, now that our bellies are full and our minds fresh, what be our next move?" the dwarf said between puffs on his pipe.
"Aye, I would like to know that too." Christine said. "You still haven't told us why you asked us to travel this far Jonah."
Jonah paused to take a sip of his wine, throwing a glance at Andrith and Kellindra in the process. He set his glass down with deliberate care before sweeping his gaze over his friends. They all looked at him expectantly.
"Andrith, Kellindra, and I have been given a mission by the Conclave, the nature of which I cannot reveal to you at this moment. We asked you along because we knew we would not have been able to complete it alone. Know for now that we travel to Palanthas, I must...meet someone there that can provide more information." Alec and Benthl's eyes seemed to light up deviously at the mention of Palanthas. The others seemed pleased at the chance to visit one of the great wonders of Krynn. The legends of Palanthas' majesty were well known. None of the others noticed the slightly troubled looks the three wizards exchanged with each other.
"Well, if everyone is ready," Jonah said as he started to rise "we had best get on the road. Palanthas is still a few days journey from here." Tossing a few coins on the table the friends quickly gathered their things and left the inn. The air outside had warmed considerably and a light breeze wafted through the trees stirring the leaves.
"I was starting to wonder when you would finally leave. I've been up since the sun first broke over the hilltops" said a musical voice from high above. The group looked up at the source. Standing high above the ground on a limb of an oak tree was a woman still mostly obscured by the branches budding with new growth. She leaped gracefully off of the tree, her long brown hair flowing behind her in a wave. She landed in a crouch then slowly stood up. Her clothing was a mixture of leather and cloth colored green and brown made to blend into the forest that was her home. She held in her hands a well cared for longbow, the wood itself was carved with various scenes from nature. Barely visible beneath her hair were two jeweled hilts, hinting at the pair of long swords that crossed her back within easy reach. The sun sparkled in her blue eyes and shone off her deeply tanned skin and well honed muscles earned from a life spent almost exclusively outside.
"Ah, so there's our guide. Good morrow, Jo'anne" Andrith said with a wide grin.
"Where is your friend ranger? You are often not far apart." Jonah said. As soon as Jonah had finished speaking, a large wolf with a coat dark as night broke off from the shadows and slowly padded up to stand next to Jo'anne. The ranger ran her fingers through his fur and scratched the proud animal's ears.
"Do you mean this friend, dark one?" Jo'anne replied slyly. Jonah lowered his eyebrows slightly at the nickname.
"Actually, I was speaking of the elf. Do you know where she is?"
"Do we really need ta know Jonah?" Alec said, "The way I figure it, we'd be better off without her. Besides, she talks more than a kender sometimes!"
"I heard that you fat slob!" said a voice behind the dwarf. Alec whirled around but saw nothing but the dirt road and the inn behind him. There was a slight shimmering of the air next to Alec. A large grizzly bear suddenly appeared to Alec's left. The great beast stood on its hind legs towering over the dwarf and let out a great roar. Alec yelled in terror and flung himself backwards groping for his battle axe as he fell. A soft yellow light surrounded the bear as it began to change. Its body seemed to flow like water as it became smaller and more human like until instead of a bear there stood a woman dressed in simple leather clothing. Bits of fur, beads, bones, feathers and other assorted objects adorned her garb and hung from her straight black hair. Delicately pointed ears and almond shaped eyes the color of mahogany marked her as an elf. The tribal tattoos that crawled up and down her arms marked her as a Kagonesti, more commonly known as wilder elves. She carried no weapons save a staff that seemed to be formed from a still living branch, in fact several new green leaves could be seen growing in places on the thick wood.
"Damnit Daariaya" Alec grumbled, "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"
"That's what you deserve for comparing me to a kender." Daariaya replied. The others having watched the entire exchange could hold it in no longer and they all burst out laughing. Daariaya helped Alec to his feet and brushed off some of the dirt. The dwarf kept muttering and grumbling under his breath but accepted the help. He searched his pockets for his pipe, and upon finding it still in good condition proceeded to light it.
"Now that we are all assembled, I think it would be best if we gathered our horses and made our way to Palanthas." Jonah said.
"Aye, I am eager to get started on our journey as well" Christine said, "The gods have blessed us with favorable weather. We had better not waste it." The plan set the nine friends got their horses and headed off down the road that would eventually lead to Palanthas.