Chapter 7 – Escape to Dren --------------------------------

The unlikely quartet hastily traversed the pavilion and entered into the Royal Court through a hidden rift in the wall, behind a line of tall shrubbery. Inside the walls of courtyard Gedor's pace slowed dramatically, as he caught his breath. He took a moment to straighten his attire. He appeared to be a young nobleman, with very stylish clothing, an enigma of gilded trim, buttons, buckets, and embroidery. He wore a coat of heavy black leather with golden embroidery of complex designs, under which was a silvery chain vest. As elaborate as his outfit was, he appeared to wear it comfortably.

Velarus took the opportunity to question this unusual man further. "We have aided in thy rescue, and now pray tell us some information. Why is the thieves' guild trying to kill thee?"

"Aye and I do thank thee for thy assistance, a good call I might say. Perhaps a bit brash, making an enemy with the Suzailian guild is not sage advice. But who am I to talk, after all, that pitiful attempt at an assassination was for me." The noble man seemed genuinely humored by the recent events.

Velarus was amazed at his aloofness, regarding their situation. "Does Farc have anything to do with this Suzailian Guild that attacked thee." The ranger watched the man's reaction to the query. Hoping for all this trouble they could get a good lead on where to find this brute.

Gedor seemed to think about the question for a few moments. "Farc?... No, I don't remember any Farc? Who is he?"

Velarus tilted his head and raised his eyebrow after hearing the foppish man's response. "No, we do not know him but we seek him. We were told that thou hast the wherewithal to contact him. He is a half-orc priest. Are thee sure, thou dost not know him? There can't many with this description around here. It is important that we speak to him. "Again the young ranger leaned toward the young noble, watching his response carefully.

Gedor scratched his smooth chin and thought it over, as they continued to stroll through the stone walkway. "Well, I have the means to contact almost anyone, but that's not what ye want. Ye want to find him thyself. Alas I don't know of this Farc, however, an acquaintance of mine belonged to a band of adventurers led by a half-breed orc. He and his band left months ago."

Aliana broke in timidly to ask, "Umm...Might thee happen to know where they were bound? Or what their plans were?" She faced the waitress and asked plaintively. "Could you please tell me who gave you the note that you gave to me? Please?"

Gedor stopped in his tracks and looked over the two. He addressed the blonde waitress, "Mistaken Identity Malli? If these two weren't the ones sent here to help me... "

The waitress appeared flushed. "I'm afraid these aren't the ones sent from Arabel. Two adventurers asking about you. I figured they were the rescue party. It would seem this was all a misunderstanding to begin with. But when this ranger went and talked with that tramp I figured they had some guild business."

Velarus face turned a slight shade of red as Malli spoke about the barmaid he met. "I was only questioning her about Farc, and Gedor. We were told that Gedor could help us find Farc.. by.. Excuse me for a minute." The ranger pulled Aliana to the side. "Should we tell him the real reason for trying to find Farc? Should we trust him?" Velarus glanced back over his shoulder at the black clad man.

Aliana leaned in and whispered to Velarus. "I believe that if we are planning to be traveling with Gedor for any length of time, we should be honest with him. I'm...uncomfortable with keeping secrets or using deception on anyone I might have to..." she paled slightly again "...fight beside and Gedor seems like a decent man, though my opinion of him is somewhat lower than it was a minute ago. But..." she rested a hand lightly on Velarus' arm "...I trust your judgement in these things, and if you feel we should continue to stick to our story, I am willing to follow you in that."

Velarus turned again to the nobleman. "What is all of this about Gedor?"

Gedor sighed and then replied, "It's a long story, and apparently ye don't know it. I must, however, say that I am truly grateful for thy help, I figured you were mercenaries of some sort. I had no idea that bystanders would be so obliging." The man gave the pair a deep bow. "I am Gedor Wellen, the Sembian." Gedor grabbed a hold Aliana's hand and kisses it gently. "I cannot tell you about Farc, but I assure you, if I can't tell you about him he's not worth knowing."

Aliana was taken aback by his gesture and pulled her hand back rather quickly. The young, lady mage seemed sorrowful and somewhat pale. She stepped away from Gedor and close to Velarus, and whispered just loud enough that the ranger can hear her. "It would seem that in searching for my father's killer I've inadvertently drawn us into serious, somewhat unrelated peril. I...apologize for that; I didn't mean to do so, and if ye want to... leave aside my quest and go thy own way, I will understand." Aliana reached into her belt pouch and takes out five golden coins, which she attempted to press into Velarus' hand. "I...heard your attempt to...purchase information from the bar maid. Thank you. I really feel...that I should reimburse you for that. Please take these coins."

Velarus gently turned Aliana's hand back and closed her hand over her own coins. "No, Lady Aliana. I have promised to help thee, and help thee I shall. Even if I take my last breath in Faerun, I shall not abandon you. Living in the forests, I rarely make friends, and thou hast a genuine heart and a good nature, and I consider thee my friend." He looked at her smooth, dark hair and smiled. "The coins I spent were of my own free will, ye owe me nothing."

The white robed mage turned back and leaned toward Velarus. She looked as though she might tear up again at any moment, and then managed a slight smile. "Thank you...my friend." she said in a soft voice. "Thou hast no idea how much I appreciate thy choice to stand by me." A single tear ran down her cheek. She smiled more brightly this time, and put the coins back in her belt pouch and wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

Gedor seemed a little upset that the woman hasn't returned any affection and was somewhat ignoring him. "We must really get moving. Half a city of brigands are on our heels."

The ranger ran a hand through his disheveled hair and straightened his gray cloak. Looking around at the beautiful white snow covering the cobblestone streets he felt more at ease. "Yes. Let's keep going to Horn's Gate."

The group began to walk again. Aliana spoke to Gedor as they walk down the snow-covered garden pathways, "Who were those men that attacked you? Why did they wish to do thee harm?"

The woman, who was the waitress, shed a blond wig that was situated on her head. She removed a net, covering her short, brown hair. "They was Suzailian Guild enforcers."

Gedor nodded to Malli and began to explain, "As I said it's a long story. Firstly, there are two thieves' guilds in Cormyr, the Suzailian guild and the rest. Suzail can support its own guild. A ring of masters and lodges control the rest of the country. When this depression hit, from the Orc Wars, we decided we would stop ambushing traders and robbing nobles. We, being the rest of the thieves' guilds, the Suzailian guild were onboard with us as well until a new 'chief' arrived. Apparently he was infamous for his misdeeds before the war, but he escaped justice by leaving the country. Well, he's not as friendly as we are. His first order of business was to have the War Wizard, who almost brought him to justice long ago, assassinated. I told a friend, an adventurer, to inform the Purple Dragons of this plot. He had no guild ties and a heavy-handed band to back him up so he had nothing to lose. I think that sums it up pretty well."

Velarus' ears perked up when Gedor mentioned a war wizard and assassination and glanced curiously at the woman. "Who was the war wizard that brought him to justice? The ranger stared intently at the well-dressed rogue.

"Actually the war wizard is still alive, their plot failed and they found out I ratted on them, hence the attack on yours truly. The war wizard's was named Eluse Bellard, I don't know much about him."

Aliana was somewhat startled to see that the waitress was wearing a disguise, while listening to the rogue's tale. "So...you're the good thiev...rogues, more or less?" she commented as she tried to break down the moral issues involved.

"If it makes you feel better I am an honorable person doing what I need to survive."

Velarus bit his lip and chose not to respond with his true feelings toward this scoundrel. He began to wonder if his rescue was a boon or a mistake.

"And what's a war wizard?" Aliana asked curiously.

"A war wizard is like a Purple Dragon but he is a wizard instead. They swear an oath of allegiance to the crown and to the head of the War Wizards," Gedor replied, simply.

The arcane woman turned to the former waitress and asked, "and... umm...what's your role in all this?"

The waitress placed the wig on her belt, which looked like a pelt when draped down her dress. The previously disguised woman smiled. "I'm a friend of Gedor's from inside the Suzailian guild. I sent word of his assassination to Gedor's guild, they was supposed to come and get him. But we had to settle for ye two instead. Just in the nick of time as well."

Velarus pondered the implications of what Gedor has said so far. "What is the name of the Guild leader? It would be nice to find out who will be trying to kill us now."

The young brown-haired turned her head toward the rough shaven ranger. "Nobody really knows the new chief's name. He was the head of a North End gang, even the guild masters were afraid of him. They say his gang pulled in ten tricrowns a day, and once during the war they ambushed a whole party of Purple Dragons. Now he comes back and claims to be the 'king of thieves'. We just call him 'the chief', or the king. Callin' him the king is intentionally disrespectful to the true king, Azoun, which's why I don't call him that. He is awful, the kind of guy who would steal candy from a baby and a baby from a mother, just for the joy of hearin' them cry."

Gedor nodded as Malli discusses the Suzailian guild leader. "The entire guild has turned to murder and banditry, Where is the fun in that? These, irrepressible psychotics give people like me a bad name. 'Tis getting harder and harder to earn a honest living these days."

The ranger made a mental note of the name, as he coughed, holding back a brash retort to the rogue's line of thinking on honest professions. "What party of adventurers did you contact to bring this information to the war wizard. Dost thou think it possible thy adventurer friends of thee, may have alerted the guild leader of thy involvement?"

"Indeed ye have brought up a valid point, in truth I don't know how the guild knew of my scheme. I haven't had a chance to think about it."

The ranger mulled over the information, as he attempted to assess the validity of the stories from this strange man. "Why aren't the War wizards and the Purple Dragon's trying to stop this man? I'm sure the War Wizard council is aware of the plot against his member, and the actions of this new 'chief', are they not?"

"I'm not so sure they aren't trying to stop him, this guy keeps a real low profile, and I don't know that the Dragons aren't doing something. I avoid the Dragons as much as possible. I don't subscribe to the old 'keep your friends close and enemies closer' theory. It is however odd that we don't see heightened patrols, and not even one Dragon was at 'the Jaw' for the fight... It is rather odd..."

The woodsmen scratched the stubble on his chin with his callous, dirty hands. "What about the adventurers thou asked to inform the War wizard, can you tell me more about them? Is it possible this half-orc we seek is allied with them in some way?"

The thief nodded to Velarus, "It's more than possible, considering that thy inquiry as to this Farc fellow led thee to me. The Dragons must have some information linking us. My friend's name is Predus, he's a mischievous sort but always has good intentions. It would be a leap to say that he ratted me out. The orc that led them, I never met, but I'm sure he's not the kind to murder. If he were Predus wouldn't travel with him."

Aliana was listening to the conversation intently, walking just behind the two men. She interrupted to ask, "Umm...could you tell us more of this Predus and what sorts of places he likes to frequent? He seems to be our only link, however tenuous, to the half-orc at the moment."

"Sorry Girl, Predus is long gone, he and his friends left near High Harvestide."

"Could you tell us if anyone besides your organization is at odds with this other guild? It seems like the Purple Dragons should be doing something..." she looked puzzled by his lack of action "...but if they're not, it seems like someone should."

"Well there are the costers that the guild has been stealing from, they are offering a bounty on the new chief. I think its about a hundred tricrowns, goes up with every theft. But for some reason there aren't many mercenaries willing to pursue the bounty. I don't know why the Dragons aren't being more active than they are, there is usually a Dragon at 'the Jaw' and the absence of one is more than odd... Now, not to change the subject but we need an escape plan. With this snow taking the road out of Horngate will leave tracks. I doubt many have tried to brave the roads in this weather so our tracks will be easy to spot. We can get to a small village called Dren about three miles out of the city. It's a guild stronghold, the Suzailians won't dare follow us there."

Velarus listened patiently as they continued their journey through the magnificent courtyard of the Royal palace of Azoun. He gave a sideways glance to the rogue. "This friend of thee, Predus, surely he left notice to thee of his travel destination and possible return time? Do they have steading in this city or do they reside in Inn's whilst they are here?"

"He never tells me his travel plans, he comes and goes as he pleases. I see him occasionally in the taverns around town when he is here."

Velarus looked around eyeing the Royal Palace, currently being held by the regent Alustair, known as the 'Steel Princess'. It was an impressive place, even covered with snow. The woodman, though, preferred the beauty of a fresh glade, next to a waterfall in the midst of a lush forest. He had only been in the city for part of a day and was already dreaming of getting back to nature. But he wanted to help Aliana, and focused on the current predicament. "Why are there no guards in the palace gardens? In fact I have seen hardly any since leaving the Citadel," he asked the well dressed rogue.

"The Dragons have other priorities, they are undermanned these recent years. It may be that they simply don't have enough recourse to look after every inn. If the dragons were at full force we would have been stopped before we even got the notion to take this little short cut. We can talk about this all as much as you want once we get out of this city, but all things considered I don't think it wise to be chatting about such matters in the king's court. There is a Purple Dragon in Dren who may be able to answer some of your questions..."

Velarus looked slightly addled at the last comments. "I'm quite sure they have been busy, but with the snow and all they have a lot less caravans to protect, and they should be a little more attentive, one would think," he wondered aloud.

Soon the small group passed through court, over the bridge and through the Royal gardens. They walked by the Castles and homes of the highest nobles of the region, each of the grandiose mansions were well designed, some to the point of being gaudy. Only a few people were around to see the group, and they paid the group little attention. The few people seemed to be housemaids or servants rather than guards. The snow stopped the nobles from grazing the gardens and all appeared deserted. Gedor lead the group past a monument, the Purple Dragon as it is called. A towering testament to Cormyrian grandeur, in fact the entire court is likewise remarkable. The blinding white powder doesn't help its grandeur but Velarus can't help but imagine what it looks like in the summer. Upon leaving court the group returned to the common roads of Suzail, which seemed a lot less pristine that what they have been enjoying. After a few minutes they arrived at the Horn Gate, the main gate of Suzail, two massive crenellated square parapets, nearly thirty-foot diameter and fifty feet tall flanked a huge portcullis and drawbridge. A crenellated rampart connected the two parapets above the entrance. The lowered drawbridge crossed a wide canal. Gedor looked around at the various people surrounding the area. A garrison of knights was stationed around the large gatehouse to the right of the entrance and several guards stood at the entrance. A large crowd of people were in the courtyard area just inside the entrance, and several merchants had open carts full of wares to sell.

Gedor noticed the ranger's peace ribbon is broken. He searched his coat and pulled out a bundle of long purple peace ribbons identical to the one strapped around Aliana's dagger sheath. They even had the same designs on them. They were either a masterful forgery or there was a guard post with about half a dozen missing ribbons.

The rogue noticed the curious look on the ranger's face. "Tools of the trade" he chuckled as he ties it around Velarus' sword.

"I was going to go with.. it got caught on the door.. but this is better." The ranger chuckled.

Aliana drew closer to her companions in the crowd, feeling ill at ease.

"What's wrong now, girl?" The rogue commented about young woman's trepidation.

"Umm...nothing. Just a lot of people. Could we be going now?"

"Pish posh. This isn't much of a crowd, besides there aren't any thieves among them."

"Thieves have some sort of distinctive look to them?" The lady mage asked incredulously.

"A good thief can pick one out in a crowd.. especially if you already know them all"

Velarus jested, "Ye can tell the bandits because they're wearing thy jewels and jingling thy coins." He smiled to Aliana, who returned the expression and seemed somewhat more relaxed.

"Aren't too many skilled thieves who would try and go after yours truly," the man stated confidently.

Velarus rolled his eyes at the pompous rogue's statement.

The group crossed over the drawbridge and continued down the road. The wind picked up a bit, blowing the standing snow off of the branches of the nearby pine trees. The group placed the cowls of their cloaks over their heads to protect them from the freezing wind. Aliana took a sip of tea from her flask as they walked.

Velarus addressed the group, "I'll scout ahead and make sure the way is clear." The ranger moved about fifty paces ahead as they continued down the road. He picked up on a couple of tracks that veered off the road, but headed parallel to the road. The woodsman examined the surrounding trees for anything unusual. Farther down the road, he noticed that the tracks veered off again into a group of trees. The ranger slowed and bent down, checking the prints he realized that two human sized people, seemingly, passed here a short time ago.

The group caught up as he checked the tracks. Gedor saw the woodsman had stopped and queried, "What have ye found?"

Velarus stared down the path where the tracks lead without taking his eyes off of the trees up ahead. "Two tracks, man sized heading off northwest there. I've noticed it along the road for a bit. Keep a close eye out." The ranger moved ahead of the group again, staying only about twenty paces distance. He removed his oak bow and kept it in hand.

Gedor brandished some type of firearm weapon with a steel muzzle, after he spotted the ranger preparing himself. Aliana followed suit and removed a crossbow and held it in her hands.

The ranger halted again and crouched low, scanning the horizon. He pointed up ahead as the group gathered behind him. "There is something up ahead. It looks like two bodies, they aren't moving. I'm going to investigate." The ranger knocked an arrow and proceeded toward the unknown objects.

They soon came upon two bloody bodies, lying face down off the side of the road. Pools of blood and chunks of skin littered the snow around the bodies. Two longswords and a splintered wooden shield sat off behind them.

Aliana turned rather pale at the sight of all the blood.

Velarus stuck his fingers in the blood, and Aliana felt even more sickened. He surmised, "the blood is still fresh.. their attackers probably aren't far away.. Gedor do you recognize them?"

Gedor used his booted foot to move the body. He turned one completely over and seemed to turn a shade of green. "By the gods! I believe they may have been... thieves... but... that's just horrific." The front of the bodies were badly mangled, the skin and clothing, and even faces ripped to shreds. The rogue turned away from the sickening sight. "Let's go," he said in a sullen tone.

"I've seen what Orcs have done to the prisoners they keep. They have been known to even eat some of their victims." He noticed that Aliana is feeling ill, and dropped the subject. He studied the tracks further, peering around every few moments out into the woods. "Hmm. These seem to be the tracks I saw earlier... but that's very strange.. I don't see any other tracks. Whatever killed them couldn't have walked up to them.."

Aliana responded with worried voice, "What. What was that noise? It sounded like laughing from over in the treetops." Aliana attempted to point out the direction and ended up spinning around in a full circle, looking somewhat dizzy.

The rest of the party then heard the sinister sound of what seemed, crudely, like laughter, but somewhat animalistic. It sounded like something out of a nightmare. Velarus used an arrow tip to tear away the peace ribbon on his sword and knocked an arrow.

Aliana looked at the trees again. "Did ye see that! Something is moving amongst the treetops!" She tried to point her crossbow and kept it steady as she trembled slightly.

Velarus spotted the man-sized figure crouching atop a tree branch, at it looked back at him with blood red eyes. Gedor had his firearm out and tried to spot the figure. The female rogue brandished a stiletto and backed away, her eyes darting from tree to tree.

The creature swung around the trees circling them and then dropped down beside Aliana who lept backward as the razor sharp claws reached for her throat. Seeing the others closing in, it jumped up nearly ten feet to another tree branch. Aliana fired her crossbow as it moved, but the bolt was nowhere near the fast moving predator.

Velarus followed the creature's movements with his bowstring taught, and fired his bow as the creature landed on the branch above. The arrow whizzed through the air and pierced what would be considered the stomach if such a creature had one. The projectile passed through the beast and hit the branch on the other side, not even phasing it. "What in Mielikki's forest is this thing!"

Aliana reloaded her crossbow trying to calm her nerves. She spotted the thing swinging around trying to close again on the party, but in her haste failed to close the string over the cocking mechanism and the string released sending the bolt toppling end over end a few feet in front of her.

The creature swung back in and lands beside Gedor and swiped its claws at his face. The rogue deftly ducked under the blow bringing up his firearm just as the creature leapt back into the trees again. He pulled the trigger and a puff of black smoke with a few sparks rose from the cylinder, but nothing else happened.

Velarus fired two more arrows in rapid succession and again they made a hole in the creature, which didn't even flinch as it swung around again. Velarus threw his bow down and drew his rune-covered blade. He mumbled, "this fiend must be immune to normal weapons."

The lady mage attempted another go and successfully fired a bolt, hitting just below the creature. The bolt cracked as it sunk into the thick branch. The creature dropped down next the ranger, who alertly sidestepped away from its reach. The warrior anticipated the return leap and swung his blade high. He struck the foot of the creature and severed it from the rest of its body. The creature swung to another tree and headed from tree to tree away from the party. After a few minutes it was apparent that the creature fled and silence fell in the cold air. Gedor banged his weapon in the palm of his hand, desperately trying to figure what happened to it.

Velarus looked a little upset. "My arrows didn't seem to do anything, but my magical sword seems to have affected it. We had better get moving to this little town of thine, Gedor."

Aliana looked to Gedor, still a little shaken but walked up to the rogue. "I liked thy device. Those were very pretty sparks," she remarked.

"It was supposed to do a little more than that. Gnomish craftsmanship has been declining I'm afraid." Gedor placed the weapon back in his belt, feeling more embarrassed by the woman's comments.

"I will take point again. Let's hasten the pace to the village. Night will soon be upon us," The ranger stated.

The four travelers continued cautiously down the snow packed road.