Light Wrapped in Darkness
Folken: You know, I've decided not to say anything to you before the chapter, so there!
Li: What are you babbling about? You're not in charge.
Folken: Magicman and Smokegirl aren't here, so someone has to be in charge.
Daevan: Demons curse you! Why should you be in charge?!
Folken: Because I was here first.
Li: So?
Daevan: I say we beat him up! All in favour?
PCs: Aye!
Folken: Uh oh. Uh, you may want to come back later. This could get ugly.
***
Minsc looked around at the bustling seaport with approval. Fishwives and sailors roamed about in the early morning, bickering with each other in the cool sea breeze. The pale moon was descending toward the horizon with an almost holy light. The sea town was bustling even before the first rays of the sun bathed the uppermost hills of the island. The docks brimmed with ships and merchants plied their trade. "Ah", the big ranger sighed happily. "This land is fine, but I wish I could show Boo the fields of Rasheman. We could run free through the snow. Though Boo would look some funny in a drift, I tell you this!" He let out a great laugh.
Aerie looked up at the ranger as they walked down the street. She had always been slightly in awe of Minsc. To her, he was a great hero right out of the legends of her people. Bold and fearless, always striking out for the right path, Aerie had grown up listening to how men like him had struck down evil cults and corrupted magics. The fact that he was human didn't diminish her respect for him any less. "You are from Rasheman? I had thought such a land was the stuff of fables."
"No, it is as real as Minsc and even bigger. It is a land of snow and ice, where great warriors are grown like the prickly Yule trees! Ah, it is home."
Aerie nodded. "Why ever did you leave your home? I was forced away from mine."
"Minsc and Boo were on our dajemma, our journey into manhood. Ah, we were quite a team, Dynaheir and I. My witch....." Minsc's stoic face crumbled like a cookie. In no time at all he had burst into tears, crying into his hands. "Oh Boo!" he sobbed. "We can never return to Rasheman now! I am no man and you.....you are no hamster! We are nothing without our witch! We will never be great heroes of goodness!"
"Oh don't cry Minsc! You already are a great hero!" Aerie gently patted the great man on his back, feeling helpless to ease Minsc's pain. But she was determined to try. "Who could count the foes you've slain? And evil surely fears you by now. Do you remember that pack of bandits? They took one look at you and ran."
Despite himself Minsc smiled. "You have been a good friend to Minsc, and I thank you for it." Suddenly the ranger got a strangely serious look on his face. He turned and faced Aerie solemnly, and kneeled before her so as to look in her eyes. "We.....that is Boo and I, would be honoured if you would do something for us. We are nothing without our witch. We need one to protect and to guide us in matters of magic and stuff. Would.....would you be our witch?"
For a moment, Aerie couldn't breath from shock. 'I wonder if this is how I'll feel if Taurus asks me to marry him?' went wryly through her mind. But she couldn't refuse the request, not when it obviously meant so much to Minsc.
The ranger was somewhat surprised when Aerie took his hand in hers. It was almost ludicrous how her slender hand held up his big paw, though the situation wasn't funny in the slightest. The young elf smiled reassuringly at the big ranger in a way that reminded him of Dynaheir. "If you will be my guardian," she said, "Then I will be your witch. Your dajemma will not be left unfinished and Dynaheir's death will not go unavenged."
Tears came to Minsc's eyes as he sank to his knees. Drawing his sword, he lay in on the ground before the elf maid in a position of reverence. "My life" he intoned solemnly, "My sword, my hamster.....all this I dedicate to.....to Aerie, my witch."
Suddenly he stood and glared in all directions. "YOU HEAR THAT EVIL?!" he bellowed to the whole world. "MINSC HAS A NEW WITCH! WOE IS YOU! WOE IS YOU!!!!!!"
In was unclear if the world heard this proclamation, but most of Brynn Law did, and the few people who had not backed away from the attention-tracking pair by this time scattered like rabbits.
***
The Vulgar Monkey was a typical inn for a sea town like Brynn Law. It was crawling with pirates, sailors, drunks and the courtesans that inevitably followed them. The bar itself wasn't very clean, but it was surprisingly well ordered. Bouncers were in place to deal with any rowdy customers and those that had fallen asleep were tossed outside without ceremony. All things considered, Jaheira rather liked the place.
"You are not serious. I would not condemn fleas and gnomes to this pit!" Viconia glared daggers at a drunken paramour, and would have broken his neck had a barmaid not steered him away.
Jaheira smiled and drank her tea slowly. "If you hadn't been forced to hide during your stay on the surface, you'd have learned that taverns and inns are the perfect places to learn. Besides, Sime said Sanik would be here and that he could help us into the asylum."
"And why should we trust a thief? While you're thinking about that, why would a well off potion maker spend his time in this dump?" The drow waved disparagingly at the common room.
"Does it matter?" Jaheira answered both questions at once. "We don't have any choice."
Taurus waved his hand to get their attention and smiled innocently. "As entertaining as this is likely to get, I think Sanik just walked into the room."
Viconia scowled evilly at Taurus, causing him to wink at her while Jaheira looked over to the door. A human in his late twenties or early thirties walked over to the bar and sat down on a stool. Dressed in well- made mage robes that were somewhat frayed, he appeared to be preoccupied.
The druid elbowed Taurus in the ribs, drawing his attention. "Shall we, oh omnipresent authority figure sir?"
Taurus rolled his eyes and stood up. The sudden movements made two pirates reach for their weapons casually, but he passed them by with an air nonchalant superiority. Viconia simply smirked with disdain at them. Jaheira sighed and made a mental note to keep those two from getting them all killed.
Sanik noted the newcomers' approach and lifted a glass in greeting. Unlike the rest of the room, he seemed un-intimidated by the drow features and the dangerous looking weapons. "Greetings travelers." His voice was rather jovial. "It is good to see new occupants of Brynn Law. If you intend to stay, there shall be new vacancies soon. My ship leaves by nightfall."
Jaheira raised an eyebrow. "Why do you flee?"
Snik waved a hand dismissively. "I do not like the word 'flee'. I've just had some trouble with a local authority recently. So, my elfish friends, what can I do for you?"
"We need a way to get into the asylum," Taurus said, seating himself on a stool next to the mage. "We were told that you could help us."
Sanik nodded slowly, stroking his chin. "Yes, I did deliver potions to Spellhold not that long ago. There are actually a couple of ways you could do it. First of all-" He broke off and stiffened. "There's someone behind me, isn't there?!"
The four people spun on their feet and stools. Standing right in the middle of the common room was a dwarf dressed in suspiciously regular looking clothes. No scars, to marks of any kind adorned his face, nor was he taller or shorter than the average dwarf. Clearly, he was an assassin. And just as clearly Sanik knew him, for his face lit up with anger. "You!"
The dwarf nodded pleasantly. "Lady Galvena sends a message. The girl is with her and will not be joining you."
"Cecille is nobody's property!" Sanik shouted fists clenched. But a heavy iron-tipped bolt that hammered him in the left lung punched the fight out of him. His body was thrown back against the bar before it slumped to the floor. The assassin knew his work; Sanik was dead in seconds.
The common room erupted in instantaneous pandemonium. A rush of customers and bar workers pushed to the doors, while the fiercer patrons stood their ground, pushing and shoving away the stampeding mob. Bouncers moved to restore order to no avail. But in this chaos, Taurus had leapt to his feet, glaring at the dwarf.
The murderer smiled politely at the crintri. "As for you, being a friend of Sanik makes you an accomplice and extra pay for me." With a move nearly faster than Taurus' icy blue eyes could follow, the dwarf whipped out another crossbow and fired.
Taurus slipped to the side and the bolt skidded off his armour. He raised a hand and released a fire arrow. The dwarf barely had time to blink before the missile entered his throat, burning flesh and muscle.
The pandemonium began to die down, mostly because the crowd had mostly fled. The innkeeper took exception to that. "Bah!" he growled, slamming a fist down on the bar. "That uppity wench is going to ruin me if she keeps chasing out my customers like this!"
Jaheira whirled on the man, anger flashing in her eyes. "A man is dead and all you can think about is your profit margin?!"
The innkeeper shrugged. "That be the way the island works. Nothing I can do about it."
Taurus grabbed the man by his shirt and dragged from out behind his counter. The man's eyes widened in terror at the look on Taurus' face. "Now", said the crintri in low and very dangerous tones. "That man was my contact on this dung heap. What happened to him?"
"Well" the man squeaked, "That be a long story. If you could just put me down....."
Taurus slowly released the man, eyes seething. He then sat down on a stool, his female friends flanking him and looking quite threatening. Thus confronted, the innkeeper proved quite eager to talk.
"Sanik had this girl. Her name's Cecille, see? But she was a courtesan working for Mistress Galvena, owner of the local guild. Galvena never lets any of her workers go, male or female. And she NEVER lets anyone cross her. She's the queen bitch of her part of the world, if you take my meaning. And she's got the money to back it up. Anyway, Sanik and Cecille actually got married under Galvena's nose. She found out and blew up on them when they came back, but Sanik told her off real good and promised to take Cecille away from it all. A good man, he was. Brave, but lacking a lot of common sense. Galvena took Cecille into her guildhall and she hasn't come out. Now, the bitch has sent one of her hired thugs to kill Sanik. Draw your own conclusions, but I don't think the poor girl is long for this world."
The innkeeper drew a breath while Taurus considered. "Is there anyone else who can get us into the asylum?"
The poor man's eyes widened yet again, but he swallowed his comment when Viconia glared viciously at him. "Well, he might have told his girl about it. But you'd have to take her from Galvena. Her guildhall is swarming guards! And she even has her own pet mage!"
Taurus sighed and muttered something along the lines of 'nothing is ever easy'.
Viconia hissed. "If I find that you've lied to us, I'll come back and cut your heart out!" The man winced and nodded quietly. As the party left the inn, Taurus smiled fondly at Viconia.
"I can always count on you to be intimidating when the situation needs it." The crintri kissed the drow on the cheek.
Viconia smirked. "The man was iblith. His heart is not worth cutting out. Instead, I would likely crack open his skull."
"I love it when you're violent."
Jaheira rolled her eyes and let out a gusty sigh. "If I can delay the senseless flirting and ensuing sex for a few moments, you will realise that we have a problem. We need information, from a prisoner of the local tyrant. This is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. We are likely to require careful planning and opportunity. And on top of that, we still have the crazed wizard to catch and an old friend to rescue from said crazed wizard. Forgive me for sounding pessimistic, but we may have our work cut out for us."
Taurus shrugged. "Yes we do. But we still have to wait for Minsc and Aerie to get back. There's no reason we can't have fun in the meantime."
Jaheira sighed and glared up at the Gods or the sky. "Do you see what I have to put up with here?! Tell me if this is punishment for something I did!"
The Gods (or the sky) didn't respond, leaving Jaheira to seethe in silence.
***
"Excuse me miss, but could you spare a few coins? I will be beaten if I don't bring some back."
The request came from a battered looking young woman, clad in some skimpy pink costume that didn't look like it would hold up to the elements for much longer. She would have been beautiful except that the skin that was showing was decorated with bruises and her blonde hair was tattered and knotted. Her brown eyes had a look of fear and defeat in them.
Aerie was shocked to the core of her being. Back when she was a circus slave, a wealthy woman had once paused by her cage and admired herself in a silver mirror. The caged avariel had caught a glimpse of herself in that mirror, and it seemed she was looking back in time to that mirror. The sensitive elf's heart went out woman automatically, and she reached into her money pouch for a handful of coins.
"Of course" Aerie said, handing over the coins. The woman bowed slightly and stored them away, a faint smile momentarily brightening up her face. "Tell me" Aerie asked, "How did you end up in this position?"
The woman hesitated. ".....Promise you won't tell Chremy?"
Aerie raised an eyebrow. "I don't even know Chremy, but I think I dislike him already."
"Alright then." The woman sat down on a nearby bench. "First of all, my name is Ginia. And I wasn't always as pathetic as I am now. About two years ago, my life twisted upside down."
Minsc nodded wisely as he stood by Aerie's shoulder. "The world is a strange and puzzling place. Many things that happen are so out of place that even Boo must wonder at the sense of it all."
"There was nothing senseless about this! It was all because of the pirate lord Desharik!" Ginia twisted her hands in her dress. "He and his ships came to this island after he lost a war with another pirate lord. They took over, and when the mayor tried to protest they had him killed! He took my home away and gave it to one of his lieutenants, and he had father murdered when he tried to get back in. Then Desharik said that my brother Aston and I would have to pay for our father's 'crimes' and gave us to his lieutenant, Chremy. We've been living this way ever since."
The story was probably embellished a little, but it was undoubtedly true. Aerie had known fear for a long time, and could tell when others felt it. It just made her so mad..... Her fist tightened on her staff. "Do you have anyway off the island?"
Ginia sighed and shook her head. "There's a smuggler named Calahan who does business by the docks, but I don't have nearly enough money to get either me or my brother away. Then we'd have to escape Chremy too. Thank you for asking Miss, but I'm resigned to this life."
"Well, could you describe Chremy for me?" Aerie persisted. "I'd like to have words with him some time."
Ginia looked terrified. "Oh please no! I'll get in trouble!"
"No you won't. I promise."
The frightened slave girl sighed. "He's just a little shorter than your friend here", she nodded at Minsc, "And he has a big scar across his right eye. He usually hangs out outside the Vulgar Monkey. Oh PLEASE don't get me in trouble!"
Aerie smiled gently and reassuringly. "You won't get in trouble. Thank you for talking." Aerie stood and bowed slightly to Ginia and walked away, a hint of purposefulness in her stride. Minsc followed close behind.
"Aerie" Minsc asked, "Why did you want to know about this Chremy fellow?"
"Because we're going to liberate a couple of slaves, that's why."
Minsc grinned. "Oh yes, the good times roll on. And yet another evil man will be struck down."
The man Chremy was loitering outside of the tavern, picking his teeth with a knife and whistling at the women who passed by, occasionally slapping their behinds. His bloodshot left eye found Aerie approaching and winked suggestively. At her approach, he leered. "Hey there sweetheart" he said in a gruff raspy voice. "You looking for some action?" Apparently 'sweetheart' was, because she punched him in his good eye. Hard. "Ow! Damn it you bitch, what was that for?!"
"That was for coming onto me." Aerie said airily. "Are you Chremy?"
"Yes, damn it! Gods woman, what does that matter?!"
"I'm here to say something about Ginia and Aston. Stay away from them! You won't hurt them anymore!"
Chremy rubbed his eye and glared furiously at Aerie. "Those two are my property! I can do what I want with my property!"
Aerie's temper was rapidly coming to a boil. "People are not property, you gutless monster! Does beating them up make you feel big and strong?"
Chremy snarled. He didn't need some slip of a girl lecturing him! "Maybe, but putting you in your place certainly will!" He yanked his sword from his scabbard. Aerie stepped back, smiling sweetly.
"Oh Minsc? Would you like to take it from here?" She asked politely. "Words don't seem to be working here."
"With pleasure!"
Chremy looked beyond the pretty elf-girl with the sharp tongue for the first time and noticed the really big guy standing behind her. The really big guy who was making a fist and drawing it back for a punch of his own. The pirate just had time enough to widen his eye before the fist struck him in the jaw. The force of the blow sent Chremy's head spinning to the side, snapping his neck with a sickening crunch. The newly made corpse flew several feet to strike the wall of the Vulgar Monkey and bounced off, before lying on the ground, twitching.
Aerie looked down on him in contempt. "Bastard", she muttered.
A quick riffling of the corpse provided some money and an odd looking amulet which Aerie packed away for later. Fortunately for all those involved, Calahan was much easier to deal with. It turned out that he knew Ginia and Aston, which saved the story from being told again.
"Aye" the smuggler sighed, "'tis a sad story."
"Ginia said you could help them get away."
"Yes, I could. But I can't do it for free, you know. My sources and friends need to be paid as much as I. Sometimes even more so."
Aerie started rifling through her money pouch. "How much?"
Calahan did some quick calculations in his head. "About 200 gold a piece." He was about to add more when Aerie pushed the money into his startled hands. ".....Aye, this'll take care of things right. Now, if you can just get them away from Chremy and send them my way I'll have them out of here before Desharik can blink twice."
Aerie thanked the man and hurried back to Ginia. The slave girl was startled to see the elf and Minsc again. "You're back?"
Minsc nodded eagerly. "Yes. And bad man Chremy will bother you no longer!"
Ginia stopped what she was doing and stared incredulously at Minsc. "You're serious? Thank you, but it will only be a matter of time before Desharik gives me to another lieutenant. I'm afraid you've only attracted bad attention to yourselves."
Aerie shook her head firmly. "You won't belong to anyone else again! Go to Calahan and he'll take you and your brother away from this island. Minsc and I can handle the pirates who come after us."
At first Ginia didn't seem to understand Aerie's words. Then her blue eyes lit up in a way they hadn't since she had been enslaved. "Really??? Oh thank you!" She surprised Aerie by launching herself into her arms and hugging her fiercely, nearly bowling the elf girl over. "I'll never forget you or the kindness you've done me. Thank you again! A thousand times, thank you!" Ginia bowed then hurried off to find her brother.
Minsc smiled and waved. "Goodbye Miss Ginia! Enjoy life and live well!"
Aerie smiled and leaned on her guardian. "You know Minsc, I think we've made the world a little bit better."
***
(Magicman walks in and finds the room littered with unconscious PCs.)
Magicman: I'm ho.....me. What the?
Folken: Ah Magicman! How was your trip?
Magicman: Er, fine.
Folken: I've just finished off this chapter and was about to post it.
Magicman: What took you so long?
Folken: The others took exception to the fact that I was your first PC that you won the game with. It took a little while to restrain them.
Daevan: Revenge! I'm not done yet!
(Folken whacks Daevan over the head with the Staff of Woodlands, knocking him out.)
Folken: You know, I've decided not to say anything to you before the chapter, so there!
Li: What are you babbling about? You're not in charge.
Folken: Magicman and Smokegirl aren't here, so someone has to be in charge.
Daevan: Demons curse you! Why should you be in charge?!
Folken: Because I was here first.
Li: So?
Daevan: I say we beat him up! All in favour?
PCs: Aye!
Folken: Uh oh. Uh, you may want to come back later. This could get ugly.
***
Minsc looked around at the bustling seaport with approval. Fishwives and sailors roamed about in the early morning, bickering with each other in the cool sea breeze. The pale moon was descending toward the horizon with an almost holy light. The sea town was bustling even before the first rays of the sun bathed the uppermost hills of the island. The docks brimmed with ships and merchants plied their trade. "Ah", the big ranger sighed happily. "This land is fine, but I wish I could show Boo the fields of Rasheman. We could run free through the snow. Though Boo would look some funny in a drift, I tell you this!" He let out a great laugh.
Aerie looked up at the ranger as they walked down the street. She had always been slightly in awe of Minsc. To her, he was a great hero right out of the legends of her people. Bold and fearless, always striking out for the right path, Aerie had grown up listening to how men like him had struck down evil cults and corrupted magics. The fact that he was human didn't diminish her respect for him any less. "You are from Rasheman? I had thought such a land was the stuff of fables."
"No, it is as real as Minsc and even bigger. It is a land of snow and ice, where great warriors are grown like the prickly Yule trees! Ah, it is home."
Aerie nodded. "Why ever did you leave your home? I was forced away from mine."
"Minsc and Boo were on our dajemma, our journey into manhood. Ah, we were quite a team, Dynaheir and I. My witch....." Minsc's stoic face crumbled like a cookie. In no time at all he had burst into tears, crying into his hands. "Oh Boo!" he sobbed. "We can never return to Rasheman now! I am no man and you.....you are no hamster! We are nothing without our witch! We will never be great heroes of goodness!"
"Oh don't cry Minsc! You already are a great hero!" Aerie gently patted the great man on his back, feeling helpless to ease Minsc's pain. But she was determined to try. "Who could count the foes you've slain? And evil surely fears you by now. Do you remember that pack of bandits? They took one look at you and ran."
Despite himself Minsc smiled. "You have been a good friend to Minsc, and I thank you for it." Suddenly the ranger got a strangely serious look on his face. He turned and faced Aerie solemnly, and kneeled before her so as to look in her eyes. "We.....that is Boo and I, would be honoured if you would do something for us. We are nothing without our witch. We need one to protect and to guide us in matters of magic and stuff. Would.....would you be our witch?"
For a moment, Aerie couldn't breath from shock. 'I wonder if this is how I'll feel if Taurus asks me to marry him?' went wryly through her mind. But she couldn't refuse the request, not when it obviously meant so much to Minsc.
The ranger was somewhat surprised when Aerie took his hand in hers. It was almost ludicrous how her slender hand held up his big paw, though the situation wasn't funny in the slightest. The young elf smiled reassuringly at the big ranger in a way that reminded him of Dynaheir. "If you will be my guardian," she said, "Then I will be your witch. Your dajemma will not be left unfinished and Dynaheir's death will not go unavenged."
Tears came to Minsc's eyes as he sank to his knees. Drawing his sword, he lay in on the ground before the elf maid in a position of reverence. "My life" he intoned solemnly, "My sword, my hamster.....all this I dedicate to.....to Aerie, my witch."
Suddenly he stood and glared in all directions. "YOU HEAR THAT EVIL?!" he bellowed to the whole world. "MINSC HAS A NEW WITCH! WOE IS YOU! WOE IS YOU!!!!!!"
In was unclear if the world heard this proclamation, but most of Brynn Law did, and the few people who had not backed away from the attention-tracking pair by this time scattered like rabbits.
***
The Vulgar Monkey was a typical inn for a sea town like Brynn Law. It was crawling with pirates, sailors, drunks and the courtesans that inevitably followed them. The bar itself wasn't very clean, but it was surprisingly well ordered. Bouncers were in place to deal with any rowdy customers and those that had fallen asleep were tossed outside without ceremony. All things considered, Jaheira rather liked the place.
"You are not serious. I would not condemn fleas and gnomes to this pit!" Viconia glared daggers at a drunken paramour, and would have broken his neck had a barmaid not steered him away.
Jaheira smiled and drank her tea slowly. "If you hadn't been forced to hide during your stay on the surface, you'd have learned that taverns and inns are the perfect places to learn. Besides, Sime said Sanik would be here and that he could help us into the asylum."
"And why should we trust a thief? While you're thinking about that, why would a well off potion maker spend his time in this dump?" The drow waved disparagingly at the common room.
"Does it matter?" Jaheira answered both questions at once. "We don't have any choice."
Taurus waved his hand to get their attention and smiled innocently. "As entertaining as this is likely to get, I think Sanik just walked into the room."
Viconia scowled evilly at Taurus, causing him to wink at her while Jaheira looked over to the door. A human in his late twenties or early thirties walked over to the bar and sat down on a stool. Dressed in well- made mage robes that were somewhat frayed, he appeared to be preoccupied.
The druid elbowed Taurus in the ribs, drawing his attention. "Shall we, oh omnipresent authority figure sir?"
Taurus rolled his eyes and stood up. The sudden movements made two pirates reach for their weapons casually, but he passed them by with an air nonchalant superiority. Viconia simply smirked with disdain at them. Jaheira sighed and made a mental note to keep those two from getting them all killed.
Sanik noted the newcomers' approach and lifted a glass in greeting. Unlike the rest of the room, he seemed un-intimidated by the drow features and the dangerous looking weapons. "Greetings travelers." His voice was rather jovial. "It is good to see new occupants of Brynn Law. If you intend to stay, there shall be new vacancies soon. My ship leaves by nightfall."
Jaheira raised an eyebrow. "Why do you flee?"
Snik waved a hand dismissively. "I do not like the word 'flee'. I've just had some trouble with a local authority recently. So, my elfish friends, what can I do for you?"
"We need a way to get into the asylum," Taurus said, seating himself on a stool next to the mage. "We were told that you could help us."
Sanik nodded slowly, stroking his chin. "Yes, I did deliver potions to Spellhold not that long ago. There are actually a couple of ways you could do it. First of all-" He broke off and stiffened. "There's someone behind me, isn't there?!"
The four people spun on their feet and stools. Standing right in the middle of the common room was a dwarf dressed in suspiciously regular looking clothes. No scars, to marks of any kind adorned his face, nor was he taller or shorter than the average dwarf. Clearly, he was an assassin. And just as clearly Sanik knew him, for his face lit up with anger. "You!"
The dwarf nodded pleasantly. "Lady Galvena sends a message. The girl is with her and will not be joining you."
"Cecille is nobody's property!" Sanik shouted fists clenched. But a heavy iron-tipped bolt that hammered him in the left lung punched the fight out of him. His body was thrown back against the bar before it slumped to the floor. The assassin knew his work; Sanik was dead in seconds.
The common room erupted in instantaneous pandemonium. A rush of customers and bar workers pushed to the doors, while the fiercer patrons stood their ground, pushing and shoving away the stampeding mob. Bouncers moved to restore order to no avail. But in this chaos, Taurus had leapt to his feet, glaring at the dwarf.
The murderer smiled politely at the crintri. "As for you, being a friend of Sanik makes you an accomplice and extra pay for me." With a move nearly faster than Taurus' icy blue eyes could follow, the dwarf whipped out another crossbow and fired.
Taurus slipped to the side and the bolt skidded off his armour. He raised a hand and released a fire arrow. The dwarf barely had time to blink before the missile entered his throat, burning flesh and muscle.
The pandemonium began to die down, mostly because the crowd had mostly fled. The innkeeper took exception to that. "Bah!" he growled, slamming a fist down on the bar. "That uppity wench is going to ruin me if she keeps chasing out my customers like this!"
Jaheira whirled on the man, anger flashing in her eyes. "A man is dead and all you can think about is your profit margin?!"
The innkeeper shrugged. "That be the way the island works. Nothing I can do about it."
Taurus grabbed the man by his shirt and dragged from out behind his counter. The man's eyes widened in terror at the look on Taurus' face. "Now", said the crintri in low and very dangerous tones. "That man was my contact on this dung heap. What happened to him?"
"Well" the man squeaked, "That be a long story. If you could just put me down....."
Taurus slowly released the man, eyes seething. He then sat down on a stool, his female friends flanking him and looking quite threatening. Thus confronted, the innkeeper proved quite eager to talk.
"Sanik had this girl. Her name's Cecille, see? But she was a courtesan working for Mistress Galvena, owner of the local guild. Galvena never lets any of her workers go, male or female. And she NEVER lets anyone cross her. She's the queen bitch of her part of the world, if you take my meaning. And she's got the money to back it up. Anyway, Sanik and Cecille actually got married under Galvena's nose. She found out and blew up on them when they came back, but Sanik told her off real good and promised to take Cecille away from it all. A good man, he was. Brave, but lacking a lot of common sense. Galvena took Cecille into her guildhall and she hasn't come out. Now, the bitch has sent one of her hired thugs to kill Sanik. Draw your own conclusions, but I don't think the poor girl is long for this world."
The innkeeper drew a breath while Taurus considered. "Is there anyone else who can get us into the asylum?"
The poor man's eyes widened yet again, but he swallowed his comment when Viconia glared viciously at him. "Well, he might have told his girl about it. But you'd have to take her from Galvena. Her guildhall is swarming guards! And she even has her own pet mage!"
Taurus sighed and muttered something along the lines of 'nothing is ever easy'.
Viconia hissed. "If I find that you've lied to us, I'll come back and cut your heart out!" The man winced and nodded quietly. As the party left the inn, Taurus smiled fondly at Viconia.
"I can always count on you to be intimidating when the situation needs it." The crintri kissed the drow on the cheek.
Viconia smirked. "The man was iblith. His heart is not worth cutting out. Instead, I would likely crack open his skull."
"I love it when you're violent."
Jaheira rolled her eyes and let out a gusty sigh. "If I can delay the senseless flirting and ensuing sex for a few moments, you will realise that we have a problem. We need information, from a prisoner of the local tyrant. This is not the easiest thing in the world to accomplish. We are likely to require careful planning and opportunity. And on top of that, we still have the crazed wizard to catch and an old friend to rescue from said crazed wizard. Forgive me for sounding pessimistic, but we may have our work cut out for us."
Taurus shrugged. "Yes we do. But we still have to wait for Minsc and Aerie to get back. There's no reason we can't have fun in the meantime."
Jaheira sighed and glared up at the Gods or the sky. "Do you see what I have to put up with here?! Tell me if this is punishment for something I did!"
The Gods (or the sky) didn't respond, leaving Jaheira to seethe in silence.
***
"Excuse me miss, but could you spare a few coins? I will be beaten if I don't bring some back."
The request came from a battered looking young woman, clad in some skimpy pink costume that didn't look like it would hold up to the elements for much longer. She would have been beautiful except that the skin that was showing was decorated with bruises and her blonde hair was tattered and knotted. Her brown eyes had a look of fear and defeat in them.
Aerie was shocked to the core of her being. Back when she was a circus slave, a wealthy woman had once paused by her cage and admired herself in a silver mirror. The caged avariel had caught a glimpse of herself in that mirror, and it seemed she was looking back in time to that mirror. The sensitive elf's heart went out woman automatically, and she reached into her money pouch for a handful of coins.
"Of course" Aerie said, handing over the coins. The woman bowed slightly and stored them away, a faint smile momentarily brightening up her face. "Tell me" Aerie asked, "How did you end up in this position?"
The woman hesitated. ".....Promise you won't tell Chremy?"
Aerie raised an eyebrow. "I don't even know Chremy, but I think I dislike him already."
"Alright then." The woman sat down on a nearby bench. "First of all, my name is Ginia. And I wasn't always as pathetic as I am now. About two years ago, my life twisted upside down."
Minsc nodded wisely as he stood by Aerie's shoulder. "The world is a strange and puzzling place. Many things that happen are so out of place that even Boo must wonder at the sense of it all."
"There was nothing senseless about this! It was all because of the pirate lord Desharik!" Ginia twisted her hands in her dress. "He and his ships came to this island after he lost a war with another pirate lord. They took over, and when the mayor tried to protest they had him killed! He took my home away and gave it to one of his lieutenants, and he had father murdered when he tried to get back in. Then Desharik said that my brother Aston and I would have to pay for our father's 'crimes' and gave us to his lieutenant, Chremy. We've been living this way ever since."
The story was probably embellished a little, but it was undoubtedly true. Aerie had known fear for a long time, and could tell when others felt it. It just made her so mad..... Her fist tightened on her staff. "Do you have anyway off the island?"
Ginia sighed and shook her head. "There's a smuggler named Calahan who does business by the docks, but I don't have nearly enough money to get either me or my brother away. Then we'd have to escape Chremy too. Thank you for asking Miss, but I'm resigned to this life."
"Well, could you describe Chremy for me?" Aerie persisted. "I'd like to have words with him some time."
Ginia looked terrified. "Oh please no! I'll get in trouble!"
"No you won't. I promise."
The frightened slave girl sighed. "He's just a little shorter than your friend here", she nodded at Minsc, "And he has a big scar across his right eye. He usually hangs out outside the Vulgar Monkey. Oh PLEASE don't get me in trouble!"
Aerie smiled gently and reassuringly. "You won't get in trouble. Thank you for talking." Aerie stood and bowed slightly to Ginia and walked away, a hint of purposefulness in her stride. Minsc followed close behind.
"Aerie" Minsc asked, "Why did you want to know about this Chremy fellow?"
"Because we're going to liberate a couple of slaves, that's why."
Minsc grinned. "Oh yes, the good times roll on. And yet another evil man will be struck down."
The man Chremy was loitering outside of the tavern, picking his teeth with a knife and whistling at the women who passed by, occasionally slapping their behinds. His bloodshot left eye found Aerie approaching and winked suggestively. At her approach, he leered. "Hey there sweetheart" he said in a gruff raspy voice. "You looking for some action?" Apparently 'sweetheart' was, because she punched him in his good eye. Hard. "Ow! Damn it you bitch, what was that for?!"
"That was for coming onto me." Aerie said airily. "Are you Chremy?"
"Yes, damn it! Gods woman, what does that matter?!"
"I'm here to say something about Ginia and Aston. Stay away from them! You won't hurt them anymore!"
Chremy rubbed his eye and glared furiously at Aerie. "Those two are my property! I can do what I want with my property!"
Aerie's temper was rapidly coming to a boil. "People are not property, you gutless monster! Does beating them up make you feel big and strong?"
Chremy snarled. He didn't need some slip of a girl lecturing him! "Maybe, but putting you in your place certainly will!" He yanked his sword from his scabbard. Aerie stepped back, smiling sweetly.
"Oh Minsc? Would you like to take it from here?" She asked politely. "Words don't seem to be working here."
"With pleasure!"
Chremy looked beyond the pretty elf-girl with the sharp tongue for the first time and noticed the really big guy standing behind her. The really big guy who was making a fist and drawing it back for a punch of his own. The pirate just had time enough to widen his eye before the fist struck him in the jaw. The force of the blow sent Chremy's head spinning to the side, snapping his neck with a sickening crunch. The newly made corpse flew several feet to strike the wall of the Vulgar Monkey and bounced off, before lying on the ground, twitching.
Aerie looked down on him in contempt. "Bastard", she muttered.
A quick riffling of the corpse provided some money and an odd looking amulet which Aerie packed away for later. Fortunately for all those involved, Calahan was much easier to deal with. It turned out that he knew Ginia and Aston, which saved the story from being told again.
"Aye" the smuggler sighed, "'tis a sad story."
"Ginia said you could help them get away."
"Yes, I could. But I can't do it for free, you know. My sources and friends need to be paid as much as I. Sometimes even more so."
Aerie started rifling through her money pouch. "How much?"
Calahan did some quick calculations in his head. "About 200 gold a piece." He was about to add more when Aerie pushed the money into his startled hands. ".....Aye, this'll take care of things right. Now, if you can just get them away from Chremy and send them my way I'll have them out of here before Desharik can blink twice."
Aerie thanked the man and hurried back to Ginia. The slave girl was startled to see the elf and Minsc again. "You're back?"
Minsc nodded eagerly. "Yes. And bad man Chremy will bother you no longer!"
Ginia stopped what she was doing and stared incredulously at Minsc. "You're serious? Thank you, but it will only be a matter of time before Desharik gives me to another lieutenant. I'm afraid you've only attracted bad attention to yourselves."
Aerie shook her head firmly. "You won't belong to anyone else again! Go to Calahan and he'll take you and your brother away from this island. Minsc and I can handle the pirates who come after us."
At first Ginia didn't seem to understand Aerie's words. Then her blue eyes lit up in a way they hadn't since she had been enslaved. "Really??? Oh thank you!" She surprised Aerie by launching herself into her arms and hugging her fiercely, nearly bowling the elf girl over. "I'll never forget you or the kindness you've done me. Thank you again! A thousand times, thank you!" Ginia bowed then hurried off to find her brother.
Minsc smiled and waved. "Goodbye Miss Ginia! Enjoy life and live well!"
Aerie smiled and leaned on her guardian. "You know Minsc, I think we've made the world a little bit better."
***
(Magicman walks in and finds the room littered with unconscious PCs.)
Magicman: I'm ho.....me. What the?
Folken: Ah Magicman! How was your trip?
Magicman: Er, fine.
Folken: I've just finished off this chapter and was about to post it.
Magicman: What took you so long?
Folken: The others took exception to the fact that I was your first PC that you won the game with. It took a little while to restrain them.
Daevan: Revenge! I'm not done yet!
(Folken whacks Daevan over the head with the Staff of Woodlands, knocking him out.)