Celebrations and Business Deals

The moment Iris had shattered the fragment that came from the Crown of Horns, all the undead that were roaming and attacking in the City of the Dead fell lifeless to the ground.

The members of the Grey Hands, Waterdeep's City Watch, and the Waterdeep's City Guard who had survived the battle, gathered their wounded and their dead. When they were finished, and all that remained were piles of bones and scattered body parts. The city officials decided it was best if they cleaned it all up the next day.

Due to some good timing, and some very powerful spell casting from wizards, sorcerers, and bards, no one but those who were present at the battle and lived were the only ones who knew of the onslaught that had taken place a few hours before.

When he had awaken a few hours after going down into the tomb, he found Lord Piergerion waiting for him in the lobby. The Open Lord asked Shadimir if there was anything he could do for him, and Shadimir knew exactly what his answer would be.

Finally, after three long days of waiting, Shadimir had finally gotten his one-on-one meeting with Mirt the Moneylender.

The meeting was scheduled to take place in the back room of the Lord's Sanctuary. Inside the room, was one large square wooden table, with three chairs surrounding each side.

Shadimir had already been sitting in the room when Mirt had entered. He was a large man who wore plain brown robes and had a plump round face. Mirt the Moneylender walked with a hitch in his step, but he quickly was able to make it to the other side of the table, opposite of Shadimir.

"So I hear, ye wanted to make a business deal," Mirt asked Shadimir curiously.

The hunter looked around the empty walls of the Sanctuary. He had been waiting for three days, ready to acquire some property, and then he remembered a thought he had while he was sitting in the lobby the other night.

He knew just what to buy.

That night, Iris walked into the Lord's Sanctuary with a yawn. It was a slow night the enforcer, as she had been put on temporary vacation from the Grey Hands, for her service in the battle at the City of the Dead.

She walked into the lobby, noticing the grim looks on Theodore and Fox's faces. "What's wrong, did someone die or something?" she asked with a laugh.

They didn't make any sudden movements from the woman's atrocious laughter. Instead, Theodore turned to Iris, his arm in a large sling, while Fox, who appeared to have bandages on both of his arms.

"Someone bought the Sanctuary," Theodore said calmly," The deal was make this morning."

Iris' brown eyes flared with anger as she looked at Fox, whose eyes looked down at the slow as he gave a slow nod. "I guess we have a new boss," she said quietly, not wanting to believe what she had just heard.

"I guess so," Fox answered quietly, then looked at Theodore, who looked into the kitchen. "He's in there if you want to meet him."

Iris raised one of her thin brown eyebrows, and slowly walked into the kitchen, ready to strangle whoever had the fortitude to buy the inn without even telling her. She entered the kitchen, and let out a loud gasp, when she saw Shadimir chopping up carrots.

Shadimir, who was wearing a blue linen shirt and leather pants, quickly finished chopping the carrots, and turned to look at Iris.

"You...you bought the Sanctuary?" she asked in a choked voice, with tears forming in her eyes.

"This morning, when I met with Mirt," Shadimir began," It cost me about two thousand gold, and my word that I would tell anyone about the secret meetings that take place here.

Iris was speechless. She stepped up to Shadimir and kissed him deeply, then pulled away. "I'm sorry," she said softly.

"Its all right," he said softly, holding her close to him. He paused for a moment, thinking about how to word his next question he was going to ask her. Taking a breath, he finally asked. "I have to go back to Silverymoon soon, and I'll need someone to look after the Lord's Sanctuary while I'm away. Well, what I'm asking..."

She placed two fingers on his lips, quieting him. "I'll do it," she said softly, the tears in her eyes moving down her cheeks.

"Good. I can have supplies sent here. Food, money, furnishings, whatever you need."

"Thank you Shadimir, for everything," was all Iris said, then she continued to sob against Shadimir's chest.

After what seemed like forever of them holding on to each other, Shadimir kissed the top of Iris forehead. "Come on, let's go celebrate in the lobby. I bet if we asked, we could get Mirt down here to help us celebrate.

Iris wiped the tears from her eyes, then they walked out together into the lobby, arm in arm.

Elsewhere in the dark regions of the Demonweb Pits, the dark elf goddess Kiaransalee sat on a throne of skulls and ribcages. After some comformation from Lolth about what happened to Elisondar, it seemed that this human, whose name she learned was Shadimir, had ruined her plans to bring undeath and chaos into the surface world. Not once, but twice.

"Shadimir," she growled, her hand shattering the golden goblet in her hands, imagining it was the human she was crushing in her powerful grip.

Then she smiled, and thought to herself for a moment. "Maybe, I should turn him into a lich, or a wight and keep him as a pet," she laughed sitting back on her throne. The Lady of the Dead never thought much of humans. She could hear Soulviss screaming many miles away as he was being chased by handmaidens of Lolth.

Yet, the thought of killing Shadimir and brining his spirit down to the abyss, torturing him night and day for all eternity filled the goddess of revenge and undeath with glee and anticipation.

"Soon, your soul will be mine, and you will pay dearly for ruining my plans. Your soul will be mine forever," she whispered, knowing that soon, the human Shadimir would be hearing her sweet posionous words in his nightmares.

For those who take the time out of their days to read the stories I have posted here

And for Halaster Blackcloak,

The next time our paths cross, may it be under more friendly circumstances...