Final Preparations: Rescue of Imoen
Although Bodhi remains to be dealt with, the Shadowmaster is pleased about the breakup of the rival guild. Ultimately, he said I could voyage to Spellhold where the Cowled ones are keeping Imoen anytime I am ready. I asked him to hold up while I ensure that I have all the supplies that I need to which he agreed. I am going to make one more trip around Amn to see what exactly I can take with me for the voyage to Spellhold.
Journal entry 18
The Journey to Spellhold
Yoshimo and I were aboard as we cast off at night - which has rung a warning bell for me. Either during or directly after the voyage, I wonder if someone or more appropriately some thing will make another attempt on my life. No doubt, the agents of Bodhi are stowed away upon this ship and will pounce on us as directed. I am staying close to Sime and have asked her as a precaution to sleep while I am awake and is awake while I sleep. I've admitted to her my reason for doing so; she has agreed. That was a relief. Death will come for me, but I have no desire as of yet to meet my end. Yoshimo knows, as well. I will be cautious. I wonder, as well, where the scum suckers are hidden aboard this ship?
Journal entry 19
It is as I predicted. Everyone preceded me off the ship. Magically prepared, I then followed Sime. When I caught up to her, she commented that Havarian, the Captain of the ship, looked nervous. I went over and spoke with him. Just business, he said, but he has betrayed me, nonetheless. As he vanished, three Vampires faced me. The unusual look in their eyes before I sent them away vanquished was worth the battle.
I discussed plans with Yoshimo and Sime; Sime said she would wait near the entrance of Spellhold while I conferred with a contact that knew how to get into the Asylum. As I started to speak with that contact at the Inn of the Island, an assassin ended his life. Yoshimo, who lurked away from me using his brand of talents, got behind the assassin and that was the end for the killer of my contact who had information he was unable to deliver to me. At that point, the bartender of the Tavern gave me information that led me to the bride to be of the contact that is now dead. She was imprisoned by a Madame who wished to keep one of her "assets". I challenged her need to do so and won the argument. I escorted the distressed woman down to the pier where it was a safe area and a Captain of a ship was joyful to see her. He told me I could gain access to Spellhold one of two ways. Get the pirate King to commit me to the Asylum, or somehow convince the Cowled Wizard who has a house on the Island to part with the wardstone he uses on his trips to Spellhold. I thanked the Captain and left to return to the Tavern and consider my options. In the end, I decided to speak directly with the Cowled Wizard in town.
Having taken care of the mundane, I searched for the building where I could confront the Cowled one. I went too far one way and came to a dead end. There was a young lady that seemed sad, so I spoke with her and she reluctantly gave me her story. A bastard of a man was using Gina roughly; she was looking for a way to leave the Island with her younger brother. I found the man near the entrance to the Tavern and let me just say that he will no longer be a problem. I found a smuggler that collected a fee from me to give Gina and her brother passage off the Island. Returning to her, I left instructions for their trip to leave the Island of Brynnlaw forever. Back on track of the Cowled Wizard, I finally found his home.
Discussion with him was pointless; someone or something seemed to be in control of his mind. A magical battle to the death was the only option if I was to obtain the wardstone and having defeated him, is what I claimed as mine. He also had quite a unique item on him called the Book of Infinite Spells which I put away for inspection at a later time. Wanting to be at one hundred percent for the last leg of my journey to Spellhold, Yoshimo and I rested at the Tavern and I did my best to anticipate the magic I would use to free Imoen from that accursed Asylum.
Journal entry 20
The Cracked Container
A lot has happened since my last Journal entry. Irenicus actually took over Spellhold from the Cowled Wizards and it was his intent to wait for my difficult but not impossible journey into his web. Yoshimo slipped a spell component into the food on the ship so that Irenicus could incapacitate me without a struggle. When I arrived at Spellhold, the Administrator (Irenicus, unknown to me at the time) took us on a tour of the facility culminating in my seeing Imoen once again. She was not all there mentally. That was when Irenicus revealed himself and cast his despicable spell leaving me unconscious. It turned out that Yoshimo was under a geas to serve Irenicus. He could not help but betray me as directed by his master, Irenicus. When I awoke, I screamed in fury - I was in some kind of container and along two walls of the room, so were other beings that turned out to be Shadow Thieves. Something alien almost overcame me as I felt every fiber of my being become blurred; no, I think it more like rearranged then back to normal in a moment or so. When I came back to my senses, I noticed a crack in the container. My hand was hurt. Shortly after this, Irenicus along with Bodhi, Yoshimo, and Imoen entered the room.
It was planned all along by Irenicus to test my abilities and make it possible for me to come to him. He was ready for me. I agree. To a certain point. I have come to the conclusion that an event that Irenicus did not foresee has occurred. This event was the creation of a crack in the container. I believe that crack thwarted Irenicus from stealing all the power which rested dormant in me until now. Through or perhaps despite what appeared as a dream to me, Irenicus stole my soul. The entire soul was his goal; his plan was achieved, but only partially. A small fraction of my soul still rests within me. I have analyzed the events. It all seems to boil down to something within me did not want Irenicus to succeed. It came up out of the darkest pit of murder and instantaneously prevented the full plan of Irenicus from being fulfilled. I believe the Avatar of the dead God Bhaal sought to aid itself by aiding me against Irenicus. Perhaps, more likely, it aided itself in preventing the essence within one of its children (me) from being totally drained. That it aided me is probably a side effect in the preservation of itself. No doubt, some of the anger and rage is mine and mine alone. Too bad for Irenicus that he has a greater foe than I. However, I don't feel the smallest remorse in accepting this idea of mine that I have, although not benign, a powerful ally against Irenicus.
Bodhi now has Imoen's soul; Irenicus has most of mine. During the process, I had a dream that I will relate here. The first I was aware of was that Imoen (or whatever it was that she represented in the dream) spoke of "finding me within" and "not to fight - to fight was to lose if I won or lost". It appeared that I was back at Candlekeep, so I approached the door where a Demon awaited me. It insisted a sacrifice be made. This might represent the stealing of my soul in hindsight, but I am unsure if that is the truth of the matter. Nonetheless, I had to sacrifice a piece of myself to gain entrance to the Keep. Once inside, Imoen suggested I draw the creature inside, to her - that together we could win when the creature was in her sight. When I went outside to find it, it was none other than Bhaal - Lord of Murder. I told him if he wanted to fight, try and catch me; which had the intended result. I drew him into the Keep (my inner being?) and within Imoen's sight, fought him to a stand still. Bhaal called me strange among my kin which is a reference to my Bhaalspawn heritage. The dream ended with Imoen's comment that "something is not quite right" after which I regained consciousness.
Irenicus considered me insignificant. That may be another event which will cause his downfall. He told Bodhi to "Remove this nothing and Imoen, as well". Bodhi readily agreed to this and Irenicus talked of their friends in the dark - something as well, if I can piece it together, may lead me to anticipate his plans - an event which may destroy those plans. Bodhi disappeared with Imoen and returned shortly for me.
Away from Irenicus, Bodhi ushered me to a ledge. Looking down, Bodhi asked "What do you see, Bhaalspawn?" Taking a few more steps to arrive next to Bodhi and looking down myself, I saw Imoen. At that split-second, Bodhi struck me in the back. This caused me to fall down hard into what I now know of as the Insane Rage of Spellhold (in short, the IRS). The IRS had become Bodhi's plaything where she let run, then feasted upon living sentient beings. "Do you know what I see, Bhaalspawn? I see a trusting soul." After her laughter had stopped, she returned to her diatribe. "Oh, but that is no longer a valid description now, is it? Let us just say you are trusting, period." I just barely heard Imoen whispering a Cone of Cold spell while I was trying to recover my breath from my fall, so after I was able to breathe again, I tried to delay Bodhi from leaving until Imoen could finish her spell by suggesting that Bodhi do the bidding of Irenicus like a good little girl, but that idea ran off her like water on a duck. She said Irenicus does want me dead, but she does not have to comply right away. She taunted me to run through this maze of hers and I might yet thwart Irenicus. Or so she said. Bodhi said that she will give me time, but promised that she would come to feast upon my blood. Imoen's spell then froze the ledge Bodhi was standing upon and made it slippery, as well. I would have dearly enjoyed seeing Bodhi slip and fall. It almost worked, but Bodhi shape changed into a bat and left. I had started my time stop spell in a low voice, but seeing Bodhi leave, I negated it, as the reason for my spell was to then imprison Bodhi had she fell into the IRS among Imoen and I due to Imoen's Cone of Cold spell. I then congratulated and thanked Imoen for such a great effort to make Bodhi take a fall. Imoen had also heard my time stop spell and allowed that it was a great tag-team attempt and would have been a fitting reversal of fortune for Bodhi.
Unknown to Bodhi, I am unconcerned as to when she returns to me. She has already bitten off more than she can chew in me. My only concern now is Irenicus. I have spent quite a bit of time already on this Journal entry; she can come now, later, or never as far as I am concerned about it.
Journal entry 21
The Insane Rage of Spellhold
I took the time to see how Imoen was. I found that she was coherent, but weakened from the process that left Bodhi with her soul. After my previous Journal entry, I asked Imoen to join me. We climbed the eastern steps - I felt myself almost lose control; of what I did not to full degree imagine - yet. It passed quickly, but not quickly enough that Imoen failed to notice. The eastern compass point led to a door with a Golem - now history, and a few odd items. Of importance to note was the finding of a bag of holding. I had read about them, but did not think to ever see one - let alone own one! We then went north where we found a few Goblins, gems and puzzles. Another Rukh sought to bar my progress to a portal with his Mephit minions. That took a bit more time, but more of a delay than a battle. Using the gems found on this level, the portal summoned a greater Werebeast then a Demon; another exercise in futility against me. The third gem brought forth a Jinn with a gift of armor. The third of four compass paths west, we found a group of Yuan-ti - another wasted effort to prevent my escape. The statue - that was another matter. I needed "the hand of the builder" to proceed to the next level of the maze. This meant that I would have to be thorough in my search for the key. The start of the fourth and final direction south was an easy to spot trap. One room with walls on the far side except for an open doorway - that would no doubt spring shut the moment one or more people left the first room - separating them from the others. I summoned my Fell Five and had them advance into the next room after I cast invisibility upon Imoen then myself. The additional problem the maze brought were Umberhulks. Being immune to the confusion attack of the Umberhulks, my Fell Five did quite well in the next room and were good enough to clear my room as well.
The hallway from there came to a T intersection. Moving left down another hallway, I came into a room with some miscellaneous items and a Mist Horror. Another door led to a room with a book upon a podium. Having turned the page, a weak monster was summoned and easily dispatched. I took a break just for fun and kept turning the pages. Of them all, both the Mindflayer and the Beholder were just too much fun even though I was not totally prepared for the worst. Both of those encounters could have been deadly. The end was a let down. When I turned the last page, a magical item appeared on the page of the book. As I went to grasp the item, it became real.
There was a secret door in this room that led to a bunch of Goblins and I ended up with a stake suitable for a Vampire, a crystal shard, and various martial supplies like fire arrows. Back in the summoning room, there was another door, but that led back to the middle of the first level of this maze. Retracing my steps, I then got back to the T intersection and opened the right hand door to see more undead including a Lich that guaranteed my attention but not respect. Down the hall with a turn right, I came to another door. This was the "Hand of the Builder" the inscription on the statue spoke about - which was none other than another Vampire, who actually seemed to want me to end his undeath - which I did. Using the stake, I put his soul to rest and got the key I needed to advance to Bodhi's second level that was the last one, as it turned out. I noted one more door that had not been explored. To my extreme pleasure, I found a Library! If it were up to me, I knew that Spellhold would no longer be standing when I left it. Therefore, I eagerly stuffed my bag of holding with all the books that were in the Library. Despite the small physical size of the bag of holding, it holds a far greater volume than looks to be possible.
On the second of the two levels of the maze after a few Trolls, Minotaurs, traps and two more Trolls I came to a unique room in which I managed to find a lever that would heal my Fell Five. My hand was still hurting quite a bit (see my Journal entry about the cracked container that Irenicus had me trapped in), so I asked Imoen to press the lever while I stood in the middle of the room. After that, my hand felt better. Something was nagging me - this room had to be near the end of the line for me - Bodhi would not want me to ever find this room unless it was near the end of the maze. I used my farsight spell and found that Bodhi was waiting for me in the next room separated by a short hallway. I therefore went back to explore the other way. Since my farsight spell was still in operation, I noticed a bit of frustration in that Bodhi started pacing around the room when I reversed course, but then she settled down. After a brief encounter with Yuan-ti, I was faced with a wall of pictures - which matched similar ones I had collected on this level near where the Minotaurs had congregated. The smaller pictures were used to open the section of wall it matched and the being the painting represented was waiting for us behind all 4 wall pictures. Naturally we "tested" the Mindflayer picture last and was fully prepared with good results - for us - in all four cases. The one false wall revealed a further passageway as well as some Werebeasts that were not in our way - for long. The passageway branched in two directions. One was to a room with a few Golem constructs keyed to attack should a bowstring be removed from a chest. What was worse - the door slammed shut the moment the bowstring had been removed from the chest - in a room full of constructs. After that, we took my Fell Five back to the healing room and restored them to fully operational capability. When we went back to explore the last room, all we found was a single Golem construct and a room with a machine that takes tokens that have been spread out in various places on this level. Therefore, Imoen, my Fell Five, and I went back to the healing room close to where Bodhi was waiting on me.
Journal entry 22
I started checking on my Fell Five, but as I considered Bodhi's offer she made to me a few months ago to stab the Shadow Thieves in the back, I abandoned Imoen and my Fell Five rushing into the next room in rage to attack her. Bodhi made a few comments as did I. Before I knew what had happened, I had lost control and turned into the Slayer itself - the Avatar of Bhaal, God of Murder: one of the Dead Three. Bodhi retreated, saying that she needed to advise Irenicus of my transformation. A short while after she and her ilk left, I returned to my normal self. I am glad Imoen did not see me at that point. I don't know if I would target her for attack or not. From this room I saw an archway that I assumed (and was correct) was the way out of the maze. The statue looked to be a Minotaur with both horns missing. I had earlier picked up what looks like one of the horns but the other horn had to be there somewhere and was, of course, the key to our freedom; or at least a return to an area of Spellhold that we could then prepare ourselves to confront Irenicus.
Journal entry 23
After a few more Minotaurs and a Gauth no less, I had collected 21 tokens. Imoen and I went back to the machine I referred to previously and put in 15 of the tokens that gave us a pair of boots of speed. Now both Imoen and I have a pair. I then put in five of the six remaining tokens and a pair of boots that magically protects the wearer from cold came out of the machine. I found the second horn and completed the statue which gave us egress from the maze.
We came out into an area with a few Goblins shooting arrows at us. Upon our success, a Spirit took us to another area with a Spore Fungus that attempted to summon Myconids to its aid. I destroyed it before it could do such a thing. After that, we ended up in a room with a central table and a few Spirits in chairs pushed against the wall vice at the table. They remained benign, so I took the opportunity to examine the room more closely. On the table was a Cloak of Reflection that repels electrical energy. Other than that, the room was empty; worse yet, there did not seem to be any exits. Upon speaking with the first Spirit, they each took turns asking me riddle questions. I believe my answers would help or hinder our journey towards Irenicus. I am almost certain I answered all their puzzles correctly. We ended up in a large cavern area with a few Trolls within. Upon the conclusion of the battle, we approached an Altar. The Spirit formed then and asked me if I were ready to be judged. I responded not quite yet. Examining the Altar, I read that a sacrifice was required to obtain an unnamed item. Searching the room, the only thing I found was put upon the Altar. That was the correct response, as that item disappeared and in its place a magical bone club appeared - a good weapon verses the undead. Getting the attention of the Spirit, I indicated we were ready for judgement. The Spirit took us to a neutral, monster-free area. It told us that it did not think we were supposed to finish the tests alive. It made a decision, though, saying that we were sane and we were free to go upon which it disappeared.
Journal entry 24
Application of Training and Experience
Imoen and I rested and after doing so, I collected my thoughts for what might happen during the foreseen battle with Irenicus. Looking at it from all the angles that I could think of, I could not figure out at this time how to shift the odds in our favor. "It" was boiling up again within me during this time, and I almost lost my identity again. It was only the discipline of my mind that barely saved me from transformation into the Slayer. Imoen winced in sympathy, then in her unique style, winked at me, which made me feel a bit better. Calmer, collected once more. I would say that this moment is the ultimate application of all my training and my experiences. This moment. No doubt, I would be making split second decisions during our battle with Irenicus; so I thought then, and was naturally correct. When you lead off with one spell only to hear a spell in the background started by your foe and you need to stop the first spell negating it then attempting to counter the spell you recognized was being deployed by your opposition, you may only get one chance to succeed. What scared me was that Irenicus seems to have access to spells/magic that I don't know about. If you recall, I mentioned a magical item I found on the body of the Cowled Wizard who resided in the town of Brynnlaw close to Spellhold. It is called the Book of Infinite Spells. The number and potency of the spells that Irenicus commands is, well, superhuman is the word that comes to mind. Something is not right here. Bodhi mentions that Irenicus is her brother. She, herself, seems no ordinary - if one can call a Vampire ordinary - Vampire. Her power is great, as well. This leads me to think that she has had centuries of time to build her power. Yet they both seem to be human, which does not make sense regarding the immense magical power of Irenicus. How can they be human - their power belies their appearance. I know - you ask: What about me? Have I not risen to great Archmage power in but a few months time? Most of that has come to me in pursuit of Irenicus and Bodhi, both. I believe that I am one of the exceptions. Normally, humans do not rise to the kind of power I now possess. I was wondering if I would ever know the truth regarding them. When I got up to leave, Imoen rose and said to me: "Hey, ya! Let's go take care of business!" We made what could very well have been our last steps back into Spellhold, but thankfully were not. As you will see with what lay ahead of us, oblivion might have been welcomed, instead.