III Storm's Invitation III

Marpenoth 29 1356 DR, Year of the Worm

Twenty-one years had passed since the day Bowie had entered the home of Krillin and Andressa Sterling.

He had grown to three and a half feet. He was stout like his father and had a hair full of thick curly brown hair.

Bowie had spent his years playing the harp, singing the songs Andressa had taught him, and even defending Tergal's Mark against attackers. At night, Bowie would sing at the local inn, earning extra gold.

On this late evening however, Bowie was sitting alone inside of the small house, gently plucking the strings of his silver harp. It had been a month since Krillin had passed away of a disease. Both Bowie and Andressa were saddened by the loss of his death. Krillin's told Bowie to live his life to the best he could, and that death was really just another adventure. His last words to Bowie were," I'm very proud of you son."

Sadly, it had been only two days ago when Andressa had passed away. The halfling guessed that her cause of death were due to old age.

Bowie remembered the night of his foster mother's death very well.

It was a quiet evening and Andressa was lying on her deathbed. She saw Bowie standing over her bed, and she smiled. Just as her husband did on his deathbed, Andressa told Bowie not to grieve. She told him that she was very proud of him, and that he should continue to his bard training. Andressa also told Bowie that he could sell the house if he wanted to..

After she had said her final words, Andressa died peacefully.

Bowie had given his foster mother a quiet funeral.

Not many people had attended the service, which didn't really didn't seem to bother Bowie too much.

The halfling heard that back in Shadowdale, Sylune Silverhand had sacrificed her life to save the town from a red dragon. Bowie remembered Sylune from the night his parents had died. She was there to hold him and console him while he cried over the loss of his mother and father.

In darkness, Bowie continued to play his silver harp, until he heard someone knocking at the door.

Bowie quickly walked over to the door, wondering who would be coming over this late at night.

When Bowie opened the door, he saw a tall beautiful woman, who resembled Sylune. She had long silver hair, creamy skin, but instead of wearing a dress, this woman wore silver chain armor.

It took Bowie a moment to guess the woman's name, as he had seen her around Tergal's Mark a few times. He had also heard various stories about this woman from Andressa and Krillin. "Storm Silverhand, what brings you over this evening?" Bowie Butterball asked the Bard of Shadowdale curiously.

"You have grown much since last I have seen you Bowie," Storm answered in a cheerful voice," I'm very sorry about Andressa, and Krillin as well. How are you feeling?"

Bowie smiled, holding his silver harp at hide. "I'm fine. It's a little bit lonely here without them here, but I'm planning to move away soon. Both Krillin and Andressa told me to move on and start my own life. I was thinking of moving somewhere to continue my bard training."

"Did they?" Storm remarked, raising an eyebrow," Well that's good, because that is just what I came here to talk to you about."

For an hour, Storm talked about the deeds Andressa and Krillin had performed in their service as Harpers. Bowie was amazed at the stories the Bard of Shadowdale had told him. He would have never guessed that Krillin or Andressa were Harpers. They had usually kept quiet about their deeds and exploits.

After Storm Silverhand had finished telling Bowie about Krillin and Andressa's adventures, she quickly rose up from where she was sitting, and went into the kitchen to get a glass of water. Sitting in his chair, Bowie watched her move gracefully across the room and into the kitchen. Andressa had told Bowie that Storm was a powerful being who few have been able to best in battle.

Emerging from the kitchen with a half full glass of water a minute later, Storm gracefully walked over to where she and Bowie were sitting. "Before they had passed away," the Bard of Shadowdale began," Krillin, Andressa, and I talked about you coming to Shadowdale to train with me. She had told me how skilled you've become at playing the harp, and how beautiful your voice is. You could become a great minstrel Bowie, and I could help you. That is if you're interested, isn't it?"

Bowie sat back in his chair, wondering if what Storm said was true. Both Andressa and Krillin had praised him for his harp playing and his singing, but Bowie never thought that his foster parents would actually tell someone like Storm Silverhand about his singing.

What would his parents think? From what Bowie had gathered, both his mother and father were Harpers, and they were also friends with Sylune. They would probably want you to go, he told himself.

It only took Bowie two more minutes to finally come to a decision.

He looked over at Storm and smiled. "Let me just get my things, and figure out what to do with the house, and we'll be on our way."

The next day, Bowie ran around town, and gave the deed to the house to a young married couple. He figured Krillin and Andressa wouldn't mind, and though it would be hard to leave the house he had spent most of his life in, Bowie knew that he couldn't pass up the opportunity Storm had given him.

Leaving with his backpack full of clothes and food, and with Deathwaltz on his belt, and his silver harp on his arms, Bowie teleported with Storm from the living room of the house into the Bard of Shadowdale's kitchen.

Storm told Bowie she needed to leave for a minute, and walked into the next room, leaving the halfling alone.

Bowie's first thought was to carefully examine the pantry and the cupboards, then ask about what he would be learning from the Bard of Shadowdale.

Then he heard Storm's voice coming from the next room.

"He's in the kitchen," Storm said in the next room," You should see him, he looks just like his father."

The halfling wondered just who Storm was talking to. He quietly peeked out into the other room but he only saw Storm standing there.

A warm breeze brushed across the back of his neck. Bowie quickly turned, seeing the ghostly form of a beautiful woman, who was floating above him.

"You're right Storm, he has grown," the ghost remarked with a giggle," He looks just like his father, except he has his mother's brown eyes."

Bowie's eyes widened. He immediately recognized this woman. He had never forgotten her comforting voice since the night of his parent's death. "Sylune? But I heard you had perished."

"I did," Sylune's ghostly voice responded gently," but my sisters were able to use their magic to keep my spirit in this world."

The halfling stood there, speechless and amazed at Sylune's spectral form.

Sylune's ghostly body floated above him, then she quickly descended in front of him. "I have heard that you have become Storm's student. Well then Bowie, I welcome you to Storm Silverhand's Farmhouse where you be trained by the famous Bard of Shadowdale." Sylune leaned closer to Bowie. "Now is your last chance, run while you can," she jokingly warned him.

Bowie laughed as Sylune ascended into the air, then vanished. He looked over at Storm, who shook her head and said with a couple of tears running down her face," It's almost like she never had died."

"Yeah," commented Bowie, who was now eager to start his training. "So, when does training begin?"

Storm cleared her face of her tears, and nodded her head. "Yes you're training. Let's get started."