This is the first chapter to a story written by me and a friend about our ongoing Dungeons and Dragons campaign, set in the land of Faerun.

Exiled from Waterdeep

Sitting around a small table in the infamous Golden Spoon Tavern were three companions; Muashi, a Samurai from the East, Kerith a highly trained warrior monk from Hornwood Monestry and Arma Moondown, a well respected, yet secretive Elf from distant Tethyr.

Muashi was lounging on a roughly cut wooden chair, his black scale mail glinting malevolently in the dim candle light; the helm of which was placed neatly under the thick, circular oaken table. At his waist hung three highly prized swords; a large hand and a half sword called a Katana, a smaller long sword called a Wakazashi, and a much shorter sword called a Tanto. Also on the sticky tavern floor was his worn leather backpack; full of adventuring equipment. Residing next to him sat Kerith; he was a much simpler man; while the brutish samurai drank deep from a pitcher of ale, the monk just sat, arms folded. His much plainer clothing; some practical, thick cotton robes hung loosely about his person, on his face sat a humble smile, which he passed on to the third and last companion; Arma. She returned the gesture with a roguish grin, just as she adjusted the various straps on her darkened leather armor. On which her belt sat, darkened to a midnight hue as did the rest of her clothing, on this belt of hers hung two sheathed rapiers and a few small leather pouches. As the elf relaxed in the comfortable inn she noticed a few turning heads; squinting eyes examining her empty scabbard on her back; the inhabitant of which lay strewn across the cluttered table, its handle within the reach of the assassin's gloved hand.

"Kerith I aint liking this new captain", announced Arma as she set down a heavy pewter tankard.

"I agree Arma, there is something about him", replied Kerith

"All the power has gone to his bloody head, we need that Captain Trent back", added Muashi as he hastily tore at a joint of meat.

"Agreed..." sighed Arma.

As the elf fell back in her seat; her ale clutched tightly in one hand an explosion of noise erupted from outside the grimy window.

"What the bloody hell is that?" roared Arma as she instinctively got to her feet.

Outside shouting and screaming gradually got louder. The silhouette of a mob of people walked past the tavern along with angered, raised voices cursing and jeering. This caught the whole room's attention; each of the patrons stared puzzled, turning to one another for explanations.

Just as Muashi had returned to his food a rock came smashing through a nearby window, sending glistening shards across the hard wooden floor.

"That's it lets go ", shouted Arma

just as she grabbed her great sword from the round oak table and set off out the door. Kerith got to his feet and followed the elf; walking calmly to the swinging tavern door. This left Muashi and two dozen puzzled clientele starring cluelessly to one another. The samurai looked around a final time, devoured the remainder of his lamb and gathered up his belongings into his back pack. He opened a pouch on his belt and threw six silver coins onto the table; he then picked up his helmet, smiled to the gormless bar keep and went out into the street.

As the group left the tavern they were confronted with a mass of thoroughly annoyed looking commoners. The party fought their way easily through the throng of people; Muashi leading the way as he hastily put his intimidating dark steel helmet on. Once they reached the front they stopped; in front of them stood an odd site by anyone's standards; a large, cargo laden wagon, with a squat, opulently dressed gnome standing plumply on the top. The distressed looking gnome was shouting excuses and pleas of mercy at various individuals in the crowd. Near the wagon was another gnome; this one slighter but just as distressed; beads of sweat trailed down his tensed face as he rushed around to the front of the wagon. He hoped nimbly onto the driver's seat and fumbled with the reigns.

Muashi pushed his way through and climbed up onto the seat next to the wagon driver. He sat there, blankly, an amused expression slowly spreading across his face.

"What the hell are you doing?" Shouted a particularly vocal member of the mob. The gnome who was now holding the horse fittings so tightly his knuckles were white turned to the glum samurai; terror creeping onto his face;

"Go away you stupid brute, either help us or bugger off!" he screeched.

Amra surveyed the area, while Kerith held a few violent members back. Out of nowhere a pitchfork flew through the air and imbedded it self into the side of the wagon. With that the mob surged savagely forward. Kerith automatically jumped back grabbing Arma out of harms way, as he did so.

"Goooo!" Screamed the Gnome on the roof of the wagon.

In a matter of seconds the cart shot off, causing the unfortunate gnome on the roof to lose his balance and fall over. The man clung desperately to the side of the wagon, the crowd biting at his heels like hungry dogs. Through sheer exhausting luck he managed to roll his plump frame back to his original position on the top.

Arma, sensing her window of opportunity slipping further and further away began to run after the wagon; but even at full pelt it easily broke away from both Arma and the mob. Kerith on the other hand ran like a man being chased by hell itself, his feet barely touching the ground as he glided in a blur to easily catch up with the speeding wagon.

The gnome on the roof slid across a hatch opening into the interior of the wagon and looked over his shoulder at the distant crowd letting out a manic laugh,

"Brute if you're going to help get in the back and shoot at those cursed peasants" ordered the gnome driving the wagon, his face fixated on the large slowly closing gate ahead.

Muashi silently nodded and clambered into the back of the wagon and began to search through his backpack for his bow and arrows.

Once found, Muashi began to fire randomly into the mob of people behind him. Included in this mob, the Elf, Arma; sprinting as fast as possible, yet still falling further and further behind. But as her mind and body tells her to give in her eyes fix on a man jumping on to his horse; seeing an opportunity when one arises, Arma runs and jumps on the back with him.

"Don't mind me", said Arma

The man pulls the reigns and the horse charges forward, gaining ground quickly, and easily catching up with the wagon.

"Arr! Shoot the bloody horse", demanded the gnome in the back; pointing a stubby finger at the galloping steed that was racing toward them.

Muashi grunted; and took aim at Arma and the man riding the horse. The arrow whistled through the air and hits true; straight into the horse's neck.

"Good shot", cheer the gnomes in unison!

Blood pours out from the wound in the horse; Arma jumps to her feet on the saddle as the horse's legs go limp and the beast tumbles forwards. The assassin springs in to the air as the horse's head smashes sickeningly into the cobbled ground. The elf back flips just missing the horse's flailing hooves. She lands on her feet and sees the wreckage; the bulky creature flipped and crushed the rider; killing him instantly. Both horse and man lie dead in a mangled mess on the street; blood from both of them seeping out across the main road, which passes like an artery through the great city of Waterdeep. Arma gritted her teeth as she runs passed the gory mess, the mob behind her seeming to grow every second. Kerith stayed level with the wagon as it trundled along at a great speed, that was, until the left wheel hit a divot in the road. The back end of the wagon flew up in the air and came crashing down with an almighty thud. Muashi flew back ward clumsily in the wagon and crashed into the various wooden crates stacked poorly behind him. The gnome was much more unfortunate; he fell forward and hit the road hard. His face connected first, spraying blood across the cobbled ground, after several spectacular flips he stopped, unmoving; unconscious.

Arma on the other hand ran on; her body felt like it was just going to shut down; her legs ached from sprinting none stop, yet, reacting in microseconds she reached down to the gnome and effortlessly hoisted him up, throwing him over her shoulder; all in a single fluid motion. Fighting the cramping pain, she carried on running after her quarry.

Muashi got up, looked around and grunted; he then grabbed the shaken gnome who was driving from behind and threw him carelessly into the back. The samurai then clambered into the driver's seat and picked up the reigns, he looked thoughtfully at the various leather straps and tugged them to slow the vehicle down. The wagon precariously came to a stop just as Arma caught up; breathless. She wasn't the only one coming near; a brutish group of 20 official Waterdeep guards was also rushing to the scene.

"Don't worry guys I got them", boasted Muashi holding a struggling gnome in one iron clad hand.

"And we got you", smirked one of the guards, as the rest guards pulled out various clubs.

"Oh you want a piece of this", snapped Muashi,

Just as two guards appeared on the other side of the wagon and grabbed Muashi; the honourable warrior fought their restraining efforts with a sharp elbow to the face, the crunch that came from the face and elbow meant conclusively that the man's nose was no more. The poor blood stained individual ran off holding his face screaming as gore was seeping through his fingers. The remaining guards jumped on the dark warrior and began savagely clubbing poor Muashi down. For each punch the samurai landed he received at least ten strikes with a wooden cudgel. After a good three minutes of savage beating Muashi fell unconscious.

Kerith realised quickly that escape against these odds was the only option, he darted off down a left hand side alley and hid in the shadows watching the unravelling scene from a distance. He watched as Arma approached the thugs and dropped the still bleeding gnome.

"Muashi!" called Arma.

The guards lifted the barely conscious samurai onto his feet and carried him off in manacles. Muashi's scale armour was dented and smashed, blood followed behind him pouring through the metal plates surrounding his leg.

"What the hell did he do", screamed Arma.

"He resisted", smirked a guard.

"We stopped the gnome's you stupid idiot, so why in the blue hell would you arrest him", argued Arma,

"You were helping these two gnomes we could clearly see you were trying to flee the city with them. Now come here, and don't try any funny stuff Arma," commanded the guard leader.

Arma stopped. For a split second she would like nothing better than taking her sword and running each of these merciless ruffians through, but decided against this course. Four of the Guards come over and manacled her up. Her hands were locked in irons, together with a chain going down to her feet which are manacled in the much the same way, along with this, a length of chain leads off either side to a guard holding on so that she cannot run.

The guards escorted Arma and Muashi down the road known as Trade Way. Two of the so called guards lead, then Arma; escorted by her watchers, followed by Muashi who was now just about conscious, who also has two guards holding chains. Taking up the rear was two more of the men.

Kerith poked his head out of window and watched silently. He spotted them; four bulky, armed men were running toward the house he was hiding in. The monk remained calm and scanned around quickly; looking for an exit. He saw it; a small window that led out to the back alleys. Kerith kicked the window to bits then went for a run up. The guards came crashing through the door with swords at the ready, just as Kerith dived head first through the window. He pulled his body together as he travelled through the air and landed neatly on a shoddy metal shed. Kerith rolled a bit then looked up. He pushed himself up and sprang backward off of the shed, just as arrows flew down and imbed into the shack beneath him. Kerith sprinted off down the alley way deflecting and dodging arrows until he turned off. He ran left, then right, then left again down more darkened alleys, until he was positioned in front of the group who held his friend captive. He stopped and thought how best to strike when the time arises...

Kerith saw his opportunity; a child and his mother carrying fruit and vegetables. He walked over, and took them into the shadows.

"I need you to make a distraction; if I give you a gold piece will you run out and throw your wares at the guards… Make it look like an accident." Said Kerith.

The two people looked at him, puzzled but they nodded and Kerith gave them the gold. The kid ran out and lobbed a rotten tomato at one of the guards at the front.

"What the hell, you little brat" shouted the guard.

The guard drew his glimmering long sword; the kid and his mum looked in fear. But that's exactly what Kerith was waiting for, he darted out upper cutting the guard in the jaw, the poor man flipped up into the air, Kerith carried on and left hooked the other guard in the gut, the guard leaned forward in severe pain; Kerith finishes the man with a quick shot to the temple. The monk stopped and surveyed the other guards. The first of the brutes to feel Kerith's wrath lands on his face. And so it began…

Arma pulled hard on her chains to the right, the guard on the left pulled back harder; Arma used that momentum and cracked the guard in the face. He drops the chain and wobbles around then collapses to the floor. She then charges the other guard tackling him to the ground and began to smash her victim repeatedly in the face until he is fair from conscious.

As his companions act, so does Muashi. His guards let go of his chain and went to intercept Arma and Kerith. Muashi grabbed the chain and didn't move, one of the guards ran past, reacting faster than thought, Muashi whipped the chain around his neck and yanks him to the ground, like his female counterpart, Muashi beats his captor with his metal manacles.

As the final blow is struck, Muashi stared down at his helpless, unconscious victim. For a moment pity spread about him, but only for a moment. He searched savagely through the fallen man's belongings and found what he was looking for, he hastily unlocked his shackles and threw the rusty iron key to Arma; she does the same as the samurai. Kerith, Arma and Muashi group up, Muashi drew his katana and stared grimly at the guards.

"Im going to enjoy this, I am going to gut you both and leave you for the crows", shouted Muashi in a crazed manner.

"We haven't got time for this" muttered Kerith

The group looked at each other darkly; the samurai shook his head in anger, and then muttered several inaudible curses as he re-sheathed his ancestral Katana.

Seeing the state Muashi's leg was in after the assault, Arma and Kerith grabbed their injured companion and began to run down the streets as fast as possible. Kerith seemed to be o.k. with the pace but Arma's legs felt like that going to fall off.

"God damit Muashi, your such a fat git," grunted Arma as they made their way to the gate.

As they ran hap-hazardly up the road four guards ambushed the trio, gagged them, then dragged them into a back alley!

"Don't speak, just listen! The new captain is corrupt he is hiring mercenaries from the north as guards. And even the pettiest law violation ends up in a hanging or something much worse. We are still loyal to Captain Trent. By order of the new impostor you are to be brought to the Barracks to be hung, drawn and quartered. Follow our lead and we will take you to safety", whispered one of the guards.

All three nod sincerely, and the guards seized their weapons and pushed them out into the street. The guards surrounded the trio and walked on. The group reach the gate.

"Stop there you bunch of scum", muttered the guard at the back.

"Those three are meant to be taken to the barracks" grunted the Gate keeper

"The captain said he can't be arse to waste his time with these low life maggots; he said to exile them and if they dare return have their heads" spoke the guard at the front.

The gatekeeper mumbled something to him self then shouted at some men above them to open the huge cast iron gate. The grinding of metal and wood echoes as the gate slowly opened up. The guards shoved the trio through the gate and tossed them their weapons.

"Well that was a fun day…" Choked Muashi, grinning grimly at his mangled leg.