AUTHOR'S NOTE: By the time this chapter is up I'll be apologising again for the lack of regular work, but my school blocked this site for no adequately explored reason! I'm as annoyed as you are!
Chapter 4: The City of Coin
Gan surveyed his surroundings, ill at ease in the city. It reeked to him of corruption and decay- thousands upon thousands of degenerate humans crammed into a few square miles- he was at all times tempted to unleash his rage upon them, slaughter them all. However, he kept his blades sheathed, as even he knew that the business he had in Athkatla was far more important. If he was sucessful here, then he would have his revenge against the Black Talons: the rest would follow from then.
He had purchased a cloth satchel from a vendor for a couple of coppers, and then visited the smithy in Waukeen's Promenade to have his blades repaired and buy Abdel a new shield. That was about all the money he had. Also he had been forced to discard his human-leather gear in an abandoned house in the Bridge District lest he be discovered and imprisoned- after all he had come as a guest to his own proposed execution, not a willing prisoner- and so now he was barely armoured in civilian clothes and a hood.
Nobody gave him a moments notice in the dense urban crowds of the city- such was the only advantage of moving among such filth- but infiltrating the city had been no easy task, even for him. He had been forced to skirt the walls of the city around the gates and climb the wall into the slums. Though the city admitted guests freely, he would have had to be registered as a visitor, and with the amount of guards presumably in the pocket of Khosann, he felt it was a necessary precaution. This, then, was their plan: As guests of charitable factions such as the priesthoods or the Order of the Radiant Heart were under no obligation to give their details, he was to convince a priest in the church of Lathander that his ally waiting outside the walls was in need of their attentions. Then he would begin the weaving of another web of connections in an attempt to convince Taurgosz to come out of hiding, probably by way of false capture. However, should things go awry, he had something else in mind.
He grinned at the thought. Yes, his contingency plan was indeed foolproof, and he dared not even think it too loud for fear he would be discovered by the innumerable agents of his enemy. They were humans as well, making them doubly deceitful. But he was certain he would root them out and destroy them before his work was done.
Such were Gan's thoughts, as he weaved his way through the mass of bodies towards the Temple District, to begin the process that would be the undoing of all who opposed him.
*****
I was forced to wait outside the city walls for some time, with nothing to preoccupy me, before a troupe of clerics, grabed in the pristine white robes of Lathander, came to escort me inside Athkatla. I had managed to win a pipe and tobacco from a grizzled veteran in a game of chance, wagered against the last of the wine salvaged from the elven village. I never smoked much, but it was a habit I had adopted from my father and this seemed a fitting hour.
My forst view of the city of Athkatla was a stunning, one. It was the first time I had ever been in a big city, and the sheer mass of life astounded me. Everywhere I saw people from all classes of life scurrying around to buy provisions or head towards the nearest tavern or temple. Beggars lay on every corner of every street, looking for coins from every passer-by they chanced upon. There were those riddled with disease and old age, veterans from the wars, as well as those who had been fighting bandits in the Iron Crisis. The town criers stood on their homemade podiums, spreading gossip and news alike. More reliable was the talk from the regular tavern-goers. There was talk of mysterious cults of every nature controlling the flow of iron, ranging from the Zhentarim to the necromancers of Chult. More troubling was talk of a brewing war between Amn and the Gate, as the rumours which had reached the Council of Six spoke of mercenaries in Baldur's Gate itself tainting the iron with all manner of artifice.
As I passed into the more affluent areas of the city, things changed again. There was less corruption and decay, but it was still obvious that the people suffered from the toil of everyday life. The people here though, instead of turning to the obvious comforts of ale and tobacco, pretended there was nothing wrong whatsoever, strutting around in gaudy garments designed to throw one another off guard and waste money in keeping up with the common trend. It was a race to be noticed, rather than one of survival. Here and there merchants hawked their goods, often of questionable nature, but this part of the city was really the realm of the nobles: it was immediately obvious as to which of them was only putting on a veil of social respectability, and which of them was truly well-off.
The skyline was dominated by two buildings in particular. To the south was Waukeen's Promenade, the domain of the happy-go-lucky shopper, show-goer or gambler. There was said to be something for everybody there, although it was largely an entertainment district. Towards the north, in contrast, was the Council of Six Building, from where the men with the most might and wealth governed Athkatla with an ever-tightening iron fist, whilst still ensuring that the masses retained the illusion of freedom. Even now there was talk of illegalisation of public displays of magic, and the Cowled Wizards were a growing presence in the government of the state of Amn. However, as I grew closer to my destination, still shielded from view by the priesthood of Lathander, I could see the great temples in all their glory- Lathander, Helm and Talos. Their grandiose monuments stood out from a league away, with impressive displays of magically sustained water and lightning. The stonework was perfectly maintained, the windows were master-crafted:- it was the epitome of futile displays of affluence. It was my thought that any gods allowing such an inherently flawed world to be created were not deserving of worship... Given my company, I kept my mouth shut.
*****
The streets in the Temple District seemed slightly more refined than the rest of Athkatla, and certainly less opressive (though no less ostentatious for it) but it was still the same. The same air of desperation was present, except that in this part of the city people had turned to the Gods for comfort. Putting on a facade of piety, street 'clerics' robbed the poor of their gold to pass on 'blessings'. Elsewhere, within the temples, the true priesthoods demanded rigorous devotion and a lifestyle of which they approved in exchange for their charity. Nothing was free in the city of coin, not even the good will of the Gods. The heralds and criers were also present here, except that instead of spreading unreliable gossip, they talked of even less credible apocalypses and reckonings. Everywhere there was a priest trying to convert followers, or the odd heretic openly denouncing divinity (though they were soon removed).
More telling, however, was the growing presence of armed guards. I was new in Athkatla, but even I could tell that many of the soldiers patrolling this district were unused to their rounds, and unacquainted with the locals. There was much tension building even in the less dangerous parts of the city, and though the civilians and guards alike tried not to let it show, the Amnish looked like they were about to crack under the pressure. Even the clergy were obviously ill at ease with the presence of the soldiery, and they hurried past every patrol as they escorted me to the temple of Lathander.
I could see Gan standing, hooded, in the entryway to the temple. He grinned at me as he made a show of letting us in, then followed. The inside was no less grand than the exterior, with gilded walls and polished floors; gaudy monuments of every kind and expensive crystal chandeliers. Beyond that, the entire building burned with purity. I was almost choked by the lawfulness of the place, but I ensured I kept my composure lest I be discovered for my heritage- after all, I had served in worse conditions. Looking around, I had to wonder how Gan had managed to convince them all that he wasn't a raging psychopath.
I was presented to a young woman, looking to be in her mid-twenties. She had a very small face and red hair. She seemed nice enough, but her attire was telling of precautions against more than just the typical slum thug. She was clad in thin splint mail that I could make out under her robes. The only part of her body that was unprotected was her face, and with the kind of magic she probably had at her disposal, I presumed that was a small price to pay for a clear view. Further still, she was heavily armed, with a mace at her right hip whilst a small war hammer was strapped to her back.
I extended a hand to her and said politely,
"I'm Abdel, the one he-" I motioned to Gan, "told you about. I presume you're in charge around here?"
She refused my hand and instead smiled condescendingly at me, making the moment rather awkward,
"No, I'm afraid Dawnbringer Sain is rather busy at the moment. I am Sister Galena, his devoted student." Typical, stuck with an underling. I much prefer doing my business with the leaders, if I am to dabble with priests in the first place.
"Well, nonetheless, I thank you for your hospitality, as well as your silence. What manner of payment were you promised?"
She looked at me as though I had just blasphemed, or presented her with a dead baby to eat for lunch.
"We are clerics of Lathander, not mercenaries for hire! If that is the protection you seek then find solace with those murderers and profiteers in the cult of Talos!" She paused for breath, then seemed to recover her composure, the smile returning to her face, "Forgive me for my momentary outburst, you must not be accustomed with the way of the Morninglord. We agreed to help you into the city because your companion explained to us your predicament, not because we were promised payment."
"And what exactly did he tell you?" I asked, nervous of any lies Gan might have told without my prior knowledge.
"The truth, I hope... why don't you tell me?" She seemed very judgmental at this point, so I glanced over to Gan. he did nothing but nod at me, leading to assume that I was to be honest with the priestess, and tell her of our plight.
"Very well, then you know that we are wanted men?"
She smiled, indicating that I had told the right story. "Yes, that is what I was told. However, I trust your claims of innocence- it seems implausible that one man, especially one so young, could be the source of all this trouble."
I grimaced internally. 'Indeed. It seems more likely that this is the doing of several individuals far more powerful than I am' I thought.
"So, now that I'm here, and thankfully in one piece, it seems we have things to discuss in terms of my next steps. Do you have a conference room of sorts where we can discuss this matter in confidence?"
"We do." She said, shooting me a warning glance no other could see. "Please follow me to the temple antechamber. But remember that while we may remain unespied by mortal eyes, Lathander is always listening..."
*****
Cramped inside the antechamber- little more than a storage cupboard in actuality- we had sat to discuss the matter at hand. Things had not gone well so far.
"What you propose is utter madness!" Sister Galena intoned in a harsh whisper. "We have neither the resources nor the manpower to help you in such an endeavour!"
"No..." I mused, "but you do have the necessary influence, correct? I'm certain hundreds of god-fearing sellswords would be willing to aid me?" I bit my tongue immediately upon uttering those words, having already forgotten Galena's views on mercenary work.
"Yes, it's true." she spat, "But we have not the will to do something like that. Your plan is tantamount to treason! Impersonating Amnish legionaries so that you can upheave your own executions? I can think of no outcome here that would not involve murder of innocents either."
I was beginning to get angry now. "You listen to me, the men who signed my death warrant are bastards! They deserve no better than death! Besides, you must realise that I will find a way to have my justice. I will search for years if need be!"
"Then why don't you?" she said, as if the matter was closed, "I think we've wasted enough of one another's-"
"Because if I stay in the city for long it's only a matter of time before I'm chased out- or worse- by some witchhunter or demonologist! This is my best shot!"
"Witchhunter?" she asked, beginning to get curious now, "Demonologist? Why would those manner of people be looking for you?"
I felt a little bit nauseous when I realised I had said too much. Lawful or not, any cleric would surely have me damned if they knew my nature. I said nothing, only watching as she looked into my eyes and the truth slowly dawned upon her.
"Stay back foul demon!" she cried, standing up and loosening her mace in her belt. I could see from her movements that despite her youth she was well-trained in its use. "A tiefling? Here? In the holy house of the Morninglord? This is blasphemy!"
I sighed. There was naught else to do at a time like this. "So what is your intent then? You kill me? Offer me up as a sacrifice based simply on my heritage? That doesn't seem very virtuous to me..."
"You are demonspawn!" She shrieked, having forgotten her silence. It was only a matter of time before others came. "Your very existence is a blight upon Faerun! I cannot let you leave!"
"And you can't in good conscience kill me either" I said, in no uncertain terms, following as she led us back to the armed clerics in the temple proper. Gan had remained silent throughout. "I have not harmed you, nor do I mean you any harm. I have broken no law,harmed no innocent sentient being. My only crime is that of my blood, and for it I am persecuted. Surely you are not so narrow-minded as to think that it is the nature of a person, rather than their actions, which defines them?"
"You are irrevocably tainted by the abyss! There is no way I can trust you. However, you are right, we cannot simply kill you. There must be another way..."
No other had gotten involved yet, but they were wary and tense, keeping their hands close to their weapons, ready to intervene if things got out of hand. I needed to hurry this.
"Similarly," I pointed out, "If anybody knew you had harboured a demon, the masses would tear this temple down, heedless of the wrath of Lathander. It seems I have the high ground here. You will help me, and I will keep my identity a secret."
"You surely jest!" she laughed, "If you revealed your nature you would be cast from the city!"
"I'm already a wanted man, remember? There are plenty of other places I could flee to." I knew I had her here, she would surely crack soon.
"It's a simple matter of doing what must be done and moving on."
She looked as though she were about to cry under the pressure, and was silent a moment longer. Then she sighed,
"Very well, I will help you, though your original plan is forfeit. Even know the authorities know that you escaped their hunters, and are somewhere in Amn, though they know not where. We must hunt you foe in the wilds. The Black Talons have long been of interest to me, however, and my intelligence points to the devastated encampment of a rival mercenary group just off the forests of Tethyr."
My heart froze, for I knew that must be the former home of the Renegade Fists. If Taurgosz had taken up position there, then all my friends, everyone I had ever known... I knew they would have fought to the last for their homes...
"However," she continued in a stately manner, "I will require one thing to ensure your continued placidity. You must undergo a geas."
At this, both Gan and I recoiled briefly in shock. I decided, however, to laugh it off.
"A geas? Ha! What makes you think one such as you could cast a spell of such magnitude?"
"By Lathander's grace," she intoned, "Every acolyte in this house has the power to make you swear a binding oath to our god"
"Yeah? And how long does it take for your god's approval?"
Galena hesitated. "A while..." she conceded.
"And you really think I would just stand here and let you cast that spell? Ha! You do realise it is within my power to kill everybody in this temple if I am attacked?"
"B-but..." she stammered, "How else am I to know you are trustworthy?"
Gan had had enough of this. He drew his blade, letting it rest at her throat before she could so much as blink.
"How am I to know I can trust you, human?" He hissed the last word for emphasis. I was surprised he jumped to my aid so readily. Either he really wanted his vengeance immediately, or he had developed some sort of a bond with me. To be honest, I did enjoy his company.
Elsewhere, the others in the temple had drawn their weapons, and I was begginning to fear. I wasn't sure I could actually kill all of them. there were rather a lot of them.
Sister Galena, too, seemed to want to prevent bloodshed, and she made an effort at making the peace.
"Please, everybody lower your weapons. This can be resolved peacefully."
The others looked around uncertainly, but Gan made no move to sheath his blade.
"You will accompany us." He said in a monotone. "You will heal our wounds, and help us in our battles. There will be no repercussions for our impudence here. This will teach you, a human, to talk of trust."
She sensed there was no way out. If I wasn't convincing enough, Gan certainly was.
"Very well then, I will aid you in your quest. I must say your cause does seem a charitable one, no matter what doubts I have about you. Also, I admit a certain curiosity over the Iron Crisis. I will join you for the time being, but know that I hold no alleigiance to you nor any other than Lathander, and I plan to leave as soon as possible that I may return to my duties."
And that was that. She never left.
AUTHOR'S NOTES:
Again, really sorry about the delay, but it was for a valid reason as explained above.
Not a very interesting chapter, I know, and perhaps rather rushed, but it put in some essential filler. I also concede that it wasn't as long as it might have been.
spoiler alert!!: Next time, big fight!
Profile for Galena:
Sister Galena
Class: Cleric
Race: Human
Alignment: NG
STR: 14
DEX: 13
CON: 15
INT: 15
WIS: 17
CHA: 17
Also we have gan developing some more personality, and whilst Galena may seem a fairly bland character, she has some modifications to do if she's going to fit in around here, right?
Not very long spent in Athkatla, but we'll be back!
As to Gan's plan, wait and see! ;)
Sorry there was no climatic execution scene, but it seemed a little too 'Three Musketeers' to me (If you haven't seen it, watch it!)
Similarly, the Angelo connection will be unveiled, I promise!
I think that's all folks, will try to update soon!
