Chapter 2: Chores, Luck, and Treasure
The next morning they travelled westwards. The vegetation thinned as they progressed, giving way to rocker ground. Fighting through the occasional pack of wolves and xvarts, the party made fair headway.
The sun was low on the west when a dryad approached them with a grace that was both ethereal and earthly. Her skin was the colour of rich oak bark, smooth and unblemished, and her eyes were a deep, mossy green that seemed to hold secrets untold. Her hair, a wild mass of vines and flowers, was woven together in an intricate pattern that spoke of an intimacy with the forest that only a dryad could possess. Clothed only in leaves and petals, she radiated a raw, wild power that made the air around her hum with magic.
Edwin's eyes grew wide, as he stared unashamedly at the dryad's barely-clothed form. Charmane rolled her eyes, annoyed at his lack of decorum and shrugged off an inexplicable sense of irritation. She cleared her throat loudly, snapping Edwin out of his daze. A look of embarrassment momentarily flashed across his face before being replaced by his usual scowl. Khalid, on the other hand, was looking pointedly away.
"Please, kind spirits, a wondrous ancient oak is in peril." the dryad implored, in a voice both sweet and musical. "It is about to be attacked by two who would defile the majesty of nature. They have avoided my charms and must be stopped before irreparable harm is done. Would you heed my plea?"
"Are they nearby?" Charmane asked, to which the dryad simply nodded. "Sure, why not? Lead the way." Charmane assumed it would be pointless asking the barely clothed creature for compensation.
"I thank you," the dryad sighed in relief. "For although they seem dim of wit, they still could do much damage. This way."
"Are we to do charity work for every hapless monkey that come our way?" Edwin asked as they walked.
"You seemed to have no complaints ogling the hapless monkey, Edwin" Jaheira retorted.
"Just because I appreciate the taste of fine wine does not mean I have to become a stomper of grapes," Edwin sneered, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Oh don't be a sourpuss, Edwin. We are going that way anyway." Imoen added.
"Besides," Charmane began. "having mythical creatures in our debt will eventually pay off."
"We shall see." Edwin muttered, unconvinced.
A short walk away the dryad pointed towards a tall tree at the edge of a cliff. "There, they are just ahead. I implore you, do what you must to make them leave."
As they got nearer, Charmane could hear a blond man talking loudly. "We think dis here's a magic tree, 'cuz it's all alone up here and so big. Probably got gnomes or pixies or sumthin' in it, so we're gonna bust it down and take any treasure! Ain't that right, Krumm? You wanna help? It's a big tree, probably got enough gold fer alluh us!"
Just as Charmane opened her mouth to interject, Edwin spoke up, "A large tree, standing on its own, must be full of gold... I can only envy your perception, gentlemen." Charmane was amused to find Edwin filing his nails as he continued.
"Or perhaps it is made entirely of gold under that deceiving layer of bark?"
"P-perhaps we shouldn't…" Khalid began.
"Well," Edwin cut in. "Do not just stand there - keep chopping, and you are bound to find out." Edwin egged on.
"Ya hear that, Krumm? We got helpers.. Ya do wanna in, aren't ya?" The man nudged his companion, sounding pleased that someone agreed with him.
"You don't really want to do this, do you?" Charmane interrupted before Edwin could make things worse, "Just think of how beautiful this tree is. It's truly a wonder of nature."
"Well, if ye're not gonna help, I'm not gonna let you sit and watch us do it!" the blond threatened. "Yous were probably gonna rob us when we're done, weren't cha? Me an' Krumm don't cotton to bandits one bit! Do we, Krumm?"
"Whaat?", Krumm asked, looking unsure about what was going on.
"Great, there's goes parlay." Charmane muttered as she unsheathed her daggers.
The blond charged with his flail in hand. Khalid dodged the lumbering oaf easily and gutted him before he could recover. A loud thwack emanated nearby as Jaheira's staff hit the other man squarely in the face. Both dim-witted woodcutters now lay dead on the ground. Edwin was still filing his nails.
Charmane proceeded to rummage through the corpses, her keen eye catching sight of an enchanted weapon and belt on one of them. Turning to Edwin, she queried, "Could you identify these for us, Edwin?"
"Only hedge witches and weaklings concern themselves with the likes of identification and palm reading. A conjurer does not debase himself with such menial tasks." Edwin sniffed indignantly.
"Ah so that's it." Charmane smirked in amusement. "What you mean to say is that you are incapable of casting a mere identify spell."
"Drat, she is perceptive… for a simian that is." he muttered to himself. "I assure you, it is only a meagre sacrifice for true greatness ," he continued. "A small mind such as yours could never comprehend such complexities."
"Hmph. Specializing in a single school of magic, comes at the cost of forsaking spells from a specific other school, for a conjurer this is divination; the weakest in terms of raw power." Charmane retorted smugly. "I was raised in a giant library, Edwin."
Edwin shifted uneasily. "Well, I suppose even a broken clock is right twice a day." he conceded, though not without a hint of reluctance. "Perhaps you're not as dull-witted, after all."
Charmane raised an eyebrow, not quite sure whether to be pleased or insulted. "I'll take that as a compliment, I suppose," she said cautiously.
"You should, my dear." Edwin said with a smirk. "I don't hand those out lightly." He paused, his expression turning serious. "But don't let flattery fool you. I am not one to abide all this charity work, you would be wise to remember."
"Charity?" she pointedly waved the club about. "It was all calculated my dear, mage."
Just then the dryad interrupted their conversation, "Thanks be to you!" the dryad exclaimed. "Here is a potion that might help you on your journeys." she said handing Charmane a green vial.
"Let me see that." Imoen said, once the dryad had left. She uncapped the vial and took a sniff. "It's an antidote!"
"Aha!" Charmane gloated. "This would cost us a whopping 100 gold!"
Edwin gritted his teeth, his nostrils flaring in irritation. He loathed being proven wrong, especially by someone he had just recently met. "Don't get too excited, rogue," he retorted, his voice dripping with condescension. "This was merely a stroke of luck. A rare occurrence that you would be wise to not get used to."
Charmane chuckled at his sour demeanour. "Oh, Edwin," she teased, "I have a feeling that luck follows me about, and who knows? If you stick around, maybe you'll get lucky too."
Edwin snorted in derision. "I hardly need luck, rogue. I have knowledge and intellect, two things that you and your band of baboons lack."
Charmane raised an eyebrow. "Baboons? That's a bit harsh, is it not?"
Edwin huffed, crossing his arms over his chest. "I call it as I see it," he said haughtily. "You may have stumbled upon a bit of fortune, but that does not mean you can match my intelligence."
Charmane leaned in, a mischievous glint in her eye. "Is that a challenge, mage?"
Edwin scoffed. "Hardly. Quick with a blade you may be, but matching wits with Edwin Odesseiron is another matter entirely."
Charmane grinned, "Well I accept that challenge, and who knows, maybe I'll even teach you a thing or two about luck."
Edwin rolled his eyes. "Typical simian bravado," he muttered under his breath.
As the adventurers walked along the edge of the cliff, the sun beat down on their backs, casting shimmering reflections on the still water below. The air was alive with the sweet scent of blooming wildflowers and the chirping of birds that flitted overhead.
They followed the path away from the cliff downwards to a natural cave, it beckoned to them with a dark, foreboding entrance. The walls of the cave glistened with moisture, and the ground was slick and treacherous as they approached, Charmane could hear Edwin muttering something about monkeys wandering aimlessly.
Inside, the group was confronted by a fierce dire wolf. Jaheira and Khalid sprang into action, their weapons gleaming in the dim light.
Charmane melded into the shadows, circling behind it. She was about to strike, when the wolf swung about, snapping its jaws inches from her outstretched arm. Clearly, stealth meant nothing to those with a sharp nose.
"Get back!" Jaheira shouted.
Khalid banged his sword against his shield. The loud clang got the beast's attention, letting Charmane retreat from the melee.
While pelting the wolf with throwing knives, Charmane saw Imoen shooting arrows and Edwin standing at the edge of the fight, looking somewhat hesitant.
Once the wolf was defeated, Charmane confronted Edwin. "What was that?"
"What is it, now?" Edwin asked, derisively.
"You did nothing back there." Charmane said, accusingly.
"You expect Edwin Odesseiron to waste his precious spells on a mere wolf. What would you have me do? Join the melee? That went spectacularly for you." Edwin replied sarcastically.
The mage had a point. Edwin was no fighter. The last thing she needed was the mage dying trying to land a feeble physical blow. She thought for a moment then reached into her backpack. "Ah! Here we go!" she exclaimed, "Even a child can use these." She said with a smirk, holding out a sling to the surly mage.
"What!?" Edwin asked, incredulously. "You expect me to pelt rocks like a common monkey?"
"Better than standing about being useless." Charmane retorted.
"A waste of my talents." Edwin huffed, grudgingly accepting the sling.
As they began to explore the cave, they stumbled upon a hidden stash of treasure. Charmane's eyes widened as she saw the gleaming pile of gold, a magical spear and an expensive looking necklace.
Edwin eyes were gleaming with desire. "Ha!" He exclaimed, pointing at the cache. "I knew this cave was worth exploring. Leave it to Edwin to unearth hidden treasure."
Charmane heard Jaheira snort and suppressed a laugh. The mage's eccentricities were starting to grow on her.
The party left the cave and continued heading west. To their right the cliff now stretching up, its surface rugged and rough. As they walked, they heard a little girl crying. She was standing on a ledge high above them, her cries echoing throughout the area. She was mumbling something about some cat called Pixie. With the devil still fresh in her mind, Charmane was wary and continued walking.
Soon they spotted a waterfall emerging from the cliff, cascading down, its mist filled the air with a refreshing, cool breeze.
As they got closer to the waterfall, though, Jaheira pointed to a lifeless ball of fur on a ledge near the bottom. "That may well be that child's pet." she said. "She may appreciate having it returned to her"
"This is ridiculous," Edwin grumbled. "One errand was not enough, now we transport dead cats. Have you monkeys already forgotten the last time we helped children with their pets?"
"Nobody asked you, mage." Jaheira replied derisively.
"Hmm, she might have a reward for us." Charmane mused.
"Yeah!" Imoen piped up. "Even that creepy demon thing gave us a gem."
"We keep encountering kids in the middle of nowhere." Charmane continued. "There must be something to it."
"Of course, of course, returning dead cats to little girls, the epitome of adventure," Edwin retorted, sarcastically. "I'm sure it will be a thrilling tale to tell at the next monkey convention."
Charmane rolled her eyes at Edwin's sarcasm, "Well, I suppose we could always start our own convention for adventurers who actually accomplish tasks, instead of just complaining about them."
Jaheira and Imoen sniggered, while Khalid hid a smile.
"Oh, very witty, Charmane. I'm sure your menagerie will be laughing at that one for weeks to come." Edwin replied, clearly unamused.
To Charmane's surprise, when they found a path leading up to the ledge where the little girl was, the child brightened up at the sight of her deceased cat. "It's all right," she chirped happily. "She's done this before. I guess Daddy will just have to raise her again." she reached into her pocket and handed her a scroll. "Here, you go, Daddy gave me this. I can't read the words yet anyway."
Jaheira examined the scroll as they walked. "This protects you from the undead. It's hard to come by."
Charmane could not help shooting Edwin a smug look.
"A mere coincidence," Edwin grumbled "It means nothing."
Charmane smirked and rolled her eyes. "Of course, it was just luck," she said sarcastically. "I'm sure the gods just happened to smile upon us."
Edwin snorted, clearly unconvinced. "The only thing smiling upon us is your willingness to waste our time on these menial tasks."
"It wasn't a waste!" Imoen interrupted. "We did a good deed and got a reward for it. Just like Charmane said."
"I do not condone the practise of the vile art of necromancy, but only a monster could ignore the pleas of a crying child". Jaheira added.
"Luck," Edwin emphasised, ignoring Imoen and Jaheira. "is a fickle mistress, Charmane. One small coincidence proves nothing."
"The dryad, the cave, and now this scroll? You are telling me all of those are coincidences?" Charmane asked, with a hand on her hips.
Edwin shook his head. "You give yourself too much credit, my dear. These things could have happened to anyone."
"Nonsense." Charmane replied smugly. "Once is luck, twice a coincidence, thrice a pattern, my dear mage."
Edwin scoffed, "Oh please, spare me your trite aphorisms, Charmane. Next you'll be claiming you are some diviner who can predict every turn of fate."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far. But I do have a knack for finding things." Charmane replied.
"Yes, like a pig has a knack for finding truffles." Edwin muttered sarcastically.
Charmane raised an eyebrows.
"Fine, fine." Edwin grumbled. "You have a nose for treasure. Satisfied?"
Charmane grinned. "Ecstatic. Now, let's see what else we can find."
"As long as it does not involve looking for more lost pets, I suppose I may tolerate it." Edwin muttered.
Charmane smiled. She had a feeling that though Edwin may not fully concede to her abilities, she had at least earned a smidgen of respect from the arrogant mage.
The party moved west as Edwin suggested, but their path was abruptly cut off by a sheer drop to the waters below. As the party approached the edge of the cliff, they took a moment to appreciate the sight before them. The remnants of a fortress loomed on the opposite side of the chasm, its walls towering high above the water below. The once-mighty structure was now in ruins, with crumbling walls and towers. The stones making up the walls were weathered and eroded, and vines had overtaken much of the structure.
Some distance to their north, stood a bridge spanning the chasm. It appeared to be the only way to cross to the other side. The party set off in that direction, eager to explore the ruins beyond.
They ventured through thickets of trees, their footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves beneath their feet. As they emerged from the foliage, they found themselves on a well-trodden path leading directly to the bridge. However, their progress was halted as a gnoll appeared before them, its sharp teeth bared in a menacing growl.
The creature had matted fur and a scar running down its face. Its eyes glinted with an unnatural intelligence, and it held an imposing halberd in its hands. It spoke or rather growled as they approached, "Grrrrruaarr... Wrrrretched forrrtrrresss! If you go therrrre, go to conquerrrrr!"
"What fortress do you mean?" Charmane asked, innocently.
"The forrtrrresss to the wesssst!" it snarled. "I wisshed to rrrroasst the captive when the otherrrs would rather let herrr live within that cellarrr! Foolss! And now my brrrethrren make me an exile frrrom my own clan! Hearrr me: I ssshall tassste herrr flessh yet!"
"So, she is still alive…" Edwin mused. "Hurry, Charmane, before I have my prize barbequed, courtesy of these unwashed wildlings"
"Sshould roasst herrr!" The dog-like humanoid continued, it's eyes glazed over as it contemplated the prospect of roasting the captive witch.
"Ewww... gross! I feel sick all of a sudden." Imoen muttered, her nose wrinkled in disgust.
"Yessss, I will rooaasst herrrr…" Drool dripped from its fangs as it lost itself in the thought of devouring the tasty witch. Its grip on the weapon slackened as it seemed to forget about the party before it, lost in its own twisted desire.
As Charmane eyed the expensive-looking necklaces hanging around the gnoll's neck and the weapon in its hands, avarice took hold of her. She did not usually pick fights without a reason, but the thought of acquiring such valuable loot was too tempting to resist. That the roast-loving gnoll happened to be a clear danger to people was important too, of course.
Knowing stealth would be useless against a canine, Charmane gave a quick signal to her party, and they all sprang into action. Khalid charged forward with his shield up in front of him, followed closely by Jaheira. Imoen quickly took aim with her bow, while Edwin readied his sling with a sullen look.
The creature, now realizing it was in trouble, swung its weapon at Khalid, but he blocked the heavy two-hander deftly with his shield. The impact shook him but Khalid held his ground. Jaheira slashed at the gnoll with her scimitar, causing it to howl in pain. Charmane had darted in with her daggers, hoping to stab at the gnoll's back.
Just then the creature lifted its halberd and swung it in a wide arc. Forcing Charmane and Jaheira to jump back. The weapon caught Khalid's shield sideways, making him stagger and fall. One of Imoen's shots caught the gnoll's shoulder but the creature was undeterred.
Before it could act, however, a blinding array of lights caught the creature by surprise. It lifted its arm to shield itself from Edwin's spell. Charmane saw her opportunity and lunged forward with her daggers, plunging her blades into the gnoll's exposed flank, finding purchase between its ribs. The gnoll let out a guttural scream as Jaheira delivered the killing blow, her scimitar hacking through its neck with ease.
As the fight ended, the party quickly assessed the damage. Khalid had taken a hard hit from the gnoll's halberd, and his shoulder was bruised and sore. Jaheira and Charmane had minor cuts and scrapes, but nothing serious. Imoen had used up most of her arrows, and Edwin was grumbling about the gnoll's stench.
"We should set up camp," suggested Jaheira. "Khalid's wounds need tending, and I'm sure you're all exhausted by now."
Despite Edwin's protests, Charname agreed readily to Jaheira. The day's travel and the recent fights had taken a toll and it would have been unwise to charge headlong into the gnoll fortress without rest and recuperation. After a short walk, they found a small clearing surrounded by dense trees and decided to rest for the night.
Charmane seldom dreamt, but that night her visions were vivid. She had been walking for ages. Now she found herself back amidst the stones of Candlekeep. Her former home loomed before her, but the gate were closed and barred. Over the walls, a single candle flickered in what used to be her old room. As the light went out, the brick surrounding the window closed together. The very walls conspired to keep her at bay.
A familiar voice startled Charmane, though it was calm and caring. "You cannot go back this way, child. You must go on." Gorion's form appeared before her, and though his image should have been comforting, it seemed but a shade of his living self. He was dead in her dreams, as he was in life.
The phantom of her foster father gestured towards the blackness of the wood as though it should be inviting. Perhaps it was, in a way, but the journey would be hard. As Charmane thought this, a smooth and obvious path emerged out of the corner of her eyes. It seemed to be meant for her, pulled at her very being, and promised to quickly lead her away from the life she once led. Perhaps this would be for the best, but it was a bit too convenient for her liking. Charmane did not wish to dwell upon the loss she had endured, but neither would she allow it to be forgotten. Gorion smiled and faded away.
The pull became a push, but Charmane wrenched herself away, steadfast in her new direction. The way was not quite as clear, but it was sure to be interesting nonetheless. A whisper followed as she strode away, something vestigial and sinister that she recognised, but yet have never heard. "You will learn..."
Charmane did not look back.