I do not own Dungeons and Dragons or any of the characters.
Infiltration
"You sure you know how to use that?" Kromlech grunted at Jasper, nodding to Jasper's Ironwood spear.
"Of course," Jasper smiled. "I trained Aranea to use hers. I may prefer using my swords over my spear, but that doesn't make me helpless with the spear."
Kromlech nodded, finishing his ale, and Jasper looked around. They'd had to use several healing potions in addition to Xenk's healing magic for everyone to fully recover, and they'd all eaten something and had more than a few drinks to help them deal with the fact that a single monster had nearly wiped them all out. However, they were now fed, healed, and somewhat rested, so it was time for them to return to work.
"I can't believe it broke your rapier," Mia said as they headed back to the warehouse.
"It's alright," Jasper said. "Better that than my neck. Besides, that sword, as much as I loved it, was less rapier than broadsword. I'm going to have it reforged into an actual rapier."
Mia nodded as they entered the warehouse, finding it was once again occupied, but this time by the city watch, reclaiming the stolen goods Xenk had directed them to. The city watch payed them no mind, and they all descended back into the Thieves Guild hideout, this time, heading down to the bottommost level where the guild's master awaited them. However, in the first room they stepped into, there was a wall, barely taller than they were, around a section of the room surrounding the door. As they entered, there was a high, inhuman noise ahead of them and they all stopped, looking around in confusion, even Xenk.
"I'll check," Kira volunteered in a whisper, vanishing from sight.
However, just as she looked out, she yelped, becoming visible again as she stepped back into cover just ahead of a ball of flames, which blasted the wall and incinerated part of it.
"There's this floating eye thing that shoots balls of flames," Kira said.
"You don't think..." Jasper said, looking to Xenk.
"Surely not a Beholder," Xenk said.
Jasper shook his head, shifting into a lizard and looking out, only to have to immediately shift back and yank his head back to avoid a ball of flames as well.
"Good news, not a Beholder," Jasper said. "It's a floating, tan eyeball over a mound of tan flesh with an opening at the top. It's like a magic trap, only I'm pretty sure it's alive. I think. Anyway, bad news is, it doesn't care what it shoots, so Wild Shape is useless here."
Xenk nodded, looking out for a moment before ducking back. "I can time getting past it. It seems to only attack those it sees, and it clearly can see through invisibility. There's a section of the room like this across from us. When I say to go, run for it."
The others all nodded, and Xenk knelt, unsheathing his sword and carefully holding the tiniest section of the blade out, staring at the reflection in it. Then, one by one, he ordered the others across before finally following them. In the next room, there was an identical creature, and instead of a sectioned-off space across from them, the room dropped into a lowered section with stairs connecting it. Once again, Xenk used his sword to time their passage, all of them dropping into the lower section of the room and being ignored by the creature. Finally, Xenk joined them and they all followed the room to the far end of the pit, finding three sets of stairs, each of which had arrows being fired over them in short bursts from trap pillars, each burst spaced out only by one second.
"Right," Jasper nodded, thinking for a moment. "Simon, can you hold a Shield spell while moving?"
Simon shook his head.
"How about one around one of the pillars that'll keep its arrows inside?" Edgin offered.
"I still wouldn't be able to move," Simon reminded them.
"Fuck it," Jasper said, casting his Ironwoodskin spell and walking up the stairs, eyes narrowed.
The arrows shattered against him, and while it stung, it failed to break through his skin. The others all immediately hurried up the stairs and out of the way, and he stepped to the side, only to sigh as he found that the pillar he'd blocked and the one to the other side of it were now firing toward each other, the path in between them.
"This one we can time," Edgin said.
"No need," Simon said, stepping forward, just to the side of the arrows before casting a Shield Spell around them all, creating a safe space between the arrows.
They all passed through quickly, and just as the next burst of arrows hit the shield, Simon let it fade and joined them.
"Nice one," Doric smiled.
"Thanks," Simon grinned.
They reached another walled-in area, and Xenk carefully looked around the corner with his sword's reflection again, then frowned.
"What's up?" Jasper asked.
"There's one of those creatures to our left, and another to our right," Xenk said. "And the door out of the room is shielded by a barrier."
"Shit," Jasper said, carefully looking at the one to the right. "There's a lever in front of the one to the right, but it's staring at it, and you can't reach it from the side because of a row of crates."
"What do we do?" Mia asked.
"Perhaps these are not creatures, but enchanted traps made to look like creatures," Xenk said. "If that's the case, there should be a way to deactivate them." He hummed thoughtfully before extending his sword over the wall. "Yes, there's a lever to our left, past the creature."
"Fingers crossed it deactivates the one looking at the lever on the right," Jasper said.
Xenk nodded, then moved back to the opening in the wall. "I'll be right back."
And with that, he stepped out. After a moment, there was an odd, yelping noise and the creature on the right dropped into its base just before Xenk returned to them.
"It worked, but the one to the left is still there," Xenk said.
"Tell me when to go, and I'll head for the other lever," Jasper said, shifting into a Tabaxi again.
Xenk nodded, and as soon as it was clear, he nodded. Jasper raced across the room and between the boxes, pulling the lever. The yelping sound rang out again as the other creature dropped into its base, and the barrier filling the doorway faded.
"Clear," Jasper announced.
The others all walked through, and they headed into the doorway together. The next room was worse. There were walls with tiny stall-like sections running up the center of it, and a lever to the far right, but a creature beside the exit on the left, so they had to run away from it directly to reach the lever, and there was nowhere to hide from it around the lever. Jasper made the run, and the creature dropped into its base. However, directly to the left of the lever was another creature, and Jasper only barely managed to avoid a stream of fireballs, retreating to safety. Xenk carefully scouted over the wall separating the room and found a lever on the far left, furthest from the creature. However, instead of running the length of the room again, this time starting with shimmying around the creature between it and the wall, Jasper waited until it was looking away, then went over the wall as a snake, transforming back beside the lever and pulling it. The others all headed around the room to join him, and they stepped into yet another room with a trap creature. This time, though, as Xenk scouted the room, he decided to go himself. There were nearly a dozen levers, no cover besides the beginning of the room, and a creature in the center of it.
"I'll have to pull all of the levers, I think," Xenk said.
"What if the levers are a trick and some of them will make it look directly at you?" Jasper asked. "I'm faster. I should go."
"Have faith," Xenk said. "I will not fail."
Jasper nodded, and Xenk waited for a moment before sprinting out of the safe area. They counted the levers by the metallic screech each made when pulled. Then, finally, they heard the creature's yelp and Xenk reported that it was clear. They all stepped out, walking over to join him at the door.
"You see?" Xenk asked. "Nothing to worry about."
"I wouldn't say nothing," Jasper said, just as a trio of Bugbears ducked through the door.
Jasper swore instantly, lunging and slashing the first across the throat with his spear. The next roared, lunging, and Jasper spun out of the way of its mace, then drove his spear backward into its heart. As the third swiped at him from the side, he ducked, then ripped his spear free of the second Bugbear before hurling it into the third's chest like a javelin. Everyone stared at him in surprise as the Bugbear slid down the wall to the floor, and Jasper ripped the spear free.
"I told you I know how to fight with a spear," he said.
"Aye," Kromlech nodded. "Ye did."
They all walked through the door, then along the long chamber leading to a massive, ornate door with a symbol of several connected circles forming a chain decorating the ground before the door. Jasper pushed the doors open, and they all walked into the room, only to all stop within five feet, staring at the monster before them. It was huge, purple, slimy, looked a bit like a floating brain, had a gaping maw for a mouth filled with sharp teeth, a single, massive eye above the mouth, and a dozen more eyes on the ends of stalks spread around its body.
"I don't believe it," Jasper breathed.
"A Beholder," Xenk said. "This must be Xantam."
"Welcome," Xantam greeted them in a frighteningly deep voice. "You are stronger than Karne spoke of. I was expecting that Pride Sinspawn to kill you all. Not that it matters. You humanoids all look alike to me. Weak and fragile. Karne should have killed you when he had the chance."
"Karne will never have another chance," Vahn said as they all walked forward, spreading out in preparation for battle, except for Kira who ducked back out of the open door. "He lies dead on the level above."
"It is no matter," Xantam said. "There are always others like him, small-minded and foolish, eager to take his place. You humanoids were born to be our slaves."
"There is nowhere left for you to run, monster," Xenk said, drawing his Holy Avenger. "Your guild is broken, your thieves lie dead."
"And you will answer for those deaths," Xantam said. "Do you think that your actions here have saved this city? You are wrong. Our power extends far beyond these city streets. You cannot hope to stop us all."
"We will see," Xenk said.
"Enough of your words, monster," Adrianna declared. "Prepare to die!"
"It is you who will die, and your death will be a slow one," Xantam said.
"We shall see!" Vahn growled.
Xantam began to battle instantly, the eyes around its head firing streams of fire into the ground, sending trails of destruction across the floor, the flames fanning outward as they traveled. Instantly, everyone scattered, those capable of striking from range doing so. A Lightning Bolt, a Fireball, and an explosive arrow all slammed into Xantam's body, shoving it back a few feet as Jasper sprayed Xantam with Flame Arrows and Mia fired Quicksilver arrow after Quicksilver arrow. Xantam roared, the eyes around its body spraying dozens of the fireballs the creatures before had fired, forcing the close-range fighters to scatter.
"Blind the eyes!" Jasper shouted, shifting into a Tabaxi and breaking into a charge, only for a second wave of the fireballs to force him to break off.
The fight deteriorated rapidly, as Xantam began to fire Magic Missiles, balls of lightning that sent electricity striking out at anything around them, full-size Fireballs. They struggled to get close, only Xenk and Jasper succeeding, and each only once. However, that was two of the eye stalks sheared off, and it made no discernable difference to Xantam's magic. Simon cast Ice Storm, but Xantam ignored it, spraying the small, destructive fireballs toward him. Shadow lunged out, transforming into a manticore, but a pulse of dark, magical power erupted from Xantam and Shadow sailed across the room, then retreated into Jasper's shadow again just ahead of a cloud of the small fireballs, which Jasper realized could potentially harm Shadow.
After several more minutes of seemingly futile attacks, Mia managed to hit one of the eye stalks with a Quicksilver arrow, and a second after, a Fireball blasted two more into paste. Xantam roared as Jasper and Xenk closed in again. He turned to Jasper, firing a barrage of Magic Missiles, only for Jasper to flip over it, slashing at Xantam's main eye, only for Xantam to drift to the side, suffering a deep gash beside it and losing another eye stalk, but protecting its eye. Then, he roared in pain as Xenk slashed him down the back. He spun in an instant, lunging and trying to take a bite out of Xenk, only for Simon and Adrianna to both blast Xantam with a Lightning Bolt, knocking him to the side just before Holga and Kromlech reached him, their axes tearing through his back. He roared again, retreating and spraying a cloud of the small fireballs at them all, forcing them to retreat, only for Mia and Edgin to reach him from behind, Mia jumping and slashing off the last three eye stocks in a single swipe as Edgin slashed him diagonally down the back before continuing to run. Xantam spun as Jasper stabbed his spear into his side, only for the spear to be ripped out of his hand.
Xantam lunged, but Aranea caught Jasper with her webs, yanking him away from Xantam, then leapt into the air, slashing Xantam down the side with her own spear before grabbing Jasper's and leaping away, avoiding Xantam's teeth herself and tossing the spear back to Jasper. As he caught it, Xantam roared, turning toward Jasper just as his central eye began to glow, opening wider. Jasper swore harshly, hurling himself out of the way just before a ray of pure magic energy flashed out, missing him by a hair's breadth and striking the ground, incinerating a long swath of it. Jasper rolled to his feet, and everyone scrambled to try to avoid the Beholder's gaze. Blast after blast of the Beholder's eye ray flashed out, erasing entire sections of the room, but now, with that as his only ranged attack, they were able to close in quickly. A pair of Ice Storms forced him to close his eye to protect it, and in that moment, the fight was decided. Jasper and Xenk closed in instantly, Xenk slashing vertically down the eye before Jasper drove his spear into the corner of Xantam's eye socket, then stepped aside, levering the eye out of its head.
Xantam shrieked in agony, retreating from Jasper and Xenk, only for Holga and Kromlech to swing hard, their axes tearing through its sides, followed by a slash from Mia's mythril-adamantite sword across the back. Xantam spun, lunging blindly and snapping at her, only to miss entirely, and Aranea and Jasper both stabbed it in the back, holding it still for a moment as Holga and Kromlech both slashed its sides twice more. They both ripped their spears free just in time for a pair of Lightning Bolts to strike its back. Vahn fired a trio of flaming arrows into its back, igniting its entire body just before Shadow reappeared. Shadow became a humanoid silhouette with long claws first, a Skulk, minus the ability to be invisible, and slashed out at Xantam repeatedly, Xantam roared, turning and lunging, sinking its teeth into Shadow uselessly, only to receive a slash down the face from Xenk for his trouble. As he retreated, Doric crashed into it as an Owlbear cannonball, sending it crashing to the floor were everyone took one final strike before Jasper expanded into a Girallon and Shadow into a Grey Render. Then, with one, thunderous crash and the splattering sound of all of Xantam's internal organs rupturing, six thick limbs crashed down on Xantam, ending the fight.
Jasper shifted back into his favored elf form as Shadow returned to Jasper's own just as Kira walked in with Jherek. Jherek looked around, then headed to a map on a large board against the wall to the left of the door, Jasper and the others all walking over as well.
"You have accomplished far more than I could have hoped," Jherek commended them. "Truly, the Harpers are blessed to have you among our number. You have my thanks, and the thanks of all of Baldur's Gate."
"You're welcome," Jasper said, "but it didn't sound like it was as simple as defeating the Thieves Guild. The Beholder mentioned allies outside of Baldur's Gate."
"So I feared," Jherek said, gesturing to the map. "Baldur's Gate, the Sunset Mountains, the Marsh of Chelimber. The evil that has risen in Baldur's Gate is only a part of a greater evil. These three locations are tied, though I know not how."
"It's a long trip to the Sunset Mountains, and longer still to the Marsh of Chelimber," Jasper said. "We'll need to travel quickly."
"Indeed," Jherek nodded. "Return to the Elfsong Tavern before you leave. You've earned your reward already, and should you succeed in stopping whatever scheme is brewing, you will earn another."
Jasper nodded.
"What's the gate over there?" Edgin asked, pointing to a black, stone archway Xantam had died beside.
"It's a means of transportation," Jherek said. "A portal between two linked archways. This Beholder and his legions were able to use it to enter Baldur's Gate without being detected." He considered. "I would be willing to bet that this gate is tied to one of the other two locations. We've heard strange rumors from the Sunset Mountains in the last few weeks, but the agent we sent to investigate the rumors has not returned. I now fear for his life." Jherek sighed, nodding to himself. "I believe that this gate is tied to the Sunset Mountains, and I must ask the impossible of you. I must ask you to head through this gate and see what has happened in the Sunset Mountains. Other creatures may have arrived there, and if so, we must know their strength before taking action."
"You ask a lot," Jasper said, considering.
"We'll do it," Edgin decided. "But we're going to rest in the tavern for the night, first. We have no idea what we'll face on the other side of the gate."
Jherek nodded. "Very well. Ethon will have your reward. I must go and tell the dukes of the city what has been discovered here."
The others all nodded, and Jherek walked away.
"So now we're going on another adventure?" Holga asked.
"Hey, we chose the hero life, now people have all these gross things called expectations," Edgin said. "Besides, we can't let Xenk go alone. He'd probably die."
Xenk smirked but said nothing, and they all headed back to the tavern, finding the traps they had left active, including the two eyeball trap creatures, were all deactivated now. After a few minutes, they'd reached the tavern and all rented rooms before buying food and alcohol to celebrate having defeated a Beholder.
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