In about two days of traveling day and night, Jaheira had returned to Athkatla, much to her chagrin. Though she would have liked nothing more than to wander the wilderness in the Cloud Peaks for a time, she knew that she was in great danger until she found some kind of help. She couldn't very well hide in the Copper Coronet for the rest of her life, and in fact Bernard had claimed he could set her up with a solution. He'd been unusually prompt about it, too, as though the answer had been within easy reach.
So her destination tonight was in Athkatla's Gem District. She drew a dark hood over her head and carried a sealed scroll, as though she were a night messenger with an urgent missive - otherwise, she'd have looked badly out of place.
The Gem District held the finest and most fashionable addresses in town. The fronts of the houses regularly boasted fine carvings in elaborate flowers and scrolls, gold molding along the edges, a forest of cedar pillars, glass windowpanes with silk curtains, finely wrought iron gates, and carefully manicured gardens beginning to put out their first shoots. The neatly paved streets were wide to allow for palanquins, bedecked horses, and even the occasional Chultan elephant used as a mount, and many entrances to the great furnaces below the cities helped ensure that those streets stayed clean. A series of floating balls of soft radiance lit everything at night. Everything gleamed. The entire place, decadent and fabulous in daylight, right now seemed like something out of a dream.
But the Gem District's residents were acutely aware of the fact that they lay close to the poorest districts near the Alandor River, and they jealously guarded their wealth and its ornate displays like a dragon with its hoard. Guards with long pikes patrolled by the dozen, keeping a keen eye for anyone that looked remotely suspicious. Nearly every house had its own guards standing ready at the door, and the Cowled Wizards made regular calls to place warding charms, alerting spells, and invisible devices to trip intruders' feet.
Still, it was no trouble at all for Jaheira to slip into the Jysstev estate on the corner of Shandon Street, though she suspected that she had been allowed in. She hadn't come across so much as a hired hand or a cantrip. She wove her way through the servants' quarters and found the spot that had been told to her, in a hallway just off the foyer.
It was an impressive, life-size painting of the great wizard Elminster Aumar, a tall, grey-bearded human wizard famous for his exploits throughout Faerûn. The painting's brushstrokes had faint traces of movement about it, as though it depicted a living being: his red silk robe shimmered in the sunlight, faint traces of smoke curled upward from the pipe in his hand, the golden hilt of his sheathed sword gleamed. She could have sworn that the wizard winked at her.
She met the painting's eyes, remembering well the man himself, and recited the code-phrase: "No more stinging insects and slithering vipers; the pyre is nigh."
With a creak, the painting loosed itself from the wall, revealing an opening to a small meeting room.
Jaheira knew from long experience that her intuition guessed at something wrong far before any spells did, and she felt no inkling of anything out of the way. Still, she lingered in front of the dimly lit entryway, hesitating out of an abundance of caution.
On the other side, a familiar voice, deep and resonant, called to her: "The winds fall silent before Eldath."
She sprang forward through the doorway, giving the countersign: "In the singing waters there is peace."
She found herself in a small stone room, lit only with a small, quivering, golden globe overhead. Only two others were in the room, seated around a stone table: a man that was known to her, and a woman veiled by a dark hood who was not.
The man was the first to greet her, rising to his feet and shaking her hand. "Jaheira, I am pleased to see that Bernard didn't forget about you."
"He never has," she replied. "It is good to see a friendly face, Dermin. It has been some time."
In fact, she knew Dermin well. About twenty years ago, he had introduced her to the Harpers. Back then, his black hair had been unmarked with silver, but his gray-green eyes were still just as keen, and his laugh still came just as easily. He was a wiry sort, with a fine singing voice, and he could tell a tale like no other; in fact, in his work as a bard, his ability to entertain had bought the Harpers precious secrets.
The hooded woman stroked a cricket on her shoulder with a dark brown hand. She patiently waited for Jaheira and Dermin to take their seats, but as soon as they did, she went straight to business. Her voice was pleasant and well-measured, with the tone of a seasoned negotiator.
She said, "Before we speak more of what we can do for each other, have you any information of value to bring to us?"
"Yes, I do," Jaheira said. She had anticipated this question and prepared her answer. "I have learned of a magic lamp in the possession of an easily-manipulated rakshasa named Jafir, who has taken up residence in the Crooked Crane. The lamp contains a djinn of great power named Markesh, who can be commanded by anyone with the proper word."
Jaheira's questioner leaned forward. "We know of Jafir, but the lamp is an interesting touch. I take it you've crossed paths with him? Is he still in Athkatla?"
"We met, and our parting was not peaceful. I doubt he has left the city, though. Any corruptible mortal desire is, to him, blood in the water."
The hooded woman and Dermin glanced at each other and nodded.
"I imagine someone like you carries weightier secrets, but you choose yours well," the woman replied. "You are both competent and discreet, just as Dermin said. The Enlightened Ones welcome your assistance."
Jaheira racked her memory for any memory she had of this group. "I am certain you know why I am here. Yet I know little about your group save the name."
"You chose well in coming to us. We can assist you in your predicament. We have evaded Tolgerias and his cronies for years. I doubt the Harpers will prove to be much of a challenge."
"Well, out with it," Jaheira said, her patience wearing somewhat thin. "Who are you?"
"Properly, we are the Cowled Wizards," the woman said, flourishing a dark hand, "or at least, the Cowled Wizards as they were originally intended. We desire to understand and practice magic in secret and without restriction or obligation, nothing more. About five years ago, when Tolgerias seized power and received a charter from the Council of Six, we dared to hope that perhaps we could step into the light."
"I take it you were unsuccessful," Jaheira said.
"That bastard was out for his own advancement, nothing more," the woman said bitterly. "We lost everything - tacit respect from the city guard, our positions with noble houses, even our name. We now call ourselves the Enlightened Ones, those who still have the blessing of Azuth and Deneir and love the Art for its own sake."
"Regardless," Dermin said, "they will not betray you to the other Harpers. It will take some time for me to sort things out with the High Heralds - really, Jaheira, Reviane's death doesn't help matters - but until then, the Enlightened Ones will protect you in exchange for your service."
Jaheira folded their arms. "My priority is serving the balance, as you know."
Dermin laughed. "What balance? Galvarey is dead, a rival guild is doing battle with the Shadow Thieves in the streets, and the Cowled Wizards have their hands full with Jon Irenicus. Believe me, there's plenty to do to keep things from tottering altogether. To that end, Meronia and I allied ourselves with the Enlightened Ones, as Galvarey was little help."
At the mention of Irenicus, Jaheira's eyes lit up. She turned to the hooded woman. "Have you any information on Irenicus? Where are they keeping him?"
She replied, "All that we know is that he's a drain on their resources. Wherever he is, there's half a dozen wizards keeping a watch over him in shifts at any given moment. Serves them right."
"As for what you should do next, you will receive further instructions tomorrow through Bernard," Dermin said to Jaheira. He then turned to the hooded woman. "I trust that all is to your satisfaction?"
She nodded. "We are grateful for your assistance." She got up from her seat. She murmured an incantation, and then a pale halo leaped from her hand, growing to her height. She said to Jaheira, "You may call me Lady Yuth. If you wish to speak again, I'll likely be at Ribald's. I believe you know the place."
Lady Yuth stepped through the halo, and both she and it winked out of sight.
Dermin watched her go with some amusement, then asked Jaheira, "Tell me, how are you holding up?"
She stared at the table for a moment. "The day to day is difficult," she finally said. "I mourn many."
He went over to her and rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Khalid was a valuable ally, and he is much missed, to say nothing of those whom this regrettable affair has cost. But the best relief comes from keeping busy."
He placed a small, round pin into her hand. It was embossed with the emblem of a harp.
"The Harpers are far from finished with you, rest assured. And," he said with a slight smile, "you can use this rift to your advantage."
"How so?" she asked.
"Sometimes, the best way to baffle your foes is to make moves that seem to work against you," he said. "Those clued into such things believe that you are no longer Harper and thus no threat. But instead, you will be our hidden dagger...if you have the nerve."
Jaheira straightened up. Some of the old fire returned to her eye. "You know that nerve is not what I lack."
"I knew you'd be equal to the task," he said, with an approving look in his eye.
She acknowledged him with a nod, and turned to leave. The painting detached from the wall once again.
But just before she stepped over the threshold, Dermin spoke one more time. "About the Bhaalspawn. She seems to be a painfully lawful sort, no? If you take up with her again, will she cause any trouble?"
"Only if trouble seeks us out," she said. "The High Heralds would do well to bear that in mind."
With that, she went out into the silent house.