Author's Note: Only minor changes from the original version.

3...Raids on Knowledge

When Haer'Dalis raced around the corner, he saw no duergar, only a ragged line of goblins attacking a half dozen Watchmen armed with truncheons and bucklers. The goblins were rather scrawny and unimpressive for fearsome denizens of Undermountain, he thought, as he dropped his pack and cloak and drew his twin swords. There were perhaps twenty of the little beasts. Several were already down but they pressed forward in an attempt to swarm the Watchmen. Their eyes were wild and desperate.

Why so few? What could they hope to accomplish? And where is Solaufein? Preparing to strike from the deepest shadow, no doubt. Haer'Dalis felt a familiar surge of excitement as he ran forward to the aid of the Watch.

And then he heard the twang of crossbows. I should have put up my spell protections. His enchanted armor would probably turn a bolt but a lucky headshot would mean his doom. Ah, so be it. Glass shattered and burning oil ran down the lamppost to his right. The bolts were aimed for the streetlights, he realized. What would have been an easy victory for the men of Waterdeep shifted, in the chaotic way of fights everywhere, for these humans would be at a disadvantage in the dark. One of the Watchmen blew a loud whistle, presumably to summon reinforcements.

"Take heart, men, these vermin won't hold us long," Haer'Dalis shouted. Knowing he could see better than the night-blind humans, he swept along the rear of the goblin's line to attack the one who looked to be the group's leader. He (or she-Haer'Dalis was uncertain how to ascertain a goblin's gender) was the only one with a metal helm. The goblin jabbed with a sword instead of the clubs and short spears the others carried. But he was no swordsman. Haer'Dalis parried his clumsy attack with his sword Entropy and thrust Chaos Blade into his shoulder, piercing his flimsy leather vest. The goblin staggered from the force of the blade's magic. Before the creature could recover, the tiefling kicked him in the chest and spun to face his next opponent.

He saw one of the Watchmen fumble with a hand lantern. "If you strike a light, you will make yourself a target," he called. The archers were the true danger; the goblins were here to prevent the Watchmen from taking cover. He whirled to clear a space around him then cast a cantrip on the nearest lamppost, limning it with a white blaze. Another volley of crossbow bolts fired, accompanied by a hoarse scream from one of the houses. Solaufein's work, Haer'Dalis assumed.

Several Watchmen were wounded, at least one seriously with a bolt through the upper thigh. One goblin took an unlucky shot in the back of the head from one of the snipers. He dropped like a sack of sand. A Watchman smashed a goblin skull; Haer'Dalis slashed the face and shoulder of another, who screamed at the touch of Entropy's poison. The goblins broke and scattered, except for one who was surrounded. He raised his hands, either to ward off a blow or to surrender, but the Watchmen didn't give him time to speak. They struck him down like a sewer rat.

"My thanks, stranger," one of the Watchmen said but Haer'Dalis was casting. He gave a quick smile and disappeared. Under the cover of his invisibility spell, he worked his way towards the snipers' house. There was a dead duergar on the small porch. The window shutters were open, both downstairs and up. The front door opened at a touch, the lock broken. Three dead duergar lay in their blood on the first floor. The house was silent.

There were three more dead dwarves upstairs, their presence the only sign that Solaufein had been here. Reminds me of Ust Natha. I dislike these hunts in the dark. In the two upstairs bedrooms, he found what remained of the family: two adults in the front room and a toddler in a trundle bed. Throats cut in their sleep. He found the bodies of an old woman and another young child in the other bedroom. She, at least, had put up a fight, but not much of one. His mouth turned down. Where was Solaufein?

At the end of the hall, a short ladder led to the roof. He had to turn his shoulders to fit through the narrow opening. He could only spare a glance at the two bodies still in their bed rolls-the older children, sleeping on the roof for the cooling breeze. His eye was caught by the globe of darkness that hung near the flimsy rail at the edge of the roof. His ears heard the slightest scuffle of feet. I found him. Should I dispel this darkness to join in the fight?

Before he could act, the decision was made for him. Solaufein stepped from the unnatural darkness, blood fresh on his blade. Haer'Dalis saw no wounds upon him. He always checked. Like many warriors, Solaufein was often taken by a sort of battle rage and would fight unaware of any injury. Haer'Dalis let his invisibility drop. Solaufein showed no surprise at his presence. Sharp eared elf, he always hears me.

"This one was their leader," Solaufein said. He took a breath and released it slowly. Letting the rage drain away, Haer'Dalis thought. As the darkness dissipated, the tiefling saw a drow lying face down on the roof. Solaufein knelt by the body. He lifted the head by the hair to look upon his face and then spent a longer time studying the insignia on the drow's cloak.

"A male from House Kilath," Solaufein said. He took the cloak and rolled it into a small bundle. He did not say why.

"House Kilath?" Haer'Dalis asked.

"They are a minor house from Menzoberranzan."

"Did he tell you why they are here?"

"We didn't bandy words." A pity, Haer'Dalis thought. At a sound from the ladder, Solaufein stepped back and pulled up his hood. One of the Watchmen poked his head up through the roof opening.

"The raiders are dead," Haer'Dalis told him.

"That is good to hear." He came onto the roof and looked around. He took a long breath at the sight of the children's bodies. He strode to the dead drow. His boot lashed out and kicked him hard in the face. Solaufein accepted this casual brutality without a blink but Haer'Dalis winced at the crunch of broken teeth.

At his look, the Watchman said, "One of these monsters killed my brother four days ago." He looked down into the street below. "My sergeant wants to speak to you two."

Haer'Dalis looked a question at Solaufein, who gave a reluctant hand signal of assent. Somewhat to his surprise, the sergeant was a woman. She wore a hardened leather breastplate and a cloak to show her rank.

"My men tell me you came to their aid," she said with no preamble. "Many thanks for that. Who are you? What brings you out after curfew?"

With a small bow, Haer'Dalis gave their names. "We arrived this evening from Athkatla, in response to the bulletin put out by the Lords of Waterdeep. We were unaware of this curfew."

"Adventurers, are you? Your ship?"

"The Sea Star."

"And her captain?"

"Turmak Caspin is his name."

The sergeant nodded in recognition. Haer'Dalis realized her questions were a test. "This is not the first time a Watch patrol has been ambushed," she said. "They strike with no purpose."

"They have a purpose," Solaufein said.

"Do they, stranger? And what is that?"

"To test your defenses? To sow panic and chaos? I do not know their purpose but it is naive to assume they have none."

The sergeant grunted. "Let me tell you, my friend with the hood, that naivete is not something I am oft accused of." One of her men smothered a chuckle. "I would see your face, stranger."

"I doubt you'd find it much to your liking."

"Indeed? I would prefer to judge for myself."

"I would prefer to let my actions speak for me."

"At the moment, they speak of evasiveness." When Solaufein made no move to drop his hood, she frowned. "Have it your way then. I have no more time to waste here. Although I appreciate your help, I will tell you square that I am not in favor of adventurers roaming the streets at night. We will handle these drow raids. Durnan the Wanderer is organizing the search of Undermountain to locate the source of these attacks. You are to report to him at the Yawning Portal. If you do not know where that is, any Watchman can direct you. Do not take it upon yourselves to interfere with the defense of the city. That is best left to the Watch and the City Guard. Do I make myself clear?"

"Certainly but-"

The sergeant turned away from Haer'Dalis as a Watchman ran towards them.

"Sergeant Tenna, Eltorchul Academy is under attack," he panted.

"Damn it! Chanter, you stay with the wounded. Take cover in one of these houses until we can send a cart for you." She pointed at Haer'Dalis. "You two stay-"

"Let us come with you," he said. "We can help."

She shrugged. "On your own heads be it."


"You'd think these mages could defend themselves," one of the Watchmen muttered. Haer'Dalis frowned. The wards on the walls had been blasted away. Ashy smears were what remained of the guards in the courtyard of the school. Mages-students and instructors both, still in their nightclothes, lay where they had been struck down. They'd had little warning. He could still smell the stench of brimstone and strong magic.

When they'd arrived a squad of duergar, armed with clubs and crossbows, held off the Watch to allow a half dozen drow, wizards amongst them, to escape. One of the surviving instructors fought with the Watch until the duergar were defeated. Then the gray-haired mage slumped against the nearest wall.

"Mystra help us, why would they do such a thing?" he cried. "So many slain, even the children. Why is such wickedness allowed in the world?"

"The drow carried something away," Solaufein said. His breath came in short huffs. He'd tried to push past the duergar to give chase but could not.

Sergeant Tanna strode forward. "Master Arne, are you hurt? I've sent for a healer. Can you tell me what happened?"

"Assassins! They came while we slept. How did they get past the wards?"

"The initial explosions took the wards out," Haer'Dalis guessed. "Perhaps they used a Silence spell to cover the sound of their entry."

"The drow entered the West Wing, killed Denfer and Trude outright," Arne continued. "They rounded some of us up-me and Cara and old Winfrey. They-they knew who we were! They asked for the books-the books of names. All our research-they knew! They knew what we'd been working on. How could they have known?"

"A scrying spell?" Haer'Dalis suggested.

"We are warded against scrying. How could they know? Cara didn't want to give it to them-the names, all the True Names we have gathered. Decades of work. She refused. And they-they-" Arne gave a sob of fear and horror. "It was horrible. After what they did to her, we did what they said. We gathered up the books, the scrolls, the letters from truenamers across Faerun. We gave them what they wanted. Everything they wanted."

"Names?" Tenna asked. "What were these names they wanted?"

"The True Names," Arne said.

Tenna jerked forward in alarm. "Not the names of the Masked Lords? Torm help us, you mages haven't written those down, have you?"

Arne's eyes were bleary and confused. "No, no. These are not the names of humans."

"Names of summoning?" Haer'Dalis asked.

"The True Names can be used for summoning, yes, but they are much more than that. They are the names of making and unmaking-the True Names, the names by which one knows one's very self. Over many years, by divination and other means, we have unraveled the True Names of demons and devils and other creatures as well. Those drow knew of our work."

"And you don't know how they knew," Tenna said.

"No." Arne sighed. "They rounded us up, all of us truenamers, all but Sobrey, who is at New Olamn tonight. They killed the others and would have killed me too, if not for him." He pointed at Solaufein and shuddered. "Ilmater have mercy! Cara, poor Cara. What they did to her!" He slid down to the floor and wrapped his arms around his knees. "So ghastly. Why don't the gods wipe these wicked drow from the face of the world?"

"They did that once," Solaufein murmured.

"What's the name of this mage you mentioned?" Sergeant Tanna asked. "Master Sobrey?" The wizard nodded. "I'll send a runner to New Olamn to warn them of this attack and see to his safety."

Solaufein and Haer'Dalis followed her into the courtyard. She gave them the side of her eye but beckoned to one of her men. "Head back to the Watchpost," she told him. "Report what happened here. Tell the Watch Commander I'm staying with the squad to help the survivors. Get a message to the North Post to look for trouble at New Olamn. Tell them to safeguard a mage by the name of Sobrey, who is a visitor there. He's possibly a target. Got all that?"

The Watchman nodded and ran off. Tanna shook her head. "Damn it. Could these fool mages have caused this whole attack on Waterdeep because they couldn't stop from meddling in other people's secrets?"

"That's what mages do," Haer'Dalis said.

"Oh, aye. And if they only risked themselves in their lofty pursuits of knowledge, they could do so with my goodwill." She beckoned to another Watchman. "Take these two adventurers and see that they get to an inn or some other safe place to wait out the curfew." Haer'Dalis opened his mouth. "I hope you're not planning on arguing with me," she said. "It's been a long night and I'm not in the mood."

Haer'Dalis bowed to the sergeant and smiled at the Watchman.

The Castle Ward Watchpost was packed and everyone there was shouting, or so it seemed to Haer'Dalis. The booming and belligerent voice that caught his attention came from a white-haired fellow who leaned over the front counter and thrust his face toward the Watch Commander. The old man had a bandage around his head and across one ear. He held a walking cane and used it to thump the side of the counter.

"I'm not yet in my dotage and I do not need a nursemaid to walk me home," he bellowed.

"I'm sorry, sir, but my orders-"

"Your orders are not my problem. I have orders of my own, young man, and I'll be hanged if I'll have you keep me from my duty. Not to mention that you're keeping me from my dinner and from my wife. You don't want her down here looking for me, now do you?"

"No, Master Durnan, but you've been injured and-"

"Bah, I'm leaving. Arrest me for breaking curfew if you dare."

Haer'Dalis saw his Watchman guide exchange a sympathetic glance with the Watch Commander.

"Master Durnan, if you're headed to the Yawning Portal, could I ask you to escort these strangers?" the Watchman said. "My sergeant told me to see they get to an inn."

"They violated curfew?" the Watch Commander asked with a frown.

"They helped save my squad from a drow ambush," he replied. "And they also helped us with the fighting at Eltorchul Academy."

"The academy was attacked?" Durnan asked.

"Aye. The sergeant said we were to warn New Olamn. Looks like the drow might be after magical books and such."

"Too late," Durnan said. "I just came from New Olamn and yes, there was an attack. Curse these drow. They move through the city like it's theirs. They killed several of the bards before we drove them off."

Haer'Dalis looked at Solaufein but the drow's hood hid his eyes. "They must be after more of these True Names," he said quietly. "Do you have any idea why?"

"No more than you do," Solaufein said.

"I need to make my report," the Watchman told his commander. "The sergeant will have my ass if I don't see that these men find a safe place to stay."

"Fine," Durnan said. "I'll take them." He narrowed his eyes at the Watchman. "I suppose you think you're being clever, saddling me with an escort." Durnan stomped out of the Watchpost. Out in the street, he turned to Haer'Dalis. "So who are you two? Adventurers, I suppose."

Haer'Dalis nodded. "We came from Athkatla."

"Athkatla, eh? Well, that was quick. I wouldn't have thought there was time for the notice to have reached that far out. Here for the reward, are you?"

"Reward?" Solaufein asked.

"Aye, the hundred thousand dragons the Lords of Waterdeep have offered to whoever stops these attacks on the city."

"Dragons?"

"The local coin," Haer'Dalis murmured.

"Ah. So much? Then that would be a logical motivation, yes?"

"And we must be logical," the bard said, with a huff of amusement. "Only fools would enter a besieged city because of a dream."

Durnan, tall and straight-backed despite his age, looked at him and then down at the top of Solaufein's head. Solaufein, who had never stopped scanning the surroundings, did not notice but Haer'Dalis saw the innkeeper's frown.

"Before we get to your inn, I should mention that we seem to have run somewhat afoul of your wife," Haer'Dalis said.

"Did you now? And how did that happen?"

"I believe it was my mixed blood she found objectionable. I am a tiefling," he explained. "My name is Haer'Dalis, originally from Sigil."

"A tiefling. Don't see many of your kind here in Waterdeep. Huh. Demon blood don't sit too well with a paladin of Tyr. Draw steel on you, did she?"

"No, of course not."

"Then I suppose I needn't do so yet."

Haer'Dalis couldn't tell if he was joking. "After we exchanged words, your barman asked that we leave."

"In the middle of curfew? She must have been some riled. And what about you there?" he asked Solaufein. "Hiding a tail beneath that heavy cloak? A set of horns maybe?"

"No." At Durnan's expectant look, he added, "I am not a tiefling. My name is Solaufein."

"Solaufein. Are you also from Sigil?"

"No."

Durnan gave him a chance to elaborate. When he didn't, Haer'Dalis said, "My friend is a bit reticent."

"That so? Haer'Dalis. An uncommon name but I have heard it before."

"I am a bard and dramatist but this is my first time in the City of Splendors."

"A dramatist?" For a moment, Haer'Dalis thought Durnan was going to laugh. "Not much call for that just now. Nay, I've heard your name in another context, I'm thinking. Were you not one of the Butchers of Saradush?"

Haer'Dalis gave him a sharp look. "We were cleared of that charge."

"Aye, I'm aware of that," Durnan said. "So you traveled with the Bhaalspawn, did you?"

"For a time."

"Is she coming to Waterdeep as well?"

"Not that I know."

"Pity. She has a way of cutting through problems that could be of use to us. At any rate, I'd say your adventuring credentials are in order. No doubt you have a tale or two to tell."

"Don't encourage him if you value your ears," Solaufein said.

"As a bard, I need very little encouragement to tell a tale."

"As in none," Solaufein said.

"I'm sure I'd like to hear your stories," Durnan said. "But first, I'm thinking I'd like to hear your reticent friend's tale."

"I, too, traveled with the Bhaalspawn for a time," Solaufein said.

"Yet your name is curiously lacking from the accounts I have heard, unless you travel under an alias."

"Solaufein is the name I was born with."

"And what of the face you were born with? I would look into the eyes of a man I may end up fighting beside. Have you aught to hide?"

"As much to hide as any and more than most, I suspect."

"Outlaw, are you?"

"I am outcast from my people, yes."

"For what cause? Are you a murderer? Oath breaker? Blasphemer?"

"I am that and more. That makes me no enemy of yours, but your ally." Solaufein pushed back his hood. Haer'Dalis kept his hands near the hilts of his swords and waited for Durnan's reaction.

"I am here in the service of Eilistraee," Solaufein said. "In a dream, She urged me to come to this city and stand against the threat that comes from the Underdark. I offer my aid, if you will accept it."

"What do you know of this threat?"

Solaufein shrugged. "Only that it comes. Whatever it is, it can be faced with force of arms or She would not have sent me. Fighting is my only skill."

"You are modest," Haer'Dalis murmured.

"And you, tiefling? Do you also claim to be here under divine guidance?"

"Nay, I am here because of the bonds of friendship."

"And the chance for glory and treasure, no doubt?"

Haer'Dalis' eyes gleamed. "Should the opportunity for either present itself, I would not say nay."

"Well, now," Durnan said. He looked down into Solaufein's face. Blue eyes met red. "I am not unacquainted with the followers of Eilistraee. I can see how you might offer us a unique perspective against these invaders. If you are willing to subject yourself to the approval of my lady wife then I am willing to have you in my inn. We're almost there and I daresay she still waits up for me." With a sniff, he added, "Until then, you should keep your face covered lest you be mistaken for an enemy."

Solaufein had already begun to raise his hood but he stopped and cocked his head.

"I hear screams," he said. "And fighting."

Durnan pressed a catch on his cane. The wooden sheath dropped off to expose a sword. "'Tis a wicked night for fighting," he said grimly. "Lead us to it, drow."