The Heroes of Baldur's Gate
Prologue
In a dark room, there were six, tall, cocoon-like pods. They were black and fleshy, with something like a large window in front of them. Inside these pods, were six, sleeping victims. The darkness was slightly illuminated by a strange door, with a tall, menacing creature standing in the entrance. It was a mind flayer; a creature with a pointed head, four tentacles where its mouth should be, and burning, orange eyes. It began to levitate in the air, floating towards a large bowl in the middle of the room. The windows were removed from the pods, and the victims stirred.
Hazel Dawnlight opened her eyes and looked around in confusion. She had been traveling in the Feywilds, seeking adventure. It was a rite of passage in her circle. But then she remembered what had happened. She saw the large nautiloid in the sky, heading right towards her. Before she could respond, a tentacle had reached out for her, and she blacked out. Now she was trapped in a mind flayer pod, arms pinned to her sides, and unable to reach her staff. She looked to her left and noticed the other victim in the pod. There was a high elf, with curly, light-blond hair and bright blue eyes, looking around with the same confusion. He had a scar across his left eye. Hazel looked around and noticed the other victims. There was a drow, covered in blood, a human, wearing strange, green clothes, a Tiefling, and a Githyanki.
No one said anything, as it would prove futile.
The mindflayer reached into the giant bowel and pulled out a creature from the water. On his hand, there squirmed what looked like a tadpole. It was then Hazel realized the mind flayer only had four fingers. It drifted towards the high elf, holding the tadpole close to his face. The creature practically hopped onto the elf's cheek, climbing up towards his right eye. It shrieked before using small tentacles of its own to force the elf's eyes open and slithering into it. The elf groaned in discomfort and began to writhe in the pod, but to no avail. The window of the pod was then closed, muffling his cries. The others began to wriggle in their pods, knowing they were all next.
Hazel spotted the mind flayer picking up another tadpole from the bowl. It slowly turned to face her.
She was next.
She turned her head away, forcing her eyes shut. Something compelled her to open her eyes and turn her head to face the mind flayer. It was reaching its hand out to her, using its magic to force her to look at it. With the other hand, it brought the tadpole close to her face. The small creature immediately latched onto her eye, shrieking at her before forcing its way in.
Hazel blacked out once again.
Who are you?
Chapter 1
A Nautiloid in Hell
Hazel wasn't sure how long she slept, but when she woke, the window to her pod was opened, and the high elf was standing next to it. Hazel slowly sat up and took in her surroundings. The human was also standing by her pod. His clothes looked even more strange up-close. They were different shades of greens and browns, swirling in a strange pattern. All Hazel knew was that he was not from Faerun.
The two men helped her out of her pod, while the Tiefling and the Githyanki helped the drow, who was still covered in blood.
"Ugh… my head…" The drow grumbled with a deep voice.
"What in the Nine Hells happened to you?" The Tiefling asked.
"I…I don't remember…" The drow admitted, rubbing her temples. "I can't remember anything…"
"Do you remember your name?" The high elf offered.
"It's…it's Ella…" The drow looked up, seeming relieved to remember something. "Ella Torani."
"Call me Aiden. Aiden Vardel." The High Elf replied. "Maybe the memory loss is an effect of the tadpole."
"Tadpole?" The human asked. "Is that what's crawling around in my head!"
"Indeed." The Tiefling said. "You've never heard of mind flayers before?"
"I've never even seen anything like all of you before!" The human said.
"Where are you from?" Hazel asked.
"I can't believe I'd ever say this…but I'm from planet Earth." The human said.
"I'd welcome you to Faerun, but due to the stench in the air…I'd say we're in the Hells." The Tiefling said.
"Wait…Hell is real?" The human's eyes widened with fear.
"Wow…you really aren't from around here…" The Tiefling mused.
"Let's get out of the Hells, and then find a cure to this infection." The Gith said impatiently.
"She's right." Aiden agreed.
"Wait, what should I call all of you?" Hazel asked.
"Oh, right, I'm Aiden." The high elf repeated.
"I'm Ella." The drow introduced herself again. By her appearance, Hazel could tell she was a sorcerer of the draconic bloodline. She had silver scales speckling her cheeks and forehead. But she had one red eye and one lavender eye…Hazel wasn't sure if she was Loth-Sworn or Seldarine.
"I'm Thomas, you can call me Tom for short." The human said.
"I'm Asha Nightfury." The Tiefling introduced herself.
"Call me Yan'lu." The Githyanki said.
"And you are…?" Aiden asked.
"Hazel Dawnlight, of Firgrove." Hazel placed a fist over her heart.
"A worshipper of Silvanus!" Aiden observed, pointing out the insignia on her chest. "Let's hope the Oakfather and the Moonmaiden can watch over us here."
"A Selunite. What an honor." Hazel replied.
"We should hurry, before the Gith explodes." Asha said, looking over at Yan'lu, who was shifting on her feet.
"Good idea, let's go!" Aiden said. The group made their way out of the room, noticing a dead mind flayer.
"What happened while I was out?" Hazel asked.
"There was a dragon attack." Aiden said.
"Red dragons." Yan'lu added. "I believe my people were trying to stop the nautiloid."
The next room was much larger. The group looked around in amazement. There was a dead goblin on a table, along with a strange rune written in a language Hazel didn't recognize. She looked in the goblin's pockets and found five gold pieces. She could hear a small voice calling out to the group.
Help us…
Release us…
We are here…here…
Hazel turned to what looked like a strange lever. She gently touched it and felt herself being lifted off the ground, along with Aiden and Yan'lu. They realized it was an elevator, lifting them to a platform. There was a man sitting in a chair…no…he must have been an elf…
Hazel stepped closer to the elf. She walked around and realized the top of the elf's head had been severed off, revealing his brain.
"Yes, you've come to save us from this place…from this place you'll free us!" The voice was now clearer, and it seemed to be coming from the exposed brain. The organ quivered in anticipation. She had no idea what this thing was…it seemed to be more brain than a person.
Yan'lu stepped closer as well. "Tsk'va! An intellect devourer…a pet of the ghaik!"
Hazel turned back to the brain. "You seem past the point of saving…tell me what to do."
"Remove us from this body. From this case, free us. Please." The brain pleaded.
"You sound afraid, why?" Aiden asked.
"The enemy!" The brain answered. "So many enemies!"
Hazel gently reached forward, carefully grabbing the brain. The brain lifted from the skull, but Hazel noticed an opportunity. Maybe she could cripple the strange creature, making it more subservient, should it prove a threat, and it would put the Gith's mind at ease…then again, any injuries could make it too weak. Hazel decided to spare it, moving to place it on the ground, when suddenly it hopped out of her hands and onto the ground. The three watched as the brain grew in size, and then grew five tentacle-like whiskers, and then four white legs with sharp, black claws. It didn't attack, but instead Hazel could sense gratitude.
"We're free…our freedom is ours, friend!" The creature cheered. Hazel could feel the tadpole squirming.
"We must go to the helm! At the helm, we are needed." The brain said. "We are needed to leave this realm."
"What should we call you?" Hazel asked.
"Us. We are Us." The brain replied.
"All right then, let's go." Hazel said.
"To the helm we go!" Us said. "We are going to the helm."
The three made their way back to the elevator, Us following closely behind Hazel.
"What is that thing?" Tom asked once the elevator returned.
"An intellect devourer." Yan'lu asked. "It seems it thinks we're thralls. It may be useful to us."
The group made their way out of the room, walking along the outside of the nautiloid. They could see red dragons, devils, and imps flying around the Hells.
Suddenly, there was another Githyanki, jumping from out of nowhere. When she landed, she pointed her sword right at Tom.
"Abomination. This is your end." She growled at him. Before anyone could do anything, Hazel could feel the tadpole squirming. She suddenly began to see vision flash into her mind; a dragon's wing, a silver sword, and a flash of Tom's face seen through the strange woman's eyes.
"Ugh…my head…what is this…" The Gith groaned. "Tsk'va… you are no thralls. Vlaakith blesses me this day. Together, we might survive." She put her sword back into its sheath.
"What made you think we are thralls?" Yan'lu asked, stepping towards her kin.
"Have you forgotten yourself?" The Gith retorted. "Unless we escape, unless we are cleansed, our minds and bodies will be tainted and twisted. Within days we will be ghaik, mind flayers!"
"We're turning into those things?!" Tom asked. "There must be something we can do."
"We can do nothing until we escape, that must be our priority." The Gith said.
"Then what do you suggest?" Aiden asked.
"First, we exterminate those imps." The Gith turned to the next room. "Then we find the helm and take control of the ship." She turned to Hazel. "As for that thing, it will remain tame as long as it believes we are thralls." She pointed to Us. "It may be of use in the fight to come."
The group made their way into the next room, where imps were devouring the flesh of dead thralls. One looked up at Hazel, its face smeared with blood. It stood and shrieked.
"Htak'a!" Yan'lu and the other Gith cried out in response, pulling out their weapons.
Ella rushed forward and used burning hands on one of the imps. The creature burned to a crisp. The other Gith shot an arrow at another imp, hitting the creature and killing it instantly. The imp that had spotted Hazel flew towards her, swinging its claws. Hazel dodged and used thunder wave, killing the imp. Tom ran forward with a strange weapon she had never seen before. It was long and shaped a little like a quarterstaff. The noise it made was a loud bang that made Hazel jump, but whatever shot out of it hit an imp's wing, injuring it. The imp wasn't going down easily. It ran towards Tom, slashing into his leg. His trousers ripped instantly.
Another imp charged at Asha, scratching at her face. She swung her short sword and sliced the imp. The creature fell, dead. Another imp attacked Yan'lu, also scratching her face. Yan'lu punched it, knocking it back slightly. Two more imps charged at Aiden and Us, bearing their claws and scratching them. Aiden swung his mace, nearly missing the imp attacking him, but making it bleed. Us scratched the other imp back.
Ella turned to the imp attacking Tom, this time with firebolt. The imp burst into flames and collapsed, now dead. The other Gith rushed to help Yan'lu, shooting another arrow and killing the imp. Hazel turned to the imp attacking Aiden. She unleashed her thorn whip and hitting the imp. The imp fell, lifeless and covered in thorns. Tom turned to the last imp, shooting another thing at its chest. The imp practically exploded in blood.
"What is that weapon you carry?" The Gith asked Tom.
"It's my rifle." He answered, throwing it over his shoulder. "A gun…" He clarified when he realized the group were looking at him inquisitively.
Hazel had no idea what a gun was. She would have to ask more about it later, if they survived the Hells.
"Well, you all seem surprisingly adequate in battle." The Gith said. "Now, to the helm!" As the group made their way through the area, they picked at the dead thralls, looking for gold and supplies.
Aiden found some gold, along with Ella and Yan'lu. Asha picked up an amethyst.
"Uh, hey, can I trade you that for five gold?" Hazel asked.
"Huh? Are you sure?" Asha asked.
Hazel took a deep breath. "I collect rocks…and gems and minerals."
Asha seemed surprised at first, but then smiled. "Well then, it's a deal."
"Really?" Hazel asked. "You don't think I'm odd?"
"No, we all have our hobbies." Asha said, holding out the gem. "Besides, it's normal for druids to love the natural world, yes?"
"Well…for the most part." Hazel shrugged. The two made their exchange, and then the group pressed on to the next room. In the center were four chairs, two of which were occupied. There were two humans, a man and a woman, wearing similar clothes. They seemed to be asleep.
There was a machine with strange buttons.
"Ghaik machinery, I can make no sense of it." The Gith admitted. Tom walked forward and placed his hands on the button on the center. The two thralls suddenly jumped up and pulled out their weapons.
"The machine made them hostile!" Aiden observed. "Ignis!" He shouted, aiming a firebolt at the man. He instantly burned to death. The Gith shot an arrow at the woman, hitting her in the shoulder. The woman cried out in pain and anger. Ella also used firebolt, aiming at the woman and finishing her off.
Aiden rushed towards another pod. Hazel hadn't realized there was a woman trapped inside. She was hitting the window, desperately trying to get out. She had jet-black hair, tied back into a braid. Hazel could see she was wearing chainmail armor, and wondered if she was a cleric or a paladin, or maybe just a fighter.
"You!" The woman spotted Aiden. "Get me out of this damn thing!"
"We have no time for stragglers." The Gith said.
Aiden paused, gazing at the machine.
"This ship is crashing; do you intend to die for a stranger?!" The Gith demanded.
"You're a stranger." Tom said.
"K'chakhi!" The Gith retorted.
Aiden stepped back. "There's got to be some way to do it. I'll look around."
"Try that contraption next to the pod." The woman explained. "They did something to it when they sealed me in. Hurry, please!"
Tom stepped towards the contraption and placed his hand on another button. The console appeared dormant. Tom tried kicking it, then hitting the button, but nothing happened.
"Let's look around." Aiden suggested, heading to the next room and running through the strange door.
Hazel stayed behind, staring at the machine, realizing this ship was more being than machinery. The brains, the flesh, the veins, the blood…it was a living creature just as much as she was. Hazel decided to catch up with the group, finding the other room was filled wall-to-wall with pods.
"Tsk'va! How many hosts have these ghaik infected?" The Gith asked. Aiden dug through chests and dead thralls until he found a strange rune. "Maybe this will work on the machine." He mused.
There was a pod in the middle of the room. Hazel approached it and noticed a woman with short, red hair, and wearing those same atrocious clothes. She seemed dazed and didn't notice Hazel. Meanwhile, Tom spotted another contraption like the first one. He pressed the button in the middle, and realized he could hear a voice commanding someone to change…the woman inside the pod…
Hazel watched in horror as the dazed woman began to pound at the glass, blood pouring from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Her arms dropped as her skin began to turn grey, and her cheeks became sunken. Four tentacles began to creep out of her mouth, splitting her jaw open. Her pinkies fell off her hands. Her face split in half, revealing a new face. Her new hand pressed against the glass, and a new mind flayer was born.
"Kaincha!" The Gith yelled. "Changed at the pull of a lever? How? If we are not cleansed, this may be our fate."
"Silvanus, preserve me…" Hazel whispered. "This cannot be our fate…"
"Can we all have a vote?" Ella suddenly spoke up. "All in favor of banning Tom from pushing buttons, say aye!"
"Aye!" Everyone else answered.
"What? Why?" Tom asked.
"So far, you pushing buttons have led us to trouble." Asha scolded. "Now, let's go help that other girl before she turns into a mind flayer too!" The group began to rush past Hazel, who stood and stared at the mind flayer. It stared back at her with orange eyes, weak and still dazed. She wondered if the pervious woman was still in there…
Hazel shook her head and left the room. The group had found more gold and began to distribute among themselves. Aiden was concentrating on the machine. He inserted the rune into an empty socket. Then he winced, and Hazel's tadpole squirmed in recognition. She could feel connection…authority. Aiden willed the pod to open, and the machine obeyed.
The woman fell out of her pod, sighing in relief. "Finally! I thought I was done for!"
Aiden rushed forward, helping the woman to her feet. Hazel could see she had green eyes, and by the way her ears pointed, she was a half-elf, like her.
"I thought that damn thing was going to be my coffin. Thank you-" But suddenly, the woman was interrupted as everyone's minds connected. Her gratitude was mixed with weariness, because the group had Gith with them.
"You keep dangerous company." The woman observed, looking at Yan'lu and the other Gith.
"Dangerous company is what you need in a fight." Aiden said.
"Fair point." The half-elf replied. "Looks like there's plenty of fighting ahead. Let me come with your group. We can get off this ship and watch each other's backs along the way."
"Sounds good. I'm Aiden."
"Shadowheart." The woman replied. "One moment." She turned back to her pod, reaching in and grabbing a strange artifact.
"What's that?" Aiden asked.
"It's nothing." Shadowheart said. "Trust me."
"Oh, Hazel!" Yan'lu suddenly spoke up. "Here, I found more rocks." She handed her a bloodstone and a carnelian.
"Thank you." Hazel replied.
"Enough of this chatter! We must get to the helm!" The Gith snapped.
"She's right." Shadowheart agreed. "Lead on." She turned to Aiden.
The group continued into what looked like a hallway, approaching another strange door.
"We are nearing the helm!" The Gith announced, turning to the group. "Once inside, do as I say."
"Who put you in charge?" Shadowheart asked. "I'll trust my own judgement."
"Kainyank." The Gith spat. The group turned to the door and entered. The sight was overwhelming for Hazel. She watched in horror as devils and mind flayers fought each other, while imps and hellboars slaughtered intellect devourers.
One mind flayer turned to Hazel.
"Thrall, connect the nerves of the transponder!" It said in a deep voice. It pointed towards the front of the helm, strange tentacles where floating around what Hazel assumed to be the transponder. "We must escape, now!"
Hazel stood, still feeling overwhelmed by everything. The battle, the Hells, the heat and the fire…the voices, orders, and the tadpole squirming through her mind.
"Do it!" The Gith snapped her out of her thoughts. "We will deal with the ghaik after we escape. Htak'a!"
With her battle cry, Aiden rushed forward, attacking a hellsboar with burning hands, instantly burning the creature to death. The mind flayer was fighting one of the devils, shooting a strange blast from its head. The devil fought back with a flaming sword. Hazel ran towards an imp, shooting her thunder wave. The imp flew out of the way and swung its claws at Hazel, who narrowly avoided getting scratched. Asha began to shoot her arrows, missing an imp. Shadowheart ran to stand beside her, and used her guiding bolt, yelling "flagro!" and killing the imp. Tom took out his rifle and aimed, shooting another imp in the wing. The Gith ran to help Hazel, shooting the imp with an arrow and killing it.
The group began to rush forward, as the mind flayer and the devil continued their battle. The group paused when the ship shook, and they spotted a dragon at the front window, flying past.
"Hurry, before they strike!" The Gith yelled.
Hazel ran forward, using her thorn whip to pull an imp towards her. Shadowheart rushed to help her and used her guiding bolt, killing the imp. Tom ran forward, attempting to shoot the devil, but missing.
"Leave him to me!" The mind flayer said. "Connect the nerves."
"Ignore the devil, istik!" The Gith scolded.
Us had been running the whole time, closely following Aiden. Ella used her firebolt on another imp, burning it to death. Another hellsboar charged at Aiden, who dodged it. Aiden swung his mace, almost missing the creature but leaving gashes in its hide. Hazel ran to help, swinging her quarterstaff wildly and missing. Tom shot again at the hellsboar, scraping its skin. The Gith aimed her arrow and shot the hellsboar, killing it. The group rushed forward again, getting closer to the transponder. Ella stepped forward, connecting two of the strange nerves. The tentacles latched onto each other.
Just then, a dragon peeked its head through the front window. It looked around before blowing fire into the helm, knocking Ella and the rest of the group off their feet. Hazel noticed the nerves were still connected, and the ship began to take off, leaving the Hells. Hazel was knocked back, but when the ship began to steady, she found herself flying back towards the transponder. She grasped it, then climbed towards the nerves, grabbing one of them and steering the ship back to Faerun. The Sword Coast came into her mind, and she found herself looking at the night sky, along with forests and mountains. She fell back again, knowing the ship was covered in fire and was about to crash. She fell back towards a hole in the wall, and looked out at what appeared to be the Wilds. She turned and noticed a mind flayer on the other side of the hole. It glared back at her with burning orange eyes, as though this whole thing was her doing…
Before Hazel could do anything else, something hit her in the side of the head, knocking her out of the ship. She felt herself falling, but then stopping. She was suspended just above the ground, then softly dropped. For the third time that day, Hazel blacked out.
AN: I was having some technical difficulties. But that's all settled now! I'm excited to start writing again! I did yet another prologue and chapter 1 together because it's easier on me. I hope you enjoyed!