Eirina turned the corner of the small tor of rocks to see three people screaming up at what appeared to be a wall of vines.
"Open the bloody gates," the man was screaming with frantic need, apparently less than please that he was not yet already within the walls of
where ever this was. What ever the shouted reply was, it was lost on Eirina as a pack of goblins riding worgs came striding into view. They had
obviously been following the trio from wherever it was they had just come from. Eirina drew her weapon and could hear the soft shuffle of
Astarion slipping past her. That elf blended into the shadows and into the falling dusk with better ease and comfort than even some of the more
practiced thieves Eirina had encountered. But those were thoughts for later. Now, it was the time for survival.
The battle was short, aided by the arrival of a young man that Eirina recognized, though the others hadn't placed him. Wyll Ravengard had gone
missing from Baldur's Gate years ago. She never thought she would see him here, in the middle of no where. But there was no coincidence that
he had ended up in this area with the rest of them: whatever fate these tadpoles had thrust on them had obviously pulled in the man before her.
She watched with rapt attention as he helped the survivors past the wall, gesturing for her own party to follow her.
"He was remarkably skilled," Lae'zel's voice held reluctant approval in it. Eirina agreed with her, even though the rest of them had no depth as to
the likely extent of that man's skill. This was an ally that could turn the tide of whatever challenges they faced, if he agreed to travel with them.
"I have known a lot of warlocks in my time," Gale threw in his own opinion as they slipped in through the gate, "but their power comes with too
many strings for my liking." Eirina let out a prayer to Selune at his comment. Many judged her for being one of the moon maiden's chosen clerics,
it had a tendency for people to assume that a cleric's powers were like a warlocks. They weren't too dissimilar, but the major difference with a
cleric is that the path could be strayed from in moderation before the ability to access their powers broke. And even then, those powers would still
be there. A warlock was bound to their patron regardless of anything, like a leash that was always a couple inches too short. Wyll showed the
power of his patron with his actions, but his motivations were unclear.
"For a druid grove, there's a lot of tieflings here," Astarion appeared to be the only taking in their surroundings. The others were lost to their own
thoughts about Wyll and the battle they had just survived. Eirina was grateful that they were finally within the walls of somewhere relatively safe.
They would be able to find this Nettie, rest for the night, and then keep going on their respective journeys. As they walked further into the camp,
a fight was raging between an older tiefling and the man that Eirina and her companions had aided at the gate. And it looked like it was about to
resort to violence.
Eirina, with Shadowheart half a step behind her, walked up as the human hurled words that would send most barbarians into a blind rage.
"Foul bloods ain't known for courage," the man held his head up to the taller tiefling, the challenge in his stance clearly itching to continue the
fight from outside. Eirina could see the tick in the tiefling's jaw and knew the rage of pride that was about to erupt.
"Enough!" Eirina finally shouted, causing both men to step back half a step, "There's enough violence beyond the walls, we don't need anymore in
here. If you can't approach each other with cool heads, then walk away and calm down," Eirina didn't want the healer to have to deal with these
two over charged alpha males before she had a chance to help her and her friends.
"I can't tell if I'm scared or aroused," Gale muttered to Shadowheart, his eyes obviously on Eirina, "she's the level headed one of us. That was
intense," Eirina ignored their banter before turning to the tiefling in front her."I need a healer, sooner rather than later," she asked, keeping the
panic and fear from her voice.
"You'll want to talk to Nettie," Zevlor introduced himself and gestured in the direction the human had stalked off in, "Thank you for diffusing that,"
his words were tired, as if he had been travelling non stop for days.
"You look exhausted," Eirina commented softly. Zevlor looked at her with paternal eyes for a moment before glancing around the make shift camp
they stood in.
"We've been travelling for longer than most refugees," he gestured to a small group of children racing off into the caves, "you are standing with
what remains of the refugees from Elturel." Shocked gasps came from everyone with Eirina save Lae'zel, who likely didn't know that Elturel was
pulled into the hells.
"So the road you've been on has been long and fraught with peril, hasn't it?" Eirina's compassion came out and she had the urge to hug Zevlor
and tell him that everything would be okay. But even she knew not to make that promise. Fate was currently kicking her ass and those of her
growing party, since they needed to deal with the tadpoles in their heads.
"The druids are preparing a ritual to lock down the grove, so if you wish to see Nettie, you'll have to head further into the caves, down to their
ritual space," Zevlor's face took a peculiar look, "If by some chance you are able to, speak with Kagha? She's the one currently in charge and once
their ritual is over, us refugees will be forced to face the peril of the goblins on our own." Eirina nodded.
"I'll see what I can do, but I make no promises," a hiss of pain erupted from Shadowheart as Eirina agreed to help, despite the protests from
Astarion and Lae'zel that they didn't have the time to help random refugees, that they had their own problems.
"I will not turn my back on those that could benefit from my help, as little as it is for me to talk to someone about offering sanctuary for the less
fortunate," Eirina had been defending her actions to help others to party members since long before she joined up with these four, so this was
nothing new to her.
"Well, let's head into the grove and see about getting these worms out of our heads," Shadowheart's voice soothed Eirina a bit, the edge of pain
leaving her tone a little shaken.
"Are you okay?" Eirina had already addressed the wound on Shadowheart's hand before, but now it was proving to be a little bit more than just a
passing thing. The brief moment of compassion from Eirina had triggered the wound to fester slightly.
"It's nothing," Shadowheart turned her hand so that the black spot was partially hidden from view.
"It's not nothing," Eirina looked at the other woman for a moment, "but I won't press if you don't want me to." Shadowheart gave her a small, but
grateful smile.
"That's appreciated," Eirina nodded again and kept moving into the grove. They passed by a merchant who was bundling gear into a cart for the
tieflings. It was clear that he wanted to make sure they had everything they needed on the journey ahead. The three ox were there, but one was
following their party with strange eyes. Eirina looked carefully at him, watching it as it watched her,. They didn't interact beyond that, but she felt
like she had just lost a staring contest with an ox while standing in the middle of the cave.
"Are you contemplating butchering that thing for out dinner?" Astarion's drawl tone cut through the staring contest and Eirina just shook her
head.
"It was looking at me funny," she made a mental not to come back and look into why that cow seemed more intelligent than the others. It was
odd.
There were children training with make shift dummies up ahead, looking like they were preparing at least to defend themselves against whatever
perils they may be forced to face next. One small child worked with Wyll, showing signs of obvious frustration. The man took the time to reassure
him before gesturing back to the training dummy.
"You would be wise to listen to him," Eirina spoke up, acknowledging Wyll, "he knows what he's talking about." She held her head high as Wyll
regarded her.
"Eirina Virren," Wyll recognized her, despite the fact that they had never been introduced.
"Wyll Ravengard," She nodded in acknowledgement and he gave a sour smile in response.
"It's the Blade of Frontiers these days," he admonished her, "and just Wyll." His words seemed filled with bitter pain. As Eirina's feet brought her
closer, she felt the painful twist of the tadpole in her mind connect with his, his thoughts becoming hers, and her thoughts flooding into his head.
Eirina could see herself racing through the wastes of Avernus, chasing someone. Red skin, single curled horn, flames licking over every inch of
her, bloodied great axe held high.
"Hells' great fires," Wyll clutched at his head, "you were on the ship." At some point, Eirina hoped she would be able to control how her mind
connected with others so she could send the images she wanted and not have them bombarded with random thoughts.
"I would say you escaped the ship too, but it looked like you were in the middle of a hunt when you were taken," Eirina kept her voice light, "but I
could use all the friends I can get at this point."
"Better friends than the ones hitching a ride in our skulls, at least," Wyll's scars crinkled with his smile, "I'm sure you know the stories. Doomed to
shed our skin and become illithid. They say there's no coming back. But we haven't sprouted any tentacles - not yet anyway. Could be just good
luck. I'm not so..." A second collision of their minds cut Wyll's words off. Eirina was Wyll in that moment, chasing the fiend, ignited with rancor.
She could feel the rage towards the infernal war devil, feel the threat she poses to any that cross her path.
"Shit." Wyll swore, "you saw her: advocatus diaboli." Eirina knew the term, a devil's advocate, a term reserved for a champion in the Blood War
ever raging across the landscape of Avernus. Wyll seemed the type to hunt monsters like that.
"Hunting in the Hells. And a Devil's Advocate at that. You hunt dangerous game in dangerous territory," she could hear the others behind her
starting to whisper, growing curious about the images they couldn't see.
"I'm no stranger to the infernal," Wyll responded, "Better to slay a devil before her fires burn common folk to ash." Eirina could see the hunt had
him chasing his prey to Faerun, "Her name is Karlach. An archdevil's soldier I swore on my good eye to kill."
"If you fail, can I have the good eye?" Astarion's comment cut through, causing everyone, including Wyll to laugh.
"Another will claim that prize should I fail," Wyll grinned, "You can take it up with them if you want it," the laughter died and his tone was serious
again, "I tracked her through the Hells to the mind flayer ship. But the damned illithids infected me before I could end her. She's out there now,
preying on the innocent. I don't kill her, she'll leave behind nothing but a trail of burned corpses."
"Come with us," Eirina held out her hand, "I'll help you cast this devil back into the Hells. We can leave at first light."
"Priorities Eirina," Shadowheart admonished, reminding her of their mission.
"Shadowheart is right," Lae'zel cringed at the comment even as she made it, "a worthy ally, perhaps. But I'll waste no time chasing devils while a
tadpole feasts on our skulls."
"Your altruism may get us all turned into mind flayers," even Gale piped up with his own opinion about offering aid.
"If a devil burns through the sword coast, then I will have failed my own sense of responsibility," Eirina looked at all her companions, "I caused
the ship to land her. Or crash, as it were. I feel responsible. And this is the last thing to clean up." She thought to the countless bodies her and
Shadowheart had burned earlier. She hated unfinished business. And this devil, Karlach, was included in that.
"I've seen your people in battle," Wyll addressed Lae'zel, "I reckon you are no mere warrior, but a godsdamned army." He gave her an appraising
look and a smile, "I'd be a fool to let you turn your back. Pledge me your talents, and I'll pledge you mine." Eirina could see the unspoken
communication taking place between them before Lae'zel nodded curtly.
"Come," Lae'zel snapped, "we must find this Zorru and interrogate him." The feral smile on Astarion's face indicated that he liked the idea of
whatever Lae'zel's interrogation might be. Even Shadowheart peaked her own interest despite her obvious dislike of Lae'zel.
"No spilling of blood unnecessarily," Eirina gave the command, noting that Wyll was already looking to her for direction. Perhaps she had become
the unofficial leader of this group due to her ability to connect with everyone. She was not raised to be a leader, but she was aware that Wyll had
been raised as one. The only heir of Duke Ravengard, head of the Flaming Fist in Baldur's Gate. The man was just as much a legacy as she was.
The fact that he was infected with a tadpole concerned her even more. Why were two house scions infected? She was the heir to the cloister and
to the vast estate of wealth her family had spent centuries building. Though her parents were not yet ready to step down, they had been clear
that one day Eirina would step into the roles they filled. Once she was done experiencing the life she wanted to pursue on the sword coast and
adventuring, much like her father had done in his youth.
"I will keep my blade sheathed unless absolutely necessary," Lae'zel's tone was frosty as she snapped at one of the children to point her towards
Zorru. He was a younger tiefling, barely having come of age. He visibly paled when he saw Lae'zel walking towards him. Holding back, Eirina let
Lae'zel take the lead, watching as she used her tone and stance to command the boy. Despite being shorter than the rest of them, Lae'zel
conducted the interrogation as if she was seven feet tall. When the tiefling's knees hit the dirt in a bow, Eirina had to bite the inside of her cheek.
No blood, no violence, but the air of command around the gith was a sight to behold.
"In the mountain pass, we must go there," Lae'zel commanded as the poor Zorru scampered away from them, "a creche is there." Eirina looked at
the others. They all looked tired, like finding rest should be their next task and not looking for a healer. But a healer was why they were here in
the first place.
"Come on," Eirina pointed down the path to the center of the grove, "let's go talk to this Nettie and then find some rest. We won't be travelling
goblin infested roads at night and certainly not in the condition we're in." Another curt nod from Lae'zel and Eirina began to lead the way past the
tieflings to where she could hear the druids chanting.