Capture and escape
Hildegarde's voice
19 Nightal, 1479 DR
Eowan and Lilsy sold our newly-acquired loot to that drow merchant, Gendar. Apparently he didn't have enough money for all of it, so he "paid" in information. At least the eladrin and halfling came back with tall tales about an assassin called Belenditas, who was said to be in the Hall. We weren't enormously worried about it -- we couldn't imagine somebody going through the trouble to hire somebody to kill us. Furthermore, Belenditas was rumored to kill any target for a mere 100 gold. As you could get what you pay for, we were quite safe. The only troubling rumour was that he also demanded a newly-born baby as his payment trafficking with dark and terrible forces.
Tyrr once again struck up a conversation with that kind (but scatter-brained) old man Vadriar. He "borrowed" a book about the minotaurs and the demon lord Baphomet. The legends, obscure as they were, told that the minotaurs of the area first worshipped the demon lord Baphomet. However, more and more they turned to Granadaur. Of course, the demon didn't take kindly to that and cursed the minotaur race with "a myndlesse furie". This caused a civil war which brought ruin to their holds and decimated their ranks.
About 25 years ago, the three great wizards Hazifir, Nyame and Samasar came to the forgotten minotaur holds. With the help of "bronzed wardens" they cleared (though not cleansed) the area and founded the city we now know as the Seven-Pillared Hold.
In the meanwhile the paladin and we visited the small temple too soothe our souls and ask advice from The Divine Couple. When we returned from hence, we just saw the Winterhaven troupe depart. We inquired to their plans and provisions, but Ziruna had cared for them well, giving them the cart and the mule, provisions and 30 golden coins.
We were then summoned by the "ordinator", somebody high in the city hierarchy. It turned out that my new friends had some outstanding errants with them, in return for overlooking some mischief by Lilsy. We weren't told of this, and we couldn't be bothered to standing around while being bossed around. So, err, we got quite insolent when we were both ordered and then threatened to find some Paldemar the Mage. That was a Not So Bright Idea as the ordinator was a skilled magus and with the flick of his wrist teleported me out of his (claustrophic) hovel. Fortunately, my friends were sent after us soon afterwards, otherwise we might've damaged something out of sheer frustration.
Ziruna decided that we couldn't exactly do much since most of us were very tired from our escape, nightly march and morning selling spree. For once, we didn't argue that, quite content in delaying the ordinator's "quest". We made our camp in one of the pigeonholes which was greatly facilitated by our new Instant Campsite. It even adjusted itself to the space available!
Our delay also made it possible for Lilsy and Eowan to conclude their business with Gendar. They got 500 gold that time, plus a magical candle and some information on Paldemar.
Tyrr later said that the candle would help immensely while performing rituals, but felt "slightly wrong".
Paldemar spellkeeper, as was his full name, really hated Cormyr. He was involved in the illicit trade of magical goods to Proskoer, but that was cut off by Cormyr. Gendar also told our merchant princes that Spellkeeper was a follower of Cyric, Lord of Lies and Strife. He reckoned that he'd be far away from the Hall, otherwise the other mages would've returned him long ago.
Still not intent on carrying out the ordinator's orders, We then departed towards the place mentioned on the turncoat's note. Not trusting it at the least, we sent out Lilsy to scout the place. Sure enough, an enormous boulder, shoved forward by an enormous bronze construct, tried to flatten the plucky halfling lass. Predictable! It was a good thing we were prepared. As Lilsy quickly dodged back, we hurried forward to assist her.
|