-7- Gathering (Pt. 2)

The tavern was dirty and smelled of orcs and urine. Dusk covered his nose, but Blasko nudged him, saying "That my friend is a sign of quality. We're going to get some really good ale tonight!" Arrhenius led them to a large table in the corner where two more figures sat. As they approached, the lamplight flickered across their faces, and Vaishu immediately recognized them as being Traelith and Ruhl. "You guys assembled some muscle together here," Blasko smiled as he took a seat. "Hope we got a perty serving wench today." "I beg your pardon?" said a voice from nearby which made Blasko jump from his chair. Loven appeared at the other side of the table, hiding a grin as she made herself known to the newcomers. "Uhhh, I didn't say anything," he replied as his face turned red. "That's better," she said as she unfolded a map across the table, using the glasses as paperweights. "Since everyone knows one another here, let's get right down to business shall we?" Quickly taking a seat, Vaishu and Dusk leaned in with the others as Loven began to explain the route known as the Eastern Highway while tracing it with her finger. "With an airship, we can make the trip in just under a day. With magic, I can make it in a few hours, but we don't have the luxury of either right now, so it has been decided to assemble a caravan to haul the archives north." "Have you thought about using dragon mounts to fly the archives out?" Arrhenius asked as he took a sip from his ale. "Dragons are expensive, inadequate to haul the amount of things we plan on moving, and unless you know of a good trainer, I'd just as soon not deal with them." Loven replied as she continued. "So earlier today, Ruhl found some merchant traders who would help us in return for some information. They can provide about 10 horse drawn carts among other things." "But wait," Traelith intervened. "I don't have a firm understanding of the arcane, but isn't it the ruins that keeps you from transporting things by magic?" "Yes, which is why we're only going to take the carts as far as the summit of the Storm Horn Mountains." Loven pointed at a dark area on the map. "There we will transport most of the less sensitive things over, using a wizard on the other end as an anchor point. That's assuming we have a place to move the archives to." "I've been assured that it's being taken care of," Vaishu replied. "In any event, all of us will set out for Myth Drannor bright and early tomorrow morning. I can knock off two days from our journey with a gate spell, and then we hoof it ahead of the caravan and get everything packed and ready to go." Loven replied as she leaned back in her chair. For a few moments, everyone sat silent as they thought about the plan. "I hear there are bandit along the mountain trails. Do you see that as being a problem Loven?" asked Vaishu. "Not really. After all, we brought the muscles. Right Blasko?" Loven laughed as the titan pretended to ignore her. After several hours of lighthearted conversation, the keepers retired to their rooms one by one. The next morning the band of keepers met in Waymoot Square and set out southward towards Trollbark. Ruhl's merchants came through as expected, meeting them just south of the Trade Way. With Loven's help, the group was transferred east of the summit of the Storm Horn Mountains, which was already covered with a thin layer of frost. Two long and taxing days later, they emerged near the Temple of the Morning Sun just south of Drannor Forest. The keepers had reached the place which started it all.

-7- Gathering (Pt. 1)

Three days and two airship rides later, the three adventurers landed in a field just south of Waterdeep on a cold autumn afternoon. It had been a slow and tiresome journey that they were only halfway from completing. "Thanks again for the ride," Dusk said as he hopped down from the airship ladder. Vaishu and Blasko were already picking up their bags they had tossed over just seconds prior. "Don't mention it guys, and thanks for the beer!" The pilot waved as he secured the hatch for takeoff. With Vaishu in the lead, the three began their walk across the overgrown field as the highwind lifted off behind them. "Do you know where we are going?" Dusk asked Vaishu as they made the turn onto the Trade Way road. "Well, Clausius gave me instructions to meet up with some keepers in Waterdeep, though he didn't say where or when." "This will be interesting" Blasko said as he walked past the two without stopping. Dusk shrugged at the notion as they continued northward. Three hours past sunset, they reached the gates of the City of Spendors. The smell of burning wood filled the air as the cold wind bore down upon the city. Vaishu led the party along, not sure where he was going himself. They reached a large square with a sign designated the names of streets. The larger road ran north and south, while a smaller, darker road stretched west. They took the latter, which wound around several of the lower district, ending them conveniently at a tavern called 'The Thirsty Throat.' A shady titan character stood outside flipping a trinket in the air while chewing on a length of dry leather. "Interest you gentlemen in a game of trivia?" he asked them as he looked up. "No thanks," replied Dusk. "You might be able to help us though. We are looking for..." The stranger lifted his hand. "I think you'll like this game. All you need to do is guess the thing I will now describe." Vaishu sighed, looking up at the rising moon. "It is small, round, and bears the likeness of a ruined city inset with two laurels and a single star. Seen anything like this before?" Vaishu looked over at Dusk, who at the same time looked over at Vaishu. Almost at the same time, the two reached into their pocket and produced their tokens, which bore the resemblance that the stranger described. A few seconds later, Blasko found his token and held it out for all to see. "C'mon in fellows. We've been waiting for you," the titan said as he looked up and removed his hood. "You don't know how much of a relief it is to see you, Arrhenius," replied Vaishu as the three followed the mercenary inside.

Punishment

Edea looked at the doors to her matron's temple. Her heart sank. She knew that her pnuishment for leaving the sity was death. She also knew her matron would have no qualms in following through with this deed, especially since Edea did not worshi p Lloth. She worshipped Eilistraee, and that was an embarassment to the Baenre House. The ruling house of Menzoberranzen. Edea swallowed hard, a twinge of fear crept through her like painful needles prckiung her skin. Tears formed in her eyes. Her head hung low, soft tendrils of ringlets matted to her wet face. Edea placed her hands on the temple doors and slowly pushed them open. Edea stared ahaed and found her matron glaring evily at her. "Usstan kyorl ussta disgrace d'natha dalhar uriu yutsu'. Vel'bol gall dos inbal leaving, Xun dos kyor'ol ussa ulu tlu thankful whol dosst yutsu?" "Nau Ilharess." Edea said quietly. "Doer ghil lueth harl'il'cik." Her matron ordered loudly. "Harl'il'cik p'los Lloth, Harl'il'cik p'los l'j'nesst il speaks areion. Eilistraee orn noa ilta floh'l." Edea walked forawrd, her head hung low, her eyes to the ground. "Xas ilharess, izil dos daewl." Edea kneeled at the bottom of the throne. Heavy sobbing coming from within her, her breathe irregular, her shoulders heaving. The matron stood up and looked down upon her daughter in hatred. She turned to her side and took a dagger with the hand le depicting that of a spider. She turned back to Edea, holding the dagger in the air over Edea's head. She swung the dagger down hard into Edea's back. Edea cried out in pain and fell to the ground. The matron bent down over Edea as if to gloat and uttered in a low low voice. "Dos orn bleed ulu streea ." she then slit edea's throat and stormed out of the temple.

-6- The Broken Machine (Pt. 2)

"Ahh. A dwarf! Such a long time since I've seen a dwarf!" Bosch had seen at least two more since his arrival in Rassalantar and considered asking it if it had lived in a cave its whole life, but then the answer may very well have been yes. "Yes, I am a dwarf, and would I be right to guess you are a podrikev?" It bobbed its head in agreement. "There are not many of your kind left in the realms. Is there any particular reason why you were crawling around beneath my innroom?" he asked. The podrikev looked down. "It is cold and dry there, and while it can postpone my eventual failure, I had to find other means. I am broken." Bosch looked the podrikev up and down. It was shorter than most he remembered and badly rusted, though its brain seemed to be working normally. In fact, it articulated speech very well for most. "How are you broken," Bosch asked. The podrikev shuddered as it rose up from its resting position. With a loud grinding sound, it moved its arms and legs until smoke began to rise from them. "I am seven years due for maintenance and three years past my life expectancy. It was my hope that expending the energy to come up to the surface would afford me the opportunity to find someone who could help. Do you know golem magic?" "I think I know some people that may be able to help you out," Bosch said after a moment. "How fit are you to accompany me north?" The podrikev looked northward and then back at Bosch. "I think can make the journey. How far are we going?" Bosch smiled at the question, because he didnt have a good answer for it. "Your guess is as good as mine how far I need to go, but I cannot return without finding something." Bosch looked out over the Long Road as it disappeared into the darkness. The moon rose high in the sky as it waited for the sun to chase it away once again. "Tomorrow at first light, I will set out. If you are here then, I will tell you more about my quest and you can accompany me. My friends can help you." In reply, the podrikev bobbed its head and let out a whirl. As Bosch walked back to the inn, he turned to ask the podrikev his name. "The gnome who built me gave me the same name as the gnome who I once was. The name was Dagon. You can call me Dagon." "Well, Dagon. I will see you shortly then." "Shortly, yes."

-6- The Broken Machine (Pt. 1)

The silence of the night broke with the sound of grinding metal. Bosch darted up from his sleep just as it ended without the slightest hint of where it came from. It took a few moments for the dwarf to realize where he was at--a feeling he was very familiar with now. With the least amount of commotion, Bosch slipped his hand into his bag and felt around for his ball of light. Finding its smooth contours, he sat and waited Vwrrrrr... Bosch stood up, pulling the ball of light out such that he was temporarily blinded by the sudden brightness. The innroom was empty. He listened for a moment, but there was nothing but the sounds of the insects outside. Sitting back down, he covered the ball of light and leaned back against the wall with heavy eyes. Thinking about the sound, he could almost place it. It was a sound that reminded him of when he was young and working in the mines. The ore carts when full would travel with such momentum that the operator would have to apply the brakes, which made a rather awful noise, accompanied by the smell of charred leather. But then it didn't sound like grinding metal. What was it that he remembered? In later years, they brought in machines to do the mining, as the inhospitable conditions began to take their toll on the dwarves and their health. They were fashioned from metal and given humanoid shapes and sentience. To each was assigned a dwarf who would be in charge of maintaining them by keeping them properly oiled and enchanted with golem magics such that their nonmetal brains would not die. On occasion they would expel exhaust though a relief port on their backside. The smell was near unbearable, almost as unpleasant as the sound they made... Vrwwrrrr... The sound woke Bosch from his dreaming. There was no mistaking it: it was coming from beneath him and much fainter than the first two. Leaning down, Bosch put his ear to the cold wooden floor. The faint sound of clanking metal could be heard echoing from below. Bosch followed it as it moved towards the door and out into the tavern. Vwwrrr..rr..ckkk Feeling no malice, Bosch opted to knock against the floor. It was solid, suggesting there were no rooms beneath him. And then it knocked back. "Thrun? Fick?" a neutral voice called out from below. "Anyone up there?" Bosch was decidely puzzled at this new development. It's not every day voices call out from underground. "Umm...Do you need assistance?" he asked. "Do you need an assistant?" the voice replied. Bosch was taken back by the reply. "What if I say yes?" he asked. The sounds became louder and Bosch followed the movements outside where they made a beeline for the road. It traveled near as fast as his dwarven legs could carry him and he was quickly winded just as it stopped short of the Keep Woods. There the ground began to rumble as a mound of dirt rose up. In a few moments, a metal arm broke through, followed by another. A head poked out, and then a large metal body. As it heaved itself out of the hole, several bare rotors expelled dirt from its underarm. With a quiver, the loud noises ceased, and glowing eyes looked at Bosch from two skeletal sockets.