Though the Troupe cut down the Blacktalons guarding the Iron Throne’s mine, only half of them made it out alive. Beaten, weary, and half-dead in more ways than one, they retreat to the Temple of Wisdom in the Friendly Arm to raise the fallen.
16 Eleasias 1368
Before we can return to the Cloakwood, we need to pad out our numbers. White, Helga, and I aren’t going to survive another assault on the mine alone. I remember that Vienxay, the elf from Evermeet, is in the Friendly Arm. We happen upon her just outside the Temple of Wisdom.
Aegon: I have. Join me.
Vienxay: About time. Let’s set off.
I dig into the Bag of Holding to see if there’s anything she’d like to use. Since she is a Shadowmage, I give her the other Wand of Fire.
She frowns at my old buckler, but takes it anyway. “Not my preferred fighting style,” she mutters. “But I suppose I must adapt.“
She takes an enchanted short sword, remarking it suits her fighting style, as if she’s doing the blade a favour.
She upgrades her short bow, saying that this enchanted bow is “good enough“.
She also takes a Potion of Healing from the Potion Belt. She’s fragile, even for an elf, so will likely need it.
Helga grumbles under her breath, loud enough for everyone to hear. Her attitude as she looks through our equipment seems to have rubbed Helga the wrong way.
Vienxay: You hardly should be complaining. You should consider yourself lucky to be with an elf from Evermeet at all.
Helga: Bah. Is it too late for this grand place to take you back?
Vienxay: If only it were not. I would highly prefer to still be there.
Helga: Seems they’ve bloody punished us all then.
Helga mustn’t realise how much that comment stung. After her Master betrayed her and had her banished from Evermeet Vienxay cannot return to her home.
Misgivings aside, they begrudgingly agree to work together for now. I think about who else we should take with us, then I remember that my old friend from Candlekeep is still out here. I wonder if she’s still at the carnival?
I tell the others and we leave the Friendly Arm to make our way south.
17 Eleasias 1368
Dawn breaks over the Cloud Peaks as we continue our journey south. The air is crisp, but the weight of what lies ahead hangs heavy.
There don’t seem to be as many bandits around these days. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean there aren’t other obstacles, as we are accosted by a pair of ogres when we get close to the mining town. I hear Helga mutter “Berserkers!” under her breath.
The first ogre goes down easily. Too easily. The second howls with fury and lunges straight at me.
It smashes through my guard like I’m made of straw. I hit the ground hard, fumbling for a Potion of Extra Healing while my bones scream in protest.
The Potion saves me and I lift Bashrik’s Hammer again. I’m ready for a second round.
The ogre is filled with arrows and broken with stone bullets, but it just won’t give up. I’m badly hurt again, forcing me to reach for a second Potion of Extra Healing.
The Potion drags me back from the brink just in time. White looses an arrow that punches clean through the ogre’s skull. It lets out a strangled grunt, then crashes to the ground like a felled tree. I let my hammer slip from my hands, chest heaving, sweat stinging my eyes.
Vienxay says she has been humbled by this fight, and vows to fight harder in the next.
She gets a -1 bonus to her Death Saving Throw, and a -2 bonus to her Polymorph Saving Throw. Her Backstab Multiplier increases by 1. She gains 20 Skill Points, so I put ten each into Open Locks and Find Traps. She also gets 1 additional Hit Point and 2 points of Lore.
We search the ogres but, apart from their huge swords, they only have some gold coins and a jade ring. Exhausted from the fight, we decide to head to the Nashkel Inn before doing anything else.
The Nashkel Inn is the same as always. Thankfully lacking in assassins this time.
We pay for the most expensive room and set ourselves up for the night. I have nightmares again, but I’m used to them by now. They always play out the same.
18 Eleasias 1368
Ignoring the innkeeper’s advice, we leave for the carnival in the dead of night. While searching for Imoen we meet a carpenter who’s going through rough times.
Aegon: Who are you?
Master Mehmel: My name is Mehmel, and I am a carpenter.
You find me at the Nashkel Carnival, because I had hopes to earn gold by doing trinkets and snippets, souvenirs and artwork.
He sighs.
Master Mehmel: But the people don’t have gold for this kind of art. With iron crisis and the bandit raids, supplies are low and people spend their gold for useful things and repairs, if at all. So, I am back to what I did in the city – carving replacement pieces out of wood.
What can I do for you?
Aegon: You mentioned missing material for artwork?
Master Mehmel: Yes, apologies for losing my countenance. I ordered evory woods, ivory, and carvestone, but the caravan did not make it here.
And now I have no gold left to order new materials.
What can I do for you?
Aegon: Nothing, farewell
Master Mehmel: Then I wish a good day to you, good man.
Another victim of the Iron Crisis, even though he doesn’t work with metal. It’ll take time for the Coast to recover from the bandit incursion.
We find Imoen taking a night-time stroll. She’s excited to see us.
Aegon: Sorry to have kept you waiting. Let’s get going.
Imoen: You bet! We’ll nick ourselves a whole purse o’ fun before the night is over!
We open the Bag of Holding for Imoen to see if there is anything she can use. All we find is an enchanted short sword to replace the one made from corrupted iron ore.
She also takes the Potions of Invisibility to help her remain stealthy.
Imoen seems to notice that I am keeping something buried. Of course she would see, she’s known me my whole life. Apart from Father, she might be the oldest memory I have.
Aegon: Yes, another dream. Do you wish to hear it?
Imoen: I do. More daggers and strange voices?
Aegon: Yes, I was in the bandit camp and…
I relay my latest nightmare to her in as much detail as I can recall. How the ground swallowed me whole, and the bone dagger struck me again. And the lingering voice taunting me.
Aegon: “You were made as you are and you can also be broken.”
Imoen: That voice scares me, Aegon. Sounds like it scared you too. That’s good. I don’t trust it. Not at all. Nope. I don’t. You keep fighting it, Aegon. I’ll help ya, if I can.
More powers too, I guess, huh?
I nod my head.
Imoen: I thought so. Well… you just use ’em to do what you know is right. Gorion would like that. Me, too. Guess it doesn’t matter where they come from.
C’mon! I’ll fetch ya somethin’ to eat, while you… er… comb your hair or something. Yer a wreck!
And just like that, the weight on my shoulders lightens a little. Maybe I can still find my way through this. Even after all this time, Imoen slips back into my life like she never left. Like we never fled Candlekeep. Like none of this had happened.
I lift up my helmet and feel my hair. It is greasy. I should spend more time in the bath next time we rest at an inn.
She leads us back to the camp where she’s been staying, and a familiar bard is still here. He could be the perfect person to round out our party. He seems pleased to see us at least.
Aegon: Is your offer still up-to-date? I will gladly see you in action…
Will Scarlet O’Hara: You come back to join me again?
Aegon: I can’t deny that you could serve to be useful again…
Will Scarlet O’Hara: So I am.
We don’t have Will’s commissioned flail yet, but I give him an enchanted flail that should keep him happy for a while.
He also takes the Potion of Regeneration to help keep himself alive in combat.
We sit down around the campfire while Imoen starts to prepare our meal. As she does so we discuss our next move. Returning to the Cloakwood now might be unwise. Our new companions are inexperienced, half of us literally died in the last expedition.
We need to find something else to do.
Imoen seems a little quiet for her. Funnily enough, I do not know that much about my oldest friend. Perhaps this is a good time to find out what Imoen is all about.
Aegon: Hmm? What seems to be wrong, Imoen?
Imoen: Just wonderin’ what’s going on back in Candlekeep, is all.
She’s not opening up, so I leave her to her cooking. I turn to Vienxay, perhaps she has an idea of where to go next.
Aegon: Let’s stop and chat for a bit.
Vienxay: What would you like to talk about?
Aegon: What do you think I should do now?
Vienxay: We head to the forest. It is time for me to say hello and goodbye to my former Master.
The Master who betrayed her is in the Cloakwood. That’s where she wants to go. I tell her it is dangerous and Helga agrees, but she insists. Her tone is sharper now, brittle. Not even the danger sways her. This isn’t just vengeance, it’s closure. There won’t be any talking her out of this.
Will is busy playing music, in an attempt to keep the mood calm. I let him be and turn to White.
Aegon: Were you always that pale?
White: And why’re you always asking about skin colour? Yes, I always looked like that, I suppose my parents must have looked similar.
Aegon: You’re probably right. Well, it makes you look rather unique. That’s good.
White: Uhm, if you think so.
Stupid. Stupid! Why did I say that? I sounded like one of those nobles back in Candlekeep, curious in the worst way. White doesn’t snap, but the flicker in his eyes says enough. I nod, drop it, and resolve to listen more next time.
I turn to Helga and we start to talk about old battles. I mention that we slayed the ogre king before she rejoined the party. I’d forgotten that I hadn’t told her yet.
Helga: Ye have my services as long as ye need them. By the looks of it ye be in for many battles, and Haela will be most pleased to see more beasts fallen.
Aegon: Thank you, Helga. I am honoured to have you with us.
Helga: Well then, to the next battle!
Imoen calls out that dinner is ready so we dish out and start to eat. A meat broth with bread. Not as good as Helga’s cooking, but good enough.
We don’t have any other goals right now. Both Vienxay and I need to return to the Cloakwood, so perhaps that is where our journey should take us.
After dinner we talk again. It’s settled. We will make our way back to the Cloakwood. To Vienxay’s Master, and to my father’s killer.
As we walk back through Nashkel toward the Trade Way we see Oublek in his usual spot. I decide to check if he has any bounties available.
Aegon: What bounties are currently unclaimed?
Oublek: There are no new bounties at this time. Off with you.
Nothing for us to do here. That settles it. We will head back to the forest.
The path into Cloakwood seems darker than ever. I see vague allusions to my death in various ways once again. Visions again, but they aren’t clear. Yet I’m not the only one haunted anymore. Perhaps that’s why we’re drawn back: me to my father’s killer, Vienxay to her Master’s betrayal.
In the shadows of those trees, the past waits for all of us.
