‘Renewing old ties’
Part 1 Dealer’s choice
Mission
Report by Thar Nomis, Ranger of the Elvenblood River,
Herald to the Temple of Tymora, and Dashing Young Bard about Town.
The Mission Report:
I was awoken in the dead of night by the touch of magic in the
air, to witness the sight of a letter floating through the open
window of my modest room in the Elk’s Roost and settling
on my bedside table.
Once such a spectacle would have truly astonished me. But now,
in all honestly, I just wished that who ever had sent the message
could have done me the courtesy of waiting till morning, so I
could have got that rarest of necessities in these turbulent times,
a full nights sleep.
I half closed my eyes once more, thinking to ignore the letter
till morning, but through half -lidded eyes, I saw the Mage’s
mark of Godwin embossed upon the letters wax seal. Sighing in
resignation, I reached for the letter, opening it. As I expected
it was another urgent summons to a secret meeting.
"Meet me and Lady Jillian at Quarry Gate at first light.
Urgent matters to discuss." Signed "Godwin". Why
is it these days all I ever seen to get are invitations to clandestine
meetings and urgent summons, which unerringly lead me on another
dangerous mission. Don’t get me wrong, I would willingly
give my life to free Sarbreenar (how truly fateful these thoughts
were to become), and without hesitation take on any mission to
help Lady Jillian. But is it too much to ask to get a simple invite
to a birthday party, or a friendly dance once in a while?
Sensing it was only a few hours till first light, I knew it would
be pointless to attempt to try sleeping once more, as my mind
would be picturing endless possibilities as to what the meeting
was about. So I readied my equipment and stole downstairs to try
and find an early morning maid, and hopefully with a dashing smile
and a little witty charm, see if she might rustle me up an early
breakfast.
A few hours later, I passed through the Quarry Gatehouse and
found a small group of characters huddled together and chatting
quite amicably, each one holding an exact copy of the letter I
too held in my hand. I smile to myself a I recognise them all
—
Hamlin Piper, a Bard whose superb skill, was almost on
the same par as my own.
Serin, a beautiful and highly skilled mage whom I had
adventured with in the past, and had shown an interest in joining
the Rangers.
Jerome of the Honest watch, an awesome warrior by reputation,
and whom I had briefly seen in action in defence of the city,
but had had few dealings with personally.
And last, but by no means least, two of my fellow Rangers, Geroff
and Zuke.
Seeing my brothers lifted my spirits considerably, and I calculated
that whatever the mission we would be asked to undertake, it now
had a far greater chance of success with their phenomenal skills
and abilities. However I did find myself taking my money pouch
off my belt, and tucking it inside my vest pocket before I got
anywhere near Geroff. Old ties were renewed and new ties made,
as we discussed the possible mission we were all sure we were
about to be asked to undertake.
Then
appearing without fanfare within our midst stands Godwin and the
fair Lady Jillian. Looking over the group, he is satisfied that
all those he requested to attend are there, and he begins to outline
the mission he wishes us to undertake.
It is to be a diplomatic mission to the gnome city of High Haspur,
to renew old alliances that have become strained over past transgressions
of which they believe Sarbreenar are guilty. We are told that
this alliance must be renewed urgently, as Sarbreenar desperately
needs reinforcements to bolster its defences against an expected
renewed assault by the Zhentarim army. If a friendly alliance
can once more be cemented, it is then hoped that High Haspur will
then send gnomish reinforcements that the besieged city of Sabreenar
so desperately needs.
We all agree to accept the mission. Godwin informed us that because
of the distrust that had grown up between our two Cities, that
the Gnomes of High Haspur had decreed that a Sabreenar citizen
might only enter the city as long as he paid his weight in Diamonds.
Now as negotiations might be hampered somewhat by not being able
to even gain entry into Haspur to begin with; and as the only
Diamonds we might hold for payment might be those Geroff might
be able to…. eerrr…. find…. on a quick scavenge
of the local Taverns, the mission might have been a bust even
before it had officially begun.
As we discussed different ideas as to how to gain entry, Godwin
looked on with a knowing smile. Noticing this we asked if he has
a solution to the predicament. With a wave of his hand, a building
appeared before us. Not only did it appear from nowhere, but it
also floated some two feet of the ground. Its main entrance had
inscribed above its door the inscription Diamond’s House
of Lavation. With a smile and a knowing wave of his hand, Godwin
assured us that taking into account the gnomish sense of humour,
this building when offered in payment, would allow our party entry
into High Haspur.
Reassured by his belief, though still a little uncertain, we
began to make preparations to depart. Godwin informed use that
the floating building could be moved with very little effort,
and once we had tested and confirm this statement, I made my way
to Lady Jillian’s side to make a gracious departure.
I had just made a courteous bow and uttered congenial words of
farewell, when six figures bust from the buildings entrance. The
cry of "Assassins!" rang in the air, and I attempted
to put myself between Lady Jillian and this unexpected threat.
In hindsight, this was an idiotic move on my part. I should have
realised by now that if I wished to protect Lady Jillian from
an attack of Zhent Assassins, my best course of action would have
been to move as far away from her as possible.
Since the initial attack of the Zhentarim forces, I and my fellow
Rangers have led many missions against their positions, defying
their menacing threats of retribution. I have begun to believe
that Apok himself has taken personal affront to our activates,
especially against me. I have heard he seems a trifle annoyed
that I have loudly called into question his parentage and personal
hygiene in verse and tale at every opportunity that has presented
itself. I had expected the assassins to try and harm Sarbreenar’s
new leader, Lady Jillian, but in their initial attack they ignored
the fair Jillian and all others in my party, and vented all their
evil wrath upon me.
Taken by surprise at such an overwhelming attack, I was caught
off-guard, and they used their surprise to great effect. Defending
valiantly as best I could, I fended off half of their attacks,
but was badly outflanked. Their blades penetrated my defences,
and I was sorely wounded.
The rest of my party reacted with lightning speed. Before a second
blow could be struck by the assassins, they descended upon my
assailants with all the fury and virtuous might of the noble born,
and the Zhent assassins were slain in retribution before my eyes,
even as my sight began to fail me.
It seems that even though I had survived the initial wounding
of their attacks, I had no defence against the poison that had
coated the Assassins’ blades … darkness took me.
The Hall is vast. It stretched as far
as I can see. Its majestic columns raise vaulting to an ever moving
ceiling of stars in a twilight sky.
The cries of, "Place your bets"
assail my senses, combined with laughter and festive music of
such magnificent splendour, that tears of joy and wonder begin
to cascade down my cheeks. I hear the shuffling of cards to my
left, accompanied with the clinking of coins being stacked. I
turn, my fingers itching to hold the cards. A large gaming table
confronts me. Around it are seated many figures, all staring at
me, smiles playing upon their lips.
One of the players turns to the dealer
saying, "I’ll draw against this one if I may ‘My
Lady’." I look across at the dealer, and if my senses
had been stunned at the scenes that had confronted me so far in
this regal hall, they were completely overwhelmed once I gazed
upon her divine presence… Tymora.
I
partly recover my senses, to find myself now seated at the card
table. "I challenge, I call. Aces low; High wins, is the
draw," states the same player who had spoken earlier.
Tymora nods her head, accepting the
play and deals two cards face down; one to the challenger and
one to me.
The challenger picks up his card and
looks at it, a malicious smile spreading across his lips. With
a flick of his wrist, he tosses it into the middle of the table.
‘King of Spades’. An impossible
card to beat. With inevitable resignation, I pick up my card and
look at it….
Uncertainty strikes me. I have no idea
what this could mean. My hesitation and expression are taken as
an admission of defeat by my challenger; that I was unwilling
to show my card and admit I had lost. Gloating with pleasure he
asks "Well Thar ‘OLD BOY’ whatever is the matter?
We are all waiting ‘DON’T YOU KNOW’" The challenger
parodies my well know sayings in glee. I turn my card over;
A Joker!
The Jokers are always removed from a
deck before any deal. It was impossible to believe that this dealer
could have made a mistake and forgotten to do so. What did this
mean?
My challenger too looks confused. "What
is the meaning of this!" he shouts. Tymora raises an eyebrow
at the challengers outburst; an action that has an even more devastating
effect upon the outraged challenger, than that of a gorgon’s
stare. The only movement showing his continued animation, are
the beads of sweat appearing on his brow.
A neutral smile plays upon her lips
as she looks across at my challenger and replies to his question,
"My Table, my Rules Von Strad. You should have learnt by
now that a joker beats all cards in my games. Shame really, you
were close to winning a new spin on the wheel. But you know the
stakes. Back to the lower tables with you."
My mind is racing... Von Strad?…
Von Strad?... then it clicks into place and a veils seems to lift
from my eyes, and I realise that my challenger has been non other
than… "Heinrich von Strad." I whisper in amazement.
Mustering his dignity, and ensuring
his clothing is straight and as neat as a new pin as always, my
old adversary gives me a very short bow of his head as he vacates
the table. Through clenched teeth he mutters in my direction,
"Until we meet again Nomis. I hope it will be soon."
Bowing deeply to Tymora, he turns and makes his way deeper into
the Gaming hall, and is soon lost to my sight amongst its frenzied
activities.
I utter the name of "Heinrich von
Strad" in amazement once more as I watch him disappear.
"Yes not a bad card player really,
but a trifle stuffy for my taste. But a few eons playing strip
poker, or sitting at the practical jokes dinner awards, should
lighten him up a little." Tymora laughs out loud, a sound
indescribable in its rapturous delight, and one that almost makes
me collapse to my knees.
The Goddess begins to deal out cards
for a new hand to her remaining players, pausing briefly as she
reaches me in the deal. "Thar Nomis, time for you to go I
think. There’s no room at my table for you at the moment
I’m afraid." Tymora smiles in reassurance as she sees
my expression turn to despair at the news, "But have no fear
my Herald, I have a reserved place for you at my gaming table
in the future. For now you still have a few more rolls of the
dice.
The Great Hall begins to fade before
me. I keep my eyesight fixed for as long as possible on the divine
images of my Goddess. As darkness descends upon me once more,
my adoration slips slightly towards shock as I notice something….
If I didn’t know better, I could have sworn she had just
dealt from the bottom of the deck…..
My Lady glances in my direction and
winks, and darkness finally takes me…..
An almost annoyed voice reaches me in the darkness; annoyance
tempered with compassion, "Come on you young wipersnapper.
I’ll not have you sneaking out of the mission that easily.
You haven’t even left the Cities outskirts yet. Can’t
have you making me look bad in front of Lady Jillian now can I?
Back you come, there’s a good lad."
I open my eyes to see Godwin standing over me, with Lady Jillian
and my new party members hovering in the background. I feel weakened
from the attack, but somehow encouraged in some unknowing and
miraculous way. I crack a mischievous smile and manage to whisper
"I say old boy, before we head off, who’s up for a game
of cards?! You may find this hard to believe, but I’m feeling
extremely lucky don’t you know."
Next
Part 2, Riddles of the Gnomish Lords.
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