Our adventurers stood motionless for a moment, weapons drawn, locked eye-to-eye with their target. Without a word, the cleric moved for his mace, there would be no parley. A battle of melee and magic ensued, with our party coming out on top. Clutching his bleeding chest, the Banite had a sudden realization. He gave up on his life, instead diving for a stack of papers and pushing them into the active fireplace.
Augustar was able to save only one document, a letter. After scanning it, he looked up silently, a grim look on his face. "We may be in trouble," he said.
"Well what is it?" said Avrilenne, snatching the letter, she read out loud, "'I agree with your letter, and although we have never met I feel closely bound to you. By destroying this plan before it starts we shall ensure that never again will the Banite clerics be taken for granted in Zhentil Keep! We must not think that because we know about the Zhentarims plans to cross the desert it will be simple to stop them. I am confident we will be successful within days only because...' the rest is burned off."
"So, you see," said Augustar, "It appears we have stepped into a civil war, and I feel it is our unfortunate responsibility to resume where this Banite left off, and prevent whatever plans the Black Network has."
They had indeed stepped in something smelly, a conflict between two of the most powerful evil organizations in the Realms. They were the Temple of Bane, god of strife, and the Black Network or Zhentarim, an evil organization bent on dominance of the Realms.
The team whole-heartedly agreed that the Zhents had to be stopped, however, first they would need to procure funds. In absence of any other leads they headed back to Yartar by boat. Stepping foot in town, they asked Krevish to lead them back to his captain so that they might report their success. "Oh..." Krevish hesitated, "He will have packed-up shop by now, it's best for avoiding detection."
Augustar could not help but hold his face in his palm. "We should have gotten a contract," he lamented, "What do we do now?"
"There was that part in the Banite's letter, the plans to meet a contact at the festival of Mielikki, in a shop in Silverymoon."
"That was in the letter?" said Aria, exasperated, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"
 |
| Those events actually happened. I thought I should go back to Yartar to report to the captain, get a reward, and another mission. I completely forgot about the mention of the festival of Mielikki. |
Somewhat annoyed, but thankful to have a goal, our party took a boat up river to Silverymoon. The festival was a grand occasion, held in a park called Mielikki's glade. The weather was perfect, sunny with a slight breeze whipping hundreds of banners in the air. The music of many lutes filled the air, and in the heart of the glade a chorus of young girls sang a blessing of the trees. The birds seemed to echo back a happy, chirping refrain.
Our party's "contact" appeared to be a blacksmith who had his shop behind the glade.
Broadhand lived up to his name, he was a very large fellow, who was working the bellows at his forge as the party entered. His selection surpassed that of the shops in the other towns. Augustar suggested they procure suits of banded mail. Avrilenne immediately nudged him in the side, "We could be funding an evil organization!" she whispered intently.
"With better equipment, we fight better," Augustar shrugged.
After finishing their transactions, Aria asked Broadhand, "So, what do you think about the festival?"
Broadhand paused for a moment, "Why do you ask about the festival?" he responded, inquisitively.
"Uh..." Aria hesitated for a moment, "We have come from Nesme."
"Ah!" he quickly brightened, "Wonderful, follow me!"
"I was worried when I didn't receive a response to my letter, and no messenger came. I'm glad you came during the festival, as I suggested."
The man led them into his personal shrine to Bane, a small back room decorated with paintings and statuettes of his dark patron.
"Once, the Zhentarim would have been content to simply open a caravan route through the Great Desert, and dominate local trade, achieving their ends in the shadows," began the blacksmith, "Now, their greed has overridden their patience. They plan to send armies across the desert. Hah! Who would have ever believed it. They have forgotten one dagger at midnight is more effective than 10,000 at dawn."
"Even now, they are rebuilding the dead city of Ascore on the western edge of the desert. They have forged an alliance with the Kraken society, and have been treating with Trolls and Orcs here in the North. Have no doubt, they have the resources to make a safe crossing of the desert. We must strike now!"
"Visiting here in Silverymoon is the wizard I wrote to you about, Amelior Amanitas, from Secomber. He learned of the Zhent plot from an escaped slave. My contacts tell me he is convinced he can stop them with his magic. He messaged a wizard here, but my acolytes waylaid the courier, now Amanitas has come himself, he is staying at the Vault of the Sages. You must find him quickly, help him in his task. Do not let on that you're Banites, or he will not help you. He is the type who will never know the joy we find in our lord Bane."
Taking it all in silently, the party members glanced at each other nervously. "Hurry now!" Broadhand said intensely, grabbing Augustar by the shoulder, "As we speak, our enemies continue to make progress on their dread plans!"
Broadhand peaked out the door, then motioned for the party to be on their way.
Conveniently, the Vault of the Sages was across the glade. Avrilenne finally found words, "This makes me very uncomfortable. Doesn't anyone else have a problem with the fact we are furthering the plans of one of the greatest evils in our land?"
"Aye," said Chode, "but they are working against an evil that is a much bigger threat, don't you think? Let's find this mantis fellow so we can go back to sticking Banites like the black robed fools deserve."
"That's 'Amanitas'," corrected the Lady Deschanel*, the party's other wizardress.
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mugTmdCE2w
"Sure, whatever," replied Chode.
There was a wizard at the desk of the Vault of Sages, he was in quite a panic as Augustar inquired about Amelior Amanitas.
Amanitas and his assistant had been there recently, however, their room was sacked, with fresh blood on the floor. The only thing salvageable was a note left in plain sight, it read in block letters, "ENWNWN. Go straight between turns. Use the knock on the hidden door to the right."
The man led them into his personal shrine to Bane, a small back room decorated with paintings and statuettes of his dark patron.
 |
| This interpretation of Bane is much later than when this game came out, but I think it's cool. Source. |
"Even now, they are rebuilding the dead city of Ascore on the western edge of the desert. They have forged an alliance with the Kraken society, and have been treating with Trolls and Orcs here in the North. Have no doubt, they have the resources to make a safe crossing of the desert. We must strike now!"
"Visiting here in Silverymoon is the wizard I wrote to you about, Amelior Amanitas, from Secomber. He learned of the Zhent plot from an escaped slave. My contacts tell me he is convinced he can stop them with his magic. He messaged a wizard here, but my acolytes waylaid the courier, now Amanitas has come himself, he is staying at the Vault of the Sages. You must find him quickly, help him in his task. Do not let on that you're Banites, or he will not help you. He is the type who will never know the joy we find in our lord Bane."
Taking it all in silently, the party members glanced at each other nervously. "Hurry now!" Broadhand said intensely, grabbing Augustar by the shoulder, "As we speak, our enemies continue to make progress on their dread plans!"
Broadhand peaked out the door, then motioned for the party to be on their way.
Conveniently, the Vault of the Sages was across the glade. Avrilenne finally found words, "This makes me very uncomfortable. Doesn't anyone else have a problem with the fact we are furthering the plans of one of the greatest evils in our land?"
"Aye," said Chode, "but they are working against an evil that is a much bigger threat, don't you think? Let's find this mantis fellow so we can go back to sticking Banites like the black robed fools deserve."
"That's 'Amanitas'," corrected the Lady Deschanel*, the party's other wizardress.
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mugTmdCE2w
"Sure, whatever," replied Chode.
There was a wizard at the desk of the Vault of Sages, he was in quite a panic as Augustar inquired about Amelior Amanitas.
Amanitas and his assistant had been there recently, however, their room was sacked, with fresh blood on the floor. The only thing salvageable was a note left in plain sight, it read in block letters, "ENWNWN. Go straight between turns. Use the knock on the hidden door to the right."
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