Into the Chasm

[dragon wench]

Amusing as the diversion had been Kilyannamaia turned serious once more. "Right, we have some enslaved children to rescue. Let's proceed!" There was only one problem. Maneuvering the five adventurers down the hallway proved almost impossible; their progress was impeded by the still milling sheep who were intermittently letting out doleful bleats at the sight of Minsc flourishing Boo in front of their noses.

"We could just kit up Anomen here in a cotton bonnet along with a staff," quipped Yoshimo, "I'm certain he would make a fine shepherdess!" Kilyannamaia glared, and before Anomen could respond she asked the cleric if he had a Hold spell handy.

"Yes, my Lady, I do, but would it work? It is most effective on humanoids."

"Well...." replied the mage, "Technically they are... sort of... humanoids."

"It is worth a try," seconded Jaheira, just as eager to diffuse the obvious tension between Anomen and Yoshimo.

"Very well," stated the priest, I will see what I can do." While Anomen wove his spell Kilyannamaia wondered why these two men, who had only just met, had taken such a quick dislike to one another. She supposed it had something to do with their differing backgrounds and professions, presumably any aspiring knight would find a rogue's chosen path distasteful.

Once more reading her mind, Jaheira, smirking, leaned toward her and whispered, "I've heard it referred to as testosterone poisoning."

"Oh great," replied Kilyannamaia, "Just what we need: displays of rutting and the bashing of horns while we try to locate Imoen." This reminder cast a sombre pall over the two women, and with some impatience they turned to see if Anomen had been successful in his attempts to restrain the sheep. He had indeed managed to place the sheep in a state of frozen stupor, and it was with relief that the party moved forward. No further incident interrupted their progress until they came upon an elderly man who was engaged in animated discussion with the largest carrion crawler they had ever seen. Even odder was the fact that the crawler possessed a distinctly feminine voice.

"I don't know what we're going to do," sniffed the beast, "Uncle Quayle is still being held by that… that.. gnome. I haven't felt so helpless since I first lost my wings."

"Well at least we were able to escape," stated the man, trying to sound reasonable.

"But… but... look at us!" wailed the carrion crawler, "I have become this... this monster, and you have become some...some... old beggar!"

"Can't you use a dispel magic spell?"

"No," sniffed the beast, "In this form I can't cast anything!"

At that point Kilyannamaia and her group stepped from the shadows. "Perhaps we can help?"

"Wh... who... a... are you?" stammered the crawler fear evident in her voice. "

We do not have the time for long introductions," replied the mage, but suffice to say that several of us here can remove whatever curse is afflicting you."

As she was wont to do, Jaheira interjected. "Child, I feel it would be better if either Anomen or myself were to cast the spell, don't you think?"

Kilyannamaia was forced to concede that in this particular instance her friend had a point. Nonetheless, she couldn't help but wonder what would happen should a wild surge occur while casting a dispel on this creature with the exceptionally annoying voice. With some effort she restrained herself and gave the go ahead to Jaheira. The druid wasted no time, and almost instantly the two beings in front of them were transformed into their natural shapes. The former carrion crawler turned out to be a blond elf with what appeared to be permanently startled, and enormous, blue eyes. Her companion, on the other hand, was now a powerful knight with armour so shiny that it even put Anomen's to shame.

"My hands.. my skin.. my face... my hair.. Oh, I'm not a horrible monster anymore. Thank you! Oh thank you!"

"Er, yes... you're welcome," replied Jaheira who was eying the young elf with a mixture of curiosity and distaste.

"I think I liked her better as a carrion crawler," whispered Kilyannamaia to Yoshimo.

The knight strode forward and held out his hand. "I am Sir Pontonius Wonderchuckles, and I thank you, you have saved us from a truly vile evil."

"Where Minsc goes evil gets spanked!"

"Wha..." stuttered Sir Pontonius in alarm.

"Never mind, " said Kilyannamaia, "He means well."

Recovering his wits a little, the knight once more began to address the party, "As I was saying, you have done us a great service, and for that you deserve to be rewarded." From a pack on the table he pulled out a glittering sword. Kilyannamaia could not help but notice that he seemed to whisper urgently to the weapon as he drew it out. "Here," proffered Sir Pontonius, "This sword is suitable reward, I hope."

The sword glinted in the dim light and its lethal edge bore the unmistakable signs of having been crafted by an expert master. "Thank you," said Kilyannamaia, "But really, it was just a simple spell. This is not necessary."

"You saved us, and I'm whole again! Well except for my wings...." lisped the blonde elf. Deciding that accepting the sword might allow them to escape this pair all the sooner, Kilyannamaia smiled and handed the weapon to Minsc.

"Now we shall forge onward to smite yon evil gnome!" proclaimed Sir Pontonius, and with that the two hurried off in the direction of the sewer exit.

"Well... that was.... interesting." stated Kilyannamaia.

Laughing, Yoshimo pointed at a slight indentation in the wall nearby. "That looks like an exit to somewhere. It probably leads to the slavers."

"We should prepare for battle then," declared the mage. The entire party, glowing brightly, pushed its way forward and opened the trap door.

A leather-clad figure glowered at them, "You! How dare you! We were doin' good business in this town before you took out my partner, Lehtinan at the Copper Coronet! Why are you trying to ruin me?"

"Captain Haegan..." began a flunky who was readying his bow. Before anyone could reply further the trap door behind them moved forcefully. "Bah.... bah..." Moments later and the white, fluffy creatures converged.

"Flossie!" exclaimed the man who was obviously Captain Haegan. "You've brought me back my Flossie!" The captain, murmuring various tender endearments, ran toward the sheep nearest to Yoshimo and wrapped the now struggling animal in an enthusiastic embrace. Taking advantage, the rogue used the opportunity to search the distracted captain's pockets, and he gave a grin as once more that day he was able to procure a necessary key.

Captain Haegan and his lackeys, meanwhile, had gathered as a group with the sheep. Bowing deeply to Kilyannamaia and her friends he motioned toward a narrow, wood-paneled corridor and after much clattering of hooves the captain, his men, and the sheep vanished from view.

[Aqua-chan]

Anomen was the first to rise the next morning, taking advantage of Hendak's generosity towards the party that had, regardless of how temporarily, ended Athkatla's slave ring. Bernard still appeared to be half asleep when he carelessly dropped the full plate on the bar and turned away, grumbling. Anomen had wisely taken his breakfast and moved to a farther table.

What had he gotten himself into? Kilyannamaia had seemed like a rounded person at the time, regardless of being a magic user. Anomen may have even been able to overlook the presence of that bounty hunter if not for the fact that he was so infuriatingly snide. Indeed, the Squire was ready to settle into a party, but to his dismay there was simply no way that it could be this particular one. He would tell Kilyannamaia of his decision to go his separate way after breakfast.

"Good morning," came the elf's sing-song greeting. Kilyannamaia's robes whisked around her ankles gently, the hems freshly repaired and the garment truly clean. This alone set her into a good mood, and after placing an order for a morning brew with Bernard Kilyannamaia took a seat next to the newest member of her party. "You're up early."

"I prefer the quiet, earlier hours, my lady. The morning rush can often be hectic in this place."

"Oh, good. I was afraid my little display of magical expertise last night may have scared you sleepless."

He chortled, "Well, that helped."

Bernard was starting to wake and fall into his routine, meaning prompt service for the favored guest of Hendak. He had Kilyannamaia's tankard delivered to her while it was still steaming hot.

"It's crazy, I know. The surges are totally unpredictable. Sometimes it's beneficial, other times it's not. Still, it's never hurt anyone before, so don't worry yourself about it." Kilyannamaia took a small sip from her tankard. It was still too hot to do anything more. "We haven't had a chance to properly talk yet. I feel bad for not making the effort."

He half-shrugged. "It's not as though there has been a great deal of time."

"I suppose, though it's like I still know next to nothing about you other than that you're a priest. Like how'd you meet this Nalia friend of yours'? She seems to be a bit like Imoen - as in, not the Order of the Radiant Heart type."

A small hum escaped Anomen before he could stop it. "Well, as you know, she and I are both from noble families. I had been staying here for a while, and when returning to the inn one evening I heard a struggle occurring in an alley. It seemed a number of brigands - quite possibly some of the slavers we dispatched - had attempted to abduct the young woman on her slumming trip. The rest, as they say, is history."

"A knight and shining armor," the mage smiled. "You two meet regularly then?"

"Every tenday or so. Whenever she can't stand life at the Keep and I'm not at the Order we find each other here."

"I see. And I understand why she sneaks away here, but what I can't put together is just why you do. I mean, you said you're a noble. Why stay at… this particular inn?"

She gave the Helmite an inquisitive look, one he could not just ignore. "Is is, ah… a complicated matter, my lady."

Kilyannamaia seemed to get the point and backed off. An unsettling silence hung between the two briefly, and Anomen had to grasp for something to break the unease.

"What has brought you to this less-than-fair city of ours? You mentioned earlier that you were on some manner of quest?" he countered. So much for telling her he was about to leave.

"I… Yes. We were travelling outside of Baldur's Gate - Minsc, Jaheira, a couple of other companions… Including my sister." The last bit seemed to require some effort from Kilyannamaia to say out loud. "We were attacked outside of the city. We didn't stand a chance. I felt a prick to my neck and passed out. Who knows how long I was unconscious before I awoke, but when I did I was in Irenicus' dungeon. Jaheira, Minsc and Imoen all made it, but… our friends…"

The elf sighed, at a loss for words. She took a moment to gather her thoughts, and upon deciding that there was no way to express her grief, Kilyannamaia snared Anomen's attention by looking him straight in the eye. "He hurt us, and I want to find him. Most importantly, I want to find my sister, and since they've been taken to the same place we're in a hurry."

Their conversation was interrupted when a heavy set of footsteps clambered down the wooden staircase. Minsc was occupied with the small rodent in his hands, giving the pair a few last moments of privacy. Kilyannamaia decided not to waste them.

"Anyway, we need to track down a group of mages that call themselves the Cowled Wizards. They're the ones that took Imoen, as if she hadn't been through enough as it were."

Anomen was absently running his fingers along the rim of his glass when he said, with just enough simplicity to make Kilyannamaia feel embarrassed, "Well, they have representatives in the Council of Six building. We could just go there."

"What? You mean… Eh… It's really that easy?"

Kilyannamaia groaned as Anomen merely nodded.

"The Cowled regulate the use of magic in the streets of Athkatla - well, they claim to watch all arcane activity in Amn, but it's no secret that many a mage practices openly outside of this city's walls. Really, the meddlesome wizards concern themselves with what is going on within the city. They don't even like the clergy casting spells outside of the chapels," said the priest, looking more than a bit riled at that idea.

Minsc joined them at that point, dragging out a chair with one hand while still carefully balancing Boo in the other. The three exchanged morning pleasantries before the talk resumed.

"I realize that I've dragged you into this little circle of madness of ours, Anomen, but we're really not that bad, I assure you. And I hope that you can see yourself maybe sticking around," she offered, her deep green eyes hopeful. Any resolve Anomen may have had went right out the window.

"I'll help in any way I can, my lady."

"Oh, you can be of help," Kilyannamaia was saying just as Jaheira emerged from the room wing, "Namely, how do we go about addressing these Cowled Wizards?"

[Aqua-chan]

~*~*~

The Council of Six building was expansive and dark, just like Kilyannamaia had imagined. It was the sort of imposing, looming place that would scare off those without purpose of being there. Kilyannamaia knew she would not have gone it if it weren't out of necessity.

In this instance the mage had fallen back to flank Anomen, who had taken point in the trio. Diplomacy was not exactly her specialty, and surely a Squire in the Order would have more standing here than a nervous elf who would probably stammer and fidget. It seemed as though Kilyannamaia's reputation had only just trickled this far into the south: no where near enough to just talk the Cowled ones into handing Imoen over.

Jaheira had come in, insisting (as was typical to her nature) to be present for all negotiations with the Wizards. They had left Yoshimo and Minsc, both characters liable to attract some unwanted attention, in the small park just outside. More to the fact, they left Minsc outside and Yoshimo was expected to keep the ranger out of trouble, actually.

In one corner of the room a number of familiar figures lurked, each one hooded with robes of some mauve color with gold trim. Though Kilyannamaia had only seen them briefly during their first encounter it was quite plain to see that these men were all Cowled Wizards. She fought the knot in her stomach and stuck close to Anomen as they ventured across the grand hall.

No one looked particularly willing to help them, so it fell to Anomen to simply grab a man's attention and go from there. "Excuse me. We are looking to speak with some one about the abduction of a young mage. She was apprehended at Waukeen's Promenade two days ago."

"I see," sneered the man, possessing a very crooked nose and yellowed eyes. "Let me guess. You all are friends of the deviant and are looking to get her back, correct?"

"Imoen is not a deviant! She was defending herself from a man who killed many of your colleagues, then you kidnapped her on the volition of the real criminal!" Kilyannamaia could not believe the audacity of this man. Who was he to judge? He'd probably never even seen Imoen before.

"If you would kindly point us in the direction of some one helpful…" Jaheira started, very much in the man's immediate proximity. If he was intimidated he hid it well.

"Magical inmates do not get out of punishment by idle threats of their friends. Now please stand away. Your smell sickens me."

As much as it pained him, Anomen knew they were going about this all wrong. Athkatla wasn't called the City of Coin because the streets were paved in gold. "Would perhaps a hundred gold be enough to bring one's attention to our cause?"

The man's wiry smile seemed to curl even more, revealing awkwardly skew teeth that were tarnished from years of heavy drinks. "It shall suffice. But for favors… Now, favors cost much more."

"And you are a person able to perform such favors?"

"I am Tolgerias, director of this sect of the Cowled. Now, about this deviant of yours… Yes, I know who you are and who you are referring to. Waukeen's Promenade was a situation we are very anxious to put behind us, but perhaps I can bend the rules in this instance. I would propose an exchange of services," lured the hooded wizard. Jaheira couldn't hold her tongue.

"Of course. Everyone always needs something done."

"Do not dismiss this as a simplistic errand," hissed Tolgerias. "It is a matter of great importance, and were it not critical to my plans I would not even be wasting my time here. Luckily for you I happen to need a group that possesses certain ham-fisted characteristics like yours. You are of use to me, and this is how you will earn the help I have to give."

Anomen looked upon Tolgerias with utter distrust, knowing full well the organization's methods of manipulation. Still, Kilyannamaia weighed in that their options were few. They had to get to Imoen, and this seemed to be the most promising start.

"We're listening."

Tolgerias signaled for the three to follow him, then turned and quickly strode out of the common area. The mercenary ban in tow, he led his new hirelings to a more secure chamber of the building and waited for each one to straggle in before closing the door. Some eerie joy in his voice, Tolgerias began explaining the situation.

"A number of weeks ago a strange structure not of this realm appeared within the slums of the city. Surely you've come across it in your travels."

"That big round thing? It cut right into a number of buildings and homes. I've never seen anything like it before," said the elf. Tolgerias nodded.

"Neither have we. At least not in this lifetime. We have records identifying that obscure structure as a planar transportation device that was constructed by a powerful mage by the name of Lavok in a time long since passed. This is the first time the device has returned to the Prime material since it's departure almost two hundred years ago."

"Surely such a device would be very interesting to your organization."

"We can only speculate as to the many marvels and ancient knowledge from any number of planes that are contained within that sphere. The problem lies in the fact that it is inaccessible. All attempts to penetrate the fortress have led to some very… permanent deaths. The wards Lavok instilled are still very powerful."

"Harness yourself," Jaheira scolded, "You said the sphere disappeared two hundred years ago? This Lavok must be dead by now, and you've just admitted that you don't have an idea of what is within. How do you know opening the thing won't unleash something profane?"

Kilyannamaia and Anomen looked to Tolgerias for an answer. It was a good question deserving of an explanation.

"That is why we do not seek to open the sphere. We merely wish to send an excavation party into it, if you will. A number of people who can infiltrate the thing, determine the threats and rewards within, and return to tell us of what they have learned. That is what you are here for."

Kilyannamaia crossed her arms. "And how do you expect us to get inside the sphere when your own underlings could not?"

Tolgerias walked across the room to a wall sized bookshelf and withdrew a brown tome. It's binding cracked quietly, testament to its age but still an indication it had been opened not that long ago. "Lavok, as it would turn out, was a mage of considerable power. And he was despicably evil. It was his practice to feed off the life energy of his own family members, taking their lives to extend his own. This would have worked indefinitely except for the fact that the necromancer eventually ran out of kin. We suppose that those of Lavok's lineage could get into the sphere without being done harm."

"But you just said-"

"There is one relative left that Lavok may or may not know of. Valygar Corthala, last of his bloodline, is the only living descendant of the planar sphere's creator. And what a coincidence, he lives here in Amn," said the wizard too happily. His audience looked obviously leery of his joy.

"Why not just go to him and ask for his assistance yourself?" asked Anomen.

"It's been attempted. As it would happen, this Valygar is very hesitant to explore the sphere, given that his ancestor probably intends to take his body and use it for his own means. Corthala then proceeded to kill two of our number and fled. You will have to track the man down and convince him to comply."

"And if he doesn't?"

"As I said," Tolgerias leaned forward, "Convince him."

"We are not murderers, Mr. Tolgerias," Jaheira growled. Strangely enough, her ferocious tone was relaxing to Delryn.

"Then subdue him if you must. Just be aware that he has a resistance to the arcane, and simple spells may not have much of an effect."

The three looked at one another glumly, all unsure of just what is was they were committing too. Still, they had to think of what was at stake. Imoen was depending on them. On Kilyannamaia.

"Where might we find this man?" the elf questioned, looking both resolved and worried all at once. Her new Cowled friend looked very pleased.

"We've already looked for him at his estate within the Docks district, and we suspect he's skipped town. He has a small track of land in the Umar Hills. I would suggest you start your search there." The man gave a lopsided grin and added, "Happy hunting."

[dragon wench]

The journey to the Umar Hills had taken nearly three days of travel, and the party were weary by the time they reached the small village square where a crowd of locals had gathered. From the sounds of it, the assembled group appeared to be haranguing a beleaguered-looking man with an impressive girth.

"Oy, mayor! When is this crisis going t' be solved, aye?"
"Aye! Me an' mine need t' get back to herdin', we do," a different speaker declared , " 'fore the wolves have gobbled me flock entire!"
"Errm...calm down, everyone, please," stated the mayor. "I...I assure you that everything that can be done is being done...."
"And what is that?!" asked someone.
"Aye! You just hired a group o' those adventurers, didn't you?" Where in the abyss are they?!"
"Well...they haven't come back yet, no," conceded the mayor.
"Oh! We're doomed! Doomed!"wailed a woman. "We must flee the village!"
"We must flee before more people go missing!" yelled another in the crowd.
"Now, now, people...come, this is no time to panic," cajoled the mayor.
"Please...listen to my husband!" pleaded the large woman standing next to the mayor.
"Yes...well...we are looking for another group of adventurers, here, to handle the situation," added the mayor.
"T' kill them ogres and evil kin, y' mean!" somebody spoke out.
"Yes! Ever since that band of monsters moved into the area, we have had nothing but trouble!" concurred another. "They're eating people, that's what!"
"Ye're both daft!" grumbled another voice. " 'Tis the wolves that have been wandering the hills, sure enough! Hungry, they is!"
"It's not wolves, you fool!" contested a woman in a startling green robe. "It's Umar herself, returned to haunt us and steal our children!"
"Umar? Don't be tellin' that folk tale now!" said another voice, fuelling the debate yet further . "Can't ye see that it's the ogres, plain as th' truth?!"
"People, please!" pleaded the mayor, attempting to reclaim some authority. "We must first find out what happened to our ranger, Merella...and then track down the source of these murders. More adventurers will come soon."
"Well, they can't come soon enough!" rejoined the brilliantly-garbed woman.
"Ye best be doin' something, mayor...or we need t' be fleein' to the city for our safety!" asserted another.
"I am trying to do something! I just.... Everyone remain calm!" said the mayor. "Panic will not help! I...I am going to return to my home, now. Everyone go home...please...."

Placing her hands upon her hips Kilyannamaia faced the party. “It looks to me as though we could lend some help here, but first I think we should find a place to set up camp, and then see if we can locate this Valygar character in the morning.

“Couldn’t we stay at that inn over there?” motioned Anomen, who had found that the past several nights of sleeping rough had conflicted with his desire to maintain a mirror-like sheen upon his armour.

Considering the cleric’s request Kilyannamaia glanced about the small village and its environs, finally she pointed toward a blue glint that flashed from behind a cluster of trees. “That looks as though it may be a river, why don’t we first check to see if it holds a nice camping spot, it’s close enough to the village, so it’s not as though we’d be completely roughing it. I’d just rather not spend gold needlessly,” she murmured. While the mage was primarily concerned about conserving their funds for Imoen’s rescue, she was also loathe to spend the night beneath a roof in such idyllic surroundings. Her elven heritage soared at the pine-scented air, verdant, rolling hills, and the fluting of bird song that echoed through the foliage.

Sighing in defeat, Anomen conceded the necessity of saving gold, and trudged with the rest of the group to the spot Kilyannamaia had indicated. As it turned out, the location was indeed ideal, and the group busied itself with the setting up of their tents. If nothing else, the priest was pleased he had his own tent, the very same that he had used during his campaigns with the Order; the thought of sharing accommodation with Minsc and Yoshimo made him shudder in anguished horror.

Once the party had settled, Kilyannamaia suggested they head to the inn for some dinner. Although this meant shelling out for food, she had good reason for her proposal. The elf had concluded that mingling with the locals in the village’s only watering hole would provide ample opportunity to discover where Valygar might be found, while also giving them a sense of the trouble that was apparently plaguing the area. The other reason, which she kept to herself, was that she really didn’t want to suffer through another of Jaheira’s meals. The druid, perhaps because of her familiarity with herbs and the wildlife they sometimes hunted, had concluded she was well suited to the role of cook. So far, none in the party had quite dared dispute the notion.

More perceptive than he had previously let on, Anomen cast a grin at Kilyannamaia and fell into step with her as the party headed for the inn. “My lady, that was nothing less than brilliant!” Kilyannamaia snickered, “Careful, we don’t know what the food is like at the inn.” “It matters not,” replied the cleric, “Anything will be better than spit-roasted groundhog and tuber stew.” Giggling in response the elf responded, “Now is it the taste of the groundhog that bothers you or Minsc moaning that he feels as though he’s eating Boo?” Anomen groaned at the recollection. “What’s the matter?” asked Kilyannamaia impishly, “don’t you like hamsters?” While the cleric searched for a way to answer the inn came into view, and he sighed with profound relief. Smirking over her shoulder at him, Kilyannamaia pushed open the door and led the party inside.

There is an odd phenomena that transcends space, time and culture. Simply put, no matter how troubled a group of people might be, a setting involving alcohol, food and the opportunity for gossip allays even the deepest of fears. This being the case, Kilyannamaia and her party were greeted by the sounds of laughter, the waft of cooking and the unmistakable whiff of ale. At that particular point, the only thing the group really noticed, however, was the intoxicating aroma of slow-roasted boar and some sort of rich vegetable stew that was enough to make them start drooling on the spot; they wasted no time in placing orders and securing a table.

[dragon wench]

Owing to the fact that they were quite clearly visitors, however, and well-equipped ones to boot, it was not long before the green-robed woman they had seen earlier made her way over to them. “Are you the adventurers Minister Lloyd spoke of?” On her guard, Kilyannamaia was evasive, “We have not yet spoken to him, we will do so once we attend to some other matters.” The elf had fingered the woman for the village gossip and she was not disappointed. Revealing her eagerness the woman replied, “Oh? Well perhaps I might be able to help you, seeing as you are new to these parts.” Suppressing a grin Kilyannamaia responded with something of a girlish titter, “Well perhaps you might help come to think of it... you see I’m looking for my boyfriend, he vanished some time ago, and I know he has a cabin in this area, perhaps you’ve met him?” The woman, imagining the potential for all kinds of scandal-mongering, leaned in close, “Well what is his name? If he has been around here I will have heard of it.” “I’m sure you will have,” muttered Kilyannamaia to herself. However, turning to the woman with a smile that looked at once bright and on the verge of tears, she said, “His name is Valygar Corthalla.” By the way the woman reacted, it was obvious she knew Valygar, and she gave the mage a conspiratorial look, licking her lips as she spoke. “Him, eh? I can see why you’d want to find him.... “ More than a little irritated by this point Kilyannamaia directly asked, “Well do you know where he is, or don’t you?” Realising that Kilyannamaia intended business, and suddenly noticing the threatening spark to the elf’s eyes the woman, pouting, drew them a map with directions to Valygar’s cabin.

Once the woman had left their table Jaheira fixed Kilyannamaia with a stern glare. “Really child! Was that wise?” “Well you have to admit, it worked,” flourished the elf as she examined the map. “Yes, but what if she runs off to warn this Valygar, she looks the type.” “I doubt it, if anything we’ve heard about Valygar is true he probably wouldn’t even give the likes of her a second glance.” “But still,” countered Jaheira, “You were taking a risk.” At that moment Yoshimo stepped in, “Do not forget, I am a bounty hunter and an expert tracker, if this Valygar fellow tries to run anywhere he should be easy enough to follow.” Jaheira shook her head, he is apparently a ranger, a stalker, there are no guarantees this would be the case.” At that point, though, their food arrived, and conversation was forgotten.

Their evening at the Umar Inn had indeed been productive. Not only had they learned the location of Valygar’s cabin, they had also found out that an unknown entity had caused a rash of disappearances in the village. According to some, an ancient witch named Umar was responsible and they had even acquired a journal detailing the unfortunate adventures of a party of apprentice mages in search of the infamous sorceress. Others were convinced that a small group of monsters camped nearby was to blame. Minsc eagerly poured over the journal and read aloud select excepts to Boo. Every so often the hamster’s eyes would widen or he would let out a tremulous squeak. Realising that they seemed to be attracting an undue amount of attention Kilyannamaia suggested they depart the establishment and call it a night.

Upon their return Anomen undid the protective wards he had cast in the event that anyone, or anything, had been foolish enough to disturb their camp and they considered who would take first watch. Knowing sleep would elude him yet again Yoshimo volunteered. Kilyannamaia gave the rogue a speculative look, but it was apparent Yoshimo’s offer had been genuine and without guile. Shrugging she gave a nod and retired to the tent she shared with Jaheira. The others soon retreated to their respective bedrolls leaving Yoshimo to his thoughts.

Stretching out against a log Yoshimo gazed up at the canopy above. It had been a long time since he had been able to pinpoint individual constellations like this and he was reminded of his home in Kara Tur; he and Tamoko would have contests identifying the different clusters of stars. The memory brought a clench to Yoshimo’s stomach and for a moment, at least, he could feel hot anger toward the oblivious elf sleeping nearby. “Why?” he questioned to the flickering points above.

“Because I asked for it to happen,” came a gentle voice from the shadows. Yoshimo started and looked wildly around. A soft glow emerged from the far end of camp and made its way to him. As it advanced he could make it out the shimmering, translucent features of his sister. Long black hair, sculpted face, and bottomless dark eyes floated into view. “T..T... Tam... Tamoko,” stammered Yoshimo his voice faint and unbelieving. “Yes... I have been watching you for some time now, since before Kilyannamaia escaped the mage’s dungeon...” “But... then... why did you not appear to me sooner?” The shifting figure gave Yoshimo a hollow look. “It was not the time, but now, as I see into your heart, I know that you must learn the truth of what happened.” Yoshimo gulped, beads of perspiration running down his face, deep down he knew what he was about to hear. “The Godchild no more slew me than she did my lover, Saravok.” “But, she did kill Saravok, that is widely known.” Tamoko only shook her head. “No, I asked her to take my life, and Saravok...he forced her hand, she did not want to act as she did.” “No...no... “ whispered Yoshimo “I.... I am...” “Yes, I know,” replied the spirit. “What can I do my sister? I have no choice...” Once more Tamoko’s gaze seemed to sadden. “You always have a choice brother, you have not forgotten the path, the way of the warrior, have you?” In response, Yoshimo touched the katana at his side and contemplated its lethal edge in desperate silence.

[dragon wench]

Yoshimo gazed in despair at the dissolving form of Tamoko as images of his time with Kilyannamaia crowded into his thoughts. He remembered her tumbling through the portal, eyes wild and anxious, dark hair astray; he recalled his instant liking for the capricious elf, and he realised he had disbelieved the validity of Kilyannamaia's supposed murderous inclinations from that first moment. And now, now he was the killer, because to carry out his instructions from Irenicus would mean that she would be as good as dead. After having seen the partly living, yet decomposing, bodies suspended in glass jars, after having witnessed the tortures upon the elf's companions... after hearing the screams reverberating through that dungeon, he knew beyond any doubt that Irenicus planned to harm her, and likely end her life as a result. Worst of all, he felt helpless. To betray Irenicus would mean certain, brutal, painful, death. To betray Kilyannamaia would be to betray everything he had ever believed in. It would be to betray himself. Yoshimo stared deep into the embers of the dying fire, as though somehow its flickering warmth might carry him from the coldness of night.

A tent flap rustled, and Kilyannamaia appeared. Startled from his contemplation, Yoshimo jerked and his eyes met those of the elf. She looked at him in concern. The rogue was deathly pale and a feverish expression engulfed him.

"Are you okay? You look ill."

"I… Maybe it is something I ate." Kilyannamaia shook her head.

"Yoshimo, don't lie to me. You have not been sleeping well for some time, and right now you look as though some one's just died. If you want to talk..."

Yoshimo felt himself grimacing, she had no idea just how close to the truth she actually was, and he did not know how to respond. Staring into the flames and trying to avoid her gaze, he finally said, "Ghosts, sometimes they won't allow me to rest. Have you ever done things... Have you ever killed in battle when you would have wished for a peaceful solution? Do you remember the way they look when they die?"

Swallowing hard Kilyannamaia nodded. "Yes, I have done such things. Even when there is no choice, their faces stay with you forever." Kilyannamaia had paused, lost in the pain of memory, but then, trying to surface from the darkness of the past, she continued, "I came out here to relieve your shift, Yoshimo. You really need to sleep." Assuming the tone of command, she added, "And I need you to be alert. Make sure you talk to Jaheira about some sleeping herbs tomorrow. If you don't, I will."

He began to take to this order, starting to stand and feeling a great deal of ache in his muscles. Kilyannamaia was abruptly struck with another thought, and she stopped him before he was gone. Her voice softened and she dug into her robes. "Here, I forgot to give you this the other day. You might find it useful."

Yoshimo recognized it as the opalescent blue ring they had collected from their fight in the Seven Vales. At the time he had suspected it was a ring that would render the wearer invisible, and he'd also guessed her suspicions had prevented the mage from bestowing it to him along with the cloak. Upon the realisation he had gained her trust Yoshimo felt a brief stab of happiness, followed by a long, wrenching thrust of pain.

"Thank you," he said, attempting to keep his voice steady. He then headed to his tent, half stumbling in his anxiety and haste. Kilyannamaia, confused, stared after the retreating figure, and wondered at the unsettling feeling that gnawed in the pit of her stomach. In addition to her concern, there was something else, something she refused to dwell on or identify. To distract herself, she added more wood to the fire and bent down over some spell scrolls they had recently found, one of which revealed itself to be a Scroll of Chaos.

The next morning dawned clear and helped to dispel the uncertainty Kilyannamaia had felt the previous night. First out to stoke the fire into life and warm some water for a morning tea, the elf breathed in the spicy sweet scent of pine and let herself relax into the warbling song of a nearby bird as the sun warmed away the cobwebs of sleep.

Yoshimo was next to emerge, he was still pale and visibly troubled. His eyes were downcast as she handed him a small cup of tea. To break the silence, Kilyannamaia decided to mention something she had wanted to say the night before.

"I wanted to let you know that I appreciate your staying with us. I have not been exactly welcoming since you joined, and for that I am sorry. You have not deserved so much of my anger." Yoshimo looked up, his glance for a moment holding hers', he was careful in his choice of words: almost formal.

"You have experienced so much at the hands of a man whose cruelty knows no bounds. You have every right to be cautious. Under the same circumstances I would have acted no differently." Their conversation was cut short, however, by the appearance of Jaheira, who gave them a speculative glance upon making her way to the fire.

"I hope I am not interrupting anything," she stated, taking close note of the seriousness with which they regarded one another. Rogue and mage both jumped a little, and turned to face the druid.
"Er, no. We were just talking."

Before Jaheira could comment further Minsc and Anomen materialized from their tents. Since Anomen had taken the final watch he was already fully awake, and his armour sparkled in the light of the rising sun. Minsc made his appreciation apparent, "See Boo, nice knight polished armour so that you can look at it and make fur clean and fluffy! He is most certainly a lover of hamsters everywhere!"

Anomen threw a helpless look at Kilyannamaia and proposed they find some bread to munch on while walking to Valygar's cabin.

[dragon wench]

The trail to the ranger's cabin meandered along the river and then twisted uphill, switch backing against a steep cliff. After several miles of continual ascent the path began to level out, and it was not long before they saw a large cabin behind a grove of trees.

Over dinner, the night before, they had discussed the best way to approach Valygar. Since none trusted the Cowled Wizards they had determined it would be best to hear what the ranger had to say before taking any kind of action.

Thus, it was with considerable trepidation that Kilyannamaia knocked on the door. Although they did not plan to harm the ranger unless necessary, they bore in mind that he had killed several Cowled Wizards, and, hence, could be unpredictable. They all kept their weapons ready to draw.

A dark-skinned figure, his bow notched with an arrow, watched in silence from behind an enormous pine. He was intrigued by this party, and he had observed them in some amusement as they had made their way up the cliff. Valygar had considered picking them off one by one as they struggled with the incline to his cabin, but something suggested maybe they weren't working for the scum Tolgerias. His hunch proved to be right when he saw that the woman resembling a mage was actually knocking on his door rather than casting a spell to open it. Even the figure who looked like a rogue did not appear to be fingering lock picking equipment. Perhaps they were not from the Cowled Wizards at all.

Valygar hesitated, and then made a decision. If the hated mages had traced him all the way here, they would find him anywhere. He could only block out scrying for so long, and he was weary of running. Further, if the small party at his door was not working for Tolgerias perhaps they would be worth speaking to. Should they prove hostile, perhaps that too would be a blessing.

Valygar relaxed his grip on the bow, and instead placed a hand on the katana sheathed at his belt. Nonetheless he still kept to the shadows, listening closely.

"Boo says Ranger Valygar is probably off buying nuts for his hamster down in the village!"

"No Minsc, I don't think I saw anywhere that sold nuts," came a reply.

"But, then maybe he was buying crackers instead, or snickerdoodles!"

The figure in the shadows blinked. No, he thought, this group definitely did not sound as though they were working for the Wizards. He strode towards the group, tension evident in his step.

"You are looking for me?" Jaheira seized the moment and introduced herself and the others while Valygar sized them up. The woman who had spoken was clearly a druid, and this set him at ease a little. The bald, tattooed man with the hamster was apparently a fellow ranger, though it was hard to imagine him using stealth to glide through undergrowth or forest. Valygar was not as sure about the rest of the party, especially the nervous-looking robed elf. Finding her tongue Kilyannamaia held out her hand and opting for complete honesty she explained their purpose, being sure to make mention of Imoen's abduction.

"So you are working for the Cowled Wizards!"

"Not really," said the mage, "They can't be trusted, any group who kidnaps people like they did my sister can't be taken at face value. We wanted to find you and first hear your side of the story."

Letting out a breath he had not realised he'd been holding, Valygar described how his ancestor, Lavok, had extended his own life through the necromantic arts and launched the sphere into the Planes. He then confirmed that the Cowled Mages were eager for him to open the Sphere's door and did not seem concerned for his safety.

"I hate magic, and I want nothing to do with any of it. I have no plans to be used by those wizards either."

Jaheira spoke up, "It seems those Wizards are happy to use anyone who might serve their purposes, regardless of the consequences." Valygar nodded, relieved this druid seemed to understand. Recognising the impression she had made, Jaheira pressed her advantage, "Why not join with us? The Cowled Mage's are not likely to give up their pursuit of you. We will help you and we can explore the Sphere together."

Valygar knotted his eyebrows, "Why would I want to do that? I've already told you I want nothing to do with the Sphere."

Jaheira sighed, "And you propose to continue fighting off groups of mages by yourself? They won't desist until you comply with their wishes."

Once more Valygar eyed the group, while they seemed... unusual... he was forced to concede the druid had a point.

[Aqua-chan]

As if the tale of an ancient necromancer using the bodies of his bloodline to live for eternity wasn't imposing enough, actually seeing the Planar Sphere was more than ample a deterrent to make the party feel leery of rushing into anything head on.

It was one of those tasks that was more easily said than done, Kilyannamaia realized. She and her team were strewn before the massive shape, gazing at the way it severed the horizon in a perfect arc. Yoshimo absently crouched, picked up a stone and tossed it towards the metallic orb out of curiosity. Before the pebble even touched the surface a bolt of lightening shot forth, struck it, and returned the compacted earth to its uncompressed, dust form.

"Well, banging our heads against it is out," muttered Jaheira sardonically. Valygar took a long, calming breath.

"I should be able to just walk up and open the door." He crossed his arms, clearly ill at ease. It wasn't necessary, but he still added pessimistically, "In theory."

"And if not then we all get blasted into Oblivion." Jaheira waved at the sphere, indicating the fate of the defenseless pebble. "And that's not theory; it's proven."

"On that reassuring note we should probably get moving and make an attempt. There's no point to us standing around out here, mulling about it," said Anomen, mace clutched in hand. His very apparent nervousness betrayed whatever sign of fearless courage his suggestion had posed.

Kilyannamaia nodded in agreement, though the ache in her stomach didn't waver. She wouldn't let the others see it, though. The elf rested an arm on Valygar's shoulder and tried to give a reassuring squeeze - no easy feat through armor.

"We're right behind you."

She couldn't blame him for sounding just a little annoyed when he grumbled, "Thanks."

As the situation dictated, Valygar took lead of the party. Kilyannamaia tailed him, knowing full well the team's need to see a familiar authority figure in place. Over half of the group had been haphazardly incorporated into this dysfunctional unit, and throwing leadership to the man who had been with them for the least amount of time could instil a great deal of hesitance in the others. So Kilyannamaia followed Valygar like a fly to honey, and as an afterthought nodded for Yoshimo to come stand by her. Valygar's presence would disable the ancient wards, but it would fall to the bounty hunter to handle whatever other traps had been laid within.

The ranger bit back the very strong survival instinct telling him to simply get away from this accursed sphere, the same object that had plagued his ancestors and caused him many sleepless nights. He hated Lavok for the crimes against his innocent kin, but confronting the necromancer had never actually occurred to Valygar. Oh, sure, he had envisioned striking the lethal blow that would end the evil man's stolen life and freeing the foully murdered from their torment, but the reality of it never seemed to sink in. The idea of actually standing before the mage, spear in hand, and ready to duel had been just as distant a thing as the Planar Sphere itself: existent, but never truly present.

Well, both the Sphere and the opportunity to destroy it were certainly present now, and finally it was time to act. Whether he wanted to or not, the accursed device would never leave him be unless he took fate into his own hands. Valygar shifted the weight of his pack, hoisting it to a more comfortable position, and strode bravely forward, guiding the party safely into the Planar Sphere.

[Aqua-chan]

Once inside the massive transportation device the group unconsciously adopted a sort of protective stance around their mage and bounty hunter: Minsc, Jaheira, Anomen and Valygar encircled Kilyannamaia and Yoshimo with weapons at the ready, prepared to intercept whatever might come bounding at them out of nowhere. But the first room was hopelessly devoid of life: a simple antechamber with not a sign of man or beast, three doors stood before them though none gave an indication of just what lay behind each. Valygar haplessly looked to the others for support.

"Hey, this is your quest. You pick the door," Kilyannamaia told him.

Jaheira was inspecting a number of peculiar runes that had been etched into the wall. They were totally incomprehensible. "For the sake of our confidence if you must resort to eenie-meenie-miny-mo, please don't allow us to see you do it."

Each door was particularly dusty, so "do it" was a matter of blind faith for the ranger. Knowing if one was to do "eenie-meenie-miny-mo" with three options you would simply land upon the one you began with, Valyar pointed to the door farthest to the left. "That way."

Yoshimo examined the doorway curiously, checking it over for whatever dangers lay within its hinges. The thorough inspection revealed a hair-thin wire, which led to an intricate spike trap not unlike the mechanisms the bounty hunter himself sometimes used. Familiar with the workings of the device, Yoshimo easily disarmed it.

He ventured in first, scouring for whatever traps may have been placed on the walkway. No monsters seemed to be occupying the small chamber, leading everyone to feel the great strain from their stomachs being loosened. The reprieve didn't last: the floor started to subtly quake beneath them, and with due worry everyone donned their weapons of choice defensively.

The walls shook, rattling various pieces of machine equipment that had been carelessly stored within. The vibration turned urgent, encouraging the party to resume their naturally protective formation around Kilyannamaia and Yoshimo, though there was no indication of an attack coming from any particular direction.

The rumbling slowly subsided, fading away until it was a near-silent growl. Then silence.

"Anyone else have that feeling?" Yoshimo asked open-endedly.

Anomen, like the other warriors of the group, had his back turned and was keeping a guarded perimeter. "You mean the sense of imminent peril?"

"That's the one."

Jaheira confirmed with, "Absolutely."

The stillness lingered on for seconds, and eternity to them, but survived for painfully long ticks of the oblivious, wall-mounted clock. Then the eerie calm was thunderously shattered.

None of the six party members could possibly hope to point out the origin of the fiery explosion. It had happened too suddenly and ruthlessly that all were quickly overcome with the heat, and it wasn't until she was on the floor, automatically curled into a protective ball, that Kilyannamaia realized what was going on.

The wave of hot air washed over her quickly, but it did nowhere near the amount of damage it would have had she not been wearing robes enchanted to resist fire. All that really suffered were her hands, but the elf's thoughts were too scattered to take notice. As soon as it was safe she sat up, trying to account for the other five members of her team.

Like herself, everyone had moved to duck and cover (or had been simply pushed down by the blast), and they were all scattered haphazardly around. Those who had been standing to Kilyannamaia's left had been hit the hardest: Valygar, Anomen, Yoshimo. Each was on the ground, varying degrees of injury marring their bodies; Valygar himself was the only one mercilessly conscious, having to bear the agony of small fires as they ate at his clothing and licked shiny patches onto his flesh. He rolled, trying to extinguish them.

Kilyannamaia had just gotten to her knees when Jaheira ran past, the first to take control of the chaos as always. Eyes on the druid, Kilyannamaia jumped when a pair of massive hands began gently pulling her to her feet.

"I'm fine, Minsc! Go; go help with the others!"

Jaheira was at Anomen's side, having done a post-healing examination and concluding he was the worst of the lot, by far. Minsc was assisting Valygar with the minor matter of removing his armor, which contained many metal pieces that burned to the touch. Since Yoshimo had been left out of the rescue mission Kilyannamaia felt a need to make use of herself and crawled on all fours over to him. The smell of burnt leather, flesh and hair overpowered her senses for a moment, making her eyes water. She pulled the collar of her robe up above her nose and quickly turned the rogue over.

Yoshimo was burned, badly. But with some dramatic irony he was spared the agony of the wounds by having been knocked out when he hit the floor. Kilyannamaia made a short prayer to whatever Seldarine had granted him this favor in disguise and tried to gently lift his head so that it would lay in her lap. Strands of his charred hair crackled and broke with every little movement.

The change in venue must have been enough to stir him from the state of rest; Kilyannamaia noticed the bounty hunter's face contort with the slow realization of pain, and quickly it accelerated from a simple to grimace to low moans in the back of his throat. The elven mage, hands shaking, reached for the potions on her belt. In immediate reach was a simple brew, and she had to search about for a concoction with the adequate strength.

Kilyannamaia felt her ward suddenly struggle against her, and his moan endured the transition to being a pained cry. Unsure of just what to do - a look up revealed Jaheira to still be working frantically with the other two - she cautiously tried to pin Yoshimo down. Surely having the man thrash around would do him no good, and being mindful of his injuries Kilyannamaia tried to hold him down with the flat of one arm while attempting to uncork the healing potion.

"It's alright. It's alright," she soothed, trying to figure out how she was going to coax him into drinking the potion through clenched teeth. "Please, just relax Yoshimo. Settle down; you have to drink this."

The stopple removed, all Kilyannamaia had to do was get him to consume the liquid. What could be done but make the half-aware man feel safe? So she leaned down and cradled Yoshimo in her arms, and made shushing sounds to set him at ease. With this method did Kilyannamaia finally coax Yoshimo into taking mild sips from the blue vial. With each drink Yoshimo seemed to regain some sense, and getting him to finish off the rest wasn't unduly difficult.

The experience had taken a lot of energy from the group, and Kilyannamaia found herself leaning against a wall and drifting near sleep. Yoshimo's head was still rested on her thigh, though his breathing was far less labored than before. A full ten hours of sleep would be necessary before he would even have hope of continuing on, so Kilyannamaia decided, by lack of other choice, that it was time to stop.

The sight of Jaheira roused the mage from her half-sleep. "How are the others?"

The Harper sighed, exhausted, and toppled into a sitting position near her ward. "Valygar now suffers only from a few sensitive patches: Anomen was standing in the path of the blast, shielding him from most of the damage. The Helmite himself is still burned and is unconscious, but I simply cannot summon anymore energy. Minsc is slipping him potions now."

"Gods," Kilyannamaia murmured is disgust. "It could have easily been fatal - to all of us, not just the warriors."

"It could have been."

"Everyone was caught completely off guard."

Again Jaheira simply agreed. "Yes, we were."

"We have to be more focused. We have to learn to work with each other if we're going to keep from encountering any number of gruesome deaths. We have to learn to open our eyes to everything." Kilyannamaia looked down at Yoshimo, feeling mostly responsible for his present condition. He was trained to disarm traps: she should have been looking for the magical means of the Sphere's defense.

There was a heavy sigh. "I understand that pessimism will not help us advance into the bowels of this pit," Jaheira started, "but I think I'm due to say that this task may be above our level of skill."

The mage nodded, admitting the fact to herself, but Kilyannamaia was nowhere near ready to openly say she may have put the lives of her companions in way of a danger they might not be able to stop.

[dragon wench]

Looking about, Kilyannamaia considered the options; the only thing that seemed readily apparent was that her party