Trademeet

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"Do what you have to, I can handle it." Kalab muttered. He was a little worried but, he didn't want to have anyone take over Faerun.

 

Galliel reached into her bag of holding and rummaged around for awhile, then pulled out a scrollcase and some fine black leather gloves. She put the gloves on, then opened up the scroll case. "Okay, here's my idea. While we're spying, I'll first cast improved invisibility on myself, then a passwall, go through the wall, and try to steal any letters, maps, books, or other information that could tell us what's going on here and who's really behind all of this. Sound good to you all?"

 

"Fine. Kalab, grab this," he whipped out a belt, "it will transform you to darkness. You will feel a pull towards shadows and darkness if you happen to leave the shadows with me."

Kalab grabbed on and disappeared. The others could feel Kalab's thoughts, although they could not see where he was. "Don't worry, the others in there will not be able to feel him."

Dalamar vanished and he grabbed onto the part that he knew was Kalab. They went through a crack in the wall, and came into the room that the people were in. Saemon Havarian! Dalamar swore in his mind. As with the legendary Bhaalspawn, Saemon was very connected to the Light and Dark, and was a fool to think that he could evade them.

He decided to lay low until the others came through.

 

"Yeah. Don't worry, we'll watch your back for trouble." Andra hoped this would go well.

 

"I'm with you." With that Tania placed her hands on the damp, moldy wall. She shimmered a moment then slowly blended into the wall and disappeared. She could sense the others around her.

She recognized Saemon Havarian, the Two Faced One, as he was known to the denizens of the sea. He could be trusted by none. Who where these people that they included him in their council? Prehaps they were not as important as her little group had hoped.

 

Galliel cast her spells, then went through the wall. Some of the people were finely dressed, others clearly still full of the dirt and mud from campaigning. A shelf against the wall had papers and ink on it, and she carefully slipped several of the papers in her bag. Behind a chair a fat wizard was sitting at, his shoulder bag was sloppily thrown on the floor. Out of that she pulled an insignia stamp and a letter case. She decided not to push her luck and went back through the wall to wait for the others.

 

Finally noticing she was alone, Andra crept up to the door and pressed an ear to the wood. She could hear quite a bit, but the language was unfamiliar.

 

"Kalab, stay here," Dalamar thought to Kalab, expecting uneasiness from the barbarian, but getting confidence instead, "Just focus on staying in the dark."

Dalamar slinked through the shadows to the door, undetected, and slipped through the key hole. He reappeared beside Andra, and, almost reading her mind, told her,

"They are talking in many different languages, some Merfolk are there, elves, humans from Kara-Tur, and many others. Even some tieflings like me.."

 

"Ah, thanks," she whispered. "Any chance of getting in there unnoticed? I can't go invisible, but I'm pretty good at slinking in the shadows."

 

Tania materializes from the wall. Sees Andra and Dalamar. "This is most strange. I overheard the MerFolk talking together. Someone or thing has promised them dominance of the sea if they help to take over Faerun. Merfolk are not very reliable and neither is The Two Faced One. This is a motley group gathered here and I think the scum of the earth and sea."

She looks at Andra, "Did I hear you say you wanted to go in there using the shadows? If so there be plenty of shadows. It's no true council but folks babling and argueing."

She gives Dalamar a puzzled look.

 

Dalamar told Andra to come with him. He transformed her to shadows and told her to go to Kalab. He told Tania to go back in, and they would talk throught their minds once they were in there. Maybe an attack would be in order.

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After hours of talking, Ellesime said to Elwithral, "Elwithral, the hour grows late, I think you have heard enough!"

"You still won't agree to this?! If you won't do it for them, do it for me! Ellesime! Don't look away! You have to! You have an army that is powerful, and *I* need you and the army."

"Elwithral, you must understand that there is a chance that the Elves will revolt. Besides, there is still a group of Elves here who *dislike* you greatly."

"Then don't tell them that it was me!" He paused, "And if you don't help, I.. will be forced to take your help."

She looked up, "What? You're threatening me now?!"

"I'm sorry that it had to come to this." He raised his hand.

"NO! No, "she whispered, knowing the power of the Light and Dark would overcome hers, "Fine! Why can't you and Dalamar take the army yourselves? I've seen you take on a small army with hardly breaking a sweat."

He smiled, and lowered his hand ,"We have things to do. Like finding the leader of this group."

Ellesime pondered this for a moment. "It is decided," her calm demeanor returning, "The army will set out tomorrow morning, and will protect Athkatla. I will be the leader."

Elwithral turned around, shocked, "You're risking your life? I didn't mean for you to go.. but you are an asset." He smiled.

They strolled out of the room, and they saw the sun coming up throught the treeetops. "It's morning. We were in there longer than I thought." He said to Ellesime, walking her back to her quarters. When they arrived there, Ellesime piped up,

"Uh, Elwithral, I'm doing this for you. You owe me." She smiled and turned to her room, and closed the door.

Elwithral left Suldanessalar a few minutes later. He set out to find the others. He cast a Divination spell to check on the army. They had built a makeshift keep, and it looked sturdy.

Elwithral thought that the leaders of this army must know that Elwithral and the others were trying to stop them, the army seemed to be upgraded.

He strolled along a wooded trail, and was surprised to find a Dimension Door open up beside him.

He cocked his head, "Hullo Elminster."

 

Andra wandered over to Kalab and watched the goings on around her. A minute passed while she impatiently shifted. I've been waiting forever! she thought to herself. I can't take it anymore. I need some action. Reaching into her clothing, she pulled out her new pet squirrel and placed him on the floor. With a mental command, she told the rodent to scamper out there and cause a distraction.

The squirrel hurried its way across the ground to a knot of people. It sat back on its haunches and took in the sights. This group broke apart; one man came close to tripping over the animal. It eeked frightfully and hooked its front paws into the flowing robes of the man. It scurried up the back to the man's shoulder and hopped onto his balding scalp.

The man shrieked, making himself the focus of attention. Andra grinned slowly.

 

Dalamar slipped into the man's shadow and entered his blade up through the man's anus. The man fell as Dalamar slipped it out. Dalamar dashed back into the shadows, the motley crue in bedlam.

 

Galliel looked up from her ponderings of the stolen documents. Something was going on on the other side of the door. She quickly yanked the door open and ducked into the shadows. Casting a low grade illusion spell, she created the image of a knight in shining armor, with a symbol of Torm emblazoned on his shield, waving his sword. "Now you shall pay for all your evil deeds!" she had the illusionary knight yell into the room.

 

Kalab felt useless. He wanted to fight, but he knew that stealth was the call of the hour. He was disciplined enough to know when to stay calm and wait. A man fell into the shadows near the barbarian and instead of killing the man outright, he grabbed the mans throat and held on tight. He dropped the dead man, and stepped back into the shadows. He was happy he got at least one kill.

 

Dalamar thought to Kalab, The element of surprise is gone, do as you must, do not kill, maim or knock out, we need to interrogate.

Dalamar ran through the illusion, breaking it, and slashed at the nearest meeting member.

 

People were breaking out of their hiding spells, so Andra jump in with both feet. Still within the shadows, she muttered a clerical spell in the direction of her panicking squirrel.

The animal became encased in a green glow and grew in size. As its proportions increased, the man it was perched on tumbled over under the heavier weight. People stared at the dog-sized rodent in their midst.

 

"Wheres the fun in that" muttered Kalab as he stepped out of the shadows and leveled a man with a heavy punch.

 

Stepping out of the wall Tania cast cast an Entangle spell on a group containg the MerFolk, then an Invibility Purge revealing several other creatures. She then cast Miscast Magic on the group with the MerFolk.

Then turning to a group of fighters she cast sleep, causing some of them to slump down.

Hopefully this would help the others in subduing the enemy without killing them.

Every other useful spell she thought of would kill or maim them. In the tight quarters an area spell would be as dangerous to her allies as to her enemies.

Using the moisture from the walls she readied a silkie spell similar to entangle. She looked around to see where and if it was needed.

 

Dalamar cast Maze on two or three fleeing noblemen, and hit a fighter in the nose, breaking it. He pointed at some pirates, friends of Saemon, trying to sneak out the door. He hoped Tania saw the point.

He turned quickly just in time to see Saemon Havarian Dimensioning away. "F**K!!" Dalamar yelled, startling some of the occupants of the room. He did a modified Stinking Cloud spell at some advancing barbarians, and they slumped to the floor.

The room cleared of smoke, and the party was ready to interrogate. "Let's get all of them in one place; a line-up of sorts," He pointed at the wall, "Line them up there." He picked up an already lit pipe and took a long drag.

"Let's get down to business."