Ch36 - Run

Ch36

Waiting outside near the inn, a fire fist walked up to us. A half-elf man with a crooked smile on his face walked up to me, "Hey man, I've seen you fighting yesterday. I've gotta say I'm impressed, in fact, I might have a job for you if you're interested." He spoke with a hushed voice, cautious about eavesdroppers.

"Thanks for noticing, but what job are you offering?" I looked him over, cautious if he was a doppelgänger.

"Well there's these gnomes that are scurrying around, and their leader is a very violent terrorist. He's been dropping bombs everywhere, civilians have died. So I ask you, if you take care of him I'll make sure you get your dues paid." He was a bit too close for comfort and had his ear right up to my neck, waiting for a response.

"You mean Wulbren? He's dead, killed him last night. Didn't get his head though but it would only take me a second to get it." I whispered back, I know exactly how much this quest pisses off my companions, Halsin and Wyll especially.

"You're kidding me! Look if you can get me proof then the gold's yours." He backed away and he walked back to his post, winking at me like it's a secret signal.

I look over to Sharess Caress and see no sign of them coming back out, so I duck behind an alleyway and use ghost form and illusory presence to sneak back into the cave. The rough hideaway stunk of rot and smoke, everyone was sat still, the wind removed from their sails.

Ignoring the depressed terrorists, I walked up to Wulbren's embalmed corpse and gripped his head, twisting it off. I dropped it in my bag and quickly vanished once again. I found the fist again and passed him the head, no words were exchanged, only 800g.

Walking away from him, I wait in the stalls nearby the steel watchers, browsing the random tat they peddle. Finally, the group exits and I walk up to rejoin them, not a single one looked unhappy to have been there. Aside from Wyll of course, but that's a given.

"You got your passes then?" I ask them. They held up a single pass that they coerced out of the toy bomb holder, "Ready when you are friend" Halsin joyfully said.

We went out and found the rest of the group, everyone was accounted for aside Lae'zel. Just as we finished counting everyone up, we heard a battle cry come from the upper floors of Sharess Caress. With a sigh I brought all of us up with telekenesis, on the balcony a door was broken down and we could hear a heated battle inside.

The room was bright green, with an artisanal pool in front of the entrance. To the right, Lae'zel was violently dismembering a mind flayer in front of a conflicted looking wood elf.

We didn't even get the chance to help Lae'zel before she drove the sword through its face, "What's all that about then?" I asked, pointing at the nude mind flayer corpse.

"I was scouring the area checking for spies and ranged attackers, when I heard a shrill shout. I kicked down the door to see the ghaik parasite take over her body, we should kill the other one to make sure." She turned her sword to the other occupant of the room, the sword drew a drop of blood from her.

"Wait wait, Lae'zel stop that." I walk up and direct her sword away. "We don't even know her side of the story" I gesture for the woman to tell us.

"Um, well, she is a favourite client of mine and she ordered her usual, it was all normal until she gripped her head and suddenly transformed into the… glistening ethereal beauty that it was." She seemed to make up her mind about something half-way through the sentence. Talks of beauty despite being deadly, obvious indicator of a Sune worshipper.

"Sunite I take it? Fair enough I guess, as long as you know that they'll kill you." I pat her on her shoulder and turn to leave, but once my gaze fixes upon the door I freeze.

Casting a grand shadow that hides his figure is the man I ran from, the man I hid from for months. I got careless, and now I pay the price.

"Oh my, so the rat scurried along to find the cheese, only to see the glue trap it stands upon. How might the intrepid heroes fa-" Raphael was immediately quietened by Shadowheart's banishment spell.

"RUN!" She shouted at me. "Thank you!" I shouted, I shifted into a ghost, used illusory presence and flew as quick as I could. I had no sense of direction, just a need to escape. For all the power I've gained, I knew I stood no chance against the spawn of Mephistopheles, cambion or not.

I wasn't even registering my environment and I wound up somewhere far away from Baldur's gate. The great city walls were behind me now and a new pair lay in front of me. A great keep glows with an ethereal hum, the city around it is quaint yet lively, the bustling people all look and feel at home. I float around it, trying to find someone willing to let me in, I don't want to get kicked out of a safe haven after all.

On the west facing side do I see a great gate, at least three time the size of me. In front of the gates were two men in monk robes sat down each reading a book. I float down in front of them, alerting them to my presence. They each stood up in unison and placed their books down, "State your business traveler." The man on the left said.

"Uhm, will I not be allowed in if I say asylum from a devil? If that's the case then tourist." I play it off as a joke just in case they really don't take in asylum seekers.

"We offer home to all those with something to offer. What knowledge can you provide that Candlekeep may desire?" This time the woman spoke, they were both stern people who were looking to get through with this quickly.

"Good question, I know a lot about hags, uhm, the absolute and its secrets is a good one. And also the spawn of Mephistopheles Raphael, unfortunately for me that is. Aside from that I just know about the general stuff going on in Baldur's gate." I count my fingers as I list, numbering what I know.

"Go on in then. Go to the library, they'll sort you out, can you hold things?" She pulled out a small plank of wood that said, 'Temporary pass'. I nod to her and use telekinesis to take the pass from her, I thank them both and float forwards, pass flying where I would put a name badge. It hasn't been a week and I've been driven out of Baldur's Gate, a bit embarrassing but necessary for my survival.

The gate vanishes before me, credited to the obviously magical inclination of this place, as soon as I pass through it, it solidifies again behind me. I turn around to face the new city, massively different to the violent bustle of Rivington. A long tiled path lead forwards to a grand keep, to both my sides a beautiful town enveloped it like a blanket.

The people were just as different, instead of halflings and dwarves, there were elves, arakocra and a few githzerai, it was a crockpot of people. Floating down the path, terraced stone houses lined my sides, kids cycled and read on the steps and few practiced magic, reading from their grimoires.

Flying further, I came upon the centre of a market, but it wasn't food and produce sold, it was an assortment of magical items and scrolls. Lesser wards covered the merchandise, stopping any would-be thieves. Any able to crack the wards probably has the skill the make the items itself, making it an efficient use of a spell slot. Rings of warming, torches of daylight, candles of sleep and another odd one was a tankard of sobriety.

Taking in the sights I carried on, I wouldn't be able to buy any of it anyway, they use different currency here unfortunately. They might have an exchange terminal in the library, it is candlekeep, their library probably has everything. Eventually, I come across the beautifully carved oak wood doors leading to the library, a small-looking building on the outside, with sparse windows too high up to look into.

The doors glided open when I got closer, ringing a silent bell alerting the librarians to my presence. Inside, a massive expanse could be seen, rows and rows of books categorised by author, genre and even colour of the front cover filled every inch of my vision. However, to the right of me was the very dichotomy of what I thought an ogre to be.

Hulking at 8 feet tall, with a rather lithe frame for an ogre, sat the librarian. He adjusted his glasses and straightened his tie before greeting me, "Welcome to the Candlekeep public library, what can I help you with?" He gestured to the seat in front of me, a thick padded chair that fit the relaxed library environment.

I shifted back into a human so I could sit down properly, catching the temporary pass as it begun to fall. "I've just gotten into the city and the guards said I'm to come here." I slide the pass over the table to him.

Barely glancing down at it, he said, "I'm assuming you do not know of the immigration laws that govern this city, do you not?" He leaned forwards and interlocked his fingers.

"No sorry I don't." I answered honestly.

"All incoming visitors or immigrants over the age of 20 must produce a new piece of knowledge to the public library every month. After a year, the frequency drops to every 6 months. Per the laws you are required to offer a grade 5 or lower piece of knowledge to the public library, 1 being the lowest, 10 being the highest." He explained slowly and calmly, a very well mannered man with a sizeable degree of professionalism.

"Right, does the uplifting of the curse over the forest of Selûne count? I was there for that." I didn't want to offer anything too grand, as he mentioned this was a public library, a larger one dealing with grade 5-10 must exist.

He hummed for a moment, holding a single note. He closed his eyes and I could see them flicking about under his eyelids, as if reading over a subject. Finally, he stopped, "Of course, Shar's curse, depending on the nature of the curse removal, I shall grade it from there. You have one month to produce a series of events covering all bases in a book, I will then grade the book."

"I have to write a whole book? Can't I just tell you?" I asked, I honestly had a bit too much going on to write and edit a book.

"On average, I receive 437 books to grade monthly. I pride myself on my knowledge, yet even I would struggle with retaining the knowledge told to me long enough to transcribe it all. To assist visitors with writing their books, we offer a tattoo parlour discount." The librarian added at the end.

"You know what fair enough, I get why you don't want to write that many books. But how can a tattoo parlour help me write it?" I asked, genuinely confused.

"Of course, I should not have presumed you to be well read in magic. Magic tattoos like 'The illuminators tattoo' allow a permanent writing tool via your fingers, it covers a small part of your body so it is easily concealed."

"Oh, that's… handy I guess, I won't be needing it because of my Ink Guardian though. But once I submit my book, can I read up on these tattoos?" I've always wanted a tattoo, now I've got even more reason to get one. With our conversation over, he passes me an empty, blank book for me to fill in.