Tales of Faerun

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine's hand had gone to her hilt as they entered the eerily-quiet clanhold. As the heavy doors shut behind them, however, the sound reverberated throughout the halls - this, along with Sybille's call, summoned forth one small, lone figure. A dwarven woman, elderly, dressed in a dirty kirtle, toddled towards them, her eyes puffy and red...she looked almost ridiculously small as she traversed the giant entrance hall. She also appeared to be the spitting image of Dagny herself, only aged. As she made her way towards them, she stopped in her tracks. She spotted Dagny at the head of the group, and her mouth opened in awe.

 

"Dag? By Berronar's blood, is that ye?" her voice held a hint of disbelief.

 

"Aye, me ma, it is!" Dagny exclaimed, rushing forward to meet her mother with a bone-crushing embrace, "Wha's happened? Where are all the others? It isn't the...?"

 

"Water," the elderly dwarf nodded, her grey hair spilling over her brow into her dark brown eyes, "Over half of the clan is gone, Dag. Your brother among them."

 

"This isn't good," Conall murmured.

 

"Not at all," Argyros agreed, his mouth set in a grimace.

 

Dagny swayed, then dropped to her knees before her mother, "Oh...please...tell me it isn't so!"

 

Her mother nodded again, fresh tears spilling down her wrinkled cheeks as she reached to comfort her daughter, "I'm afraid it is so, me only."

 

Rhaine visibly stiffened, inhaling sharply, "We've got to find a way to stop this."

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen didn't like the quietness of the dwarven clanhold at all. Whatever suspicions she had were confirmed by Dagny's mother. The clanhold suffered heavy losses because of whatever poisoned the water.

 

"I'm sorry, Dagny." She said quietly, feeling very sorry for her friend.

[Flipout6]

"Everyone but-?" Weyland breathed. "My Gods...Dagny, I'm so sorry."

 

Sybille echoed similar sentiments before looking around the hold with a mix of solemnity and horror, her thoughts darting to disturbing images of seeing her own loved ones turn to dust before her eyes. Her eyes flashed, a steely, stubborn determination filling her that usually was associated with Arland.

 

Arland, for his part, narrowed his eyes. "I'll see the ones responsible gutted if I have to cut them open myself."

"I think we ought to let Dagny have those honors." Sybille told him. "If there's anything we can do for either of you..." She directed an unspoken just ask at Dagny and her mother in the form of a nod.

 

After all, she thought, vengeance does little to sate pain.

 

Marie felt guilty, suddenly reminded that her own father had wronged families like this before. And then she felt even guiltier for her lack of sensitivity for the Earthearts, and tried to make up for it by giving Dagny a reassuring- if light- pat on the shoulder.

[AurianaValoria1]

Dagny stood again and turned around, the sadness evident in her eyes and dampened cheeks, "Please, help me kin find a way to stop this madness...whatever it is, and wherever it comes from." She glanced from Marie to Sybille and Arland, "I wouldna ask ye to stay long under any other circumstance, to hold ye from ye're quest...but with this situation having done what it has to me people and now me own clan...we need ye're help. And I know ye can get to the bottom of this faster than anyone."

 

Rhaine inclined her head, "Of course. I do believe that most of us have already made up our minds to help this city. And now that you have asked, I do not think there is a one of us who would say no to your plea. We will, however, need a place to say while we conduct this investigation."

 

"Say no more, milady," Dagny's mother made a small bow, "Ye and ye're company may stay here. I'm assuming all of ye have been with Dag here," she looked inquisitively at her daughter, who gave a slight nod in response. The elderly dwarf continued, "Right then. Ye'll find the clan private quarters on the east end of the hold. Most...of the rooms are empty, now. Help yerself to anything ye might find useful. I...have not much left to lose, I'm afraid..."

 

"We will also need a way contact the lords of the city," Rhaine continued, "If we are to get the information we need to proceed. I understand that access to them is restricted."

 

Dagny's mother nodded, "I can send a guard to a good friend of mine...if he yet lives. He should be able to get what ye need from the ones who know all about this situation...or as much as they have been able to find out. It may take a bit, though, especially convincing him to trust ye with the knowledge."

 

Dagny frowned, a fire rising in her voice, "This group has seen itself through disasters in which lesser beings would surely perish. They do good for the Realms and fight evil at every turn. And as they've demonstrated, they're always willing to help those in need. If that isn't enough to convince ol' Falhgrod, I don't know what is."

 

Her mother sighed, "We'll have to hope it's enough."

 

Dagny turned to the others, "Well then...we'll send a message to Falhgrod in the morning. Maybe he'll deign to let us know the details about this mess. In the meantime, make yerselves at home."

 

"We've ale in the kegs and food on the hearth if ye wish it," her mother added, "And perhaps ye can tell us some tales to lighten the mood. Berronar knows we need it."

[tokyobiohazard]

Aera followed the newcomer, Hrogrim, he seemed to be called, her tail swishing behind her as she walked. A few others had gone with him as well, but she stayed quiet and simply stayed a few paces behind the dwarf, feeling a bit sour in the unfamiliar city for an inexplicable reason.

Ianthe followed behind Rhaine, Arva in tow behind her as she watched butterflies flit by, oblivious to the quiet, eerie streets around her once again. In a way, she reminded Arva of those children, adapting to the world and accepting the change, no matter how bad it was.

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen thanked both Dagny and her mother and went to look for the clan's private quarters as she wanted nothing more than to have a good night's rest, this day was more eventful than she liked. As she walked towards the sleeping quarters, she'd stop and look around from time to time wondering how the clanhold was like when all the inhabitants were alive.

 

As she reached the sleeping quarters she knocked at the door but then remembered that no one could answer, slowly opened the door and stepped into the room. It wasn't a large room but cozy - exactly the way Nawen liked it. She set her bag on top of the chest and pulled her sleeping shirt out and set in on the bed.

==========================

After wandering around the town for a while, Shalena went to the nearest inn. She was surprised to see that others weren't in the common room nor in any of the available rooms, but thought little of it and started socializing with the locals and tasting the local drinks.

Edited September 13, 2014 by Guest

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine, Conall, and Argyros settled in much the way Nawen had, choosing rooms in the clan's private quarters and making ready for bed. All the while, Dagny's mother fussed over them by offering them ale and food seemingly every five minutes. She also had what remained of the clanhold's guards patrolling the living quarters almost constantly, and the stout dwarves making no remark to anyone as they obediently followed the matron's instructions. Dagny herself had gone off to her old room on the opposite wing of the clanhold, next to her mother's chambers, and she was not seen for the rest of the night.

 

As Rhaine prepared for bed, she mulled over the events of the day and recalled she had not seen Tannin in a while. She had assumed he had gone off with Hrogrim to buy supplies, but she could not be certain. Her thoughts wandered to a subject about which she still wished to speak with Nawen...something that had been bothering her for a while. Sighing, she thought that this would be as good a time as any. She had already changed out of her armor and into her nightgown, and her hair hung loosely about her bare shoulders in lush, blood-red waves; she caught a few looks from the dwarven guards as she padded out of her room on bare feet and quickly made her way over to Nawen's chamber. Luckily, the door had been left open, and she carefully peeked around the frame with a quiet greeting.

 

"Nawen? Might I speak with you a moment?"

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen was still standing by the bed when she heard Rhaine's voice. She shot a glance at the doorway and smiled a little when she saw Rhaine. "Of course. What about?" She asked curious to hear what Rhaine wanted to talk about.

[AurianaValoria1]

The Doomguide smiled back, though it was mixed with a bit of a grimace as she closed the room door behind her, "I ah...wanted to talk about you and Tannin...again. I know you are probably tired of me addressing the subject, so this is likely the last I will have to say on the matter. Still, I feel this is something that I must tell you, and I have no idea if Tannin has imparted the information to you yet or not."

 

She pulled her hands behind her back and paced slowly from side to side as she thought, "Do you remember the long journey we had on the Sea Compass, from Impiltur to Westgate? It was during this voyage that Tannin offered to...'court' me, as he put it. I did not know his true motives at the time, and I cannot ever, for that is simply how he is...but rest assured that I gave him a flat refusal."

 

Rhaine glanced up at Nawen and gave her a look that was a blend of concern and irritation, "It was not long at all after that he set his sights on you."

 

She fell silent, deciding to let the drow come to her own conclusions and to give her an opportunity to speak, if she so desired.

Edited September 13, 2014 by AurianaValoria1

[Deleted6317247User]

Nawen didn't mind Rhaine talking about them again, but as soon as she heard what Rhaine wanted to say her expression changed, and while she tried her hardest to hide it, she still appeared quite visibly upset. "I... I didn't know this. He didn't tell me this." She said as she sat on the bed clutching her sleeping shirt in her hands. She wished that Rhaine was lying, but she knew she would never do that.

 

She looked at back up at Rhaine, "thank you for telling me this." She said as she looked at the clothing in her hands. He told her about open relationships, and while it was upsetting she agreed for his sake, but this seemed different. What if she's nothing more than a secondary option because Rhaine refused his courting? He said he cared about her, maybe he lied? Clearly their ideas about relationships differ, maybe they do about caring as well.

 

She sighed heavily, hoping to chase upsetting thoughts away. "This isn't making me feel better about myself," she said quietly, "first there's one thing, now I learn he's only interested in me because you refused his courting or whatever the hells he wanted."