We agreed to meet up the following sundown at the Ticklish Ogre Tavern in Merchant District. The next morning, I sat down in meditation and considered my options. There were two of them, really. I knew one "spell" to make my words more eloquent, and another one to help me read body language and social cues. I decided the latter was more important. The magic took the form of a pair of blue-lensed goggles, which floated up to my eyes as I finished shaping them, hovering about a half-inch out from my face.
As the lenses settled over my vision, the world changed. My vision wasn't any sharper, but I noticed things. Like...I'm not sure how to describe it. Do you know how in mystery stories, the brilliant detective can take one glance at a person and tell—just by the little details of their appearance and demeanor—where they are from, what they do for a living, and what they had for breakfast that morning? That was sort of low-key how it felt. I think if I were more experienced and had a little more mojo, I could have done an excellent impression of that brilliant detective. For now, the insights I received were slightly...muffled. Muted. I focused on the goggles, letting more power flow into them from my protective bracers, and the impressions became a little clearer in my mind. That seemed like the best I was going to get.
I had a long day ahead of me. First a shift at the library, then an afternoon of asking around and searching for leads. At least it was obvious who to ask first: my grandfather is the head librarian, and my grandmother is the Academy's groundskeeper. It seemed unlikely that they would know anything about Vanthus's whereabouts, but between the two of them, I was sure they could point me to someone who could tell me more.
Sunday, October 28, 2018
Monday, October 22, 2018
Chapter 10: Peril under Parrot Island, Part 1
"Indeed, madam, there were several visits to your vault over the past month," said the clerk.
"By whom?" demanded Lavinia, her voice icy and stern.
"Not by any unauthorized personnel, I assure you," the clerk said. "Only your brother, Vanthus."
"What?!" Lavinia gasped. All the ice vanished from her demeanor, replaced with shock. "My brother has been missing for a month! You must be mistaken."
The clerk seemed puzzled. "I am certain it was him. I've dealt with Vanthus enough times in the past to recognize him; he's quite distinctive. And he had the Vanderboren signet ring. I had no idea he was missing or I would have informed you of his presence at once. My deepest apologies, madam."
"You will inform me at once if he returns," said Lavinia shakily.
"Of course. And again, my deepest apologies."
It was clear that Lavinia was still rattled as we climbed back into the coach. Once we were on the road, she sighed, and said, "So. It seems I have another task for you all. My brother must be found."
"Yeah, so, what is the deal with him, anyway?" said Liona. "There's clearly some kind of hang-up between you two."
"We were close growing up," Lavinia said wistfully. "Our parents were rarely around, you know, so we grew to depend on each other. You may find it hard to believe, but we were quite the pair of troublemakers back in the day." She was right. It was hard to reconcile the image of her as a troublemaker with the dignified noble she presented herself as today. "But alas, after a particularly complex prank involving several love potions being emptied into the water tower, our childhoods came to an end. I was sent out to Thelanar Academy, while Vanthus was shipped out to work on a plantation.
"We only returned to the family manor last year, after five years away. We had both changed. Thelanar suited me, and I became the woman you see now. Vanthus...he was bitter, resentful. He had no time for me. He slept all day, and spent the nights with...associates of dubious character. He would go days at a time without even visiting home. Then our parents died. I think that was too much for him. All the easy humor he had as a child left him, replaced with cynicism and bitterness." Her voice grew hollower as she continued. "One day, we had a fight, a big one. By the end of it, he had packed up his things and moved out of the house. I think he ended up living with a lover somewhere in Azure District. I never learned the details. I haven't seen or heard from him since."
It was hard to read her face. "That, uh...that sucks," I said awkwardly.
"Indeed," she responded.
"Squawk!" said Squawk.
"I don't think that's a comment on the story; I think he's just hungry," Kala translated. She pulled a pouch of sunflower seeds from her pocket.
Lavinia smiled (the human face can only withstand so much cuteness before succumbing), but her expression quickly turned serious again. "Vanthus must have fallen in with a bad crowd. Thieves, smugglers, maybe even killers. But even if he is stealing from the family vault, I have to believe it's not too late for him. The brother I loved is still in there. Please, bring him back to my side. I know I can talk some sense into him."
"We'll split up, then," said Liona. "First thing tomorrow, we'll start making the rounds. I'll do a bar crawl, ask around all the taverns in Azure and Merchant. Snickers, you know Shadowshore better than any of us—use your contacts. Annie, you have a foot in the door at the Academy, right? Ask the students, faculty, follow whatever leads you can. And Kala...have you gotten that talk-to-animals trick down yet? Maybe the local wildlife can help us out."
"I'm still practicing, but I can try," said Kala.
I raised my hand. "I'm...not exactly great at talking to people," I said. I tried to imagine spending all day approaching strangers to engage them in conversation. I would probably take it over fighting the rhagodessa again, but wow, it was close.
Liona patted me on the back. "You'll do great. Don't you have any spells that could help?"
Hmm. "I might have one," I said.
"By whom?" demanded Lavinia, her voice icy and stern.
"Not by any unauthorized personnel, I assure you," the clerk said. "Only your brother, Vanthus."
"What?!" Lavinia gasped. All the ice vanished from her demeanor, replaced with shock. "My brother has been missing for a month! You must be mistaken."
The clerk seemed puzzled. "I am certain it was him. I've dealt with Vanthus enough times in the past to recognize him; he's quite distinctive. And he had the Vanderboren signet ring. I had no idea he was missing or I would have informed you of his presence at once. My deepest apologies, madam."
"You will inform me at once if he returns," said Lavinia shakily.
"Of course. And again, my deepest apologies."
It was clear that Lavinia was still rattled as we climbed back into the coach. Once we were on the road, she sighed, and said, "So. It seems I have another task for you all. My brother must be found."
"Yeah, so, what is the deal with him, anyway?" said Liona. "There's clearly some kind of hang-up between you two."
"We were close growing up," Lavinia said wistfully. "Our parents were rarely around, you know, so we grew to depend on each other. You may find it hard to believe, but we were quite the pair of troublemakers back in the day." She was right. It was hard to reconcile the image of her as a troublemaker with the dignified noble she presented herself as today. "But alas, after a particularly complex prank involving several love potions being emptied into the water tower, our childhoods came to an end. I was sent out to Thelanar Academy, while Vanthus was shipped out to work on a plantation.
"We only returned to the family manor last year, after five years away. We had both changed. Thelanar suited me, and I became the woman you see now. Vanthus...he was bitter, resentful. He had no time for me. He slept all day, and spent the nights with...associates of dubious character. He would go days at a time without even visiting home. Then our parents died. I think that was too much for him. All the easy humor he had as a child left him, replaced with cynicism and bitterness." Her voice grew hollower as she continued. "One day, we had a fight, a big one. By the end of it, he had packed up his things and moved out of the house. I think he ended up living with a lover somewhere in Azure District. I never learned the details. I haven't seen or heard from him since."
It was hard to read her face. "That, uh...that sucks," I said awkwardly.
"Indeed," she responded.
"Squawk!" said Squawk.
"I don't think that's a comment on the story; I think he's just hungry," Kala translated. She pulled a pouch of sunflower seeds from her pocket.
Lavinia smiled (the human face can only withstand so much cuteness before succumbing), but her expression quickly turned serious again. "Vanthus must have fallen in with a bad crowd. Thieves, smugglers, maybe even killers. But even if he is stealing from the family vault, I have to believe it's not too late for him. The brother I loved is still in there. Please, bring him back to my side. I know I can talk some sense into him."
"We'll split up, then," said Liona. "First thing tomorrow, we'll start making the rounds. I'll do a bar crawl, ask around all the taverns in Azure and Merchant. Snickers, you know Shadowshore better than any of us—use your contacts. Annie, you have a foot in the door at the Academy, right? Ask the students, faculty, follow whatever leads you can. And Kala...have you gotten that talk-to-animals trick down yet? Maybe the local wildlife can help us out."
"I'm still practicing, but I can try," said Kala.
I raised my hand. "I'm...not exactly great at talking to people," I said. I tried to imagine spending all day approaching strangers to engage them in conversation. I would probably take it over fighting the rhagodessa again, but wow, it was close.
Liona patted me on the back. "You'll do great. Don't you have any spells that could help?"
Hmm. "I might have one," I said.
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Chapter 9: The Vanderboren Vault, Part 4
"So I'm not ruined," said Lavinia. "The cash and IOUs here should be enough to pay off those back taxes and start getting my estate back in order. But it'll be a rough year. Hopefully my aunt and uncle will be able to offer some aid; I have the Jade Ravens traveling to Cauldron to entreat them as we speak."
"We still get paid, yes?" demanded Snickers.
"Yes, of course," Lavinia said. "Your service has once again been excellent. I suppose since we're in the vault already, I can offer each of you 20 platinum pieces right now." Snickers was already digging in a chest counting coins before she finished her sentence.
"But what happened to the rest of the treasure?" I asked. "Did your parents spend it all and not say anything?"
Lavinia shook her head. "That's not like them. I can only think it must have been stolen. But no one else had access to the vault."
"Maybe they used magic to get in," said Kala. "If they were working with a teleportation spell, it would explain why they left some of the treasure—the spell might not have allowed them to carry it all."
"This whole floor is warded against teleportation for exactly that reason," Lavinia responded.
"You said before that your mother lost her signet ring," I said slowly. "What if someone found it?"
Her eyes widened. "Of course," she said, drawing a sharp breath. "They could walk right in!"
"And it explains why there's still some left! If they only took a little at a time, they could come and go without raising suspicion," said Liona.
"But then there should be a record," I continued. "The clerk at the desk wrote our names down when we came in. So if they came in through the front door..."
"...Then their name should be written down, too! Brilliant!" Liona finished. "Let's head up now and ask!"
"We still get paid, yes?" demanded Snickers.
"Yes, of course," Lavinia said. "Your service has once again been excellent. I suppose since we're in the vault already, I can offer each of you 20 platinum pieces right now." Snickers was already digging in a chest counting coins before she finished her sentence.
"But what happened to the rest of the treasure?" I asked. "Did your parents spend it all and not say anything?"
Lavinia shook her head. "That's not like them. I can only think it must have been stolen. But no one else had access to the vault."
"Maybe they used magic to get in," said Kala. "If they were working with a teleportation spell, it would explain why they left some of the treasure—the spell might not have allowed them to carry it all."
"This whole floor is warded against teleportation for exactly that reason," Lavinia responded.
"You said before that your mother lost her signet ring," I said slowly. "What if someone found it?"
Her eyes widened. "Of course," she said, drawing a sharp breath. "They could walk right in!"
"And it explains why there's still some left! If they only took a little at a time, they could come and go without raising suspicion," said Liona.
"But then there should be a record," I continued. "The clerk at the desk wrote our names down when we came in. So if they came in through the front door..."
"...Then their name should be written down, too! Brilliant!" Liona finished. "Let's head up now and ask!"
Chapter 8: The Vanderboren Vault, Part 3
"Of course it responded to the signet ring," said Lavinia. "I don't know why I didn't think of it myself. I'm sorry. Were you injured?"
"No, I'm fine," I replied. The adrenaline was still pounding through my system, putting me on edge, but I put on the most reassuring smile I could. "Not a scratch on me."
"I must confess, it was quite spectacular seeing your abilities firsthand," remarked Lavinia. "I think I made the right choice hiring you."
I felt pride surge in my chest at the praise, but it was tempered by guilt. Intellectually, I knew I had actually done objectively well, and I shouldn't let impostor syndrome trick me into thinking that I didn't deserve to be here, that I was being grossly overpaid, that I was dragging the others down, that I should just go back to the job I was good at. Unfortunately, that didn't stop my brain from thinking those things anyway. Focus, Annabelle! I thought. This is no time for self-recrimination!
My anxiety was interrupted by the aroma of a salty sea breeze as Liona finished casting her divination. Her eyes glowed seafoam-green as she scanned the room. Then she pointed to the northernmost pillar. "There! Secret door. There's a hidden switch at eye level—sorry, my eye level, not yours, you guys are tall—just toggle the switch and the wall should open up."
"I'll do the honors," I volunteered, finding the switch disguised among the carvings on the pillar and clicking it into place. The snake designs on the wall animated and began writhing aside like living creatures, forming a coiling archway into the vault.
The vault was an octagonal room supported by a single large pillar with dozens of deep grooves along its sides. The seven walls each bore fantastically detailed bas-relief carvings of exotic monsters in threatening poses: a tentacled monster glaring eye and a mouth full of teeth, a looming dragon, a fish-like creature with three eyes and four tentacles, a two-headed giant wielding a pair of immense clubs, a spherical creature with four eyestalks and a bulging central eye over a drooling maw, a gorilla-like beast with a fanged maw and six eyes, and finally a towering a towering black spider with seven eyes. Each monster's eyes consisted of glittering red stones. The now-familiar eight-pointed star pattern radiated across the ceiling from the grooved central pillar, but its arms were black, save for the one pointing south toward the entrance, which was red.
"The treasure is supposed to be in here," said Lavinia, looking worried. "Is there another secret door?"
Liona scanned the room. "Not that I can detect," she said. "Sorry."
"The carvings are pretty, though," Kala mused. "Were any of these creatures mentioned in that note? They are all looking in different directions."
Lavinia took the note from her pocket. "The note mentions chimera, cyclops, medusa, and umber hulk. I don't see any of those here," she said.
"The eyes count up," said Snickers, pointing to the carvings. "One, two three, four, five, six, seven." He scuttled into the room and began poking at the walls and floor with a long stick. "And big pillar can spin. See groove? It turn like spinny thing on combination lock."
"Snickers, you're a genius!" said Liona. "I mean, I have no idea what the eyes mean, but can you crack the combination?"
"Watch. Learn." The kobold cracked his knuckles and retrieved a small stethoscope from his pack. "Or don't learn. Snickers fine either way. Just be quiet while Snickers work."
We waited silently for several minutes while he turned the column experimentally. Even Squawk was quiet, although he wasn't moving either, so he may have just been asleep. Then Snickers threw up his hands. "Nope! Nothing Snickers can do. Lock too good. Snickers not even hear clicks."
"Maybe I could help," I offered. "I, uh, read a book once about cracking safes? I think I remember bits."
"Bah! Amateur!" he scoffed. "Okay, Annie can help listen other side. Not break Snickers concentration! Understand?"
I nodded, and took up a position on the other side of the column, ear to the stone, listening carefully for anything that sounded different. Snickers tried again. After another several minutes, he straightened up again. "Nope. No use. Lock too good. Uncrackable. Sorry."
Lavinia laughed bitterly. "I never thought I'd wish my family vault were easier to break into."
"Maybe the column is a red herring," suggested Liona.
"It doesn't look like a fish at all to me," said Kala, frowning.
"No, I mean, maybe we don't even need to touch it. Maybe the answer is in these eyes. Are there any hidden catches or levers in the carvings?"
Snickers began appraising the carvings. "Eye gems sparkly, mostly worthless though. Maybe 2 gold each," he said. "Wait." He crouched down and sniffed at the floor. Then he tapped at the wall. "Hollow space behind carving!" he said.
"The walls to the alcoves must slide open somehow!" I said excitedly.
"Yes, but walls also very thick," said Snickers. "Very hard break through. And if treasure on other side, break through might damage, lower treasure value. Better open lock normal."
"Okay, let's call that Plan C," said Liona. "I guess let's try Plan A again and sit down and see if we can solve this coded message. Did anyone bring snacks? We might be down here a while."
"I think the eyes have something to do with it," I offered. "It can't be a coincidence that they're arranged in numerical order. And the riddle talks about 'looking' in a direction."
"Sunrise would be in the east, and sunset in the west," said Kala.
Snickers pulled out a compass. "East that way, west that way," he confirmed.
"Maybe we have to bring all those creatures into the vault and have them face the way the note says?" said Kala, almost hopefully.
"Certainly not!" said Lavinia. "I know my parents never kept such beasts."
"Medusas, basilisks, and umber hulks all have special abilities related to their eyes, and the cyclops is named after its single eye," I said. "The chimera...I don't know much about chimeras. Is there anything special about their eyes?" I looked hopefully at Kala.
"I don't know much about chimeras either," she said, shrugging. "They have three heads, so I guess they have six eyes, if that helps."
Snickers jumped up. "Numbers! Combination lock has number code!"
My eyes widened as I caught his meaning. "The number of eyes on the monsters?"
"And direction changes for each one, same for most locks like this!" he said, rushing back to the pillar. "Six turns east, one turn west. What next?"
"Medusa," said Lavinia. "That's two eyes, I think."
Snickers turned the pillar again. "Next?"
"Umber hulk looks to sunset," Lavinia read. "I don't know how many eyes an umber hulk has."
"Four," I said, recalling the illustration in Professor Frimpdiggle's Underdark Bestiary. "One pair of compound eyes, and another smaller set of eyes above them."
"And basilisk is two," said Liona, standing on her tiptoes to peer at the note in Lavinia's hand. "They pretty much just look like lizards."
Snickers made the final turn, and there was a rumbling sound as the walls shifted, revealing five alcoves, each filled with treasure chests. Then the little kobold turned back to us and took a bow. Kala, Liona, and I cheered, while Lavinia merely offered an approving smile and a slow clap. Squawk, evidently roused by our cheering, gave an indignant "Squawk!"
There was just one problem. We opened the first chest. It was empty. And the second chest. Empty. And the third chest. Empty. All the chests in the first alcove were completely bare. So were all the chests in the second alcove. And the third. With each chest we opened, Lavinia looked more and more distraught. When the fourth alcove turned up empty too, I thought she might break down in tears right there in front of us.
Thankfully, when we got to the fifth alcove, we got a reprieve. "Oh, thank the gods," said Lavinia, her voice trembling slightly. The chest was full of coins and papers. So were the other remaining ones. It looked like several thousand gold pieces' worth of cash, plus some ledgers and a small iron coffer containing a thick pile of documents.
"No, I'm fine," I replied. The adrenaline was still pounding through my system, putting me on edge, but I put on the most reassuring smile I could. "Not a scratch on me."
"I must confess, it was quite spectacular seeing your abilities firsthand," remarked Lavinia. "I think I made the right choice hiring you."
I felt pride surge in my chest at the praise, but it was tempered by guilt. Intellectually, I knew I had actually done objectively well, and I shouldn't let impostor syndrome trick me into thinking that I didn't deserve to be here, that I was being grossly overpaid, that I was dragging the others down, that I should just go back to the job I was good at. Unfortunately, that didn't stop my brain from thinking those things anyway. Focus, Annabelle! I thought. This is no time for self-recrimination!
My anxiety was interrupted by the aroma of a salty sea breeze as Liona finished casting her divination. Her eyes glowed seafoam-green as she scanned the room. Then she pointed to the northernmost pillar. "There! Secret door. There's a hidden switch at eye level—sorry, my eye level, not yours, you guys are tall—just toggle the switch and the wall should open up."
"I'll do the honors," I volunteered, finding the switch disguised among the carvings on the pillar and clicking it into place. The snake designs on the wall animated and began writhing aside like living creatures, forming a coiling archway into the vault.
The vault was an octagonal room supported by a single large pillar with dozens of deep grooves along its sides. The seven walls each bore fantastically detailed bas-relief carvings of exotic monsters in threatening poses: a tentacled monster glaring eye and a mouth full of teeth, a looming dragon, a fish-like creature with three eyes and four tentacles, a two-headed giant wielding a pair of immense clubs, a spherical creature with four eyestalks and a bulging central eye over a drooling maw, a gorilla-like beast with a fanged maw and six eyes, and finally a towering a towering black spider with seven eyes. Each monster's eyes consisted of glittering red stones. The now-familiar eight-pointed star pattern radiated across the ceiling from the grooved central pillar, but its arms were black, save for the one pointing south toward the entrance, which was red.
"The treasure is supposed to be in here," said Lavinia, looking worried. "Is there another secret door?"
Liona scanned the room. "Not that I can detect," she said. "Sorry."
"The carvings are pretty, though," Kala mused. "Were any of these creatures mentioned in that note? They are all looking in different directions."
Lavinia took the note from her pocket. "The note mentions chimera, cyclops, medusa, and umber hulk. I don't see any of those here," she said.
"The eyes count up," said Snickers, pointing to the carvings. "One, two three, four, five, six, seven." He scuttled into the room and began poking at the walls and floor with a long stick. "And big pillar can spin. See groove? It turn like spinny thing on combination lock."
"Snickers, you're a genius!" said Liona. "I mean, I have no idea what the eyes mean, but can you crack the combination?"
"Watch. Learn." The kobold cracked his knuckles and retrieved a small stethoscope from his pack. "Or don't learn. Snickers fine either way. Just be quiet while Snickers work."
We waited silently for several minutes while he turned the column experimentally. Even Squawk was quiet, although he wasn't moving either, so he may have just been asleep. Then Snickers threw up his hands. "Nope! Nothing Snickers can do. Lock too good. Snickers not even hear clicks."
"Maybe I could help," I offered. "I, uh, read a book once about cracking safes? I think I remember bits."
"Bah! Amateur!" he scoffed. "Okay, Annie can help listen other side. Not break Snickers concentration! Understand?"
I nodded, and took up a position on the other side of the column, ear to the stone, listening carefully for anything that sounded different. Snickers tried again. After another several minutes, he straightened up again. "Nope. No use. Lock too good. Uncrackable. Sorry."
Lavinia laughed bitterly. "I never thought I'd wish my family vault were easier to break into."
"Maybe the column is a red herring," suggested Liona.
"It doesn't look like a fish at all to me," said Kala, frowning.
"No, I mean, maybe we don't even need to touch it. Maybe the answer is in these eyes. Are there any hidden catches or levers in the carvings?"
Snickers began appraising the carvings. "Eye gems sparkly, mostly worthless though. Maybe 2 gold each," he said. "Wait." He crouched down and sniffed at the floor. Then he tapped at the wall. "Hollow space behind carving!" he said.
"The walls to the alcoves must slide open somehow!" I said excitedly.
"Yes, but walls also very thick," said Snickers. "Very hard break through. And if treasure on other side, break through might damage, lower treasure value. Better open lock normal."
"Okay, let's call that Plan C," said Liona. "I guess let's try Plan A again and sit down and see if we can solve this coded message. Did anyone bring snacks? We might be down here a while."
"I think the eyes have something to do with it," I offered. "It can't be a coincidence that they're arranged in numerical order. And the riddle talks about 'looking' in a direction."
"Sunrise would be in the east, and sunset in the west," said Kala.
Snickers pulled out a compass. "East that way, west that way," he confirmed.
"Maybe we have to bring all those creatures into the vault and have them face the way the note says?" said Kala, almost hopefully.
"Certainly not!" said Lavinia. "I know my parents never kept such beasts."
"Medusas, basilisks, and umber hulks all have special abilities related to their eyes, and the cyclops is named after its single eye," I said. "The chimera...I don't know much about chimeras. Is there anything special about their eyes?" I looked hopefully at Kala.
"I don't know much about chimeras either," she said, shrugging. "They have three heads, so I guess they have six eyes, if that helps."
Snickers jumped up. "Numbers! Combination lock has number code!"
My eyes widened as I caught his meaning. "The number of eyes on the monsters?"
"And direction changes for each one, same for most locks like this!" he said, rushing back to the pillar. "Six turns east, one turn west. What next?"
"Medusa," said Lavinia. "That's two eyes, I think."
Snickers turned the pillar again. "Next?"
"Umber hulk looks to sunset," Lavinia read. "I don't know how many eyes an umber hulk has."
"Four," I said, recalling the illustration in Professor Frimpdiggle's Underdark Bestiary. "One pair of compound eyes, and another smaller set of eyes above them."
"And basilisk is two," said Liona, standing on her tiptoes to peer at the note in Lavinia's hand. "They pretty much just look like lizards."
Snickers made the final turn, and there was a rumbling sound as the walls shifted, revealing five alcoves, each filled with treasure chests. Then the little kobold turned back to us and took a bow. Kala, Liona, and I cheered, while Lavinia merely offered an approving smile and a slow clap. Squawk, evidently roused by our cheering, gave an indignant "Squawk!"
There was just one problem. We opened the first chest. It was empty. And the second chest. Empty. And the third chest. Empty. All the chests in the first alcove were completely bare. So were all the chests in the second alcove. And the third. With each chest we opened, Lavinia looked more and more distraught. When the fourth alcove turned up empty too, I thought she might break down in tears right there in front of us.
Thankfully, when we got to the fifth alcove, we got a reprieve. "Oh, thank the gods," said Lavinia, her voice trembling slightly. The chest was full of coins and papers. So were the other remaining ones. It looked like several thousand gold pieces' worth of cash, plus some ledgers and a small iron coffer containing a thick pile of documents.
Monday, October 15, 2018
Chapter 7: The Vanderboren Vault, Part 2
We didn't spend much time in the castle itself, stopping there only to speak to a clerk who verified Lavinia's identity and her signet and escorted us to the vault. After walking down a long spiral staircase, we found ourselves in a large circular chamber under the castle. Over a dozen hallways radiated out from the central vault chamber. The clerk pointed us to the Vanderboren family vault, bade us good day, and returned to their office in the castle above, leaving us to the vault.
The short passageway to the vault ended at a solid-looking iron door emblazoned with a single rune: an eight-pointed star. Above the door, inscribed in flowing script on a polished silver plaque, was the name "Vanderboren." A single handle protruded from the door, just below a circular depression bearing the mark of the Vanderboren signet.
"What's that star symbol?" I asked, curious.
"I'm not quite sure, although it looks familiar," Lavinia admitted.
"Is same symbol as on building in Merchant District," Snickers said offhandedly.
"Huh," said Lavinia. "Well, let's open up this vault." Then, stepping forward, she inserted the signet ring into the depression above the handle. There was a harsh blue light, and the door slowly creaked open, revealing a domed chamber with a floor of polished green marble. Several marble pillars were carved to resemble coiling snakes. Painted on the ceiling was a huge representation of the same eight-pointed star as the door.
Snickers poked his head in. "Where treasure?" he asked.
"It looks like an antechamber," I said. "There must be another door in this room leading to the vault proper."
"I don't see one," said Liona. "But I have a spell for that. You first, though, Annie."
"Why me?"
"Because you're the indestructible one, remember?" Kala said matter-of-factly. "Any guardian that attacks you will probably bounce off harmlessly."
"We'll be right behind you," said Liona, flashing a thumbs-up.
I sighed, readied my shield, and stepped into the vault, holding my breath. Nothing seemed to happen.
I was getting ready to lower my guard when the snake pounced at me from the shadows.
I whirled around to block it with my shield just before its fangs struck my neck. The guardian was constructed from circular iron bands, strung together into a serpentine form with wicked-looking fangs protruding from its metallic jaws. The snake lunged again before I could gather my wits to respond, but my armor deflected the strike. That was everyone's cue to spring into action. Kala threw a flower, and Snickers hurled a sling bolt, but the one missed and the other bounced harmlessly off the snake. I charged up my gloves and delivered an electric jolt, which coursed through its coils, giving off a faint smell of ozone. "Yes! Get 'em!" shouted Liona, who had pulled a wand from her belt and was waving it to cast some kind of spell.
The snake darted at me again, but my shield was ready, and I held it at bay once more, using the opening to touch it again with my gloves—and this time, the lightning visibly scorched its chassis. Kala's aim was true as well; her flower hit the snake in its side, exploding in a burst of green light, knocking it back slightly. But it didn't slow down. Its next strike got under my armor. I flinched, but its teeth were no match for my magic. My skin flashed silvery-blue at the point of impact, and I grinned.
I could hurt it— but it couldn't hurt me. That meant the math was clear. As long as I could keep it focused on me, Kala and I could wear it down without anyone being injured. (Snickers had already given up on his sling and was busy cursing stupid constructs and their resistance to weapons, and Liona appeared to be strategizing with Lavinia.) I just hoped I was right, because there were small venom tanks clearly visible inside its mouth, and I really didn't want to find out what kind of poison was in them.
I reached out to touch it again, but it darted out of my reach and reared back to try for another bite. I dodged to the side, clearing a shot for Kala, whose next flower scored another direct hit, blasting a hole in its back. But it was still moving.
Then, suddenly, it stopped. Lavinia strode into the room, boldly presenting her signet ring to the construct. The snake turned and slithered back into the shadows, coiling around one of the marble pillars and becoming motionless once more.
"I knew it would work," said Liona, beaming. "You're welcome!"
The short passageway to the vault ended at a solid-looking iron door emblazoned with a single rune: an eight-pointed star. Above the door, inscribed in flowing script on a polished silver plaque, was the name "Vanderboren." A single handle protruded from the door, just below a circular depression bearing the mark of the Vanderboren signet.
"What's that star symbol?" I asked, curious.
"I'm not quite sure, although it looks familiar," Lavinia admitted.
"Is same symbol as on building in Merchant District," Snickers said offhandedly.
"Huh," said Lavinia. "Well, let's open up this vault." Then, stepping forward, she inserted the signet ring into the depression above the handle. There was a harsh blue light, and the door slowly creaked open, revealing a domed chamber with a floor of polished green marble. Several marble pillars were carved to resemble coiling snakes. Painted on the ceiling was a huge representation of the same eight-pointed star as the door.
Snickers poked his head in. "Where treasure?" he asked.
"It looks like an antechamber," I said. "There must be another door in this room leading to the vault proper."
"I don't see one," said Liona. "But I have a spell for that. You first, though, Annie."
"Why me?"
"Because you're the indestructible one, remember?" Kala said matter-of-factly. "Any guardian that attacks you will probably bounce off harmlessly."
"We'll be right behind you," said Liona, flashing a thumbs-up.
I sighed, readied my shield, and stepped into the vault, holding my breath. Nothing seemed to happen.
I was getting ready to lower my guard when the snake pounced at me from the shadows.
I whirled around to block it with my shield just before its fangs struck my neck. The guardian was constructed from circular iron bands, strung together into a serpentine form with wicked-looking fangs protruding from its metallic jaws. The snake lunged again before I could gather my wits to respond, but my armor deflected the strike. That was everyone's cue to spring into action. Kala threw a flower, and Snickers hurled a sling bolt, but the one missed and the other bounced harmlessly off the snake. I charged up my gloves and delivered an electric jolt, which coursed through its coils, giving off a faint smell of ozone. "Yes! Get 'em!" shouted Liona, who had pulled a wand from her belt and was waving it to cast some kind of spell.
The snake darted at me again, but my shield was ready, and I held it at bay once more, using the opening to touch it again with my gloves—and this time, the lightning visibly scorched its chassis. Kala's aim was true as well; her flower hit the snake in its side, exploding in a burst of green light, knocking it back slightly. But it didn't slow down. Its next strike got under my armor. I flinched, but its teeth were no match for my magic. My skin flashed silvery-blue at the point of impact, and I grinned.
I could hurt it— but it couldn't hurt me. That meant the math was clear. As long as I could keep it focused on me, Kala and I could wear it down without anyone being injured. (Snickers had already given up on his sling and was busy cursing stupid constructs and their resistance to weapons, and Liona appeared to be strategizing with Lavinia.) I just hoped I was right, because there were small venom tanks clearly visible inside its mouth, and I really didn't want to find out what kind of poison was in them.
I reached out to touch it again, but it darted out of my reach and reared back to try for another bite. I dodged to the side, clearing a shot for Kala, whose next flower scored another direct hit, blasting a hole in its back. But it was still moving.
Then, suddenly, it stopped. Lavinia strode into the room, boldly presenting her signet ring to the construct. The snake turned and slithered back into the shadows, coiling around one of the marble pillars and becoming motionless once more.
"I knew it would work," said Liona, beaming. "You're welcome!"
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Chapter 6: The Vanderboren Vault, Part 1
"Well, I'm impressed," said Lavinia.
It was the next day, and we were back in Vanderboren Manor. After Liona and I finished our magic preparations for the day (and I re-shaped my water-walking sandals back into the shock gloves), we had all taken a morning outing to the market to sell our loot (which, to my astonishment, fetched exactly the price Snickers named), during which time Kala spent her share on a replenishing food pouch and a shoulder perch for Squawk, Snickers bought an assortment of odds and ends and complained that the fancy sword was too big for him to use, and Liona traded said fancy sword for a fancy dagger that she promised would be useful for a communication ritual. I wasn't sure what to buy, so I decided to save most of my share, although I did purchase a morningstar and a heavy wooden shield, as well as a bottle of what the trader called "liquid sunlight," figuring it could be useful as a light source that wouldn't go out. Then we reported back in to our employer. We explained that Soller Vark had been running an animal smuggling racket and was trying to use the boat as a cheaper alternative to a dockside warehouse; and we showed her the signet ring, along with the note that was folded up and threaded through it, which seemed to contain some kind of riddle:
Chimera looks to sunrise
Cyclops looks to sunset
Medusa looks to sunrise
Umber Hulk looks to sunset
Basilisk looks to sunrise
None of us could figure out what it meant. Lavinia seemed pleased regardless.
"You've more than earned the gold I promised you," she continued. "But I wonder if you might stay on as my retainers. I'm sure I would have more work for you in the coming weeks. In fact, I actually have another job in mind that you've proved yourselves more than capable of."
"What pay like?" demanded Snickers.
"I'm prepared to offer a monthly salary of 100 gp each, plus hazard pay and a bonus for each job you complete," she answered.
"What job in mind?" Snickers said suspiciously.
"Well, now that I have the signet ring, I have to actually get into the vault." Lavinia took a deep breath. "I've never been in the vault before. There's supposed to be a guardian, a construct of some kind. I don't know the passphrase to bypass it. If it isn't programmed to recognize my bloodline automatically, it might attack. I want you all there for protection. Additionally..." She indicated the note from the ring. "I have no idea what this 'sunrise and sunset' business is, but my father must have left it for a reason. Perhaps the vault itself will contain additional context. It would be nice to have some extra brains around to help figure it out."
"So what if nothing attacks you and you manage to solve the puzzle yourself?" I said.
Lavinia smiled. "Then I still pay you, of course. That's how this works."
"What health plan like? Snickers want dental!" said Snickers.
"I'm the health plan, doofus," said Liona. "You don't like my healing, I'll be happy to knock your teeth out."
Lavinia raised one hand. "I actually will cover healing costs for injuries sustained in my service," she said. "Provided Ms. Fairweather doesn't get to them first, of course."
"Ooh, I'm in, then," said Liona.
"Snickers too," said Snickers.
"Sure," I said.
"SQUAWK!" said Squawk. We all stared. "He says we're in, too," Kala translated. "He wants to be paid in sunflower seeds, though. Is that okay?"
Lavinia shrugged. "Sure, I can throw in a bag of sunflower seeds for the bird. Why not?"
"I think that's what he said, anyway. I'm still not very fluent in bird," muttered Kala.
"If it's all right with all of you, I'd like to try and open the vault now," Lavinia said. "Would you all accompany me to Castle Teraknian? There is a coach waiting for us outside."
Of course we all said yes.
Lavinia raised one hand. "I actually will cover healing costs for injuries sustained in my service," she said. "Provided Ms. Fairweather doesn't get to them first, of course."
"Ooh, I'm in, then," said Liona.
"Snickers too," said Snickers.
"Sure," I said.
"SQUAWK!" said Squawk. We all stared. "He says we're in, too," Kala translated. "He wants to be paid in sunflower seeds, though. Is that okay?"
Lavinia shrugged. "Sure, I can throw in a bag of sunflower seeds for the bird. Why not?"
"I think that's what he said, anyway. I'm still not very fluent in bird," muttered Kala.
"If it's all right with all of you, I'd like to try and open the vault now," Lavinia said. "Would you all accompany me to Castle Teraknian? There is a coach waiting for us outside."
Of course we all said yes.
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Chapter 5: Trouble on the Blue Nixie, Part 3
My dreams were filled with blue. It was soothing. I was floating in an endless cerulean sea. It was the color of my eyes, and the color of my magic. I found it oddly comforting. Grandma always liked to tell me my eyes were too blue for their own good. Good ol' Grandma. What was she up to right now? It was nighttime, so probably asleep, like me. Or was I dead? If this was the afterlife, I hoped I wasn't dead. Swimming in pure magic was pleasant, but there was a severe shortage of reading material, and any afterlife without books was no afterlife for me.
I kicked my feet absentmindedly and found that I could swim with ease through the sea of magical energy. I knew, in the way you know things in dreams, that that was what it was: the same raw essence that fueled my own magical abilities. I swam forward, and then, unexpectedly, surfaced. Once I breached the surface, the tranquility of the dream was immediately shattered by ear-piercing hoots and shrieks.
"Wake up!" said a female voice. Liona was standing above me, and I could smell the seafoam scent of her magic on the air, mingling with the smell of smoke and viscera. "It's cool, the coast is clear, no more monsters," said Liona. "Not so invincible a bookworm after all, eh?"
I started to get up, but she held a hand gently on my sternum to keep me down. "Woah there," she warned. "I was able to heal you back to consciousness, but you still have, like, multiple broken ribs. Just hang tight while I put out these fires, 'kay?"
I groaned and surveiled my surroundings as best I could from my prone position. I was still in the ship's hold, but the spider-thing was lying dead on the floor next to me. The walls were lined with animal cages. That's right—they were on fire. But the animals had all been released. Kala was gently whispering to them while Liona was casting water spells to extinguish the remaining fires. As for me, my whole body hurt like hell, although my magical defenses felt like they were back up.
"What happened?" I asked.
"Looks like they were using the ship to smuggle exotic animals," said Liona. "One of the crew tried to destroy them, but that crazy monster got loose and killed her. Kala's summons finished off the monster just before I made it here. It was trying to eat you. Came damn close, too. Lucky for all of us, seems you're a tough nut to crack. Any one of us it got its freaky spider claws on besides you would be in two pieces right now, I guarantee it."
"The poor thing," cooed Kala, stroking the monster's corpse. "It was only lashing out because it was confused and scared and hungry." She turned and smiled at me. "But if you hadn't been there to help, Annie, I'd be dead right now. You saved my life. Thank you."
"Oh, uh...no problem," I said. "I didn't really do much, though, did I? Outside of getting thrown off the ship and almost getting eaten by a...what was that thing?"
"A rhagodessa," said Kala. "It's kind of like a mix between a camel spider and a grick."
"Did we find the, uh..." I wracked my brain. "...Signet ring? That's what we were looking for, right?"
"Snickers is searching for it now," said Liona reassuringly. "He's good at that sort of thing. Now, let me have another look at your injuries." She laid her hands on me and I smelled seafoam again. There was a slightly uncomfortable sensation as I felt my bones repairing themselves inside my body. Then the pain was gone. I sat up gingerly.
"Thank you," I said. "I'm sorry I wasn't more use during the fight. I know I didn't do much besides get thrown off the ship and then nearly get eaten. I'm still new to this whole adventuring business. I guess I'm not very good at it."
"Yeah, you really screwed up taking down Vark and saving Kala from the rhago-daggo-bobaggo," Liona said, raising one eyebrow. "Don't beat yourself up, kid. You pulled your weight just fine. And I think you got beaten up enough already. I mean, damn. That thing nearly cracked you like a walnut."
I grimaced. "I am definitely against being cracked like a walnut, or any other kind of nut for that matter. In fact, let's just avoid being cracked entirely."
Snickers's voice came echoing down from the grate above: "Snickers find stuff! Come up and look. Good stuff."
We headed back upstairs to the deck. All the birds that had been cooped up in the hold took wing as soon as the door opened, except for one parrot, who was sitting contentedly on Kala's head as she walked out. "His name is Squawk," Kala explained. "We're friends now."
Snickers was standing proudly over a pile of loot at least as big as he was. "Snickers find ring. Also more stuff." I could see several crossbows, two potions, a finely crafted sword and shield, a suit of sharkskin armor that had clearly been removed from Soller Vark, and an assortment of jewelry and other valuables. "We keep potions, give ring to rich lady, Snickers sell rest for 1,606 gold!" he said. "That 401 gold and 5 silver each."
"Adventuring. It pays!" Liona said, noticing my eyes go wide. "C'mon, let's grab one of these rowboats and haul all this back to shore. We can dump Varky here in the gutter."
"Squawk!" said Squawk.
"Squawk!" said Squawk.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Chapter 4: Trouble on the Blue Nixie, Part 2
My hands shook as I drew my spear and pointed it at him. Vark laughed. I took an involuntary step back, bumping up against the railing. Then he charged, easily parrying my strike with his own, then striking my hand with the flat of his rapier, causing me to drop my weapon. He kicked it away, and I took the opening to stomp as hard as I could on his foot. "Bitch," he snarled. Snickers leapt out of my bag, bounded over Vark, and tried to slash at his legs. He didn't land a hit, but at least Vark was distracted.
I heard swearing from below me. Liona and Kala were still trying to climb up the side. We were on our own for now. I pressed forward, weaponless, trying to cut Vark with the shark teeth adorning my armor. To my surprise, I drew blood, cutting a deep gash in his collarbone. The sailor looked staggered for a moment, then turned his head and shouted "Burn them! Burn them all! Do it! Now!" before lunging at me shoulder-first. He caught me in the chest, and the railing snapped behind me. For a moment I hung in the air, watching him crumple into a heap, Snickers standing over him triumphantly with a sap in hand. Then I fell.
The impact knocked the wind out of me. I landed on my back in the water, getting a mouthful of seawater as I briefly plunged below the surface before floating back up. I got to my hands and knees and vomited. Everything hurt. I guess my protective magic doesn't help against gravity. Good to know.
There was a splash next to me. I realized Liona was calling my name. She laid her hands on me and the pain instantly went away. "Come on, Annie, we can't let him destroy evidence!" she said. "Get your invincible butt up there!"
"Right," I said, gathering my senses, and swiftly climbed back up onto the deck where Snickers was currently going through Vark's pockets. The sound of shrieking monkeys and parrots welled up from belowdecks, followed by a terrible crash, a woman's high-pitched scream, and a strange, shrill keening.
"There are animals down there being hurt!" said Kala, leaping over the railing onto the deck and running for the staircase leading into the hold. I grabbed my fallen spear and followed on her heels. Inside, we saw a living nightmare. An enormous spider-like monster the size of a horse stood over the body of a female sailor. Its immense mandibles chattered and clacked with obvious hunger as it turned toward us.
"We have to get those animals out of the cages!" Kala said urgently, pointing. All manner of exotic animals were trapped in cages, some of which were on fire. But the spider-thing—I wracked my brain trying to think what it might be, but I came up blank—wasn't going to give us time. It charged toward us. Kala tugged another flower off her necklace and tossed it at the monster's feet, screwing up her face in concentration. Then the beast was on her. She dove out of the way just before it could catch her in those massive jaws. "Snickers! Where are you? We have a situation!" I yelled, jabbing with my spear and managing to draw blood. The creature keened again and turned to face me. "Aw crap," I said.
A crossbow bolt sprouted from the wood floor next to the monster. "Snickers not coming down there!" came the kobold's voice from the grate above us. "Shoot from here, please and thank you!" Then Kala finished her spell. Oversized bees started pouring out of her flower, swarming over the monster as it keened again in pain. It flailed wildly, trying to get them off. Taking advantage of its temporary distraction, I moved into a flanking position and struck again, but the sound of a monkey's screech threw me off-balance, and I missed. Another crossbow bolt hit the floor next to the creature.
Kala moved to one of the cages, trying to free the animal inside without losing her concentration. The bees had started stinging the spider-thing's eyes, but it lunged blindly at my position—and its oversized front legs grabbed me, pulling me into the swarm with it. "FUCK!" I shouted. I felt its powerful mandibles crunch down on my torso, and I screamed in pain. The protective field around me strained and started to crack. It could only take so much. Now the bees were coming at both of us indiscriminately. I shut my eyes and strained to escape, but it only grabbed me harder. There was a sudden crushing agony as it finally snapped through my wards. Then everything went black.
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Chapter 3: Trouble on the Blue Nixie, Part 1
The Blue Nixie was supposed to be docked at pier five. Which was why it was so surprising to find that it was actually moored to a float in the middle of the harbor instead.
"Great. That's great. How is Snickers supposed to get all the way out there?" said Liona.
"Hey!" said Snickers.
"I don't think it's great at all. I was hoping Snickers could come with us," added Kala thoughtfully.
Snickers was the only one of us who might have trouble swimming out that far. I mean, I'm not a good swimmer either, but I knew we were going onto a boat, so I spent an hour that morning reshaping my shock gloves into a pair of sandals that would let me walk on water. It left me without any magical offense, but it was better than drowning if I got knocked overboard, and while I wasn't great with weapons, I could at least stick someone with the pointy end of a spear. Liona was a natural swimmer—apparently she had some ancestors from the Elemental Plane of Water, or so she told me—and Kala's nixie heritage allowed her to swim like a champion and even breathe underwater when she needed to.
"It not problem," said Snickers, and without warning, he scurried up behind me, climbed onto my back, and leapt into my newly-purchased adventurer's backpack. "Giddyup, Annie."
"Excuse me, I'm a librarian, not a horse!" I protested.
"Good. Kobold never ride horse. You more like giant weasel. Better mount for kobold. Go across water now!" he said, poking at the back of my neck with his claw as he spoke.
Liona was choking back laughter. I shot her a dirty look. "What's wrong?" she said cheerily. "You heard the kobold! Make like a weasel! Come on!" And with that, she dove into the water.
"Oh! I guess we're going then!" said Kala, slipping into the water behind her. Snickers was still prodding my neck. I sighed and stepped gingerly off the dock. The water was soft and wet, but it held my weight (and Snickers's). I could see a faint blue glow where my soles met the surface of the water. I tried a few gentle, experimental bounces—but I couldn't break the surface without floating right back up. It was as if the magic had turned me into an Annabelle-sized buoy.
"Cross water faster! Snickers feeling seasick!" said Snickers.
"If you throw up on me, I swear I'll drop you," I hissed back. We started across the harbor. It was dark out—credit Liona for that. Not for the sun going down at night, I mean, but for the idea to creep in after dark to try and catch anyone guarding the boat unawares.
Pretty soon we were looking up the side of the ship. Over the sound of the waves, I could hear footsteps on the deck. "That's your cue, Kala," Liona whispered. Kala nodded and pulled a flower off of her necklace, which had remained miraculously dry, and gave it a strong overhand throw, so it landed on the deck of the ship.
"Huh?" came a deep voice from above. Then came "What the f—" before the voice was drowned out by the loud buzzing. More shouting and cussing followed. Then screaming.
"They're trying to fight the bees," Kala whispered serenely. "Not smart. Swords and crossbows won't be any use against a swarm like that. If I were them, I'd—"
There was a loud splash as one of the crew members jumped into the water right next to us.
"—do that," Kala finished.
I managed to pull the man out of the water before he could swim away. He was a human, light-skinned, with red hair and cheap leather armor. "Hi," I said. "Sorry about the bees. There's been a bit of a mix-up with the ship. Who else is on board?"
"S-s-seven others," he stammered. "Look, I'm just a hireling, I don't know much! And I'm allergic, okay? Please let me go!"
Several more splashes followed his words. It seemed the rest of the crew had caught on. I could see the swarm flying off the ship to pursue the fleeing sailors. "That means there's no one left on board for them to chase. It should be safe for us to go up now," Kala said, relaxing her concentration. The swarm dispersed as quickly as it appeared.
"It was supposed to be an easy smuggling operation!" sputtered the sailor I was holding. "He only offered us 20 gold to load those animal cages on board! It weren't nothin' notorious, honest! That's all I know! Please, I don't wanna die for 20 gold!"
He probably meant "nefarious." I resisted the urge to correct him. "I guess we can let him go," said Liona.
"Wait!" cried Snickers from behind me. He scrambled out of the bag, reached into the sailor's pockets, and pulled out a small pouch of coins. "Okay! Now we let him go!" he finished.
I let him go. "Sorry again!" I called as he swam away. "Uh...have a nice day!" Liona stared at me. I blushed. "It's what I tell the library visitors when they leave, okay? Shut up."
"I didn't say anything," she said with a wink, and started climbing up the side of the ship. "C'mon."
And I was worried that my spider cloak wouldn't be useful in this adventure! It's the only one of my...magic things...that I haven't figured out how to re-shape into anything else yet, so I just wear it all the time. Now I had the perfect opportunity to show off a little. While the others struggled to make their way up the slippery ropes to the deck, I scaled my way up the side as easily as if there had been a staircase, reaching the top when Kala and Liona were barely halfway.
"Good climbing, Weasel Annie," said Snickers.
"Yes, well done," said a man's voice. I turned. A bald man with a skull tattoo on his shoulder had just emerged from the cabin, and he was approaching us menacingly, sword in hand. "But this is my ship."
Crap.
"Great. That's great. How is Snickers supposed to get all the way out there?" said Liona.
"Hey!" said Snickers.
"I don't think it's great at all. I was hoping Snickers could come with us," added Kala thoughtfully.
Snickers was the only one of us who might have trouble swimming out that far. I mean, I'm not a good swimmer either, but I knew we were going onto a boat, so I spent an hour that morning reshaping my shock gloves into a pair of sandals that would let me walk on water. It left me without any magical offense, but it was better than drowning if I got knocked overboard, and while I wasn't great with weapons, I could at least stick someone with the pointy end of a spear. Liona was a natural swimmer—apparently she had some ancestors from the Elemental Plane of Water, or so she told me—and Kala's nixie heritage allowed her to swim like a champion and even breathe underwater when she needed to.
"It not problem," said Snickers, and without warning, he scurried up behind me, climbed onto my back, and leapt into my newly-purchased adventurer's backpack. "Giddyup, Annie."
"Excuse me, I'm a librarian, not a horse!" I protested.
"Good. Kobold never ride horse. You more like giant weasel. Better mount for kobold. Go across water now!" he said, poking at the back of my neck with his claw as he spoke.
Liona was choking back laughter. I shot her a dirty look. "What's wrong?" she said cheerily. "You heard the kobold! Make like a weasel! Come on!" And with that, she dove into the water.
"Oh! I guess we're going then!" said Kala, slipping into the water behind her. Snickers was still prodding my neck. I sighed and stepped gingerly off the dock. The water was soft and wet, but it held my weight (and Snickers's). I could see a faint blue glow where my soles met the surface of the water. I tried a few gentle, experimental bounces—but I couldn't break the surface without floating right back up. It was as if the magic had turned me into an Annabelle-sized buoy.
"Cross water faster! Snickers feeling seasick!" said Snickers.
"If you throw up on me, I swear I'll drop you," I hissed back. We started across the harbor. It was dark out—credit Liona for that. Not for the sun going down at night, I mean, but for the idea to creep in after dark to try and catch anyone guarding the boat unawares.
Pretty soon we were looking up the side of the ship. Over the sound of the waves, I could hear footsteps on the deck. "That's your cue, Kala," Liona whispered. Kala nodded and pulled a flower off of her necklace, which had remained miraculously dry, and gave it a strong overhand throw, so it landed on the deck of the ship.
"Huh?" came a deep voice from above. Then came "What the f—" before the voice was drowned out by the loud buzzing. More shouting and cussing followed. Then screaming.
"They're trying to fight the bees," Kala whispered serenely. "Not smart. Swords and crossbows won't be any use against a swarm like that. If I were them, I'd—"
There was a loud splash as one of the crew members jumped into the water right next to us.
"—do that," Kala finished.
I managed to pull the man out of the water before he could swim away. He was a human, light-skinned, with red hair and cheap leather armor. "Hi," I said. "Sorry about the bees. There's been a bit of a mix-up with the ship. Who else is on board?"
"S-s-seven others," he stammered. "Look, I'm just a hireling, I don't know much! And I'm allergic, okay? Please let me go!"
Several more splashes followed his words. It seemed the rest of the crew had caught on. I could see the swarm flying off the ship to pursue the fleeing sailors. "That means there's no one left on board for them to chase. It should be safe for us to go up now," Kala said, relaxing her concentration. The swarm dispersed as quickly as it appeared.
"It was supposed to be an easy smuggling operation!" sputtered the sailor I was holding. "He only offered us 20 gold to load those animal cages on board! It weren't nothin' notorious, honest! That's all I know! Please, I don't wanna die for 20 gold!"
He probably meant "nefarious." I resisted the urge to correct him. "I guess we can let him go," said Liona.
"Wait!" cried Snickers from behind me. He scrambled out of the bag, reached into the sailor's pockets, and pulled out a small pouch of coins. "Okay! Now we let him go!" he finished.
I let him go. "Sorry again!" I called as he swam away. "Uh...have a nice day!" Liona stared at me. I blushed. "It's what I tell the library visitors when they leave, okay? Shut up."
"I didn't say anything," she said with a wink, and started climbing up the side of the ship. "C'mon."
And I was worried that my spider cloak wouldn't be useful in this adventure! It's the only one of my...magic things...that I haven't figured out how to re-shape into anything else yet, so I just wear it all the time. Now I had the perfect opportunity to show off a little. While the others struggled to make their way up the slippery ropes to the deck, I scaled my way up the side as easily as if there had been a staircase, reaching the top when Kala and Liona were barely halfway.
"Good climbing, Weasel Annie," said Snickers.
"Yes, well done," said a man's voice. I turned. A bald man with a skull tattoo on his shoulder had just emerged from the cabin, and he was approaching us menacingly, sword in hand. "But this is my ship."
Crap.
Chapter 2: A Noble in Need, Part 2
We were greeted at the door by a halfling serving-woman who showed us to an atrium. Two other people were waiting inside: a scrawny kobold with sandy-yellow scales and eyes that flicked watchfully across the room, and an androgynous green-skinned woman wearing a necklace of flowers. "Kala Knowlern! Well, I never! Someone finally lured you out of Sunrise! It's been too long!" exclaimed Liona. "And is that Snickers?"
The kobold only snorted, but the green woman smiled warmly. "Liona. It's good to see you too. Who's your friend?"
"Oh, of course, I forget my manners! Annie, this is Kala, and that there is Snickers. Kala, Snickers, this is Annie. She's 'just a librarian,' apparently." You could hear the quotation marks in her voice.
"Why she here if she just librarian?" said Snickers in an accent I couldn't place. "Quest person need research? Quest person better not hire Snickers for research quest. Snickers got better things to do than dusty book reading things."
"My guess is she's here because of this," said Liona, and without warning, she kicked me as hard as she could in the shin.
I yelped and drew my foot back as my skin briefly flashed bright silver at the impact point. "What did you do that for?" I said, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment as I shot Liona a glare. She only winked in reply. Kala clapped slowly. "Limited invulnerability," she said. "Neat. I have a similar ability, although mine is inherited—my mom was half-fey, so I can mostly avoid minor scratches and bruises as long as I stay away from cold iron. You must not have had your powers very long, or you'd have learned not to flinch by now. Is it a spell? I don't recognize the magic."
"I honestly don't know," I admitted. "The truth is, I don't understand my abilities very well at all. I can do these bracers that protect me from physical harm—" I lifted my sleeve to show the silvery-blue bracers underneath. "—and this cloak that lets me climb walls, and these gloves that can release an electric shock with a touch. I can do others, too, like sandals that let me walk on water, or a belt that protects me from the heat, or lenses that improve my eyesight. But I can't do them all at the same time."
"I understand," said Kala. "I'm still growing into my own magic as well. So far I can't do much with my flowers besides attract swarms of bees."
"Real fun at parties, I can tell you," said Liona.
"Actually, I tried it once at a party and it was very unfun," said Kala, frowning. "You were there, were you not? There was screaming and bleeding and crying."
"Snickers thought it was fun," said Snickers. "Gave Snickers great idea for bee-based trap."
I wasn't sure how to respond to that. Luckily, I didn't have to, because the conversation was interrupted by entrance of several new arrivals: a jaunty male half-elf dressed in leather armor and armed with a half-dozen daggers of different shapes; a dark-skinned dwarf with a sour expression dressed in green and brown robes and clutching a large curved spear; a haughty-looking woman dressed in dark purple robes and with a tattoo of a crescent moon on one cheek; and a tall and handsome man dressed in polished breastplate carrying a bastard sword. The servant who let us in before followed after them.
I waved politely. The man in the breastplate stopped, looking at me as if was sizing me up. "You lot must be the help Lavinia's bringing in to do the chores," he said.
"I guess so," I said.
"Well, best o' luck to ya!" he said, giving me a nod before striding out the door along with his companions.
"Safe travels, Mr. Kientai!" said the servant. She turned to us and bowed. "Lady Lavinia is ready to see you now. May I show you to the dining hall?"
As she led us down the hallway, I asked, "Who were those guys back there?"
"The Jade Ravens," said Liona. "Mercenary company currently in the service of House Vanderboren. A bit pompous if you ask me."
"Lady Lavinia has asked the Jade Ravens to travel south to Cauldron on a quest of their own," said the servant girl. "But don't worry, she won't be asking you four to leave the city of Sasserine today. Right in here, if you please?"
The dining hall looked comfortable, cozy, and private, with wall-mounted lanterns filling the room with soft light. There was a window overlooking the manor's central courtyard, and hanging on the wall was a large portrait depicting a handsome young man with a short beard. A woman stood before the portrait in a long, flowing blue dress, smiling at us as we came in.
"My lady, may I present Miss Annabelle, Miss Liona Fairweather, Miss Kala Knowlern, and Mr. Snickers," the servant said in a formal tone.
"Thank you, Kora," said the woman. The halfling girl bowed and left the room, leaving us with Lavinia. "Welcome. I am your employer, Lady Lavinia Vanderboren," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you all in person. Shall we discuss business over a drink?" She gestured toward the dining table, which was already set for five, with a ceramic teapot in the center. We took our seats. I noted that two chairs were conveniently elevated so that Liona and Snickers could reach the table.
"So who's in the portrait?" I asked her as she poured each of us a cup of tea. She paused for a moment, then answered: "My brother, Vanthus." I could tell from her tone that it was a sensitive subject for some reason. I decided not to press further.
As we waited for our tea to cool down (well, all of us except Liona, who chugged the whole cup while it was still hot), Lady Lavinia began to explain. "As you may have heard, I recently inherited my parents' estate," she said. "Unfortunately, along with this fine house came a fine amount of debt owed to the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and quite a few guildhalls. It seems my parents, for all their success as adventurers, were not as skilled at finance as one might hope. And if I'm to get my taxes paid, I'll need access to my family's vault under Castle Teraknian.
"There's just one problem, you see," she continued, taking a sip of tea. "The vaults are magically locked—keyed to special signet rings. Both of my parents had these rings—at least, until recently. My mother lost hers a few months ago. She arranged for a replacement, but it won't be done for another month or so, too late for me. Which leaves my father's ring. He never wore it—he had a thing about men wearing jewelry, bless his soul." She rolled her eyes. "So he kept it hidden somewhere on his ship, the Blue Nixie.
"The problem there is that after his death, the harbormaster seized the ship until someone could pay for the last four months of mooring. Now, I've paid the fines to the man the harbormaster's put in charge of my ship—a brute of a fellow named Soller Vark. And yet when I went to claim my ship, Vark's people wouldn't let me on board, claiming I hadn't paid the fines."
"I thought you said you paid them to Vark," said Kala.
"I did," continued Lavinia. "So I spoke to Vark again, and he denied ever receiving my payment. I complained to the harbormaster, but he didn't want to hear it—he's a stubborn old fool who trusts his man and won't relent."
She sat back in her chair. "And that's where you come in. Vark and his crew are up to something on my ship—I know it. I just need to find out what it is. Unfortunately, I don't think Vark is the type to respond to diplomacy or logic. I need someone who speaks his language."
"His language not Common? Snickers speak Common, speak Draconic, not so much speak other language," said Snickers.
"She means violence, Snick. The language of violence." Liona said. Lavinia nodded.
"What, like smash, blech, augh, pow, splort? Snickers speak that language too!" Snickers replied.
I raised my hand. "I, um, I don't speak the language of violence," I said. "At least, not very well. I took some of the combat training courses at the Academy. I got a C. It's not really my best subject."
"I'm not asking you to assassinate him," said Lavinia. "I'm not that sort of noble. Just find out what he's using my ship for, or, even better, recover the money I paid him. If you can do so nonviolently, then by all means, but I suspect he won't respond without the threat of force."
"What about the city watch?" I pressed. "Can't they handle it?"
Lavinia sighed. "I did approach them, and the government as well. But they told me without any proof of wrongdoing, there's not much they can do. All they did was promise a low-priority investigation at some indeterminate point in the future. I don't have that long to wait. That's why I'm willing to offer you folks 200 gold pieces to handle it instead."
"Each?" said Snickers.
"Each," Lavinia confirmed. "And an extra 50% if you can retrieve the money."
My jaw dropped. 200, maybe 300 gold pieces. That was more than I made in a month at the library. It was more than I made in six months at the library. Wow. Just...I mean, wow. This was...wow.
"We'll do it," said Liona. "But we'll need an advance. Annie here doesn't have any adventuring gear."
"Done," said Lavinia. "Kora will provide it to you on your way out. Anything else?"
There was a moment of silence, and then Kala raised her hand. "Do you have a bathroom?"
Lavinia smiled. "Down the hall, last door on the right."
I took another sip of tea, lost in thought. I didn't think of myself as an adventurer...but on the other hand, 300 gp was a lot of money. With that kind of cash, I could take a vacation from the library to do my own research, learn more about my powers and how to use them. Heck, I could even pay someone to do the research for me. Or...the thought came to me...or I could pay for a divination. Find out...find out who my father was. Where he is. Why he left. I shuddered a little bit. Did I even want to know? I wasn't sure. But...either way...I realized I had already decided to accept the job.
Well. This was bound to be educational.
"Safe travels, Mr. Kientai!" said the servant. She turned to us and bowed. "Lady Lavinia is ready to see you now. May I show you to the dining hall?"
As she led us down the hallway, I asked, "Who were those guys back there?"
"The Jade Ravens," said Liona. "Mercenary company currently in the service of House Vanderboren. A bit pompous if you ask me."
"Lady Lavinia has asked the Jade Ravens to travel south to Cauldron on a quest of their own," said the servant girl. "But don't worry, she won't be asking you four to leave the city of Sasserine today. Right in here, if you please?"
The dining hall looked comfortable, cozy, and private, with wall-mounted lanterns filling the room with soft light. There was a window overlooking the manor's central courtyard, and hanging on the wall was a large portrait depicting a handsome young man with a short beard. A woman stood before the portrait in a long, flowing blue dress, smiling at us as we came in.
"My lady, may I present Miss Annabelle, Miss Liona Fairweather, Miss Kala Knowlern, and Mr. Snickers," the servant said in a formal tone.
"Thank you, Kora," said the woman. The halfling girl bowed and left the room, leaving us with Lavinia. "Welcome. I am your employer, Lady Lavinia Vanderboren," she said. "It's a pleasure to meet you all in person. Shall we discuss business over a drink?" She gestured toward the dining table, which was already set for five, with a ceramic teapot in the center. We took our seats. I noted that two chairs were conveniently elevated so that Liona and Snickers could reach the table.
"So who's in the portrait?" I asked her as she poured each of us a cup of tea. She paused for a moment, then answered: "My brother, Vanthus." I could tell from her tone that it was a sensitive subject for some reason. I decided not to press further.
As we waited for our tea to cool down (well, all of us except Liona, who chugged the whole cup while it was still hot), Lady Lavinia began to explain. "As you may have heard, I recently inherited my parents' estate," she said. "Unfortunately, along with this fine house came a fine amount of debt owed to the Dawn Council, the harbormaster, and quite a few guildhalls. It seems my parents, for all their success as adventurers, were not as skilled at finance as one might hope. And if I'm to get my taxes paid, I'll need access to my family's vault under Castle Teraknian.
"There's just one problem, you see," she continued, taking a sip of tea. "The vaults are magically locked—keyed to special signet rings. Both of my parents had these rings—at least, until recently. My mother lost hers a few months ago. She arranged for a replacement, but it won't be done for another month or so, too late for me. Which leaves my father's ring. He never wore it—he had a thing about men wearing jewelry, bless his soul." She rolled her eyes. "So he kept it hidden somewhere on his ship, the Blue Nixie.
"The problem there is that after his death, the harbormaster seized the ship until someone could pay for the last four months of mooring. Now, I've paid the fines to the man the harbormaster's put in charge of my ship—a brute of a fellow named Soller Vark. And yet when I went to claim my ship, Vark's people wouldn't let me on board, claiming I hadn't paid the fines."
"I thought you said you paid them to Vark," said Kala.
"I did," continued Lavinia. "So I spoke to Vark again, and he denied ever receiving my payment. I complained to the harbormaster, but he didn't want to hear it—he's a stubborn old fool who trusts his man and won't relent."
She sat back in her chair. "And that's where you come in. Vark and his crew are up to something on my ship—I know it. I just need to find out what it is. Unfortunately, I don't think Vark is the type to respond to diplomacy or logic. I need someone who speaks his language."
"His language not Common? Snickers speak Common, speak Draconic, not so much speak other language," said Snickers.
"She means violence, Snick. The language of violence." Liona said. Lavinia nodded.
"What, like smash, blech, augh, pow, splort? Snickers speak that language too!" Snickers replied.
I raised my hand. "I, um, I don't speak the language of violence," I said. "At least, not very well. I took some of the combat training courses at the Academy. I got a C. It's not really my best subject."
"I'm not asking you to assassinate him," said Lavinia. "I'm not that sort of noble. Just find out what he's using my ship for, or, even better, recover the money I paid him. If you can do so nonviolently, then by all means, but I suspect he won't respond without the threat of force."
"What about the city watch?" I pressed. "Can't they handle it?"
Lavinia sighed. "I did approach them, and the government as well. But they told me without any proof of wrongdoing, there's not much they can do. All they did was promise a low-priority investigation at some indeterminate point in the future. I don't have that long to wait. That's why I'm willing to offer you folks 200 gold pieces to handle it instead."
"Each?" said Snickers.
"Each," Lavinia confirmed. "And an extra 50% if you can retrieve the money."
My jaw dropped. 200, maybe 300 gold pieces. That was more than I made in a month at the library. It was more than I made in six months at the library. Wow. Just...I mean, wow. This was...wow.
"We'll do it," said Liona. "But we'll need an advance. Annie here doesn't have any adventuring gear."
"Done," said Lavinia. "Kora will provide it to you on your way out. Anything else?"
There was a moment of silence, and then Kala raised her hand. "Do you have a bathroom?"
Lavinia smiled. "Down the hall, last door on the right."
I took another sip of tea, lost in thought. I didn't think of myself as an adventurer...but on the other hand, 300 gp was a lot of money. With that kind of cash, I could take a vacation from the library to do my own research, learn more about my powers and how to use them. Heck, I could even pay someone to do the research for me. Or...the thought came to me...or I could pay for a divination. Find out...find out who my father was. Where he is. Why he left. I shuddered a little bit. Did I even want to know? I wasn't sure. But...either way...I realized I had already decided to accept the job.
Well. This was bound to be educational.
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Chapter 1: A Noble in Need, Part 1
Vanderboren Manor stood before me like a towering gothic temple, the gargoyles on its eaves leering at me as if they knew I didn't belong there. I clutched the invitation as I approached the gates, which were wide open, with no sign of guards or servants to welcome visitors. I hesitated, not sure if I should go in.
My name is Annabelle. I'm a librarian. I'm from Sasserine's Noble district, but there's nothing noble about me. If you had told me three weeks ago that I'd be at the gates of a noble's mansion holding an invitation for a personal meeting with the head of the house addressed to my name, I'm not sure I would have believed you. That was before I stopped a runaway cart by jumping in front of it and zapping the horse unconscious with my bare hands. In retrospect, I don't know what I was thinking, but the driver walked away from it, and so did I—and I guess I gained a reputation in the process. People started whispering behind my back, calling me "the invincible bookworm," saying I was secretly a powerful wizard.
For the record, I'm not a powerful wizard. I can't even cast any spells. I've looked at spellbooks, tried to decipher some of the rituals and incantations, but for the life of me I can't get any of them to work the way the books say. Instead, they...well, they do something else. Somehow, I have a talent for shaping magical energy into physical objects. For instance, I once tried to learn a "Spider Climb" spell so I could reach the top shelves more easily. (I swear they build those things for goliaths. I'm barely 5 feet tall.) I labored over it for an hour. I could feel the magic essence in my hands as I was working. Then the next thing I knew, I was wearing a gray and white cloak with mottled blue markings that seemed to shift and flow over my back like liquid. It felt real, and solid, but when I tried to take it off, it just flowed right back onto my shoulders. I was totally freaking out—but it worked. I could climb walls effortlessly while I wore it. Thing is, that's not how the spell is supposed to work. It's supposed to last maybe an hour or so, with no weird visual effects. My spider cloak has lasted for months.
Long story short, it turns out I'm naturally gifted at an obscure form of magic, and I have no idea why. Either way, I guess word got around, and a messenger knocked on my door to deliver a letter from a noblewoman who heard about me and, apparently, decided she needed to talk to me over dinner. At her mansion.
"Hey, knock knock, you there?"
I jumped at the sound.
"Fellow adventurer, I'm guessing?" said the same voice, which belonged to a dark-haired, tan-skinned halfling woman in sharkleather armor. "Looks like we got the same note." She waved a letter of her own, written on the same stationery as the one I received.
"Sorry! I spaced out! I'm a little nervous. I don't think I've even set foot in the Merchant District before, let alone in a place like this. I'm Annabelle."
"Liona. Nice to meet you! I've heard rumors about you, I think! Going into the adventuring business proper, then, huh? Oh—I hope you'll forgive me if I don't shake hands!"
I looked at the sparks of electricity coursing intermittently between the fingers of my gloves—another of my creations, and the same magic I once used to knock out a panicked horse—and nodded mutely, not sure how to respond. Adventuring business?
Liona must have spotted the look on my face. "Ah, you didn't know it was about a quest? Trust me, this is how adventures always start! A wealthy patron contracts a ragtag group of freelancers for a discreet purpose? Par for the course!"
"But...I'm just a librarian," I stammered. "I mean, I know a little magic...sort of...but I'm not an adventurer!"
"That's only because you don't have an adventurer's kit yet," said Liona sagely. "Don't worry, this is the Merchant District. We'll get you fixed up with one soon enough. Now, are you coming in or what?"
She turned and started walking toward the mansion, and I followed. What did I get myself into?
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