Ignus Cumulus

10th of Eleasias, 1372

Daekyn walked into his tavern in Waterdeep and made his way through the crowd in the main area. It was a busy night, which was good. Busy always meant two things; first that the tavern would make a profit and second, that Chiros would be collecting information. He walked through the back room and into the office where Dulcia was checking over the inventory and deciding what to order for next week.

"You are a sight for sore eyes my dear." Daekyn said as he hugged Dulcia and then went to a cupboard and broke out a bottle of fine berry wine and poured himself a large glass. "If I had to drink one more glass of fire ale on this trip, I thought for sure I was going to die!" he said as he gulped down the sweet wine.

"You could have always said no." Dulcia said as she chuckled.

"These were not the sort of folks you said no to" Daekyn said with a grin. "Regardless, things went well. Is Atlantean back yet?"

"Yes, he arrived yesterday, he's at the house resting up. Spent most of today ordering supplies and recruiting some muscle." Dulcia said as she went back to looking over the inventory. "Profits are up this month. There's been three large ships that have come in from the Moonshaes with large crews that have big appetites. Should be here for another few weeks so I think I will order a little bit more mead next week. We nearly ran out the second night they were here. Fortunately, they were so drunk by that point they didn't notice how much we had to water it down."

Daekyn reached over and kissed Dulcia on the cheek "God I love having you run things, I knew you had a talent for this sort of thing."

"So did you at one time, " She said with a grin. "Remember? When you retired, the first time."

"Yes, well, that was a fun few weeks now wasn't it?" Daekyn laughed and poured himself another glass of wine. "But, things change." Daekyn's voice became more pensive.

"I hope you have remembered to change your will, and make sure you leave me with the title to this place." Dulcia said in an almost serious tone. She knew what Daekyn was planning, as a matter of fact, she was one of only two people that knew almost all of what Daekyn was planning. He never told her details, and she didn't ask, but she knew.

"Don't worry, everything is settled." Daekyn finished his glass of wine and got up. "I am heading back to the house, Atlantean and I will be leaving in the morning. Oh, I almost forgot," Daekyn reached into his robes and pulled out a gold ring with an Amethyst stone in it. Amethyst was Dulcia's favorite. "The jewelers in Suzail were most accommodating. They managed this in just a few hours, and fairly nice quality work too. We should consider setting up a trade account with them." Daekyn paused after he handed the ring to Dulcia. "On second thought, never mind, you know how businesses fold so quickly in Cormyr." Daekyn walked out of the office and proceeded to exit the Tavern.

A short while later Daekyn arrived at his home a few blocks away. He unlocked the door and walked into the house. He removed his cloak and bags and set his staff in the closet in its holder. He then walked into the living room where Atlantean was sitting in a chair by the fire with a large mug of beer on the table. His laid there in his pants with his shirt off, his muscled torso showed the many scars he had earned in battle. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping. Daekyn moved cautiously about the room.

"You don't need to be quiet, I heard you come in." Atlantean said as he opened one eye and shifted in the chair.

"I had heard you were busy today, I thought perhaps you had actually warn yourself out." Daekyn said as he took the chair across from Atlantean. He took his pipe of the other table and started to stuff it.

"I have fought Dragons, Demons, Witches, Beholders and Drow. I much prefer them to dealing with merchants. At least you can use a sword against monsters." Atlantean said as he sat up and put a few more pieces of wood on the fire. "I thought for sure I was going to have to kill someone today."

"That bad huh? Did you get everything done?" Daekyn said lighting his pipe.

"Oh yes, everything is already on its way. Laborers, Artisans, bulk steel, supplies, and that special equipment you wanted. Cost you a pretty penny I might add." Atlantean took a large gulp out of his beer. "And, the best I could do is about a month or so depending on weather, roads and such. Really, I don't know why you didn't just get all this stuff from Cormyr. It would be a hell of a lot faster, and cheaper."

"Because laborers from Cormyr would likely be loyal to Cormyr. Besides, time is not the issue. Some of the initial supplies will come from Cormyr; I took care of that before I left. By the time we get things set up and going, the rest will arrive from Waterdeep at our base camp and we can start working on some sort of fortification. How much did you end up having to spend?" Daekyn said sitting back into his chair.

"About twenty thousand." Atlantean said as he snuggled back into a comfortable position. Daekyn choked slightly on his pipe.

"Oh," Daekyn said clearing his throat. "Good thing the tavern is making a profit."

11th of Eleasias, 1372

The dark alleyway suited him for the objective he had. He waited and made sure no one was in the shadows around him. His right hand slipped into his pocket and drew a large chunk of green hued chalk. It glowed ever so slightly.

He furtively swept the garbage away with his foot and knelt on the slimy cobblestones beneath. He hastily scratched out the major runes of power needed for the spell he wanted to cast. The glow faded seconds after he wrote the runes. But he continued on. The only sound in the alley was the chalk against stones. Seconds passed into minutes as the man persisted in his work. Sweat beaded on his brow. He brushed most of it away with the back of his grimy sleeve. His greasy hair hung down covering his peripheral vision; otherwise he would have noticed the papers in the alley be picked up in a silent gust of wind.

The man hurried. The quicker he finished this, the quicker the voices would stop. The quicker he could rest in peace without the nightmares. The man remembered when he went wrong. When everything went so terribly wrong. The man was known and respected once. Before it happened. The man remembered the fame and the respect he once had with nostalgia. He knew that he could never become an arch-wizard again. His mind was empty and devoid, beyond his painful memories and the job he was doing now.

Everything he was now, was the job. He must finish the runes. The silent wind began to obtain a thin miasma of flickering whiteness. The man never noticed as engrossed as he was in the job. He hurried through the detailed work, skipping some runes concerning the binding of the subject. He wasn�t making a protective circle of power to contain it. He was making a Gate. A Gate to release it. His own personal nightmare. He would release it to stop the voices and horrifying nightmares. The man hurried.

The dark sky lit up with a shimmering curtain of light. The curtain drew lines of pure whiteness across the sky. Many citizens of the city grew scared. Most stopped everything they were doing and watched in astonishment as the lines of whiteness swirled together in a vortex. When the lines of pure whiteness gathered together a sheet of purifying holy fire fell from the sky to sanitize a certain dark alley where a man was calling a demon from the nether regions of the abyss.

The man never felt the pain. He was instantly abolished. And the circle of runes he was working on, most of the top layer of soil and several of the building next to him all flashed away in an instant. It even reached past the Prime Material Plane and scorched the demon, Legion, who was waiting for the Gate to be finished.

A fire began that was nigh unstoppable. It consumed several large blocks of the city and killed a dozen people. By the morning it was contained and the tired citizens and soldiers who had fought it....
....wondered.

11th through 15th of Eleasias, 1372

The searing flames stopped him once again. The agony of the flames confused Legion. Flames ruled his existence, he was born of it. They could not hurt him�.and yet these divine white flames scorched his soul just as normal flame would scorch the flesh of a mortal.

Legion roared his frustration into the abyss. He was deep on a layer with a secretive backdoor to the Prime. This was his last alternative. No other way to the Prime Material plane existed. All of them were blocked. Shut by a curtain of divine flames. His core of twisted souls had been partially diminished by his fight with the divine flames. Several key �personalities� had been devoured by the pure flames.

Legion stalked across the burning landscape until it dropped away above him. He then floated effortlessly through the flaming ether of the abyss. He traveled just to move. The multiple intelligence�s inside his head swirled with confusion and bewilderment. Legion was determined to find a way to the Prime, but unless a mortal called his name and opened a Gate, there was no way Legion could think of.

The flames stopped and frozen white roses became the air around Legion. Legion pushed on through oblivious to the �pain� this section of the abyss caused him. His frustration was vast and no answer was apparent. He could feel Daekyn moving across the Prime, but was unable to reach him. Legion was ignorant of the cause of the searing white flames. Never had this happened. They simply appeared at the first permanent Gate Legion had come to, and every one he went to after that. Someone or something far more powerful than Legion was blocking his way. Legion had tried everything he could, even throwing a Tanari through the flames. The Tanari was erased from existence. Even Legion could not feel the presence of the Tanari any longer. This is the reason Legion believed that it was divine flame. Only that had the power to block Legion. Legion let the frustration of failure swirl and churn inside his head. There was nothing.

Suddenly a thought occurred deep from the ingested mind of the assassin, Gardent Canine. Legion spun 90 degrees to his reality and entered another layer of the Abyss, his path cutting across several warring packs of demons.

None dared follow.

Legion had one idea, his last idea. Legion almost smiled, if it was possible. Legion sped away into the ether of the Abyss....searching for something.

11th of Eleasias, 1372

Caladnei walked into the study. Alusair was standing at the window. Caladnei found her there more often than sitting at the desk. Alusair made no move to acknowledge Caladnei. Caladnei waited patiently, closing the door behind quietly. The minutes stretched as Alusair stood at the window watching the sun play on the waves of the sea. Alusair let her eyes refocus and her thoughts to wander back to the present. Caladnei quietly cleared her throat. Alusair turned and looked at her. Her face melted into a smile. �Greetings oh quiet one.� She stepped over to the desk, and grabbed a leather case. She opened it and withdrew a crumpled note on parchment. Alusair glanced at it and handed it to Caladnei. Caladnei looked down at it, much of it was blurred by moisture, and the rest of the handwriting has a thin spidery script, barely legible.

�yn, the new baron. We must (ineligible) soon as possible. He is an unknown facto�. (blurred) �.tall and�.. sparkle with intelligence and something more. He bears watching.

Caladnei smiles and hands the paper back. �I agree with this, he does bear watching.� Caladnei winks. �I volunteer for that horrible assignment.� Caladnei sits down. Her hands folding over each other.

Alusair sighed and rolled her eyes as she put the paper back. �I worry if I had made the right decision in regards to the Stonelands. The nobles all seem abuzz about this Daekyn, but then I am sure they would be all in a titter over anyone.�

Caladnei subconsciously rubs a hand across the back of her hand in an intimate caress. �This man is more than we know Allie. I�. felt something with my spell during our conversation, but was unable to pinpoint it. I would say this man needs more than a casual background check, but�� Caladnei shrugs. ��Of course this may be because I am personally curious and drawn to this man.�

Alusair dropped to her chair and looked at all the paperwork. �I wish Azoun was a grown man.�

Caladnei chuckled evilly. �He IS cute isn�t he?�

Alusair gasped and threw a pile of papers at Caladnei while both howled with laughter. �Your horrible.� Alusair held her stomach as she tried vainly to control her laughter. A paper caught her eye. She looked it over as her laughter died in her throat. �Holy Tymora��

�What?� Asked Caladnei.

�He moves fast. Already the Purple Dragons have their orders, and it appears that he has ordered a significant amount of supplies.� Alusair frowned. �But no laborers or craftsmen. Interesting.�

Caladnei smiles lecherously. �I know how to swing a pick axe. Maybe I should sign up. A little physical labor with very little clothes might draw some attention.�

Alusair rolled her eyes again. �You will do nothing of the sort. Your mine woman!� She smiled and went back to signing papers.

Caladnei smiled and stood up and whispered. �Forever my lady�.� Caladnei turned and walked to the door. �Oh by the way. Queen Filfaeril is waiting for you my lady. Shall I send her in?�

Alusair smiled and said. �Of course, I need some advice from her.�