Written by:
Claudia A.
[email protected]

Dark Companio

Part 1: Alli

  Surely there was no more wretched a place than the underground city below Waterdeep, the great City of Splendors. Smelly, filthy, wet, moldy, and full of the shadiest of all characters in the Realms, Skullport held little appeal for someone who did not deal in the illegal trade business, or the black market, or who sought the services of an assassin. Drizzt Do'Urden, a noble ranger, most certainly did not advocate any of that nonsense, and he felt like a fish out of water. At least Menzoberranzan, his homeland, while possessing much of the same darkness of character, held an illusion of beauty and justice, and shadier business was conducted in the shadows.

  Not here. Skullport held little pretensions, and Drizzt doubted there was any system of justice and order here. The entire place reeked of decay... and not just the physical kind.

  The sooner he was out of here, the better. But first... he had to find the drow wizard that had attacked him in Waterdeep... the drow wizard that had knocked him out with a feeblemind spell... the drow wizard that had taken the fair and dear Catti-brie from him.

  Khelben Arunsen, archmage of Waterdeep, had tracked the wizard down to this wretched city, and had said to start at the Flagon and the Dragon tavern, and after asking directions from a wary human who quickly provided the information and scurried away from the drow, the ranger found the place. The place was crowded and incredibly noisy (and made up mostly of humans, though there were a few drow, an illithid or two, and other races), but few people even glanced at the ranger as he walked in. He managed to make his way to the bar, where a human stood wiping it to a shine. A tiny dragon rested on the man's shoulder, and it eyed Drizzt warily for a moment before turning its attention back to the tavern in general. The human studied the drow for a moment, expressionless.

  "What can I get you, mate?" the bartender finally shouted-for one had to shout to be heard. Before the drow could answer, a scuffle broke out at the center of the room, and the barkeep turned away and motioned to a trio of large, muscular bouncers who immediately moved to break up the brawl before it turned into a tavern-destroying free-for-all. The fight was broken up and the brawlers were tossed out the door in a rather rude manner. Yet for all that, the level of noise in the room never changed, and few people took interest in the near-fight.

  Just as Drizzt was about to turn back to the barkeep, a small, slender figure appeared in the doorway. An unusually small drow female entered, golden eyes studying the room speculatively. Her eyes locked momentarily with Drizzt's-and she raised a pale eyebrow in appreciation after a moment of studying him-then continued on.

  "An ale," Drizzt told the bartender, who was still waiting for his reply. Not that the ranger was in any mood for a drink-he just knew that showing a little coin usually loosened a tavern owner's tongue.

  "Wretched quality, here," said a melodic, pretty voice from next to him. He turned to find the drow female with the golden eyes standing there. "The ale, I mean." And she flashed a mischievous grin at the barkeep, who chuckled.

  "I am sorry that my wares are not up to your standards. I will be sure to equip Elverquisst when next I know you will be in Skullport, Princess," the man replied. The drow female made a face.

  "What, that watery stuff? Fah! You need to import stuff from the Underdark, Silas Broon," she replied.

  "Aye... and lighten my purse even more. You know as well as I that drow aren't known for fair dealings, Liriel Baenre," the barkeep replied. He plunked down a mug of ale before the dark elf male, still grinning widely at the female.

Drizzt was a ranger, and had learned, in his many years on the surface, to remain stoic in virtually any situation. It took all his control to remain as such now. Baenre! he thought wildly. That particular house of Menzoberranzan wanted his head on a platter, served to their wretched demon goddess... and here was a female from that powerful family, probably a priestess of no small skill. Was Baenre behind the abduction of Catti-brie... it was certainly plausible. They were not above using the young woman as bait to draw Drizzt into a trap.

  "It's been a while since your fair face has been seen about here, Princess," Silas Broon was saying to Liriel as he poured her a mug of ale. She nodded

  "I was pretty far from here for a while, Silas... all the way to Ruathym and Rashemen."

  "Well, you're a well-traveled lass, for a drow. What in the Nine Hells were you doing with those barbarians?" the man replied. Liriel laughed, but her mirth, while genuine, seemed a bit strained.

  "Helping a friend of mine," she answered. Drizzt seriously doubted that... drow, especially females, did not make friends very easily... and certainly weren't in the business of helping anyone in need. He sipped at the ale-which wasn't too bad, actually-and pretended to be studying the tavern and its patrons, though in truth he had an ear cocked on Liriel's conversation.

  "But now I need your help," she continued.

  "And what can old Silas do for a lass like you, who can take care of herself quite well?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.

  "Give me information," she replied grimly. "I'm looking for someone... a wizard by the name of Mat'irel Shobolar." A drow wizard, Drizzt thought. He recognized the house name... House Shobolar, one of the ruling houses of Menzoberranzan... and a house renowned for the powerful wizards it produced.

  "May I ask why you're looking for this particular wizard?" Silas asked politely, though carefully.

  "He... has something of mine," Liriel replied grimly. "And I want it back... now."

  "Shobolar is involved with the Iron Ring."

  "I know. That's why I need to find him now... before what he has that's mine becomes the property of someone else."

  "Ah..." Silas said, nodding in understanding. Drizzt wished he knew what in the Nine Hells they were talking about. What was the Iron Ring? By the gods, though he had been here for all of an hour, he despised the city. His frustration at his own ignorance of this wretched place and his worry about his beloved companion was getting to him. Besides... he had a terrible headache... a product of landing on the street in Waterdeep when he had been knocked out.

  "Shobolar pops in here every now and again... to drown his ills. I don't know where he is now, but you might keep an eye on his townhouse. It's in the Central Heart... near Dalagor's Fortress. You know where that is?"

  "Yes. Thank you, Silas. You've been a great help," Liriel said. She left a few coins for the half-touched ale, then was gone out the door, obviously in a great hurry.

  "Aye, lass. At your service," the man said in amusement, though she was long gone. He turned away to attend to another customer.

Drizzt left a few coins on the bar for his own drink, then slipped away after the Baenre female. His instincts told him to follow her, and besides that, he wanted to keep an eye on anyone from House Baenre

  Liriel's trail zigged and zagged wildly through the Port of Shadows, but the ranger's tracking skills were impeccable, and he followed her easily, and silently. Had he not been so ignorant of Skullport, he might have realized that her trail made no sense. If she were going to the Central Heart, she would be going up... not right or left on the lower level. Skullport was built in layers, and the Central Heart was above the area where the Flagon and the Dragon was located. But alas, Drizzt knew nothing of this foul place, and thus he continued naively following the Baenre girl.

  He was prepared this time-unlike at the Dock Ward in Waterdeep-and thus was able to dodge the spell, throwing himself into a roll on the filthy street and avoiding the well-aimed fireball. There was a scream from farther down the street-perhaps an unfortunate individual who was scorched without warning.

  "What is it with wizards and attacking from dark alleys?" Drizzt grumbled, rising quickly to his feet and pulling out his treasured scimitars.

  "Why are you following me?" Liriel demanded as she stepped out of the shadows, her lovely face twisted with anger. "Are you in league with that dog of House Shobolar?" She apparently answered her own question, for she released a spell that sent Drizzt scrambling out of the way of the lightning bolt. "Or maybe you're a leftover from the Dragon's Hoard, out to get revenge? If you are, give my regards to Vhaeraun... you're going to his side now!"

  Already in the midst of another spell, she had to cut it off and leap away as the lavender-eyed male (and what lovely eyes he had, so unusual for a drow, she thought) came at her impossibly fast, twin scimitars hissing through the air. Even as she tumbled away from those curved blades, she threw the first and easiest spell that came to mind.

  Blinding light exploded in the darkness of the cavern. Liriel, with her eyes closed, listened carefully, and so was prepared to twirl away once more when she heard the male coming at her. But he anticipated her move and was there even before she was, and instinct alone saved her as she raised her short sword and dagger. How she ever blocked those wicked blades, blind and not very good at swordplay, she would never know. But the blades clanged together, probably creating sparks, then Liriel bounced away, not at all interested in hand-to-hand combat... which she was wasn't very good at.

  But he was fast, and as the light faded, she found herself having to fend off his blades that moved with such incredible speed and skill. She knew she was outclassed in this battle-this one was a warrior, tried and true-and the only way she would survive was if she could get far enough away to employ her spells... or her other favorite weapons.

  "I know nothing of this Shobolar you speak of," Drizzt said, in answer to her earlier question. The light spell hadn't bothered him-it had blinded him, but he could fight equally as well blind as he could with sight. "And I have no idea what the Dragon's Hoard is... or this Vhaeraun you mentioned."

  Liriel backed away, and this time he didn't follow her. His blades were still raised, and he was still more than ready to attack her, but he stayed in place, eyeing her suspiciously.

  "Then who?" she demanded of him. "My father? Lloth? Who sent you, assassin?" He blinked at her in surprise.

  "If Lloth wants your head, then we are kindred spirits," he replied dryly. "The Spider Queen would give anything to have my heart."

  "Some people take pride in the strangest things," Liriel said sarcastically, and snatched something off her belt, twirled it for half-a-second over her head,  and threw it.

  Drizzt was fast enough to not get completely tangled in the bolas-which she aimed and threw so damned effortlessly!-but it did manage to trip him up. Twinkle, the blue-glowing scimitar, clattered away as he stumbled, but he managed to hold onto Icingdeath..

  "I am not an assassin! I don't even know who in the Nine Hells you are, except that you are Baenre, and that makes you a potential threat to me," Drizzt snapped.

  "A likely story," she sneered. "I still think you're connected to that damned Shobolar. Where is he? If he knows what's good for him, he'll release Fyodor immediately! And if he's already sold Fyodor into slavery, and if he knows what's even better for him, he'll run to the far reaches of the Realms!"

  Even as she was raising her hand to cast a spell-probably to finish Drizzt, who appeared to still be helpless on the ground (though he was far from that, since he had already shoved the bolas away, and was more than ready to leap at her with his remaining blade), her words clicked in the ranger's head. Already tensed to rise and run at her, he paused.

  "This wizard... abducted... someone you know?" he asked carefully.

  "Aye! A friend! And he had the gall to gloat about it when he had me knocked senseless on the street in Rashemen!" she hissed angrily. "If he's hurt a hair on Fyodor's head, I swear by all the dancers of Eilistraee that he will regret it! Enough of this chit-chat... I'll find your boss without your-"

  "Wait! I think we are chasing the same person! I, too, had a friend abducted by a drow wizard... though I did not know his name," Drizzt interrupted. He rose slowly, even going so far as to drop his remaining blade, to show his good will. Liriel hesitated in mid-spell, staring at him distrustfully.

  "How do I know you're not just lying to me?" she demanded. "And by the way, who in the Nine Hells are you?"

  "Drizzt Do'Urden... a ranger and a native of the surface. I was in Waterdeep when the wizard attacked us and took my companion," he replied calmly. She blinked at him for a moment.

  "Do'Urden," she echoed and looked absently up, as if the reference were written up on the ceiling of Skullport for all to see. "That sounds familiar. Do'Urden... Do'Urden... ah! Do'Urden, yes! A rogue of that non-existent house killed my grandmother."

  "I did not kill her, but a good friend of mine did. But I will take the credit, as far as Menzoberranzan is concerned," Drizzt replied with dry humor. Liriel chuckled and lowered her hands.

  "Purple eyes. I should have known. Auntie Triel has cursed your name-and your eyes-plenty."

  "'Auntie Triel?' I thought you were Triel's daughter." Liriel laughed, and it was a pleasant sound, to his surprise.

  "What, her? My auntie hasn't a passionate bone in her body. Her idea of a good time involves a whip and someone screaming," she replied. She chuckled again. "No, my father is Gromph Baenre." Drizzt considered this, and wondered at her reference. Children, especially daughters, were traced through their mothers... not their fathers.

  "Something to take pride in, certainly," he replied sarcastically, remembering the dour and wretched archmage. To his surprise, Liriel laughed again. How strange... laughter did not come easily to dark elves, especially females. Yet this mysterious girl possessed a clear, beautiful, and heartfelt ready laugh.

  "I'll say," she said. "Why were you following me?"

  "Lloth has not been above hunting me down in the past. Especially through Baenre. When I heard your name, my first thought was that Catti-brie had been abducted by your house, as bait to draw me into a trap."

  "I would have thought the same thing in your position. You have no idea how much my family hates you," she replied. She winked. "Not me, though. I think houseless rogues are... alluring." Drizzt ignored her teasing flirtation-another trait not at all common amongst drow women-and considered the situation.

  "Perhaps we can work together to find this Shobolar wizard. Even if he doesn't have Catti-brie, I would still help you free your friend." She eyed him suspiciously again.

  "Yes... but at what price?" she murmured.

  "No price. I would not leave someone to be sold into slavery, or to be killed by the evil of the drow." She eyed him for a long moment, uncertain, then smiled sincerely and nodded.

  "Fine, then. Help me free Fyodor, and I'll help you find your Catti-brie, if they're not together. With those fancy blades and my spells, who can stop us?" Drizzt smiled in relief-first that a battle had been avoided, and second that he might have found an ally, though he was not about to trust this one fully yet-and nodded.

  "Indeed," he muttered, and retrieved his blades, sheathing them at his side and turning to her, about to ask her a question.

  "Uh-oh!" she groaned, staring at something behind him. Drizzt turned and to his shock saw a huge, floating skull drifting towards them through the air.

  "What is that?" he asked. Liriel shot him an incredulous look.

  "What is that?" she echoed, her jaw dropping. "My dear Drizzt... that is a Skull." He shot her an irritated look.

  "I know it is a skull-"

  "No, no. A Skull... an enforcer of justice in Skullport. They don't like disturbances... and we created a disturbance, alright."

  "You mean you created a disturbance, with your fireballs and lightning and light spells," he snorted in reply.

  "Well, if you hadn't been following me like some kind of assassin-!" she started angrily.

  "Well, maybe you should learn to ask questions first!" he shot back.

  "In Skullport, asking questions first can get you killed!"

  "So can attacking without provocation!"

  "I consider following someone from the shadows enough of a provocation!"

  "Shut up, both of you," a disembodied voice demanded, and the bickering dark elves turned to stare into the glowing eyes of the Skull. "You have disturbed the peace of Skullport-"

  "Such as it is," Drizzt muttered under his breath. Liriel shot him a look that silenced him.

  "-and so your assigned tasks will be particularly irritating," the Skull continued, ignoring the ranger. "You, princess of Menzoberranzan-" and the disembodied voice was more than a little ironic here, "-shall find a globin and serve him for one day, serve his every whim and desire, no matter what is demanded." The Skull's unsettling red eyes focused on Drizzt. "And you, houseless rogue of Mielikki... for your self-righteousness, as well as for disturbing the peace, shall humble yourself before a packed tavern and entertain the patrons for three days straight, without pause, and doing whatever it is they ask you to. You will then find five hundred goblins and take a snip of hair from each, and from that weave a blanket with a single, green skull upon it, and walk around wearing nothing but that blanket for an entire day." Drizzt blinked dumbly at the floating skull for a long moment, then turned to Liriel and summed up his feelings about this verdict in a single word.

  "What?!?"

  Liriel sighed and shook her head sadly.

  "You really must excuse my companion here. He's a bit addle-brained..." she explained to the Skull. She grabbed the ranger's arm and started backing away. "Come along, dear... I've a goblin to find, and you've a tavern to entertain. We shall do as you say, Skull... immediately," she assured with a lopsided grin.

  Then she turned and ran, half-dragging the utterly confused and bewildered ranger behind her. The Skull, for its part, went on its merry way.

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