A Dark Cold Shadow That Lingers
Dreaming… it’s so nice to dream with an empty mind that does not have a tadpole in it, though I do miss the connection at times. There was something deeply intimate about sharing memories with your lover. I used to like those days, I won’t lie. I missed them when they were gone in some respects. It is nice though to not have the Emperor in our dreams lying and manipulating us. That’s something I don’t miss but I sometimes wish we had been able to keep the power to share our thoughts.
Karlach felt one eye slowly as she could hear a loud scuffling downstairs, which clearly was not their pets, it was far too large. She looked around realizing it was late night and clearly someone was in their house. She eased her arm out slowly away from Shadowheart, who remained fast asleep, as both their pets were still circled up beside her. She grabbed an axe which was lying close by slowly making her way down stairs, only to breathe in and lower it, as she caught sight of Astarion sitting on her sofa chair in front of the fire, along with the huge black werewolf Crassus, who was laid out on their long sofa.
She moved down the stairs, watching as they both turned, giving her their best smiles. “You know you could both just knock and not break into our house every time.” She paused speaking sharply as she put the axe to one side. “Also why is he fucking here? I told you not to bring him when you visit.” Crassus pulled up, sharply raising his clawed armoured hand. “Look, why do I have keep repeating this, I don’t eat innocent people, only murderers that Astarion drains blood from first. I wouldn’t hurt you or your lover.”
Karlach eyed him. “That’s not the problem, the problem is Shadowheart is terrified of wolves; she won’t take kindly to you being here Crassus.” Crassus stood up on his hind legs, his red eyes glowing. “I’m not a wolf, I'm a werewolf, it's not the same.” Astarion raised his hand. “Look I need him, he is my bodyguard friend, and he and the other six werewolves are harmless. They were outside the palace running errands when I killed Cazador and freed everyone; they came to me out of friendship and loyalty.”
He paused, a long smirk showing on his lips as he eyed her. “Plus we came to see you both, I saw you knock down that ugly storage building. It was glorious.” Karlach moved to sit on the sofa watching as Crassus re-seated himself opposite her. “Yeah it would be if we did it, but we didn’t… someone else did.” Astarion felt his smile turn a wide grin. “You really should take more pride in your work. Watching it from where I was standing was glorious.”
Karlach took a deep breath. “I’m serious we didn’t do it, we were in there stealing something for Jaheira, but the floors blew out and we fell. Shadowheart smashed up her leg and she wasn’t well afterwards, despite the cleric’s work. I've never seen her vomit into a bucket twice in a row after drinking wine; I didn’t think half elf’s ever did that even after drinking… I can only assume the wine was off but still, I think she would have tasted it, her taste buds are very choosing when it’s about alcohol.”
Astarion's face turned to genuine confusion. “That is rather concerning but I’m sure she will bounce back, I mean she always does and she’ll be drinking you out of house and home again in no time.” Karlach leaned forward. “The three books we were meant to take, one was missing and two were taken from us while we were passed out.” Astarion looked down for a moment in thought before looking up. “Interesting, which ones were taken?” Karlach sat back. “Three books of Talos. They've got some dark magic in them. Jaheira didn’t want them in the wrong hands.”
Astarion put his hands together. “Well no one in my circle has those; they would not be of interest to us.” Crassus raised a clawed hand. “Yes we prefer the more dark necromancy kind of magic, the rare kinds, like the book your lover read and gave her the ability to talk to the dead.” Karlach raised a clawed hand. “We gave you the Necromancy of Thay for safe keeping.” Astarion breathed in raising a finger. “But it’s useless right now darling! We can’t open it and Dalyria has been trying whatever Shadowheart did. After reading it she locked it off to others.”
Karlach looked at him. “I never wanted her to read that creepy book; I only went with it because we needed as much information as possible. So hijacking dead people to talk seemed like a great idea at the time, as she had already broken her Paladin oath before we met. She saw that kind of magic as helpful, and it was, even and Gale is a wizard with life domain cleric training.” Astarion looked at her for a long moment. “That kind of magic depends on the user; she uses it well. I mean, she feels very strongly about helping people.”
He felt a sly smile form. “She just likes to punish the bad people in a brutal glorious fashion sometimes, same as you.” Karlach sat up from the sofa. “Excuse my manners, I’m tired. Would you both like a drink?” Astarion felt a smile form. “Yes, a bottle of your good stuff and not your swill, I know Shadowheart has the good stuff so don’t hold out on me.” Crassus raised his clawed hand. “I’m fine, I drank some beer before I came here.”
Karlach moved over to the kitchen opening the cupboard seeing the wine rack she pulling one out two bottles. “Blackstaff or would you prefer Amnian Dessert Wine?” Astarion took hold of a silver goblet from the small table opposite “Blackstaff.” She moved over, handing him the bottle, watching as he opened it. “I just hope that none of that dark magic she learnt is affecting her now.” Astarion shook his head carefully, pouring a glass. “She has the full protection of the goddess Selune now, Selune’s new temple here in Baldur’s Gate also views her as one of their paladins regardless of her dark magic skills.”
He took a slow drink savouring the favour. “I mean the House of Grief, after you killed everyone but Nocturne, got all new people in, but the Duke has made clear he wants no fighting between these two temples, even if they are both now in the lower city on opposite sides.” Crassus started to snigger. “Well Astarion and I heard something funny regarding that… I heard they brought in a new Mother Superior and her second in command recently, but she got eaten by a Hook Horror which got let loose down there. They're not sure if that was an accident or what but they are going to need a new Mother Superior and quick.”
Karlach leaned forward. “What is a Hook Horror doing here? They are from the under dark” Crassus smirked. “Ask that drow friend of yours up in the rich house, because I think that ill-tempered asshole is doing a side hustle and catching them. I have seen her she has some big cages out the back of that big house on the rich street she lives in.” He raised his clawed finger. “Oh yeah and we have both seen Gale going into her house. He stays all night and let’s just say I can hear what they are doing.”
Karlach leaned forward. “Really, no one told me any of this.” Astarion laughed. “I thought you’d hear everything. I mean some days you do guard work for people all over this town.” Karlach sat back in her chair. “Believe me, I hear a lot of fucking gossip about everyone, including myself and Shadowheart, not all of it nice but I do it to get paid and pass the time.” Astarion eyed her. “I’m guessing Jaheira only paid you half for that job.” Karlach nodded. “Yeah I’ll have to make up the extra with two more side jobs guarding someone’s boring shit or playing body guard.”
Astarion eased his hand in his pocket, not thinking as he threw her a bag of gold. “Here take it, it’s from our family operation to rid the world of evil people and feed off them, the patrons pay very well. I’d buy you a better house if you asked. This place is so small and unbefitting of you both.” Karlach looked at him. “We like this house, and I’m very grateful, but you don’t have to give us handouts.” Astarion put his hand on his chest. “It’s a gift darling, not a hand out, for all those times you carried me when my legs hurt.”
Astarion raised a finger. “Plus I know devils don’t carry gold, they trade in soul coins, so for all the hundreds who you both killed gloriously I doubt you got any money worth using out here.” He took another slow sip of wine. “You also split all the money with us from our adventures before you left, and I hear Shadowheart is trying to find a side job, but can’t find the right fit.” Karlach put her hands together. “She will find something, I know she will.” Astarion looked up, speaking both calmly and seriously. “Then just take my gold till she finds her feet again, or you both rob someone with a big vault.”
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Nocturne moved looking through the books in the vast library, her clawed finger over the covers of the books in the Sorcerous Sundries restricted sections, which were open, but only to certain people who were trusted by Roland and his brother and sister. She was allowed in here because she was Shadowheart’s friend and could come and go as she pleased. She flipped her book open, taking a seat as she started to read. There were more books in this section than you could ever read in a lifetime.
She found herself getting more and more buried in the book, only to stop as she caught sight of Roland’s purple robe. She looked up at the taller tiefling man, who gave her a wide smile. “There is an informant of Shar out in the main shop; he says he is here to see you.” Nocturne turned the page on her book. “Well my reading comes first, he can wait.” Roland breathed in, pulling out a scroll. “Because he was aware this might be an issue, here is an official scroll just for you.”
Nocturne stood up, slowly taking it from his hand. “I don’t know why they are sending me anything, I’m just visiting; they know my enclave is not in this city.” Roland folded his arms. “Maybe they are impressed by your skills.” Nocturne shook her head. “Please, I’m just a quartermaster.” She cracked the seal, opening it, flipping the letter open as she started to read it, only to feel the confusion hit. “This can’t be right, there must be some mistake.”
Roland leaned over. “Ah come on, can’t be all bad, do tell us.” Nocturne took a deep breath. “They want me to be the new Superior’s second in command of the House of Grief here in Baldur's Gate. That makes no sense though, I’m not trained for that and I have no leadership skills.” Roland put a hand on the armoured tiefling woman’s shoulder. “I disagree, you're perfect for the role, you're well educated and not a lunatic like the last two leaders there, and their seconds in command, and you know yourself.”
He raised his clawed hand. “Plus you, Gale and another person I know spend so much in this library that must count for something.” Nocturne breathed in sharply. “You don’t understand, I’m not fully committed to Shar, all leaders of the enclave are always fully committed.” Roland smiled. “What does that matter? Religion is your choice on how far or little you go, and the gods just like their worship and offerings now and again.” Nocturne’s glowing blue eyes flickered as she looked at the tiefling wizard and owner of this vast place. “As good as you make this sound Roland, I feel other forces are at work here, and not good ones with my best interests in mind.”
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Karlach yawned as she made her way up the steps to the bedroom. The first rays of the sun were coming through and Astarion and Crassus were about to leave; they needed to make their way back via the sewers as Astarion needed to stay out of the light. Granted Crassus could become human again, but since he was protecting him, he needed to be in werewolf form just until they got back to the palace, then he could become human again, if he wished, as once that curse was granted you could change whenever you wanted or needed, not just at night, as it was more like how druids who could wild shape.
She moved upstairs opening the bedroom door only for all three of their animals, except Us, to come flying out running into another room in fear. The only one that didn’t was Us who stood just inside the doorway as it spoke. “Magic is wrong…magic is dangerous.” She moved inside feeling the shock horror of seeing Shadowheart floating above their bed her eyes glowing a pure purple and blue, the room around her was filled with a black smoke which hung like a smog.
Even to her body it tasted bad, like toxic smoke, even though it wasn’t toxic and clung to your skin, hurting her throat and airways. She ran over feeling the panic take over all of a sudden, as she tried to push the other woman’s body down, not even sure if she was remotely aware of what was even going on right now. It felt like a curse spell of some kind, and it was even bringing back black patches in the other woman’s hair.
Pain. I can feel searing pain. I can feel it in my head. It's worse than being smashed with a mace to the back of the head, yet I can’t move, my body feels paralyzed in mid-air. I woke up like this. I can only just move my eyes and mouth but it hurts to talk. I can’t even reply to Karlach even if I wanted or desired. My body won’t let me. All I can do is shift my eyes which also hurts as it feels like they are burning in their sockets, even the one that’s magic. Did that wine have a slow acting poison, is that what this is? No it feels like the Shadowfell all over again, but I know it’s just not that.
Shadowheart wanted to speak, she could feel Karlach trying to push her body down, only for the other woman to pull back, as the floor lit up yellow and she went into bear rage, her scream being both her own and the bear roar. As she tried again, her boots scuffing the floor from all her lover’s pushing, she didn’t feel it as the pain in her body was too strong. If she had had any thoughts they left her as she suddenly passed out into darkness. Karlach felt Shadowheart's body suddenly fall. She moved her hand to grab her before she hit her back on the bed hard and really hurt herself further. She turned, seeing Astarion standing in the doorway looking shocked. “I need you to get me Gale now; I think some motherfuckers cursed her!”
Deep in the unfathomable depths of the Underdark
A red clawed hand moved in quick motion, grabbing out at the huge Hook Horror in the darkness, as it started to squeeze the huge black birdlike creature’s neck and its screeching became painful, as its white eyes glowed in the darkness. The huge red arm with its spikes of bone tensed, followed by a sickening crack, as the scaled neck was broken and its huge vulture-like body was tossed with tremendous force, enough to send it tumbling of the ledge into the dark depth bellow, followed by the exploding sounds of Torchstalk going off in the darkness.
The huge being turned, seeing the terrified drow life-domain cleric of Mystra who had clearly overstayed her welcome. “I won’t ask you again drow, you refuse to answer me, where did you get your now dead Hook Horror which is clearly your pet?” The drow sneered at him. “I’m not telling you fucking shit.” The red clawed hand came out, grabbing her as she was raised up by her throat and her eyes met the burning green ones. “Oh now that is not polite.” The eyes looked down. “Well, I can’t throw you in the Torchstalk as I threw your dead pet down there.”
His free clawed hand pointed down. “But there is plenty of Bibberbang on the other side of that ridge, I heard that it poisons slowly.” The green glowing slit light eyes narrowed. “I’ll give you five seconds to reconsider your reply.” He began to squeeze tighter. “Because it's either this or I strangle you slowly.” The drow’s face turned to panic. “Minthara is her name. Minthara, she’s a Paladin from the Oath of Vengeance! She lives in Baldur’s Gate. She captures them down here, then tames them and sells them to people as pets!” A wide razor sharp smile formed on the beings face. “Now that wasn’t so hard, was it?”
It paused. “I have one more question before I let you go: how much do they cost per hook horror?” The drow woman looked at him. “A hundred gold each!” The being laughed. “Well isn’t life grand.” The drow woman’s face turned to utter fear and panic as she was suddenly thrown with violent force down the ridge side, smashing every rock before hitting the huge green mushroom patch, as it burst into toxic clouds followed by her painful screaming. The red being smirked as it faded and death took over, his glowing green eyes shifted to the others behind him. “One of you please pay this Minthara a visit, her talents are clearly wasted in Baldur’s Gate.”
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Karlach watched as the portal opened inside their bedroom, Gale slowly stepped through. Crassus had left, as they had no choice, the sun was now fully up in the sky, but Astarion was still here eyeing Shadowheart on the bed, he just had not touched as he was waiting for Gale, since two heads were better than one with this issue. She didn’t think as she ran up to him hugging him more out of pure joy of seeing him as it had been a while. “So glad you’re here.”
Gale watched as she pulled away. “I got here as soon as I could. I'm sorry for any delays, though you are most fortunate that I was here on a little break, and I have been looking through the books at the Sorcerous Sundries. I even saw Shadowheart’s old friend Nocturne up there, you know I think Roland likes her.” Astarion eyed him from where he was seated by the bed with Us at his feet. “Yes, as interesting as that all is, come over here and do your cleric thing.”
Gale eyed him. “I’m a wizard with life-domain cleric training, not a cleric.” Astarion raised his hands. “I’m a rogue with training in the druid arts. Who honestly cares at this point, the reality is my healing spells only go so far and all I’m doing is keeping her comfortable at best.” Gale moved over to Shadowheart who was on the big bed, looking down watching as Karlach followed, concern growing in her glowing orange eyes. “What happened?”
Karlach breathed in deeply. “Long story, fucking sort our mission went wrong.” Gale smiled. “Yes I heard that, the rumour is Shadowheart used the Blood of Lathander to destroy the storage building, though I’ve never liked those buildings anyway, the design is compromised as you both showed everyone. “ Karlach put a hand on her face. “Except we didn’t do it, we fell through the floors in to the fucking basement, and both of us got knocked out. When we came to we were in the wine cellar and started drinking.”
She raised a clawed hand. “After that, it was when it started. Shadowheart threw up twice. She was fine when we got home, but then this started and I came up here. She was surrounded in this awful black cloud-like smog that smelt kind of like the Shadowfell, her eyes though they were glowing this purple and blue colour and her hair was going black in places.” She eyed the unconscious woman whose long hair had gone back to its white colour. “This thing raised her off the bed. I couldn't get her down even with animal rage.”
Astarion looked up. “Now that part I saw, darling, as it scared your pets except for Us, as he seems unaffected.” Gale moved over, eyeing Shadowheart raising his hands. Astarion eased his away as the green light faded. “Let me see what is going on, see if I can pinpoint it.” He let the green light flow through his hands in waves, washing over the small half elf woman’s body as his eyes glowed white. “I am sensing something, but it does not feel like a curse. It feels like her body is trying to fight something off and get rid of it.”
Astarion looked up. “I sensed that too, but since when does magic behave this way?” He leaned over, pulling back the half elf’s lips to reveal her teeth. “Because this is most curious.” Gale stopped leaning over his eyes returning to normal, as he watched Karlach look over as well. He caught sight of the extended canines on the upper and lower jaw that were now as sharp as razor blades. “That is strange, could that just be a residual curse, like left over in her body, I’ve heard some curses can twist your image?”
Astarion eased up one of Shadowheart’s hands carefully where the nails had grown more pointed. “You see, on a regular day I’d go first stage vampire spawn, but nothing fits that unless someone saw a great deal of humour from cursing the wine she was drinking, you know, as a horrible way to punish her, because it just might hurt you Karlach.” Karlach felt a sneer form. “Well then they failed, because it doesn’t change the way I feel about her, plus I look way more devil like than normal thanks to Zariel, so their fucking logic failed there.”
Gale leaned over, opening one of Shadowheart’s green eyes, which looked normal, though it were staring blankly forward. He ran his finger very gently across the scar on her face and nose, sensing no magic in it. Whatever this was, it was deep inside her. He closed her eye carefully “I’m going to cast greater restoration, hopefully it should help her fight off whatever this is, but it means she will sleep for a very long time, and she will need plenty to eat when she wakes up, along with plenty of water to drink.”
He raised his hands, his eyes glowing white again, as the green light came out hitting Shadowheart’s body hard enough to make her eyes open, then close again, though her breathing changed and became less pained and slower, and far more rhythmic. He moved his hands away looking at Karlach. “She’ll be fine, trust me, and if she still isn’t well, we need Isobel because this is well beyond my healing skills.” Astarion raised his hand. “Yes, because it’s just so easy to just get her here, plus I’m not going to go to their temple home here in Baldur’s Gate, that is suicide.”
He felt his eyes dart. “I heard the last person who walked in on her and dame Aylin when they were busy in bed got a Luna flare to the face, curiously of Aylin.” Gale put a hand on his chest. “There’s no need, Isobel spends a lot of time in the restricted section of Sorcerous Sundries, I’ve seen her reading there a lot, she always gives me a wave as she has been reading up on everything in the regions when she wasn’t alive in great detail, so she is not behind on current events.”
Karlach laughed as she eyed Astarion. “Aylin did that. I would have paid gold just to see that.” Astarion shook his head. “Look you being you, you might walk away from that alive me. I’d end up dead or in the healer’s house, I’d love to know how Isobel controls her in bed.” Karlach eyed Shadowheart for a moment before speaking. “Trust me big things come in small packages.” She paused. “Plus I would bludgeon some motherfucker and make them cry about it if they walked in on us doing that.”
Astarion felt a smirk. “Believe me darling. Back in the camp days we all knew you when you were both doing that, Shadowheart is… well she’s loud as are you.” Karlach felt a sly smile form. “Oh so we are going to overlook that time you went with Halsin for some casual, because my ears picked that up and so did hers, you telling that big man to get on his knees.” Gale cleared his throat. “Listen before you both go into your talk about, well, that, can I just say if things get bad I’ll go find Isobel. If needed I can teleport all over the place after all.”
End of part 3
Silvermoonlight
