DAY 493 (8th Flamerule)(July)
Not entirely sure what to do with young Reinward, Fenrir took him to work with him and dumped him in the canteen.
The next thing Fenrir did was to set Portia onto what she could find out about Blackthorn, the Druid of Silvanus who was apparently also a member of the Nightmasks.
A hooded dark elf approached Reinward and introduced herself as Merlock Tomes. You may remember that she was a detective that operated in Pedestal, a city in the Underdark.
She gave her name and Reinward gave his as 'Jim Bob'.
'Are you friends with Commander Lightingrod?'
'I know him from Waterdeep, from back in the day,' he replied warily.
'Can i get you to arrange a meeting with him?'
Reinward said he would be able to do so for the princely sum of 15 gold.
Mia the Magical, a stern 125-year-old female elf and Fenrir's assistant was not impressed with Reinward though and made him wait. He sat beside a man that looked like a rogue and another that looked like a monk.
Reinward watched as the man picked the pocket of the monk. Reinward swapped seats and whispered into the rogues ear, 'I saw what you did!'
The rogue, one of Fenrir's informants by the name of Mr Prantopo told Reinward to mind his own business.
'Tell us what you got, or I'll snitch,' said Reinward
'You stay out of it, if you want to keep your kidneys,' growled Prantopo.
Just then Prantopo was called in and Reinward was left alone with the meditating monk.
Half an hour later he was able to bring up Merlock, who was happy to tell Fenrir that she knew him from Pedestal.
'I'm investigating another murder!' she told them.
It was the murder of Katheera Urdo, of House Urdo who had recently been resurrected and was determined to get her revenge on her killer - Barry Shitknees (aka Fenrir).
Merlock wondered what Commander Lightingrod (aka Fenrir!) could tell her about this man.
'Oh he's terrible!' declared Fenrir. 'He's going around killing lots of bad people, a sort of vigilante.'
'Are the watch actively trying to apprehend him?' she asked.
'That's sensitive information?' he replied.
'All I can say is that this has the hallmarks of a power struggle within the gangs of the city,' he went on, sticking to the script that Random had set.
Merlock thanked him and gave them both her card, with the address of a local inn on it. She then thanked Reinward and gave him his gold and left.
That evening Random came around to the house and privately told Fenrir;
'Keep that fellow Reinward as close to you as you can! He's vital to our mission here.'
Random then very kindly arranged for Reinward to receive quite a lot of magical items and went back to his island.
Next Fenrir had Veddic cast a 'Mark of Justice' on Reinward. Hearing about this later I am amazed that Reinward so readily allowed Fenrir to curse him, but perhaps he had been dazzled by the 50,000 gold pieces worth of magical items that had just been lavished on him!
DAY 494 (9th Flamerule)(July)
At two in the morning, Reinward, who was sleeping in one of the spare rooms of Fenrir's house, was awakened by tapping at the window.
He opened the curtains to reveal a vampire perched on the window sill. Reinward, in a high state of terror closed the curtains and hid under the covers.
'Let me in,' whispered the vampire. 'I just want to talk to you...'
Reinward bolted out into the landing and called a guard, then inexplicably went back into his room. He had, perhaps, remembered some of his vampire lore and grabbed a hand mirror from the dresser. He then opened the curtains again and pretended to check his appearance in the mirror.
This plan did not work. A vampire must have the mirror thrust before them to have any effect and thus Reinward was dominated by its undead powers.
'Come to me,' whispered the vampire. 'Let me see these remarkable wrists of yours...'
Reinward shuddered and dropped the mirror. This was what saved him, as it cause the vampire to
hesitate.
It was not forced back by the shards of mirror, but it drew its attention for a moment, so that it was not aware when Fenrir, who had just flew out of another window, blasted it into ashes.
As the vampire remains floated to the ground Reinward staggered back.
'Close that bloody window!' shouted Fenrir as he wafted past.
Fenrir investigated and found one of his guards, dead, in the street and a barrel of sand that had been dumped into the ditch so the vampire could cross the running water. He woke up Jasper and asked him to sort it all out.
In the morning they did some shopping, for magical armour, and sold piles of recently acquired treasure to one of Random's brokers.
Later on Gelly returned from he wanderings and told them;
''
There have been kings in Westgate before. Within living memory of some people, such as dwarves and elves. The last king was King Verovan Lorndessar who ruled 1236 – 1248.
It's been Croamarkhs since then.
But this prophecy is ancient! It dates back to the time of King Hygaarth Croam “the Pious” who ruled 75 - 95!
He was a priest of Ilmater, elevated to the throne after battling a plague that nearly destroys Westgate.
From what I gather it was around for many years back then, mentioned in several texts, but then largely forgotten during the time of the Pirate Kings (257 – 429).
Then they were found again and translated by Berneris the Scholar, a nun of Illmater, around the time of the reign of King Temprith Ilistar (756 – 759).
You'll need to go to the temple to learn what the actual prophecy is though...
''
This they did and Yatte was happy to read it to Reinward;
''
Then one chose of Illmater will come,
On ancient wings and by fated airs decree,
No players proclaim, no fife, no drum,
But by quiet night, by land or sea,
Armlets worn on the wrists, two by five,
Stigmata shown, that all may see,
God magic laid on skin, so men may strive,
to see the bearers grace and piety,
Go forth from the temple, o' one marked,
With two of fire and one of sword,
The burden great and the mantel dark,
To seek the advice of the holy word,
In the depths, down below so far,
Sits a spider, or an ancient queen, of thirst unslake,
The ten-eyed crown found in a cavern lair,
Follow the flame to a light-shunned lake,
O chosen one, what doom do the fates bring?
The sacrifice, the suffering eternal,
Broken bones, and life's blood draining,
Soul-gifted to those infernal,
But lo, a king comes, to rule benign once more,
Bearing enchanted sword and divine rod,
A mighty host shining from city and shore,
In the name Illmater, the Broken God.
''
Yatte also said to Reinward, 'I have detected that you are accursed. I can break this enchantment if you like.'
Reinward, for reasons I cannot fathom, answered in the negative. Perhaps he did not wish to risk Fenrir's ire?
Reinward thanked Yatte and donated 100 gold to the temple.
Fenrir had an engagement that night, the 70th birthday of Lady Gwendeth Thalavar. He decided to go mob-handed and took Raz, Reinward and Veddic.
Fenrir concentrated on finding Thistle Thavalar and making sure Raz didn't make a fool of himself. Trystran Dauntinghorn was there though and while he was charming and gentile, Fenrir wondered, with the passage of time, how Dauntinghorn viewed the escapade at the fete.
Dauntinghorn pointed at Reinward. 'You have a new acquaintance? May I be introduced?'
Dauntinghorn shook Reinward's hand and said, 'I can hear that you have a Sword Coast accent. I hope you are able to sleep in our warm climate...'
Reinward, who of course had not slept very well last night at all was about to make a rude remark, but was cut short by Fenrir making fangy-bitey gestures behind Dauntinghorn's back.
Reinward, instead, got away as soon as he could and went to dance with a well-fed young lady called Lesa Ujum.
She was big, and looked strong, but he was very drawn to a large gold chain that she had around her neck and expensive looking rings on her hands.
They had a few drinks and chatted. She seemed fairly docile.
Reinward tried the old 'rabbit grease and pepper' trick and pocketed one of her rings! After a short while she noticed it had gone and in flood's of tears she created such a scene that Reinward had to glumly press into a pie crust and say, 'oh look - is that it?'
She engulfed him in a hug, breathlessly sighing into his shoulder - 'my hero!'
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