When Fighting Monsters
"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster...for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you."
Safad had pondered those words, acknowledged them, and held them true. Something to live by, he thought--right up until a wealthy diplomat called him a street urchin. Then he angrily cast a proffered coin into the fire and stormed off, launching a string of events that culminated in murder and kidnapping.
Now those words echoed in his head, haunting him, as his blood stained boots landed on rough gravel and his companions roughly shoved Tufus and Partridge past the lifeless body of their bodyguard and through the window of the Wandering Wolf.
But let us back up.
Nancy's concert had been an evening to remember. Bards would sing about the songs she sung that night. Her rendition of Under the Bridge with accompanying visual effects would go down as one of the greatest in Old Weir memory. After the show, Nancy and the Misfit Six led the delighted delegation from Waterdeep to a backroom lounge to unwind with a private listening.
It all started so well, with Tufus toasting the troubadours and Nancy toasting their health. They passed around fine crystal filled with Roger's thick fortified after-dinner cider. Nancy sang the Farmer's Daughter and other heartland classics. Dala'gse spun Partridge on the dancefloor and let his hand slide slightly lower than custom in these parts may deem good form. But Dala'gse is an island dwarf, and he was drunk, besides. Partridge did not seem to mind.
Slothrop slipped some sfos into Safad's drink, while a wary Reggal took in the room. Ironica saw that Reggal noticed the drugged wine and offered him some. He declined. Those were to be some of his final words.
Safad settled into a pleasant conversation with Tufus about the importance of the economy of a region, and began to ask about how Tufus saw the Vostewylde economy fitting into that of the Lord's Alliance. Tufus asked at which library in Calimport Safad had been enlightened with such thinking. Safad told him he had never had any formal training but that he grew up on the streets fending for himself. Tufus thought it was quite novel to be speaking with a street urchin!
"STREET URCHIN!?" roared Safad.
Tufus smiled, and sniffed the air near Safad, searching for any offending odor. Tufus produced a gold coin and handed it to Safad, telling him if he had known he was from such means he would have been more generous in his patronage.
Safad threw the coin into the fire and stormed off. Zireael ran after him to calm him, but instead let him go and returned as Safad in the hat of disguise. The ruse fooled Tufus, and Zireael bent down to kiss his boots and apologize. He also took the opportunity to furtively tie the laces of Tufus's well-heeled boots together.
The ruse did not fool Reggal, who looked amused and curious. Slothrop did not like that look. He walked by him and slashed him brutally with his short sword, setting the room off into chaos.
Meanwhile, outside, Safad rounded the corner behind the Wandering Wolf to blow off some steam and have Rook listen in on the conversation. He saw Lanelle Bustini, a Lakevillian, resting against the wall, listening in on the room. When she saw Safad, she took off around the corner. He let her go but sent a silent message to Zireael to come outside at once.
Back in the room, Zireael heard the message and ignored it, as Tufus demanded to know what was going on and tried to stand up but fell on the floor with his laces tied. He slit the laces with his dagger. Suddenly the group saw how tired he looked. Lined. Serious. Nothing like that haughty feckless noble he seemed. Ironica jumped on him, pinning him to the floor.
Partridge’s normally vacant eyes picked up a sharp severity, as she attempted to untwine herself from Dala'gse. He tackled her to the ground.
Drabna let out cries for help, rousing the inn, and he fled through the door.
Nancy let fly a wayward crossbow bolt at Reggal, as Zireael's blades could not quite find an opening. Reggal offered his surrender, and Zireael accepted it, tying him with the rope of binding.
Slothrop thought that was quite convenient, and dug his dagger deep into the man's neck. Reggal expired.
Tufus called out, "What is the meaning of this!? Assassins! Who has hired you?"
The group grabbed Tufus and Partridge and shoved them through the window, as the Misfit Six fled into the night, leaving the executed body of Reggal behind.
With the sounds of alarm spreading and many booted feet thundering down the hallways of the Wandering Wolf, Safad was reminded of his precious quote:
"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster...for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you."
Safad had pondered those words, acknowledged them, and held them true. Something to live by, he thought--right up until a wealthy diplomat called him a street urchin. Then he angrily cast a proffered coin into the fire and stormed off, launching a string of events that culminated in murder and kidnapping.
Now those words echoed in his head, haunting him, as his blood stained boots landed on rough gravel and his companions roughly shoved Tufus and Partridge past the lifeless body of their bodyguard and through the window of the Wandering Wolf.
But let us back up.
Nancy's concert had been an evening to remember. Bards would sing about the songs she sung that night. Her rendition of Under the Bridge with accompanying visual effects would go down as one of the greatest in Old Weir memory. After the show, Nancy and the Misfit Six led the delighted delegation from Waterdeep to a backroom lounge to unwind with a private listening.
It all started so well, with Tufus toasting the troubadours and Nancy toasting their health. They passed around fine crystal filled with Roger's thick fortified after-dinner cider. Nancy sang the Farmer's Daughter and other heartland classics. Dala'gse spun Partridge on the dancefloor and let his hand slide slightly lower than custom in these parts may deem good form. But Dala'gse is an island dwarf, and he was drunk, besides. Partridge did not seem to mind.
Slothrop slipped some sfos into Safad's drink, while a wary Reggal took in the room. Ironica saw that Reggal noticed the drugged wine and offered him some. He declined. Those were to be some of his final words.
Safad settled into a pleasant conversation with Tufus about the importance of the economy of a region, and began to ask about how Tufus saw the Vostewylde economy fitting into that of the Lord's Alliance. Tufus asked at which library in Calimport Safad had been enlightened with such thinking. Safad told him he had never had any formal training but that he grew up on the streets fending for himself. Tufus thought it was quite novel to be speaking with a street urchin!
"STREET URCHIN!?" roared Safad.
Tufus smiled, and sniffed the air near Safad, searching for any offending odor. Tufus produced a gold coin and handed it to Safad, telling him if he had known he was from such means he would have been more generous in his patronage.
Safad threw the coin into the fire and stormed off. Zireael ran after him to calm him, but instead let him go and returned as Safad in the hat of disguise. The ruse fooled Tufus, and Zireael bent down to kiss his boots and apologize. He also took the opportunity to furtively tie the laces of Tufus's well-heeled boots together.
The ruse did not fool Reggal, who looked amused and curious. Slothrop did not like that look. He walked by him and slashed him brutally with his short sword, setting the room off into chaos.
Meanwhile, outside, Safad rounded the corner behind the Wandering Wolf to blow off some steam and have Rook listen in on the conversation. He saw Lanelle Bustini, a Lakevillian, resting against the wall, listening in on the room. When she saw Safad, she took off around the corner. He let her go but sent a silent message to Zireael to come outside at once.
Back in the room, Zireael heard the message and ignored it, as Tufus demanded to know what was going on and tried to stand up but fell on the floor with his laces tied. He slit the laces with his dagger. Suddenly the group saw how tired he looked. Lined. Serious. Nothing like that haughty feckless noble he seemed. Ironica jumped on him, pinning him to the floor.
Partridge’s normally vacant eyes picked up a sharp severity, as she attempted to untwine herself from Dala'gse. He tackled her to the ground.
Drabna let out cries for help, rousing the inn, and he fled through the door.
Nancy let fly a wayward crossbow bolt at Reggal, as Zireael's blades could not quite find an opening. Reggal offered his surrender, and Zireael accepted it, tying him with the rope of binding.
Slothrop thought that was quite convenient, and dug his dagger deep into the man's neck. Reggal expired.
Tufus called out, "What is the meaning of this!? Assassins! Who has hired you?"
The group grabbed Tufus and Partridge and shoved them through the window, as the Misfit Six fled into the night, leaving the executed body of Reggal behind.
With the sounds of alarm spreading and many booted feet thundering down the hallways of the Wandering Wolf, Safad was reminded of his precious quote:
"Beware that, when fighting monsters, you yourself do not become a monster...for when you gaze long into the abyss. The abyss gazes also into you."
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