SOI, Part I: A man known as Gahrio

[Jhorr]

Part I: A man known as Gahrio.

Those already seated among her had grown inpatient for the meeting to commence. Although diminutive in stature, even among elves, her ropy muscles were well-toned underneath milky skin stretched taut across an agile frame. Ashiwi Autumnmoon had been the Officer in charge of Acquisitions for the Shadows of Imphras since the guild’s inception and was legendary even among Faerun’s most deadly rogues. Originally appointed by Dornax, the original founder of the Shadows of Imphras, and elected twice to the post after his capture, she ventured alone throughout the realms to acquire items of particular value to the guild. Only rarely did she require the assistance of those in her guild. Perhaps, on the Day of Freedom in the Month of Hammer in year 526, she should have requested it.

Suddenly, from between the creaking of leather, a sharp metallic sound rang out through the Guildhall and the large door to the Officer’s Meeting Room opened. With a quick elven reflex, Ashiwi’s hand found her dagger’s hilt while she assessed the stout silhouetted form in the doorway. After all, on the hilt of a dagger is where a rogue’s hand usually rests, even while in the company of friends.

“Hail!” a rough voice from the doorway sounded.

“Crumar, you’re late,” Ashiwi sighed nervously before whispering a prayer to Sehanine.

“Nevermind that, let’s get started. Do you have it?” Crumar retorted as he took his seat at the head of the Officer’s Council.

Crumar, a Dwarven warrior, had earned his promotion through the ranks of the guild by orchestrating many expeditions throughout the realms. As a Lieutenant in the Shadows of Imphras, he was well-regarded throughout the guild for his leadership qualities. However, although Crumar’s expeditions consistently yielded wealth for those in the guild as well as the hired hands, none had ever revealed evidence or information regarding the whereabouts of Dornax, a mission of the guild that remains unachieved.

“Have I ever failed the guild?” Ashiwi asked with a wince as she reached into her dimensional vault. “This time however was not without consequence.” Her movements revealed a large gash in her iridescent leather armor large enough to see a tattoo of a red hawk flying in silhouette over a pale, silver moon emblazoned on her left shoulder. A cloud of curls the color of newly smelted copper rippled down to her waist, while tiny braids plaited through it kept it under control.

“Gahrio again?” Crumar said as he acknowledged his wounded elven Officer.

With a thud, Toarn’s Barbarian fist pounded the table as the newly elected Officer stood. “So help me, that bastard will taste his own blood on my sword! If I must slay a hundred umber hulks, I will find him and make him pay!”

“Toarn, you will one day have your revenge,” said Sotana as she waved her long, graceful fingers over Ashiwi’s wounded arm and, with an Elven prayer, began to mend her wound.

Ashiwi’s healing wound did not compromise her considerable elven strength. She reached deep into her orb of moonlight and revealed her most recent acquisition: the central eye of the beholder, Ylantha. She was able to lift the heavy prize from her vault without difficulty and as she placed it at the table’s center, the table buckled under its startling weight.

Ashiwi began, “I’m not exactly sure what happened although this I can tell you: Ylantha’s assassination was perhaps my best. Though, something else – or, someone - was there as well; something beyond my senses. As I freed the eye from Ylantha’s stalk, I was briefly blinded and fell. I felt something sharp cut through my shoulder and when I recovered, I saw a blurred form hovering over the corpse. I couldn’t focus on it but it seemed humanoid in form. Making sure I had her eye, I made a quick escape but as I left I noticed something was different about her corpse. It was … discolored strangely and some other parts were missing.”

“What I saw is outside of Gahrio’s normal ability,” Ashiwi continued. “For he is an enemy I have studied well. If he is responsible, he must have received outside assistance.”

“Unlikely,” explained Fotex, the veteran Human Officer. “Gahrio has always worked alone. However, such slime as he are never above a good bribe. Perhaps, we need to investigate this further.”

“Aye,” Crumar agreed. “Forty pints of ale always seems to work.”

As the debate continued, swirling silvery mists filled the room and a pool slowly formed on the ground. From out of the moonwell, a commanding Elven form appeared snatching the eye from the table.

“Fools!” Lilithelle snapped as she covered the eye with a bolt of fabric. “Do you want Draxinusum to see us?”

“Draxinusum? The ancient beholder?” Sotana gasped.

“Toraza prepares a siege on the beholder Hive as we speak. We must not risk sacrificing any details of his plan. Although Hulburg is far across Faerun, Waterdeep is surely within the magical sight of the beholders.” Lilithelle was clearly annoyed.

Lilithelle, an Elven druid and Leader of the Shadows of Imphras, was renowned throughout Faerun. Evil and good races alike knew of her famous battle with the Manscorpion Hive King during the Month of Annaxes in Year 486. Still, despite an awesome cunning prowess, she was also known for her generosity, frequently helping untold others with more trivial tasks that proved no match for someone of her unmatched ability.

“Where is Toraza? This is the eye he requested, is it not?” muttered Crumar.

“Yes, only he among us knows how to see the Hive through it. It is crucial to the final preparations of his plan. I will give it to him and keep it covered until I do so,” Lilithelle replied.

“Fine. The rest of you prepare for travel,” Crumar ordered. “We have some unsettled business in Undermountain. We’ll need Branthur or our newest cleric, Kiryan, as well. Sotana, please aid them in their return to Waterdeep as they are currently wandering the Northlands. I will meet with Toraza and ask for his assistance. Meet us at the Yawning Portal Inn in 2 hours. Go!”

As Lilithelle weaved a spell, the Officers of Imphras gathered themselves for their mission to Undermountain. Ashiwi, retrieving a cloth from her orb of moonstone, nervously cleaned her blades before they seemed to vanish among the folds of her armor. She had battled many times before with Gahrio and, with a spark of vengeance in her eye and a manscorpion stinger ready, she intended this fight to be Gahrio’s last.

“Gahrio! You will pay!” exclaimed Toarn as they exited the guildhall.

[Ashiwi]

::cackle::

I love it!!! And yes, I really DO hate Gahrio!

Great job Tor.

[Crumar]

good job Toraza, I look forward to reading more in the future well thought out.