Crypt of the Shadowking h-6

by Mark Anthony

  "Have you read the Mal'eb'dala?" Mari forced herself to ask. "Have you learned what it is Ravendas is searching for beneath the Tor?"

  "I believe so." Morhion pulled a heavy tome bound in black leather from a high shelf and set it on the table. Mari and Caledan bent over the book as the mage turned to a page marked with a ribbon of black satin. The writing was clear, but Mari could make no sense of the words, written in the ancient Talfirian tongue.

  "Well, what does it say?" Caledan asked in annoyance. The mage ignored him, directing his words to Mari.

  "The Book of the Shadows is an encyclopedia, of sorts. Its author, whoever he or she was-and indeed, there may have been more than one over the centuries-describes many mysteries forgotten since ancient times. Some entries describe terrible creatures, abominations of magic, while others discuss swords of power, or enchanted rings and the like. But there is only one entry that Ravendas would be interested in." He touched the page lightly. "This is it."

  The mage began to translate the passage. '"Long ago,'" thе mage read in his resonant voice, "'in a land east of the mountains and west of the sea, there dwelt a king named Verraketh, a ruler both feared and mighty.'" Morhion flipped the page. The tale of how Verraketh became a king goes on for some time. It is not particularly relevant to what comes after." He ran a finger down the page, then started again. "Ah, yes. This is it. 'Skilled above all men was Verraketh in the art of sorcery, but such was the power of his dark magic that slowly it did consume him, flesh and soul. Verraketh was changed until he appeared as a man no longer, but rather as a being most hideous, his maleficent heart filled only with darkness. Thus it was that Verraketh came to be called by a new name-the Shadowking.'"

  "Sounds cheerful," Caledan noted wryly.

  Morhion shot him an unfriendly glance but continued reading. "'For a long age did the Shadowking rule over his dusky realm, but ever he hungered for greater dominion. Many were the lands that fell…'" Morhion paused. "I am afraid the ink is blurred on the rest of this page, but I think we can imagine that many lands fell under the Shadow-king's dominion." He turned the page. "This, I think, is the important passage.

  "'… so began the forging of the Nightstone. It was a gem wrought by the hand of the Shadowking from his own essence, but it was not beautiful to look upon. Rather it was as dark and cold as death. With it the Shadowking meant to gain sway over the spirits of men and bring countless realms under his dire rule.

  '"Yet when the Shadowking first took up the Nightstone in his hand to wield it, he discovered that he had been tricked. The mute troll who had worked the bellows of the Shadowking's forge cast off his disguise, revealing himself as the great bard named Talek Talembar.

  "'In his rapture, the Shadowking had detected not the enchantment which Talembar had bound subtly within the Nightstone. The gem refused to obey its creator, but rather heeded only the power of the magical song which Talembar played upon his pipes.'"

  Morhion turned another page. "'For seven days and seven nights the Shadowking wrestled with Talek Talembar, and the earth shook with the fury of their battle. But in the end victory belonged to Talembar. At the end of all things the great bard raised his pipes to his lips and played the shadow song, weaving its enchantment about the Shadowking and his dark creation, the Nightstone. The Shadowking bowed on bended knee to the bard who had defeated him. Then did Talembar bind his vanquished foe within a great crypt, and over the crypt he raised a cairn higher than a hill. And the power of the Nightstone was hidden away forevermore.'"

  Morhion stopped then, shutting the book carefully.

  "But what happened to Talek Talembar after he defeated the Shadowking?" Man asked.

  Morhion shrugged. "I cannot say. The passage remains unfinished."

  Mari frowned. It disappointed her that the tale told nothing more about the hero named Talembar.

  "I don't understand," Caledan said with a scowl, starting to pace once again. "What does any of this have to with Ravendas and Iriaebor?"

  "The Mal'eb'dala says Talek Talembar raised a great mound over the Shadowking's crypt," the mage answered, "a mound as high as a hill. I think that hill of legend is the very Tor upon which Iriaebor stands. I think Ravendas is digging within, searching for the Shadowking's crypt"

  "Then it's the Nightstone she seeks," Mari interrupted, and the mage nodded.

  "Perhaps it is only a legend and nothing more," Morhion said, returning the book to its shelf. "But what if it is not? If the Nightstone was real, and Ravendas held it in her hand, she would have the power to enslave every man and woman in Iriaebor, perhaps even beyond."

  Mari clenched her jaw. "The Harpers will never allow this," she said grimly.

  "Damn the Harpers," Caledan said angrily. Mari looked at him in surprise, but he glared back defiantly. "I will not allow this."

  Caldorien and the Harper were gone. The mage, Morhion Gen'dahar, sat alone by the fire in his tower. He' studied the runes he had scattered across a wooden tray lined with dark velvet. There were nine of them, each a small square of fired clay embossed with a single rune. Sometimes he saw hints of the future in the patterns they formed. It was these very runes that so far had kept him from moving against Ravendas. And now Caldorien had come, just as the runes foretold. In his heart he found he was gladdened to know that Caldorien yet lived. There had been madness in the man's eyes the last time the mage had seen him. But that had been long ago. He supposed Caldorien considered him an enemy now, but that did not matter.

  What mattered now was the Nightstone, and nothing else.

  These last seven years had been trying. They had been long years, years of waiting. Morhion had been forced to stoop to working as a court magician to support himself and his work. How much time had he wasted, advising foppish lords and entertaining petty nobles? How many times had he been forced to create a disguise for an adulterous husband, or conjure frivolities of illusion for a tittering contessa, when his time would have been so much better spent here among his books? But it was the curse of life that one had to eat, and so Morhion had performed these petty services in return for gold.

  All that would be over soon. The waiting was done. Ravendas sought the Nightstone, and she was near her goal. Now Caldorien had returned, to help or hinder the mage as the fates decreed. Morhion wondered which it would be.

  Morhion rose and knelt by the hearth, banking the coals in the ashes for the night. Suddenly a cold draft of air fanned the flames, bringing with it the dank scent of earth and rot, the sweet fragrance of death. Tonight was the full moon. It was time.

  He stood up and watched as a pale, luminous form materialized before him, just as it had once each month for the past seven years. Thin strands of silver spun upon the empty air, outlining the shape of a man dressed in ornate, archaic armor. The silver strands grew brighter, weaving their glimmering magic, tracing the sharp lines of the man's face, his cruel mouth, and high cheekbones. Finally the silver strands plunged into the darkness where the man's eyes should have been. Two small specks as fiery as coals appeared.

  Morhion felt his knees weaken, but he did not bother to sit. Even after all these years, no matter how many times the spirit came, he was never prepared for this sensation.

  "It is time," the ghostly man whispered, his voice as insubstantial and chilling as mist. "The pact we forged beneath the fortress of Darkhold is binding. I demand my due."

  “The pact is binding," Morhion whispered with a nod. His fingers trembling, he pulled a small bronze knife from the pocket of his robe and drew it across the flesh of his left arm. He grimaced with pain but made no sound as the dark crimson blood welled forth, sizzling where it fell upon the hot stones of the hearth.

  The spectral man cried out in ecstasy, an inhuman sound, and knelt, bringing his cruel mouth to the pool of blood on the floor. The hot, crimson blood vanished from the stones as Morhion watched with all too familiar horror.

  "More, mage," the spirit whispered, clutching Morhion's wrist with fingers as chill and num
bing as ice. A low sound of terror ripped itself from Morhion's throat, but he could not break free.

  The spirit bent the cruel mouth to the mage's arm to drink. "Yes, mage, the pact is binding…"

  Eleven

  Caledan and Mari walked in silence back toward the Dreaming Dragon. Night had descended, and the full moon rising above the city's towers seemed to cast more shadows than light. The gloomy setting suited Caledan's mood.

  The conversation with Morhion Gen'dahar had left him edgy and preoccupied. Why was the treacherous mage so interested all of a sudden in The Book of the Shadows?

  When they reached the narrow alleyway that led to the inn's back entrance, Mari laid a hand on Caledan's arm, halting him. "Caldorien, tell me something," she said, her brown eyes intent "You're not going to act a fool and break into the tower to confront Ravendas, are you?"

  Caledan shrugged, annoyed at her question. "Why would I tell you if I was? Do you confide everything in me, Harper? Or are there matters your precious Harpers have discussed with you that you've neglected to share?"

  Mari's eyes widened, her face pale. Caledan allowed himself an inward smile. He had struck a blow. It seemed that the Harper was hiding something from him.

  "You don't understand anything about the Harpers, Caldorien," she replied, shaking her head sadly. "I think you've forgotten everything it means to be one."

  He laughed harshly. "No, I remember all too well. Everything's a game to you and your kind, isn't it? You manipulate people as if they were pieces on a gameboard. Don't tell me the Harpers really care about Iriaebor, or any of its people. They want to show up the Zhentarim, that's all."

  "Think whatever you like, Caldorien."

  Caledan opened his mouth for a bitter retort, but then he swallowed the words. There was something in her usually proud expression, a hint of a sorrow he had never seen before. His anger drained away.

  Suddenly she was in his arms, clinging to him tightly. Their lips met, and Caledan felt a dizzying wave of fire inflame him. He held her close, and for a single crystalline moment the darkness around them was forgotten.

  Then they heard the hiss of a sword being drawn.

  Caledan and Mari broke free of each other. Caledan pushed her behind his back, spinning around. He found himself facing a swordpoint inches from his chest. A Zhentarim warrior held the hilt, an evil leer on his scarred face. Caledan considered reaching for the dagger concealed in his boot, but he knew he would never have the time to grab it. Behind him Mari had started to move, but he held her by the wrist. He didn't want her to do anything foolish. The Zhent couldn't kill them both at once. At least she would have time to escape down the alley.

  "Harpers." The Zhent sneered. "Looks like I'm going to be popular with Lord Cutter tomorrow."

  The Zhent raised his sword-and then hesitated. His leer dissolved into a look of confusion. He shook his head slowly. The words he uttered were lost in a stream of foamy blood gushing from his lips. The warrior's eyes went dull as he slumped to the cobblestones. Caledan and Mari stared at the lifeless Zhent.

  A small, wiry form stepped out of the shadows.

  "Good thing I was out for a walk," Ferret said, his crooked smile showing in the moonlight. Caledan could only nod. 'Terrible, isn't it, the garbage people leave lying about the streets these days?" the thief went on nonchalantly. He wiped his dagger clean on the dead man's cloak. "I'll find a more appropriate place to dispose of this refuse. The wharfs are always a good choice. They already stink. Why don't you two hurry on inside?" Caledan patted the thief's thin shoulder in thanks, then Ferret vanished once again into the shadows. Caledan turned to see how the Harper was doing, but the alley behind him was empty. She had already vanished inside.

  Caledan watched the sunrise through the panes of the window in his small room. Then he dressed and headed downstairs. Estah and Jolle were both seeing to customers in the common room. But Mari was in the kitchen. Caledan winced when he saw her.

  How the kiss last night had happened, he was not at all certain, and he was even less certain about what it meant. The Harper was stubborn, self-righteous, overly critical, and she hardly fit any common definition of beauty. Caledan did not even remotely like her. So why couldn't he forget the warm sensation of her lips against his?

  Mari was busily scouring a table. Her sleeves were rolled up, her hair was tied at the nape of her neck, and her cheeks glowed as she vigorously scrubbed at the wood with a rag and a scattering of sand. So intent was she on her task, she did not notice him watching her. Her jaw was clenched tightly, her brow furrowed with a scowl. Suddenly Mari looked up. Their eyes met briefly, then each looked away.

  "Listen, Harper-" Caledan began after a moment of awkward silence.

  "It's all right, scoundrel," she said, turning back to her work. "You don't have to apologize."

  "Apologize?" he said, a bit puzzled. Then he shrugged. "Very well, Harper. I just wanted to let you know that, about what happened… I mean, you and I…"

  "I said you don't have to apologize, Caledan. It was an accident, that's all. I know it didn't mean anything to you." Mari seemed to be scrubbing a particularly stubborn spot, practically scraping a hole in the tabletop.

  "No-no, of course not," Caledan said, forcing a grin. "I'm relieved you feel the same way. I guess we can just forget about it then."

  Mari nodded. "I think that would be best." A silence followed. Thankfully Estah bustled into the kitchen then, dispelling the awkwardness.

  It was early evening when Tyveris arrived at the inn after spending the day in the library of Everard Abbey. The lore-master had been searching for references to the bard Talek Talembar and his battle with the Shadowking. If Ravendas truly was searching for this "Nightstone" the mage had spoken of, then Talembar's shadow song might represent their only chance to stand against it.

  Estah, Jolle, Ferret, Mari, and Caledan followed Tyveris into the private dining chamber, and the companions gathered around a table.

  "I'm afraid there isn't much," Tyveris said as he pulled out a pair of books from his leather satchel. Caledan looked at the tomes curiously. The first had the title Talfirian Eddas emblazoned in gilt across its spine. Tyveris opened the book.

  "The eddas have been translated," Tyveris explained. "Unfortunately, none of them concern this Talek Talembar directly. However, one of the eddas is intriguing."

  "How so?" Estah asked.

  Tyveris flipped through the pages. "Here it is. Whoever penned this saga tries to convince the reader of the greatness of his hero by comparing him to heroes of the past. The skald lists about a hundred names out of legend. I don't recognize most of them. But one of the heroes he mentions is Talek Talembar."

  Tyveris pointed out the passage, reading aloud. "'…and as brave as Talek Talembar, who in the Year of the Lion, in the reckoning of Cormyr, lamentably did fall to a craven goblin's arrow in the Duchy of Indoria.'"

  Caledan frowned. "That's it?"

  "I'm afraid so," Tyveris replied, shutting the book.

  Ferret scratched his stubbly chin. "I've never heard of this 'Indoria.'"

  "You're not the only one," Tyveris said with a rumbling laugh. "I spent hours going over every map in the abbey's library, and I couldn't find any trace of it. Until I looked in this book." He held up the second book. "It's a history of Calimshan."

  "You mean Indoria is somewhere in Calimshan?" Caledan asked. He had journeyed to that arid southern kingdom on a few occasions and didn't much care for it.

  Tyveris shook his head. "No, but it is in a history of one of the ancient noble houses of Calimshan that Indoria is mentioned."

  Briefly the monk sketched what he had learned. Five or six centuries ago, the land to the west of Iriaebor, between the Winding Water and the River Chionthar, was a favorite battleground for kingdoms seeking control of the western lands of Faerun. Over the centuries, army after army clashed there in titanic battles. Many of those armies came from Calimshan, for this was before the founding of Calimshan's norther
n neighbor, Amn.

  "I found a passage in the journal of a Calimshite lord who led an army across the River Chionthar," Tyveris explained, "where the lord notes in passing that they camped one evening in a place called Indoria. Bless the man, he even drew a map of his journey."

  "Then we know where Talembar must be buried," Caledan said, his eyes glimmering.

  Tyveris nodded. "At least the general vicinity. There's a village called Asher where Indoria used to be. Only nowadays the land between the Winding Water and the Chionthar is called the Fields of the Dead. Hardly a patch of earth can be plowed there or a well dug without turning up ancient bones or rusted armor. Reminders of the long-ago battles are everywhere."

  Ferret gazed at the book speculatively. "What does it gain us to dig up old Talembar?"

  "Maybe Talembar's shadow song was buried with him," Caledan replied. "According to the Mal'eb'dala, the only way to counter the magic of the Nightstone is by playing the shadow song."

  "Then it's settled," Mari said firmly. "We must journey into the Fields of the Dead, to Indoria and Talembar's tomb."

  "There's no reason to delay," said Tyveris.

  “Tomorrow at dawn," agreed Caledan.

  "It's a bit early, but I guess I can make it," Ferret added.

  Estah smiled at them all. "It's almost like the old Fellowship," she said wistfully. "Almost." Jolle gazed at his wife, and for a moment Caledan thought he saw a sadness reflected in his usually merry brown eyes.

  "Then let us see to the provisions, wife," he said, and she nodded, standing up.

  "We need to pack food enough for four," she agreed.

  "You had best make that five, friend Estah."

  The companions all looked up to see a tall, imposing man step into the room. His long blond hair fell against the shoulders of his pearl-gray robe, and his cold blue eyes bore no trace of emotion.

  "Morhion," Caledan said, as if the word was poison.

  The mage approached. He nodded slowly in greeting to each of the companions before returning his attention to Caledan. "What do you want?" Caledan said, standing to face the mage.