Around the Dinner Table

By Stephan Kendall

Wine

It was remarkably cold in Elton when he appeared within the teleportation circle located outside the gates. Despite being closer to the equator than Cimmer and Thess, the winter winds coming off the Serpentcoil Mountains made the town colder. If one could peer through the massing clouds this evening, one could see the snow-capped peaks off to the north.

Wyncit burrowed deeper into his overcoat and started walking to the nearby town gate. Elton was either a small city or large town, depending on who you asked, that snaked along both sides of the Eleanor River with picturesque multi-story wooden buildings and flowering plants that followed the stone built river bank.

It was an ideal location for one of the more famous restaurants on Syra.

It was a short walk along the stone pathway to the gate of the walled town. Somewhere in the history of the town the walls and gates went from defensive to decorative. Intricately carved across their lengths with scroll work and flowing vines, and painted with a bright whitewash, the walls were the envy of most towns. "Just don't expect them to stop an orc tribe," someone had once told Wyncit.

The wide gate itself was bright red and open. Two guards in ceremonial uniforms of red and white, armed with bright breastplates and halberds, stood on each side of the gate. One nodded to Wyncit as he past through.

'No entrance fee?' Wyncit thought as he past under the gate's archway, which was marked by an abundance of murder holes. 'At least they have those.'

Once within the town, there were several horse drawn carriages waiting for customers, showing the teleport circle was more used than Wyncit initially thought. Wyncit took the first one, the gnome driver nodding when he asked to go to the Hearty Harvest Inn. The inside was comfortable and clean, and the ride smooth with well sprung wheels.

The carriage stopped out outside a row of five story beam and stone buildings and Wyncit got out. He turned to face one of the buildings after paying the agreed five copper and studied his destination. The front of the building faced the street and winding river behind Wyncit, and was painted the same as the walls of the town: white and red. What would be fragrant, flower-laden vines during any other season grew from the upper windows' planters and cascaded down. Bright lanterns already lit the outside from the approaching darkness. Above the closed door, written in flowery Common tongue script, was "Hearty Harvest Inn and Restaurant."

He entered and was assaulted with wonderful kitchen aromas. The large common room was filled with a scattering of round, white clothed tables and chairs of different heights. The walls were panelled in dark wood and gleamed with their coating of bees' wax and varnish. Driftglobes of different colors drifted near the ceiling. The room was already half full with diners. There were three opened doors at the back.

Directly in front of him was a young blonde woman of human and elf descent in a black dress.

"How may I help you, sir?" She asked in a friendly tone.

Wyncit smiled and suppressed his normal reaction upon meeting a beautiful woman. After spending months in the jungles of Palmheart with several women, he knew his natural response was sometimes overpowering and unwelcome.

"My name is Wyncit Sutler. I am here to see Tony Child."

She smiled and her face lit up with pleasure. It was difficult, but he refrained from responding in kind. "This way, please."

Wyncit followed her through the far right back door, which turned out to be the stairs going up to the floor above. At the top they entered as small room with a halfling male seated behind it. To Wyncit's right was another open door into a hallway. He quickly figured out the opened doors allowed the smells of cooking foods to drift up into the rest of the inn. He was getting hungry.

"Herman, this is Sage Sulter, one of Master Child's guests," the woman told the man. And with that, she turned and went back down the stairs into the common room. With another smile.

'Hmmmm,' thought Wyncit as he directed his gaze on the man.

Herman smiled and got up from his chair. "This way, please Sage Sulter. There is already one other here."

The hallway was of the same wood as the common room below and had a few closed doors lining one side while a few windows, covered with heavy drapes, lined the other. Herman walked him to a middle door, knocked, and quickly entered. Inside was a large white room with a white clothed circular table in the center. In the center sat a scattering of liquor bottles, wine decanters, and a glass water jug. Around the table were padded chairs. On the far side of the room, with a window on each side of it, sat a lit fireplace and bare tables along the wall on each side. To the left of the door, standing in a corner, was the back of a rather large grandfather clock. Seated on one of the chairs, where both table and windows could be seen, was Mae, dressed in a flowing robe of yellow and green silk. Her hair was brushed back and tied.

Mae was, of course, reading a book. On the table in front of her sat a small wine glass of white wine. The book was unmarked but bound in red leather and rather thick. She marked the page and placed the book off to the side before getting up.

"Hello Mae," said Wyncit as he entered. Her smile was one of happy surprise.

"Hello Wyncit," she responded.

"Sir, would you care for something to drink," asked Herman, directing Wyncit's attention to the drinks in the center of the table.

"Whatever Mae is having is fine," Wyncit answered.

Herman closed the door and picked up a folded step stool that had been hidden by the open door. He walked to the table, opened the stool, stepped up, and stretching out retrieved a clear, wide-bottomed decanter of white wine.

"Oh," said Mae, frowning. "I could have done that, Herman."

"All part of the service, Lady Govannen," he said. Taking an empty tall wine glass, he carefully, and theatrically, poured the white wine halfway. He then leaned over and replaced the decanter in the center of the table.

Wyncit shrugged his shoulders and took a seat directly across from Mae.

Herman walked the glass to Wyncit and placed it in front of him, then waited. Wyncit smiled at him, then picked it up and twirled the wine within the glass, watching how it shifted colors and clung to the side of the glass. With a quick smell of the fragrance, he took a small sip. He sucked in some air and rolled the liquid in his mouth, getting the feel and taste of the wine.

It was dry, fruity and very pleasant.

Wyncit looked at Herman, "Thank you, Herman. It's lovely."

Herman nodded and said, "Master Child will be with you in just a bit. He is finishing your dinner selection for tonight. If you need anything, I shall be at the desk."

And with that, Herman left, closing the door behind him.

Wyncit looked over to Mae. "This is one of yours?"

Mae smiled and sipped from her glass.

"Any idea where Brecca is?" He asked.

Mae waved an arm around just as the door opened. "She is around. Probably ransacking the basement."

"I beg your pardon, I do not 'ransack,'" replied Brecca as she entered. She was dressed in woolen leggings and and a plain oversized linen shirt. And pink house slippers.

Mae smiled. "Loot? Steal? Investigate with extreme prejudice?"

Brecca flopped into the closest chair to the door, leaving it open behind her.

"I'll take that last one," Brecca said.

Mae nodded.

To Wyncit, Brecca said, "Well, here I am. What?"

"Let's wait for Tony. What I have to say needs everyone here. And it's easier to say it once. I suspect I'll have to repeat it, anyway." Wyncit reached over to the center of the table and retrieved a pitcher of dark yellow liquid and passed it over to Brecca; who had to lean over to receive it.

"What?" She asked.

Wyncit shrugged his shoulders and passed a wine glass. Brecca pour the liquid into the glass and took a cautious sip.

"Mead. Dwarven. I've had better," she muttered.

"I think not!" Tony marked as he came in, closing the door behind him.

Tony was larger than he was last Wyncit last saw him. Tony liked to taste his own cooking, Wyncit guessed.

"That is made from the honey of giant bumblebees that only feed on blackberry pollen. Then it's aged in seared oak casks for 10 years before being bottled in blown glass bottles, which are then corked and waxed and then aged in their bottles for another five years." Tony sat between Wyncit and Brecca.

"Dinner will be ready in about ten minutes. We'll start off with something light, soup and appetizers. Then see how people are feeling," Tony continued. Looking around the table, he gave a large smile. "Well. First time that we've all been together in over a year. What has everyone been doing?"

"Adventuring," Brecca said.

"Researching death magic," Mae said at the same time.

"Teaching and writing," Wyncit said over the other two.

Tony nodded and smiled.

Brecca looked at Wyncit. "Tony is here. What?"

Wyncit rolled his eyes as Mae pointed at the clock in the corner and asked, "Tony, is that the clock we found in the tombs?"

Tony leaned back in his chair, frowned, and crossed his arms as he glared at the clock.

"Yes."

There was a small silence as people waited for Tony to continue.

When he didn't, Mae asked, "Why is it facing the corner? Has it been bad? Is it being punished?"

People waited as Tony stared at the clock and frowned.

Brecca opened her mouth but was interrupted by Tony.

"I tried animating it to move it to where I wanted it in the main common room with the intention of putting it back together again. It was going to be the main decoration in the room with everything else to support its art. But when I cast the spell, the clock refused to follow my directions. Instead, it walked upstairs, came in here, and stood in the corner, facing the wall. No matter how many times I cast the spell and ask it to move downstairs, it refuses and stays put."

Tony continue to glared at the clock.

"Maybe it wants to go back home," Mae asked delicately.

Tony grunted.

"Maybe its guilty of something and is punishing itself," asked Wyncit.

Tony grunted. Mae and Wyncit looked over at Brecca.

"What? It's a clock. It doesn't have any feelings," she said.

Mae tsked Brecca and Wyncit signed.

"So. Tony is here, now. What did you have to tell us?" asked Brecca.

Wyncit took a sip from his wine glass to collect his thoughts as the others looked on.

Taking a deep breath, Wyncit started. "There is a possibility that the souls from Acererak's phylactery are still 'alive.' Including Leardon's wife, my grandmother."

There was a pause as Wyncit took another sip of wine. Brecca broke the silence. "How? The last time we saw the thing it was drifting in the deep Shadowfell, falling apart."

Wyncit shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. But some things have been happening the last ten days that make me think it survived."

Mae broke in before Brecca could question Wyncit more. "You generally have evidence, or at least reasonable deduction, for your hypotheses."

Tony leaned over and poured himself some water and took a quick drink. Wyncit waited until he was finished. "Ten nights ago I started dreaming. I thought it was my unconscious self telling me something. I started thinking about it, but then the next night I had the same dream. The very same dream."

Brecca broke in and asked, "I have dreams all the time. What was the difference?"

Wyncit nodded. "I dream every night. I generally forget them when I wake, but this dream was different. The colors were more vivid, the dream more intense. And, as I said, I had it the next night. In fact, I had it eight straight nights. No change, nothing different. Everything was the exact same thing as the night before."

Mae broke in next. "It sounds like a dream message."

Tony frowned and turned to Mae. "Dream message?"

Mae nodded. "A type of sending magic. Instead of just words, one can send images, emotions, thoughts. But creatures that live in the Ethereal Plane can also send dreams." Mae turned to Wyncit. "Who sent this dream?"

"And what was this dream?" asked Brecca.

"Let me describe the dream to you, then I will try my hypothesis and see what you think," Wyncit asked.

The others nodded and waited.

"So," Wyncit started, "This is what happens in the dream..."

I float weightless in darkness. All is dark, except directly ahead of me where a brilliant light shines. I can't tell how far it is or what it is. As I look, I seem to get closer. Whether it's me or the light moving closer, I can't tell. But closer it gets until it stops. It seems I can reach out to touch it, but it's still out of reach. It's the phylactery. It shines from inside, the multifaceted crystal holding the souls glowing from within. It shines in brilliant colors of the rainbow. It tumbles just out of reach. I can hear the screams of fear from the souls. I can taste the cold ash of the Shadowfell. As it tumbles, a black shape moves in the distance, moving quickly towards me. It passes between me and the phylactery. Against the shifting light of the crystal, I can tell it's a huge black raven. Its black feathers quickly disappear in the darkness of the Shadowfell. Suddenly, from behind me, a raven screams. It pierces my heart with dread. I shudder in real fear, I feel a wind as the raven come from behind me and swallows the phylactery in its blackness. Once again, I am in total darkness. I float there. For seconds or hours, I can not tell. Then, once again, in the distance I see a light. It is feeble. Small. And again, either I or the light fly closer to each other. This light is a standing figure. It's an old man, his skin stretched tight against his skull. The figure's back is bent with age and he leans against a walking stick of ebon wood. His clothes are black, shredded and aged. The light he gives off is weak and barely shines in the darkness of the Shadowfell. I can tell he stands at the edge of a chasm, though. He looks at me and speaks. He speaks in the voice of Leardon. "I did not know," he said to me. I can barely hear him. "But now, I have learned the truth. I pray it is not too late. She can not be trusted." As I listen to him, he starts to turn to dust, starting at his feet and whisked away by the cold ash wind of the Shadowfell until just his skull is left. "Warn them!" Then his skull disappears into ash as it too is swept away by the wind. It is all dark, again. I float there. I can feel my life drain away in the bitter cold. And then, once again, off the distance I see another glow of light. It stands where Leardon once did. It is dim, female in form. It seems to look at me and calls out. I can barely hear her. "Free me," she calls. Her voice sounds as if it is behind a barrier of some sort. I reach out to her. And then I wake.

Wyncit quickly drank the rest of the wine in one deep gulp.

"Each night for eight nights, the dream is the same... Except the soul at the end. Each night, at the end, it was in a different pose. But still calling out, 'Free me!'"

There was a long pause in the room as they took in what Wyncit had said. Suddenly, the door was flung open.

"Dinner!" yelled Herman as he walked in.

"Gods," Tony cried out. "Way to spoil the mood!"

Dinner

Dinner was quiet except for the sounds of eating, the occasional grunt or approving sigh, and the tinkling sounds of utensils against porcelain. Tony's prediction of just soup and a salad proved correct as people pushed their plates away early and herbal tear and bone broth were served along with a selection of sweets.

Except for Brecca.

"What?" Asked Brecca when she noticed Wyncit watching her cut into a rolled chicken breast.

Wyncit smiled. "You seem to be hungry."

Brecca thrust her knife at Wyncit. "Ha! Unlike you, I just spent the last four months in the jungles of Palmheart tracking down that escaped demon lord!"

"Oh dear," Mae said. "All by yourself?"

Brecca speared a piece of chicken with her fork, and shoved it into her mouth. Chewing, she closed her eyes. The others looked at each other, then back to Brecca and waited.

"Well?" Asked Tony.

Brecca opened her eyes and stabbed at Tony with her knife. "Give me a second to chew." She reached out and took a small swallow of wine from her glass. "Spell created meals are so monotonous. Lots of it, but the same thing over and over again. The gods only know three meals: oatmeal porridge with bread and water, pea soup with bread and water, and beef stew with bread and water."

She cut another small portion of chicken and ate it. Melted yellow cheese flowed out from where it had been stuffed in a hollow in the breast. The others sipped from their cups and waited for Brecca to finish chewing.

"Well?" Tony finally asked.

Brecca looked down at her half-finished chicken breast and sighed.

"Fine," she said, laying her knife and fork to the side. "So I'm in Silverstone visiting Ru Bae Ya. Girls' weekend out. Something about a hot springs spa and lots of shopping. When this halfling paladin of Obad-Hai named Flynn finds me and tells me King Garin ordered her and her adventuring company into Palmheart to find the demon lord, and she needs a guide. Tony refused to leave the restaurant, Mae was back home, Wyncit was at the university knee-deep in writing books with Twyncit, Leardon was missing, Ru Bae Ya was being Ru Bae Ya, and all she can find is me. So, no girls' weekend for me. We teleport back to Terastra, and I find Makai at the palace with the rest of the Halfling Brigade."

"Wait," Tony interrupted. With a smile he asks, "The Halfling Brigade?"

"Yes!" Brecca answered. "Flynn's adventuring company is called the Halfling Brigade. You got a problem?"

Tony shook his head. "No. Just didn't know that. All halflings, I take it?"

"No! There's a gnome in the group, too."

A confused expression came over Tony. "Then why the Halfling Brigade?"

"Because!" Brecca answered. "Don't ask me, I'm not a halfling."

Tony shrugged his shoulders. Brecca looked down at her formerly hot dinner and sighed. "So we head to the ziggurat," Brecca continued, "where the demon lord came from and start to track it. Took us four months to finally find it. Three and a half months of that was getting lost." Brecca crossly looked at Wyncit and stabbed at him with a finger. "You are coming with me, next time. If I have to get lost in the jungle, so do you!"

"What did I do?" Wyncit asked in a confused voice as Mae chuckled.

"Don't ask, Wyncit," Mae replied. "Just accept it's your fault and apologize."

"I'm sorry?" Wyncit said in complete confusion.

"Not accepted!" Brecca announced.

"Well," asked Tony. "You find it."

"Yes!" Brecca continued. "We find it. At a place called Monkey Gorge. Why is it called Monkey Gorge, you ask?"

"Because it's full of monkeys," Tony answered quickly.

"Because it's full of monkeys! So turns out the demon lord wasn't a demon lord. It was just a regular demon. A barlgura. Big ape demon. He was gathering all the apes of Palmheart to make his own Kingdom of the Apes. Decided the monkeys would be good slaves for his apes. He had the monkeys and apes making a castle when we found him. Note: monkeys and apes make bad castles. Long story shorter, Makai and the gnome druid make a pact with the monkeys to attack the apes while we deal with the barlgura and if we win, they get to stay at the gorge and throw poop at anyone canoeing through it."

With a smile, Mae said, "Fair deal."

"We thought so," Brecca responded. She turned to Wyncit. "You may want to put that on your map. Poop-throwing monkey gorge. So, the monkeys attack the apes. The apes chase the monkeys. No more apes near the demon. Then we walked in and Makai banished it. Easy peasy. The end."

Brecca went back to eating her cold dinner. "This is good, cold. What's next?"

Cognac

Tony ushered his servants out of the room and quietly closed and locked the door. He returned to his seat and sat down as Wyncit leaned forward and poured himself something amber in color from the plethora of alcohol in the center of the table. He downed it quickly and gasped.

Tony frowned. "That's fifty year-old cognac. You don't guzzle that stuff."

Wyncit waved off the complaint and poured himself another bit before leaning back in his chair, cradling his heavy glass.

"You look tired," Mae said, motherly.

Wyncit smiled sadly at her. "I am. I've been bouncing around the globe the last five days trying to get answers."

"I assume you can answer questions, now?" Brecca asked with a frown.

Wyncit looked around the room. "I don't see or sense any scrying." He looked to Tony. "Any way for outsiders to listen in, here?"

Tony shook his head, "No. It's about as secured as I can get things without heavy magics."

Wyncit grunted and took a sip of cognac. He sighed in contentment.

"Well?" demanded Brecca.

Wyncit sighed. "The first few days after the dream started, I sent Sending spells to Leardon and tried to scry him. Even if he was in a different plane, he should have received the Sendings and answered. He didn't, and the scrying failed, so..."

"...So he couldn't, or wouldn't, answer?" Mae finished.

Wyncit nodded. "Either he is dead-dead, he is regenerating within his phylactery, or he is some place warded against Sending and scrying magics."

"Does anyone know where he is or went?" asked Tony.

Wyncit shook his head. "I've asked his son, King Garin. I've asked the Church of Evening Glory. I even found and asked Priam Adenis of the Brightstone Heroes. The only one I haven't asked was Evening Glory, Herself." He shrugged his shoulders, "We are not really on speaking terms."

"So what did they tell you?" asked Brecca.

Wyncit sighed and took another sip of cognac. "The King and Church both say the same thing. He left soon after the we returned from Moil, saying he had to 'check something out.' Which is what he told me; in fact, I seem to have been the last person to see him."

Mae leaned forward, placing an elbow on the table and resting her head on the palm. "The imagery of your dream is pretty straightforward. Have you been able to confirm it?"

"Straightforward? I have no idea what any of it means!" Brecca broke in.

Mae smiled at Brecca. "In the dream, Wyncit is floating in the Shadowfell looking at Acererak's phylactery when a large raven flies by and takes it while Leardon is warning him. Okay?"

Brecca nodded. "That big thing Rue Bae Ya dropped in the big black hole, right?"

Mae nodded. "Yes. That was his phylactery. Acererak was using it to gather all the dead souls to use for some ritual." Turning to Wyncit, she asked, "Did we ever figure out what he was doing with it? He said something about becoming 'antheos,' but I've never heard that term."

Wyncit winced. "After talking to a number of people, and indirectly to a few deities, who are supposed to be experts in such esoteric knowledge, the best guess is he was trying to become a deity with total control of the Shadowfell."

Mae nodded. "That goes with the dream. I keep forgetting just how knowledgeable Leardon can be. Or maybe I should say, Evening Glory through Leardon?"

"Well, She is a goddess, after all," Tony added.

Mae frowned. "So. This could be serious."

Wyncit nodded. "Very. I've been asking around centers of learning, high church officials of a number of deities and certain other powers. They all asked for some time to research, but most tentatively agree with us," frowned Wyncit.

"I don't understand!" Brecca cried.

"I have to agree with, Brecca. I don't understand, either." Tony added.

Mae ignored them. "Who did you ask?"

Wyncit used the cognac glass to count on his fingers. "Church of Evening Glory, Church and College of Ioun, Church of Vecna, Platinum Citadel, certain sages within the University of Cimmer, Priam Adenis and his Trine Academy... who grudgingly also relayed the questions to the Starfire Academy." Smiling at Brecca, he added, "I even asked a Church of Del'Braeth official."

He turned back to Mae. "I'll start heading back to all of them in a day or two to see what they have figured out."

Mae nodded and turned to Brecca and Tony. "We," she pointed to Wyncit and herself, "think the Raven Queen took the phylactery, and the souls within it, for some reason. Possibly the very same reason as Acererak."

"But, She's already a deity!" said Brecca.

"Who does not control the Shadowfell," Wyncit told Brecca. "Alternatively, there are levels of power and politics within the pantheons; She could use it to expand Her powers. Or, well, who knows what else She could do with the souls within the phylactery. I was hoping you could come with while I bounce around gathering information."

Brecca looked at Wyncit.

"What?" Wyncit frowned at Brecca. "I wasn't exactly subtle or secretive in my movements or questions. Speed and movement made it initially difficult for anyone to block or retaliate against me, but 'they' will have had time to set something up, now. I will need a bodyguard. My treat? And I will pay you."

"Fine," Brecca finally responded.

"When will you leave?" asked Tony.

"Tomorrow morning, I guess. There are a few other places and people I need to see," replied Wyncit.

"Well, I have rooms for everyone for however long you need. A good sleep and a big breakfast and things will look better, tomorrow," said Tony.

Appetizers

The weak afternoon sun streamed in through the closed windows as Brecca barreled into the room.

"Well, that happened," she exclaimed as she threw herself into the nearest chair. She tossed her sheathed sword onto the large table. "Is there any beer? I could use a beer."

Mae, from her chair at the windows, turned to Brecca. "And hello and Happy New Year to you, too. You'll have to ring for it."

Brecca grunted and got up, searching for a bell.

"The rope next to the door," Mae pointed as she got up from the chair and moved to the chair next to the one Brecca vacated.

Brecca moved quickly to the rope and pulled on it. If a bell went off somewhere, Brecca couldn't hear it. She tugged it a few more times just in case and went back to flop back into her chair.

Mae smiled at Brecca. "So, what 'that' happened this past week?"

Brecca frowned and asked, "Should we wait for the others?"

Mae shrugged. "If you wish, but you are the one who announced that THAT happened."

"Yes! It did. Several times, in fact!" Brecca responded, crossing her arms.

Mae lifted an eyebrow and waited. Eladrin were known for their patience and Mae knew from experience that Brecca was not. She smiled inside as she watched Brecca fight to keep the news secret.

"Fine! They tried to assassinate Wyncit! And me!! Five times!!!" Brecca blurted out.

Mae was shocked. "Tried? He is alright?"

"He's fine," Brecca responded. "I hate it when he's right!"

Mae lifted both eyebrows up. "Where did that come from and what happened?"

Brecca slouched in her chair and mumbled, "You know how he gets when it turns out he's right."

Mae took a breath. Sometimes talking to humans was an exercise in chaos, as their thoughts quickly jumped from topic to topic. "What was he right about and what happened?"

The door opened and Herman walked in.

Looking at Mae, he asked, "You rang for something?"

Without turning around, Brecca answered, "I did. Is there any beer?"

"We have several different kinds, as well as ale, mead, wine, port..." Herman started but was interrupted by Brecca.

"Just a beer. Whichever you choose is fine. And maybe a snack?"

Herman nodded. "Of course. I'll have it sent up."

Mae smiled at Herman. "Thank you, dear."

He smiled back as he closed the door, which immediately reopened as Wyncit and Tony walked in.

"Thank you, Herman," Tony was saying as they walked into the room.

Mae turned and looked closely at Wyncit.

"You don't look assassinated," she said.

Wyncit looked surprised as he made his way to the chair on the other side of Brecca. He sat down and looked at her, still slouched down in her chair. Tony moved to sit in the chair next to Mae.

"Assassinated?" Tony exclaimed. "You said the trip was frustrating, not dangerous."

Wyncit sighed. "Over two years ago, when I first boarded the ship heading to Palmheart, my definition of 'dangerous' was rather expansive. What happened these last six days I would now define as more frustrating than dangerous."

"HA!" Brecca cried out. "Show them your new toy!"

Wyncit reached into his left sleeve and pulled a knife from a hidden wrist sheath. He leaned forward and placed it on the table so all could see it.

Mae looked at it and shuddered from revulsion. It was a thin stiletto of some black metal that seemed to soak up the shadows within the room and hide within them. It was smooth from tip to tip, no hilt marred its form. It was made for assassination.

Tony frowned. "I feel nauseated by that thing. What is it?"

Wyncit leaned forward to rest his arms on the table. He stared at the stiletto. "Took me three days to find that out. Even a guildmaster of weaponsmiths didn't know ... or refused to tell me. It was a member of the Church of Vandria in Thess that told me. The metal is called thinuan. It takes souls."

Mae hissed, catlike. "I've heard of it. The metal is very rare. Comes from somewhere in the outer planes. No one knows where, specifically; it's a well-kept secret."

"Now tell them how you got it," ordered Brecca. "No, let me. We came out of the Street of Faiths in Thess. It was night. It was raining! Next thing I know, we're hundreds of feet in the air! At night! In the rain!! Falling!!! With that thing sticking out of his back!!!!"

Mae and Tony stared at Brecca, then turned to Wyncit. Wyncit winced at the memory. "One thing about going up against Acererak: your reflexes speed up." He sighed and leaned back into his chair.

The door openned and Herman entered the room with several men and women carrying trays. The conversation stopped as Herman stayed near the door while the others placed pitchers of beer and ale, mugs, and several plates of bread, cheese, sausage and pickled vegetables.

"Food!" cried Brecca and sat up. She reached out to the pitcher of beer and grabbed a mug as the staff left the room.

"Thank you, Herman." Tony said. "Let the town watch know to be extra careful for the next few days. Ask them to tell me if there are any new or suspicious people are in town."

"Yes sir," Herman replied, then closed the door.

Brecca poured herself a mug of beer, then started filling a plate with food.

Mae coughed politely. "Brecca mentioned five attempts."

Wyncit rolled his eyes.

"I saw that," Brecca snapped as she started eating.

"I'm pretty sure two of those were obligatory thug attacks," replied Wyncit. "Muggers going after an apparent wealthy couple."

"Right," Brecca said while chewing, "Thugs always go after the couple armed with swords. And what's this 'couple' thing?"

"And I'd call the other three more like one attempt in three parts," Wyncit went on, ignoring Brecca's question. "Or maybe part one was the dagger in the back and parts two and three were him, or her, trying to get their dagger back for the rest of the night?" Wyncit shrugged. "Brecca took care of him, or her, and they ran."

"Who's him/her?" Tony asked.

"Shadar-Kai," Brecca answered then took a deep drink of beer. "Hard to see at night, in the rain. And they teleport."

"So, Raven Queen," Tony said.

Mae frowned. "Not necessarily. While most follow Her now, there are those that follow other powers or are unaligned."

They all looked at Mae.

Mae sighed. "Its an eladrin thing. Old history." Mae saw that piece of information slip into Wyncit's mind and slot into place. She had forgotten his perfect memory. She decided it was time to change the topic. "So did you find out, anything?"

Wyncit nodded. "It was very frustrating, but we did."

Brecca grinned. "Wyncit has a girlfriend."

"What? I do not, Wyncit protested.

Tony cackled. "Who?"

"Priestess of Ioun at his school," announced Brecca. "Madalyn."

"Please," protested Wyncit. "Not even. She wanted me to convert."

Brecca nodded. "Cleric flirting. It was so sweet."

Wyncit rolled his eyes.

"Children. Back to the topic, please," said Mae.

Brecca grinned at Wyncit, who sighed and continued. "First, no one sees a problem. The Raven Queen is always collecting souls for one reason or another. The deities don't seem to have a problem, as long as she doesn't destroy the souls and they get them back. So we asked a series of questions about why she would collect souls. Most, but not all, warlock hexblades have Her as a Patron. Does she use the souls to empower her warlocks? Answer is: unlikely. No one else uses souls to empower their warlocks. Granted, She could be different, but all evidence says no. There is a theory that She is not entirely a deity and requires the memories of the souls She collects so She may sustain Herself. I was surprised with the number of deities who directly answered this question, via both spells and prayers. They all said the Raven Queen is a deity. Which means She gains power from Her worshipers. She doesn't need the souls for power. She could still read the memories of the souls She collects, but it seems She always releases the souls afterwards."

Mae broke in. "But that isn't what Leardon said, was it? In the dream?"

Wyncit looked up at the wood-beamed ceiling and remembered. "He doesn't say anything about the souls. He only says that he doesn't trust her. He never says who 'her' is and I'm the one associating what he says to the image of the Raven Queen. And it probably wasn't him sending the dream, it was probably Evening Glory passing on what he said or felt.

"Oh!" Wyncit suddenly exclaimed. He looked at everyone and smiled. "I have word on Leardon."

Brecca raised her eyebrows. "When? Why didn't you tell me?"

Looking at her, Wyncit answered, "When we walked through the front door, here. Queen Esmerelda sent a Sending. The clerics at the Temple of the Warm Embrace sent a message to the King: 'Leardon is with Evening Glory'."

"Does that mean he is dead-dead?" Tony asked.

"It could mean that's where he put his phylactery?" Mae added.

Wyncit shrugged. "That's what they sent her. She didn't know what that meant, either."

"Do lichs have souls? Did Acererak? I thought the reason they become lichs was so they didn't have to go?" Brecca asked.

Wyncit frowned and crossed his arms. "Evening Glory, and maybe Vecna, seem to have a way to gather undead souls to them. So, he could be dead-dead or just 'collecting himself' until he comes back." Wyncit rubbed his head. "What we know about how deities work is all hypothetical and gives me a headache. Gods know they aren't talking!"

Tony grunted. "Frustrating thought that Acererak is enjoying an afterlife after what he did."

Wyncit shook his head. "Acererak shook the deities down to their core. If there is one thing they all agree on, it's that Acererak should not exist. They are ALL are on the watch for him." Wyncit sighed. "And they all say they'll let me know if he shows up, again." Wyncit threw his hands up and shouted, "WHY ME!?"

Mae giggled. "Nice to be wanted."

"They're deities! Can't they deal with him on their own?" Wyncit asked Mae.

There was silence as each took a collective sip of what they were drinking. After a minute of quiet, Tony whispered, "I was half expecting someone to answer that question."

Mae sighed. "So Leardon doesn't trust Her. Assuming he means the Raven Queen, he doesn't trust Her with the souls?"

"Then again, Leardon doesn't trust anyone," Brecca added. "Well, maybe Wyncit. Or not, after dumping Acererak's phylactery into the Shadowfell."

"Did he send a dream to anyone else?" Tony asked. "I mean, he is a member of the Brightstone Heroes. He fought with Kazzak's Follies. For nasty work, he can even call in Drake's Company. He has an entire church organization to call on."

Wyncit shook his head. "Just me, as far as everyone can tell."

"I'd say that was trust," Tony said.

"What other questions did you ask?" Mae asked Wyncit.

Wyncit cocked his head to the side. "While every soul is important, Gremaka was probably the most important in Syra that was in that phylactery," Wyncit said. "So, did She take Gremaka's soul to get back at Evening Glory or attack Her? The Church of Evening Glory was very adamant that that was a bad question. Not only is there no history of animosity between the two deities or churches, there is, in fact, a history of support."

"If there is a history of support, then did they ask Raven Queen why She has the souls?" Mae asked.

Wyncit nodded, "A high level contact within the Church of Evening Glory said the High Priestess directly asked the High Priestess of the Church of the Raven Queen that question. The Raven Queen never answered Her High Priestess."

"Which leaves, 'because I wanted it,'" Brecca said.

"Seems so," Wyncit answered.

Tony shook his head. "That doesn't make any sense. Why try to kill you?"

"Please. Even I have wanted to kill him," Brecca exclaimed.

"Children," Mae warned.

Wyncit, pointedly ignoring Brecca, answered with a shrug, "I wasn't subtle about where and who I asked. Anyone could have figured out what I was doing. I was, on the other hand, very quick bouncing around Syra. I would guess, and it's only a guess, that the assassin took the initiative and went after us without orders. If not, then there must have been assassins planted all over the place waiting for us, which means a coordinated and ordered attack. But there was only the one..."

"Three," interrupted Brecca.

"...Attempt."

"So, a coordinated and ordered attack," Tony said.

"Maybe," Mae said.

"So frustrating!" Brecca yelled.

There was a long silence after that outburst. "Anyone want dinner?" Tony finally asked.

"Yes!" Brecca enthusiastically answered.

"You always want dinner," Wyncit teased.

Brecca sniffed. "I do. You never know when you'll be bouncing around Syra while dodging assassins. Need a full stomach for such activity!" Brecca answered.

Tony got up and walked over to the bell cord and tugged it.

Second Dinner

Dinner was roasted duck in a citrus crust, boiled grains, and wilted leafy greens in olive oil and garlic.

"I kinda miss the spider legs," Brecca mumbled once.

Everyone else ignored her as they concentrated on the food.

"So different from the Halfling Brigade," Brecca muttered again. "Always talk, talk, talk."

Everyone else ignored her as they concentrated on the food.

Once Herman came in with the staff and cleared the table did the conversation resume.

"Now what?" Mae asked.

Wyncit pour himself a cognac and leaned back into his chair. He swirled the amber liquor around the glass before taking a small sip. "One name kept coming up with the Raven Queen: the Lady of Pain."

Brecca frowned. "Some sort of goddess of torture?"

Wyncit shrugged. "She isn't on any list of deities or powers of Syra that I've seen."

"She's not a goddess and she's not on Syra," Mae replied while sipping a white wine.

Wyncit raised his eyebrows in surprise. "You know who she is?"

"No one really knows who she is," Mae replied with a smile.

"I've heard of her, too," Tony added beaming.

Wyncit turned to Tony in surprise.

"Ha!" Brecca laughed, pointing at Wyncit. "They know something you don't."

Wyncit rolled his eyes, but had to grin at Brecca. She had him and she knew it.

Turning back to Mae and Tony, Wyncit asked, "So who is she?"

Mae nodded to Tony to speak.

Tony smiled at Mae and turned to Wyncit. "The Lady of Pain is the ruler of the City of Doors."

Wyncit searched his memory. "The City of Doors is... Sigil? It's mentioned just once in an elven scroll written in the early Fifth Age about something that happened during the Fourth Age, but the scroll is so degraded most of it can't be read, and it's in a dead elven language that is difficult to translate."

"I've never been there and don't know how to get there, but it is a real place," Mae said. "I could ask around the Summer Court."

"I may know how to get there," Tony said thoughtfully. Everyone looked at him. Tony sighed. "Let's just say that it would be a safe assumption that not everyone who comes here to eat is from Syra."

Brecca perked up. "Like who?"

Tony became solemn and shook his head. "We try to keep a high level of privacy for our clientelle so that's about all I can say about that."

Brecca stared hard at Tony. "I won't tell. Is it a celestial? A devil? One of those pirate people that are supposed to sail the Astral Plane?"

Wyncit raised his eyebrows in shock. "What have you been reading?"

Brecca turned to Wyncit. "There is this neat book series where the heroine travels the different planes looking for riches and fame. It's almost as popular as your series. And I still haven't forgiven you."

Wyncit winced. "I told you, I didn't write those books and I don't want to talk about it."

"Which books did you not write?" asked Mae.

Brecca intoned, "The Death Curse Chronicles: Expedition to Palmheart, The Tombs of Omu, and The Death Curse."

Tony nodded. "Those are good books. Not really what happened to us, but well-written with great characters, and very exciting. I have them if you want to read them, Mae."

Mae smiled. "Yes please."

Tony turned to Wyncit. "I thought you wrote them, too."

Wyncit blushed. "I did not."

Mae grinned, "You're blushing, Wyncit." Wyncit turned away, blushing harder.

Mae turned to Tony with a raised eyebrow. Tony laughed and grinned. "There are a few steamy romances with the main character, W____ and the beautiful paladin, B____..."

"With me!" an angry Brecca exclaimed.

Tony laughed, again. "And another one with the tiger woman, A____."

"Twycit," mumbled an irritated Wyncit.

"What?" asked Mae.

"Tyncit wrote them, I think," Wyncit said, louder.

There was a collective "Oh" from the group.

"He's a really good writer," Tony said.

"You didn't know?" Mae asked.

Wyncit shook his head. "The link doesn't work both ways."

"Do you know how it works?" Mae asked.

Wyncit turned back to the group and rested his arms on the table. "We experimented. I can't link with Twyncit, the connection is one way. The link doesn't appear to be magical. Priam Adenis thinks the link is psionic. And there is a time delay between when I experience something and when Tyncit can 'remember' it. The best analogy is that I am a book of memories that Twyncit has to go searching through; that is, events that have happened in my life but not my thoughts and feelings of those events. Which is why he was tortured by those hags. They wanted to know what we were GOING to do and all he could tell them was what we HAD done. So, if I want to send him a message, I need to write it out and read it. Then he needs to be looking for that memory to see me write it so he can read it."

Mae nodded. "So, not as all-encompassing as once feared and gives you the privacy of your thoughts."

Wyncit shrugged and frowned. "I am now a character in a book series."

"And on that note," Tony said, getting up and walking to the door, "I shall see about that Gate."

As the door closed, Brecca frowned. "He didn't tell me who he was going to ask."

Breakfast

The door to the dinning room slammed open and Brecca entered, her arms full of stuff. Behind her, one of the waiting staff stood with her arms full as well.

Brecca strolled into the room and yelled, "We're back! And we brought presents!!"

Unfortunately, only Mae was there to witness the pageantry. She slowly put her teacup down and raised an eyebrow. "That was fast. You only left six hours ago."

Brecca dumped her items on the end of the table and stepped back. She had to wave her unfortunate helper forward to drop her bundle on the table, which she quickly did and left, closing the door behind her.

"Things went quick. We have a rep!" Brecca beamed. She then happily started organizing the stuff on the table. "Where is everyone?"

"Its not yet dawn. Everyone but the night staff are asleep. A rep?" asked Mae.

"I noticed that when we got back," said Brecca. "A rep as badasses! No lines, no waiting, almost an immediate invitation to see the Lady of Pain."

"And time to go shopping, I see," said Mae. She picked up her cup and sipped it, eyeing the collection of packages.

There were several minutes of silence as Brecca went through the collection, separating them into five piles. She finally nodded, then dropped herself into a chair.

Looking around, Brecca asked, "Is there any more tea?"

Mae raised her hand and tugged in midair. Near the door, the bell rope pulled with her motions. Somewhere in the bowels of the inn a bell tolled.

"So, what was the answer from the Lady of Pain?" asked Mae.

"More confusion. And boy is she scary! Wyncit was pissed when we left, but then he got quiet while shopping." Brecca answered with a frown. "I didn't follow it all, specially when they got into the esoteric philosophy of spells and divination."

Mae grinned. "Esoteric philosophy?"

Brecca pouted. "You and Wyncit said it means the nitty-gritty. I listen!"

Mae nodded. "Yes, we did." She frowned. "So, are we going to war with a goddess?"

Brecca shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. Wyncit said he had to think some things through."

Just then the door opened and Herman walked into the room. He bowed and asked, "You require something, ma'am?"

Mae raised both eyebrows. "Goodness, Herman. Don't you ever sleep?"

He smiled. "Master Child has asked me to look after all of you while you stayed with us. I'll take a nap later in the day and be right as rain, ma'am. You rang?"

Mae shook her head. "Yes, Herman, though I didn't think they would wake you. If the kitchen is open, could we get a pot of my tea?"

Herman nodded. "Master Sutler needed the library unlocked, and as I and Master Child are the only ones with the key, they called me. And not only is the kitchen starting up, but the baker has been awake for the last hour. I could add warm bread to the order."

Brecca clapped. "Bread and butter! Maybe some of that breakfast sausage if there is any left?"

"But of course," Herman nodded.

"I imagine Wyncit could have opened the library without you, but thank you, Herman," Mae said, smmiling.

Herman nodded again, then left, closing the door behind him.

Brecca leaned back into her chair and closed her eyes. Mae sipped her tea and lost herself in her memories.

Quiet settled in the room. The occasional snort or snore was heard before the quiet returned.

The door opened once again and Tony walked in and held the door open as Herman and the woman who had helped Brecca came in with two trays. Herman placed several tea pots on the table with cups, saucers, milk, and sugar. Then came several loaves of the still-warm bread, dishes of butter and oil dip, a platter of sausages, a selection of cheeses and a bowl of winter fruits.

Tony fussed over the arrangement as Herman and the woman left. He nodded, poured himself a cup of tea and sat down next to Brecca. Sipping, he turned to Brecca and frowned. Mae smiled to herself as Brecca snored at Tony.

"Didn't they just leave?" asked Tony.

"I take it things happened quickly. Then Brecca bought presents," Mae said.

"Oh. Presents," said Tony with a quick smile.

Quiet descended in the room again, the sound of sipping tea and the occasional snore interrupting the silence. Mae watched Tony stare at the grandfather clock. His frown slowly turned into a grimace.

"You could donate it to a church? I'd warn them where it came from, though," Mae finally said.

Tony grunted.

"You could sell it at auction? I'd warn them where it came from, though," Mae said.

Tony grunted.

"You could decorate it with bunting and wildflowers and post a warning of where it came?" Mae said.

Tony grunted. Then he looked at Mae in confusion. "What?"

"Nothing, dear," Mae replied.

The door opened and Wyncit walked in, carrying three books. Noticing the snoring Brecca, he closed the door quietly and sat down next to Mae. Placing the books off to the side, he leaned forward and poured himself a cup of tea with milk, then sliced off some bread and spread soft butter on it. He took a sausage and some soft white cheese and sat back. He sighed and took a sip of tea. "Well, that was different," Wyncit said.

Mae frowned. "Brecca said you were rather angry when you left your meeting."

Wyncit frowned back. "I got fixated. Or the Lady of Pain is lying. Or everyone is wrong. Or everyone is right and the world is ending, again."

Tony cocked his head. "Which means?"

Wyncit looked at Brecca and sighed. "Might as well wake her for this briefing."

Tony poked Brecca a few times. "Brecca, wake up!"

Brecca sat straight up. "I wasn't asleep!"

Mae laughed. "You were snoring."

Brecca glared at Mae. "I don't snore."

Mae grinned. "Okay."

Brecca looked around to the others. "I don't."

Tony just nodded, but Brecca didn't notice as she saw the tea and bread. She stood up and proceeded to fill a plate with several cheeses, sausages and slices of bread with butter. Finally, she poured herself a cup of tea with sugar and sat down to eat.

Wyncit waited until Brecca was eating then looked to the others.

"The Gate to Sigil was right where Tony's contact said it would be. We came out of an alleyway into the city. The city is huge and crowded. It's inside a giant wide wheel around a central spoke. If you look up, you see the city curve all the way around to where you are standing. Almost immediately after arriving we were met by the Lady of Pain's agents and taken to see her. I'm... pretty sure the door we used and the room we entered weren't actually in the same place. The room was immense. Plated in gold, mithral and gems. No chairs, everyone stood. Except for the Lady of Pain, who floated above a throne on dais that was twenty feet high. I got a crink in my neck talking to her. Well, at her. She doesn't talk. She used telepathy to talk through a highly dressed interpreter who then talked to us. We were still in our traveling clothes and I felt rather underdressed. I thought going through the interpreter would be difficult and time consuming, but it turned out the individual was very good. I felt like the Lady was talking directly at me with inflection and emotion. And then everything I assumed fell apart."

Wyncit stopped and sipped some tea.

Mae cleared her throat. "What had you assumed?"

Wyncit frowned, then sighed. "I had decided to believe the dream and change my assumptions about the dream when they proved to be false. So, I assumed that the dream was from Leardon. I assumed that Grandmother and the other souls were still in the phylactery. I assumed that the Raven Queen caught the phylactery and saved them. The Lady went the other way: that the dream was false and to change that assumption. Then she used a sledgehammer to prove all of my assumptions false."

"I told you after that she could be lying," said Brecca. "She is the Raven Queen's friend."

"You did. But did you sense any lying?" asked Wyncit. "I couldn't."

"No, I didn't think the interrupter was lying," said Brecca. "She wears a mask and never talks. She might just be a puppet hovering over the room, for all we know,"

Brecca turned to the others. "The interpreter by the way, was an ultroloth. A very powerful demon."

Wyncit nodded. "Not quite a demon, but true. And I kept that in mind. But her argument was powerful and logical. I should point out that there were celestials there, too. She has gathered a truly bizarre mix of evil and good."

Tony broke in. "What was her argument? What did she think?"

Brecca smiled. "My turn! Drink your tea, Wyncit. I actually understood this part. She said that it was impossible for the phylactery to have survived because Acererak was destroyed. If the Raven Queen had the phylactery, then Acererak would still be alive. He's not, so it isn't. So the second part of the dream couldn't have been from Wyncit's grandmother because her soul is gone."

Wyncit shrugged. "Leardon was unforthcoming about phylacteries."

"I thought it was the Shadowfell that killed Acererak?" said Tony.

"I did, too," Wyncit said. "But I was too busy trying to survive to see the phylactery once it went into the Shadowfell. Anyway. Did the phylactery survive? We have two possibilities." Wyncit put one finger. "If yes, then the dream is true. The Lady of Pain lied and the Raven Queen has the phylactery. We need to invade the Shadowfell and retake it." Wyncit put up a second finger. "If no, then the dream is false. Someone is trying to make me believe it's from Leardon and directing a confrontation between us and the Raven Queen."

Mae put her tea cup down and tapped a finger on the table. "What is the actual evidence for either question?"

"Well," said Brecca. "A couple of Shadar-kai did try to kill Wyncit. They work for the Raven Queen."

Mae shook her head. "They also work with other deities and powers."

Wyncit nodded. "There were shadar-kai with the Lady of Pain, too. As for actual, physical evidence, there isn't any. Just the opinion of a near deity."

"Who is a friend to the Raven Queen," added Tony.

Wyncit continued. "No one actually saw the phylactery destroyed. We were all concentrating on Acererak."

With that, more tea was poured and a breakfast of bread and sausage was eaten in silence as each lost themselves in their own thoughts. After a while, Herman and a few others came in to clear the table and, with the departing message that dawn had come, he left them.

"You know," Mae finally broke into the silence. Then she stopped, thought, then started again. "You know, you never finished what happened with the Lady of Pain."

"Oh," Wyncit said. "Um, well her opinion was that someone else, someone who knows me personally, someone who I think is deceased, sent the deam."

Wyncit frowned. "She also threatened me. Well, us."

Tony raised both his eyebrows in shocked. "Why did she threaten us?"

Wyncit looked at Tony. "She warned us not to become a threat to Sigil. We destroyed Acererak. We stopped the Death Curse. We have power and know people and organizations with power who will listen to us."

"Who?" asked Mae.

"We do," Wyncit answered.

Mae waved the answer away. "No, I mean who is that someone else that sent the dream?"

"Oh." Wyncit made a face. "I did come up with an answer. But honestly, I don't see it."

Both Mae and Tony asked, "Who?"

Wyncit looked down at the table. "Its just conjecture, after a process of elimination, adding in the ability of casting a Dream spell that..."

Mae and Tony interrupted forcefully. "WHO?"

Wyncit looked up. "Azaka, via the vampire wizard Ferranifer who stole her body."

Brecca pouted. "I thought it was Tika..."