The Sellsword

[Zappy]

Quick Disclaimer: Most of the italicized print in this story, is going to be languages that are copyrighted to the people who made Dungeons and Dragons; same with the races.
Let's see...oh yeah:
Drow = Dark Elf.

Prologue

A man stood in the middle of the road on a dark and moonless night, the only light source being the barely visible torchlight from the various taverns that dotted this side of the city. His sword drawn, he glanced around cautiously, sensing danger. Keeping his gaze glued in front of him, confident that his highly trained senses would keep him safe from any attacks from behind. He quickly spun backwards having heard a noise behind him. "I know you're there! Come out and play!" Jierdan hissed.

After a few non-eventful moments, Jierdan sheathed his sword. A dagger thumped into his back, and he grunted, slumping to his, knees dead. Entreri stepped out of the shadows, shaking his head, ever amazed at how easily a person died. He placed a boot on Jierdan's shoulder, and wrapped his hand around his dagger. He yanked, and the dagger came free as Jierdan's lifeless body tumbled forwards. Entreri wiped the blade off on Jierdan's cloak, then dropped the dagger back into his own cloak. Another man slipped out of the shadows, a disgusted look on his face. "Must you kill them all?"

Entreri shrugged, frisking the dead soldier's body, looking for any valuables. "You wanted him removed. He is removed." He dropped the body to the ground, pocketing a few gold pieces.

"No!" Dagna spat, "I wanted him off the streets until the job was done!"

Entreri shrugged again, not caring what Dagna said about him. "I am a paid killer. Not one who scares people.“ He smiled wryly, "But you, Dagna, are merely my partner's chosen messenger!"

Dagna sighed, but nodded. "I cannot deny that. Come; we shall walk to the guild."


Several moments later, the pair arrived at a huge building, torchlight shone in each of its hundreds of windows. Entreri threw open the doors, walking to the throne room, where Jarlaxle, the guild master, and his partner awaited him. Dagna didn't bother to follow, knowing that his work there was already done. Entreri arrived at the throne room, where Jarlaxle sat atop a golden throne. Jarlaxle, the Dark Elf. Jarlaxle, whom had no place on the surface. Jarlaxle, the rouge. Jarlaxle, the opportunist. He and Entreri had a lot in common.

At the arrival of Entreri, Jarlaxle took off his wide-brimmed hat in a show of respect for the assassin, he placed the hat back on as he spoke. "Entreri, my Khal'abbil!" Jarlaxle had been using the Drow word for "my trusted friend" when referring to Entreri lately, as if to reflect on the fact that he and Entreri would soon embark on a journey that would span the entirety of FaéRun. "Is it done my friend?"

Entreri smiled and almost laughed aloud. "Of course! He is dead."

"Always killing..." Jarlaxle shook his head as he spoke. "I admire you."

"Only a Dark Elf could," Entreri muttered. "When do we leave?"
"One week, my friend. One week, then we leave for the Dale. We are bringing Kimmuriel, and a few of my magical items."

Entreri groaned at the mention of Kimmuriel. "An Oblodra? Must we, Jarlaxle?"

"He has no family name!" Jarlaxle snapped, angered at what he found as disrespectful. "He is a renegade, like us!" Jarlaxle closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "His psychic powers will be of use to us, Entreri, you know that."

Entreri closed his eyes, "Aye, that I do. Do we go by foot, or are we sailing?"

"The road is the only way to go." Jarlaxle replied. "You have one week to prepare. Please, Entreri, be ready when that week is up."

Entreri nodded. "I need only my equipment and a few cloaks, and I am ready for travel."

"Simple is the way that you always are, my Khal'abbil, yet you always win." Jarlaxle mused, smiling slightly. "You must teach me how you do that."

Entreri bowed low, a show of respect, without straightening up, he spoke. "You fight as well as me, Jarlaxle. You have many things that aid you in battle as well. Against you, I fear even I would be hard pressed to walk away unharmed." He backed out of the room slowly, then walked off to his quarters. Jarlaxle smiled, and crossed his legs, resting his chin in the palm of one hand. A mercenary, he thought, Myself. An assassin, Entreri. And a wizard blessed with powers beyond the magic which he studies, Kimmuriel. An unlikely group, but one about to travel the entire world together. He shook his head, and took his hat off, running his hands over the ebony skin of his bald head. Kimmuriel and myself are Drow. Will the color of our skin create more hardships than we will be prepared for? He smiled, then spoke aloud. "Nay. Our group is more than prepared for anything the road can show us." He absently swapped which eye that eye patch he always wore covered, sighing, "I hope this is the right path. Going to Waterdeep, no more than three hundred miles away, is dangerous enough, Icewind Dale is no less than two thousand miles farther than that. From there, I do not know where the road will take us." He sighed again. "The sheer length of this journey would scare off most. Yet my troupe welcomes this challenge."

[Zappy]

Part One: The Sword Coast

The Sword Coast. Every time I hear that name being spoken, my heart reaches out towards Calimport, my home, for from the Sword Coast, my home is just in my grasp, but my mind shows me mental images of my first journey over the unpredictable land. I am vividly reminded of the mountains, the trolls, the goblins and the orcs, and Kimmuriel's constant complaining. Ah, Kimmuriel...I rank him among some of my greatest allies, yet he doesn't trust me. But can anyone trust me? I have double crossed those closest me, killed families simply so my enemies would fight me. In all my years, I cannot name the exact amount for it is so large, only one person has every truly trusted. And that is Jarlaxle. Jarlaxle, the opportunist. He, more than any others, helped me become the man I am today. I will admit that I do not trust him, but I must believe that I do, for if I don't then who will I turn to for help? Even I, one of the greatest assassins of all time need help at times. In battle, I fear none, at least on even terms, but sometimes I have been overpowered. Nearly all those times, I merely blew into my golden whistle, calling Bregan D'aerthe to my side, easily tipping the scale in my favor...
All beings, human or otherwise need help sometimes.
- Entreri

Chapter One - The Calim Desert

Entreri diligently stood guard, watching over the camp he and his two companions, Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel, had set up less than an hour ago. The moon had just reached its peak, Kimmuriel slept in on his cot near the fire, for a wizard is not one for traveling. Jarlaxle, however, could not rest so easily, for thoughts of adventure and treasure dominated his mind. Jarlaxle stood, and brushed off his vest, then walked over to Entreri, "Abban," Jarlaxle used the Drow word for "ally," "Why do you stand guard? We are not even out of the Calim desert. No one will attack us."

Entreri shrugged. "If we do not have a guard, we may fall under a surprise attack."

"Now we both know that is not true. This is nighttime. The time of the assassin. That's why you insist in staying out here." Jarlaxle stated, confident that he was correct.

Entreri shrugged, not denying it. "I hope we come across some excitement tomorrow, perhaps an attack of goblins. This was beyond an uneventful ten miles."

Jarlaxle nodded his agreement, the large, eagle colored feather on his head bobbing up and down. "Yes, Khal'abbil, though I fear a goblin attack would be too easy for us."

Entreri sighed. "There will be nothing that will challenge us. Two of the greatest swordsmen in all the realms, and a powerful wizard." He sighed again. "Where will the road take us next?"

"I was thinking Waterdeep..."

"Alright. Shall we eventually travel through Silverymoon?" Entreri asked sarcastically, though he already knew the answer.

"Of course, Entreri," Jarlaxle replied, an amused smile on his face, "The Vault of Sages will be of much assistance to us. Is the great assassin, Entreri, afraid of something?"

"No. I fear nothing." Entreri growled, his normally calm face twisting in anger.

Jarlaxle held up a hand. "Calm. Go get some sleep. We leave at dawn." Entreri sighed, but he became calm again, and then walked to his cot, followed by Jarlaxle. Each lay down on their own cot, closing their eyes and trying to sleep.

The next morning, as the sun rose into the sky, the group set about packing up their camp. Kimmuriel tightened his cloak. "I don't belong on the road...I belong at the guild, continuing my magical research."

Jarlaxle smiled. "Trust me, old friend, if there was any other wizard we could have with us, we'd take him, or her."

Entreri looked up from the breakfast he was cooking. "But sadly, Kimmuriel, you refused to train any of the very capable candidates we sent you." Entreri dumped some eggs on two plates and handed one to each of his partners, then quickly ate the ones left in the pan. He put the pan back where it went, inside a pack, then stomped on the simmering coals, putting them out.

After Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel had finished eating, Entreri spoke, "Now let us leave. I grow tired of this sand."

Jarlaxle nodded. "Let us leave." He began walking through the sand, listening to the wind howl and whip up the sand, stinging his eyes. Kimmuriel and Entreri followed. "We should have went by sea..." Kimmuriel complained.

"Hush, Kimmuriel." Jarlaxle said, holding a finger to his lips. "Two weeks, and out of this accursed desert we shall be, I promise."

"Jarlaxle, I hope the riches I am awarded at the end of this journey are worth the hardships we will surely face."

Jarlaxle smiled wryly. "I won't promise anything."

*****************************************************

This isn't the entire chapter, just so everyone knows.

[Zappy]

As the troupe walked through the unchanging desert, Kimmuriel chimed out with a complaint, "I've got sand everywhere!"

"Magmma camarra!" Jarlaxle shouted, using a deep gnome term that meant "by the stones" which was a term usually used for surprise, or excitement. "Kimmuriel would you be quiet!"

"I long for my home..." Kimmuriel moaned. "I need my soft bed! Not that disgusting cot! It's wet!"

Jarlaxle and Entreri looked at each other, a look of amusement on their faces. "I wonder how..." Entreri muttered. Kimmuriel moaned again.

______________________________________________________________________________

Perched comfortably atop a dune not too far ahead of the group, the goblin, Dinin, watched carefully, then motioned to his giant ally, Beornegar, "This will be an easy fight for us."

Beornegar nodded. "We ambush them when they draw closer."

"As always."

______________________________________________________________________________

Entreri stopped suddenly, sniffing the air. "Something is wrong. We will be ambushed there." He pointed to the dunes where Dinin and Beornegar waited.

"Like an animal..." Kimmuriel muttered.

"Trust in Entreri, Kimmuriel." Jarlaxle said sternly. "We attack them head on. Our troupe fears nothing, remember?"

Entreri nodded. "They are goblins and a few giants. The giants out number us two to one, the goblins three to one."

"I feel bad for the goblins and giants then." Kimmuriel lamented.

"Aye, so do I." Jarlaxle agreed as they continued on their trip.

Sure enough, when they arrived to the dune that Entreri had pointed at, the air filled with battle cries and Kimmuriel and Jarlaxle dissappeared. Entreri sighed, his sword and dagger snapping out of heir sheathes as the monsters charged him head on. "Come then, monsters," Entreri shouted confidently, "Come and feel my blades!" The assassin exploded into motion, killing all of the goblins. Four of the giants dropped, killed by a concealed Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel. Entreri took on two of the giants, the beasts clumsily swinging their huge clubs at Entreri, hoping to smash him.
They never had a chance.
Entreri sliced through both of their knee caps, forcing them to fall to the side. Entreri was up one of them almost immediately, poking angrily, killing him. He jumped off of him and landed on the other one, grinning wildly. He slit his throat with his jeweled dagger. Jarlaxle and Kimmuriel appeared, a wide smile on Jarlaxle's face. "Khal'abbil! You have the most kills it appears!" Jarlaxle exclaimed.

"I have eleven, each of you have two, I am in the lead, for now. Perhaps it would not be best to conceal yourself by magic again, Jarlaxle." Entreri said, his wild grin still on his face. He licked the blood off his dagger, then spat. "Foul giants! Can't even eat the damned things!"

Kimmuriel moved swiftly through the dead bodies, searching for any valuables. "Never are these beasts for caring useful things."

Jarlaxle shook his head, "Come, we shall move away from this area, then set up camp. Earlier we go to sleep, the earlier we get to Memnon."

"Can we get a boat then?" Kimmuriel asked, begging.

"NO!" Jarlaxle roared. "We stick to the road, slower this maybe, but we will find more information closer to the middle of FaéRun!"

"Do you even know what you are searching for?" Kimmuriel retorted.

"I...well..." Jarlaxle stammered. "No..." he admitted. "I had told you this before we left, but you still came."

"I came for the adventure!" Entreri stated.

"And adventure we shall find." Jarlaxle promised. "Plenty of adventure, every where we turn, I promise."

Entreri nodded. "Then to a more suitable camp site we go." Entreri sheathed his blades, and the troupe walked off.

[Zappy]

-flashback-

A sixteen-year-old Entreri stood in a field at night, gazing at the moon. He blinked when he heard crying as a girl who looked about two years younger than him ran up. "E-Entreri!" She sniffled. Her face had a bruise on the cheek and she hugged him, burying her face in his chest. He blinked again and hugged back.

"Sae...? What happened....?" His voice was quiet and he clearly already knew the answer.

"H-he h-it me a-again!" She wailed, sobbing into his chest.

Entreri nodded and kissed her head. "He won't do it again..." He picked her up, cradling her, and carried her to her house, stroking her hair. By the time they had arrived, Sae was just sniffling, having stopped crying a while ago. Entreri sat her down, and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. Sae's clearly drunken father stumbled onto the porch. "I told you to never come back!" He shouted at Sae, who instantly shied away from Entreri.

"Close your eyes and cover your ears," Entreri whispered to Sae, who did as he said. He turned to her dad, Alex, and snapped, his sword and dagger appearing in his hands. Alex stumbled a bit, clearly too drunk to know what has happening. Entreri's eyes instantly hardened as he glared at Alex. He walked up to him, spinning his weapons. The blades weren't sharp, but Entreri'd be damned if he didn't drive them through Alex's chest! Alex had hit his Sae! Hurt her! Entreri pulled Alex into the house behind him.

An hour later, Entreri walked out of the house, and walked to Sae, who was still sitting there silently. Entreri tapped her on the shoulder, she looked up at him and smiled weakly. He smiled back. "He'll never hit you again..." He promised quietly. She nodded and stood up, taking his hand. "Thank you, Entreri..."
He nodded. "I promised I'd never let him hurt you again..." She nodded and yawned weakly, almost pathetically, thouroughly worn out from all the crying she had done. Entreri picked her up and walked off, heading to his house. She drifted off to sleep, comfortable in his arms.

-end flash back-