Chapter 10 Chapter 7 Unseemly Partners

Early in the rainy morning, when the guard saw that the visitor at the gate of Luskan had the figure of an elf and his dark skin, his face became strangely pale, and he looked as if he was about to collapse and die.He gripped the spear so tremblingly in both hands that his knuckles were as pale as his face, and finally, stammering, "Stop!" "We're not moving," Catti-brie replied, looking at the man curiously. "I'm just standing here watching you break out in a cold sweat." The man let out a sound that could have been either a growl or a whimper, then, as if gathering himself, called for reinforcements, and boldly stepped up to the pair, raising his spear defensively. "Stop!" he said again, though neither of them moved.

"He sees you're a drow," Catti-brie said flatly. "He didn't realize that even the skin of a high elf turns black in the sun," Drizzt said with a deep sigh. "Curse from a sunny summer." The guard stared at him, confused by the nonsense. "What do you want?" he asked. "Why are you here?" "To get into Luskan," said Catti-brie. "Can't you figure it out yourself?" "Enough of your laughing!" yelled the guard, thrusting his spear menacingly in Catti-brie's direction. Before the guard could even finish the motion, a black hand reached out and grabbed his weapon just below the metal point.

"There's no need for that," Drizzt pointed out, stepping over to the seized weapon to get a better grip. "We are not strangers to Luskan, and I can assure you that we are very popular." "Ah, Drizzt Do'Urden, God bless my eyes!" a cry came from behind the shocked guards, from one of the two soldiers who had rushed to hear the sound. "And Catti-brie, looking less dwarf than ever!" "Oh, lay down your weapon, you fool, before they both do it for you in a way you wouldn't expect or like!" said the other newcomer. "Haven't you heard of them? How is it possible? They have sailed with the Sea Sprite for many years, and brought back so many pirates for interrogation that we don't even have enough soldiers to guard them!"

The first guard swallowed hard, and as soon as Drizzt let go, he quickly withdrew his spear and dodged out of the way. "Excuse me," he said, bowing awkwardly. "I don't know... I saw one..." He paused, obviously embarrassed. "Then maybe you know now?" Drizzt responded magnanimously. "We haven't been here for a year." "I've only been a soldier for three months," replied the relieved guard. "It's a shame to bury a guy so soon," one of the soldiers behind him said with a friendly smile. "Threat to Drizzt and Catti-brie! Oh, that'll make you fall to the ground in no time, and your wife a weeping widow!"

Drizzt and Catti-brie accepted the compliment with a slight smile and nodded, trying to change the subject.Compliments were as inappropriate as insults to the dark elf, but he had a bit of fame in the port towns along the Sword Coast, a natural by-product of hunting pirates with Deudermont. "So what brought you to Luskan?" asked one of the more knowledgeable soldiers.His demeanor made both Drizzt and Catti-brie feel that it was time to get to know the man. "Looking for an old friend," Drizzt replied. "We have reason to believe he may be in Luskan." "There are many in Luskan," replied another veteran.

"A savage," Catti-brie explained. "Over a foot taller than me, blond. If you've seen him, you probably won't forget him." The closest soldier nodded, but then a cloud passed over his face and he turned to look at his fellow soldiers. "What's his name?" asked another. "Wulfgar?" Drizzt's excitement at hearing the confirmation was dampened by the heavy expressions on the two soldiers' faces, and it occurred to him at once that something terrible had befallen his friend. "You've seen him," said the drow, reaching out to reassure Catti-brie, who also noticed the guards' concern.

"You'd better come with me, Lord Drizzt," said the older soldier. "Is he in trouble?" Drizzt asked. "He's dead?" Catti-brie asked, telling the truth of what Drizzt had in mind. "There is trouble, and I wouldn't be surprised if he's dead by now," replied the older soldier. "Come with me, and I'll take you to someone who can provide more answers." They followed the soldiers through the winding streets of Luskan, toward the center of the city, and finally, into one of the largest buildings in the city, which housed the prison and the offices of most of the city officials.The soldier obviously had some importance, and guards lined almost every hallway. He led the way without being blocked. He went up a few flights of stairs and entered an area where every door was marked with the office of Officer So-and-so .

He stopped at a door marked "Office of Governor Padang," and then, looking back at the two with concern, knocked loudly. "Come in," came a commanding reply. In the room were two men in black robes, sitting facing each other at a large table covered with messy papers.The one near the door stood up, and he looked like one of Luskan's notorious enforcers, with his hard-line features and narrow eyes almost hidden beneath long gray eyebrows.Sitting behind the desk was Padang, obviously much younger than his companions, with thick brown hair, bright eyes, and a clean-shaven, boyish face, he was clearly no more than thirty years old.

"I'm sorry, sir," said the soldier, his voice strained, "but I have two heroes here, Drizzt Do'Urden, and Catti-brie, daughter of Bruenor Warhammer, king of the dwarves, who returned to Luskan has come looking for an old friend." "Come in," Patong said in a friendly tone.But his companion scrutinized the two of them, especially the dark elf. "Drizzt and Catti-brie sailed with Deudermont—" the soldier began, but Bardon stopped him with a raised hand. "We are well aware of their exploits," the governor said. "you can go now."

The soldier bowed, winked at the two of them, then backed out, closing the door. "My colleague, Mr. Galannan," Badong introduced, then stood up and motioned for the two to come closer. "Of course we will do everything we can to help," he said. "While Deudermont has come under fire from some officials, many of us are grateful for the work he and his brave crew have done in clearing the waters around this beautiful city of odious pirates." Drizzt glanced at Catti-brie, surprised to hear that Captain Deudermont should be chastised by law enforcement officials.Deudermont was kinder than any man who had sailed the Sword Coast, and the castellan of Waterdeep had rewarded him with a three-masted schooner to finance his heroic work.

"Your soldier suggested that you might be able to help us find an old friend," Drizzt explained. "Named Wulfgar. A large Northlander with a healthy complexion and light hair. We have reason to believe..." Noticing the passing cloud over Bardung's face and the sudden gloomy countenance of Garannan, The drow stopped in the middle of speaking. "If you're friends with that guy, maybe you shouldn't be in Luskan," Garannan snorted mockingly. Ba Dong stabilized his emotions and sat back. "Wulfgar is famous to us indeed," he explained. "Maybe too famous." He gestured for Drizzt and Catti-brie to take their seats along one side of the small office, and told them the story of Wulfgar's violation of Luskan's law, how the barbarian had been accused and confirmed of trying to murder Deudermont ( Here, Catti-brie interrupts, "Impossible!"), he faces execution at the prisoner's carnival, and just before dying, Deudermont himself forgives him. "A foolish act by a good captain," Galannan added. "This action has brought him a lot of censure. We don't like to see a guilty person walking free from the carnival." "I know what you like," Drizzt said sharper than he expected. The drow are not keen on the sadistic Prisoner's Carnival, nor are they fond of Luskan officials.When he and Catti-brie sailed with Deudermont and caught pirate prisoners in the high seas, the two of them always told the captain to turn to Waterdeep instead of Luskan. Deudermont himself was not keen on the vicious prisoner carnival. Often follow their advice, even if that larger city requires sailing farther. Aware of the sharpness in his tone, Drizzt turned to the relatively mild Bardon and said, "At least some of you." "You speak with sincerity," Padang responded. "Even if I disagree, I do respect the statement. Deudermont saved your friend from death, but not from punishment. He and his little friend were banished from Luskan, despite rumors Morik the Rogue is back." "And obviously enough influence, so we were told not to go and bring him back to our dungeon, so as not to violate the banishment order." Galannan said with obvious disgust. "Morik the Thief?" Catti-brie asked. Padang waved his hand, indicating that this character is irrelevant. "A street punk," he explained. "He traveled with Wulfgar?" "They were considered accomplices, yes, and were jointly found guilty of attempting to kill Deudermont, along with two pirates who were not pardoned that day." Galannan sneered strangely at Bardon's words, which did not escape Drizzt's eyes, making the dark elves' barbarism towards the Luskan Prisoner's Carnival once again confirmed. Drizzt and Catti-brie looked at each other again. "Where can we find Morik?" Catti-brie asked, her tone too firm to argue with. "In the ghetto," Garannan replied. "Perhaps the sewers." "You can try Half Moon Street," Chief Patong added. "He's been known to frequent that area, especially a place called the Cutlass Tavern." This name was no stranger to Drizzt, he nodded, remembering this place.He didn't go there when he was with Deudermont, but before that, he and Wulfgar passed through Luskan on their way to Mithril Hall.They had been in the Cutlass Tavern together, where Wulfgar had started some arguments. "It's also where your friend Wulfgar earned a lot of fame," Garannan said. Drizzt nodded, and so did Catti-brie. "Thank you for the information," he said. "We'll find our friend, I promise." He bowed to leave, but stopped at the door when Patong called him from behind. "If you do find Wulfgar, and it's in Luskan, take care of him and keep him far away," the magistrate said. "Stay away from this place, and, for his own sake, from that rat, Morik the Rogue." Drizzt turned and nodded, then left the room.He and Catti-brie found a nice inn for themselves in one of the nicer streets in Luskan, and spent the day wandering about the town, remembering the old days and the last time they passed by. Journey to the city.The weather wasn't too bad for the season, with bright sunlight splashing down on the leaves, making them start to turn their fall colors, and of course there are plenty of stunningly beautiful places in the city.They walked together afterwards, enjoying the beauty and the pleasant weather, Drizzt and Catti-brie not paying attention to the stares and frights of the people, not even to the sight of some children running away from the dark elves at full speed. Drizzt wasn't bothered by these things.Not when Catti-brie was with him. The two waited patiently for night to fall, knowing that then they had a better chance of finding someone like Morik the Rogue, and perhaps Wulfgar too. When the two walked into the Cutlass shortly after dark, it was not very lively, though Drizzt felt as if a hundred pairs of eyes were suddenly focused on him, most notably the barkeep sitting opposite him at the bar. The emaciated man, who cast him a horrified and dangerous glance, his ragged clothes completely stopped moving because he was too concentrated on the new intruder.When Drizzt came to this place many years ago, he always ducked aside, hooded and head bowed, lost in the noise and clamor in this busy, dimly lit tavern. Drizzt nodded at the barkeeper and walked straight up to him.With an exclamation, the skinny man stepped away, stumbling to the far end of the room. "Hello, kind sir," Drizzt said to the bartender. "I have come here with no malice, I assure you, although your guest is a little panicked." "Just Joss Paddle," the barkeep replied, though he too was clearly a little taken aback by the presence of a dark elf in his tavern. "Don't pay too much attention to him." The man stretched out his hand, then quickly withdrew it, wiped his coat, and stretched it out again. "Arum Gadpike is at your service." "Drizzt Do'Urden." The drow responded, holding his hand tightly with his own, with astonishing strength. "My friend Catti-brie." Arum looked at the two curiously, his expression softened, as if he really recognized them. "We're looking for someone," Drizzt began. "Wulfgar," Arum said confidently, grinning at the wide-eyed expressions his answer brought to both the drow and the human woman. "Yes, he told me about you, both of you." "Is he there?" Catti-brie asked. "It's been a long time," said the skinny Joss, boldly approaching. "Only came back once, to take Delly away." "Delie?" "She works here," Arum explained. "Always good to Wulfgar. He came back for her, and the three of them left Luskan for Waterdeep, I suppose." "Three?" Drizzt asked, thinking the third was Morik. "Wulfgar, Delly and the baby," Joss explained. "Baby?" Drizzt and Catti-brie said simultaneously.They looked at each other suspiciously.When they turned back to Arum, he just shrugged and said nothing. "That was a few months ago," interjected Jos Padel. "Never heard from them again." Drizzt paused for a moment, to digest it all.Apparently, when they finally found Wulfgar, he'd have stories to tell—if he was still alive. "Actually, we've come here to find someone who is said to have news of Wulfgar," the drow explained. "A man called Morik." There was a sound of stumbling and chaotic footsteps from behind, and the two turned their heads to see a small figure in a black cloak quickly moving out of the tavern. "That's the Morik you're looking for," Arum explained. Drizzt and Catti-brie rushed out, looking up and down the almost deserted Half Moon Street, but Morik was clearly a master at using shadows, and he had disappeared. Drizzt bent down close to the soft mud outside the wooden corridor of the Cutlass Tavern, noticing a footprint.He smiled at Catti-brie and pointed to the left, a trail that would be easy for a seasoned ranger to follow. "You're a pretty lad, aren't you?" said the dirty old lecher.He pushed Le'lorinel against the wall, bringing his stinky face right up to the elf's. Le'lorinel looked past him to the other four old drunks behind him, and they all howled and laughed when the old fool started fiddling with the rope he was using as a belt. He stopped abruptly, and slowly knelt down to the floor in front of the elf, moving his suddenly trembling hands down to where his knees just touched. Le'lorinel stepped out from the wall, drew his sword, and rested the flat side on the unfortunate old man's head, pushing him not so gently to the ground. "I came in to ask a quick question," the elf explained to the others, who had stopped laughing. The poor old fellows looked at each other nervously.They were former sailors or pirates. "You're a good lad," said a bald man, standing up on badly bent legs. "That's Tucci over there, he's just joking with you." "A simple question," Le'lorinel said again. The elf entered the dingy tavern by the Luskan quays, brought out Ekressa's visionary drawing, and asked what the sign meant. "Perhaps it's not that simple," replied the bald sailor. "You're asking about a marker, and a lot of people wear markers." "And most of the people who wear the badges don't want to show them," said another older man. Le'lorinel heard a noise nearby, and saw the man named Tucci quickly get up from the ground and rush over.With a sweep, then a turn, he swung his sword down to the side, missing the man - though Le'lorinel thought he deserved it all - but forcing him to make an awkward dodge, off balance, The elf leaned back slightly, and stepped nimbly, turning behind the attacker.He gave Tucci a solid shove on the back, sending him straight forward and falling hard to the ground. But two of the remaining men came up, one brandishing a scimitar used to scale fish and the other carrying a short harpoon. Le'lorinel held the sword defensively with his right hand, while the elf's left reached to his right hip, then flung it out. The man with the harpoon fell back, wailing and panting, a dagger buried deep in his chest. Le'lorinel lunged forward, and the other attacker leaped back, throwing his hands up in front of his face in surrender, the scimitar crashing to the ground. "A simple question," the elf repeated through clenched teeth, and the look in Le'lorinel's brooding golden eyes left no one in the room in doubt that this warrior would kill them all without a second thought . "I've never seen it," replied the man with the cutlass just now. "But you're going to look it up for me, aren't you?" Le'lorinel said. "all of you." "Oh yes, lad, we'll find out for you," said another. The man who was still lying on the ground with his back to Le'lorinel got up hastily, and rushed towards the door, into the twilight of dawn outside.The other stood up, trying to follow him, but Le'lorinel stepped aside, pulled the dagger from the dead man's chest, cocked it and drew it back, ready to throw. "A simple question," Le'lorinel repeated anyway. "Find the answer for me, and I will repay you. If it disappoints me..." After the elf finished speaking, he turned his head and looked at the person leaning against the wall. The person was panting with difficulty, obviously suffering the last moment of his life. Le'lorinel walked towards the open door, pausing just long enough to wipe the dagger on the tunic of the machete attacker, then, as the elf walked away, held the knife mockingly at the man's throat. Make a gesture, over his shoulder. The small figure flashed out of the narrow alley, moving as fast as a blur, twirling and brandishing a pair of silver daggers. His attack was almost perfect, slashing down to Drizzt's midsection from the lower left, then abruptly stopped feinting, and launched another attack, slashing from right to left at the side of the dark elf's neck. Almost perfect. Drizzt saw through the feint, ignored the first attack, and focused on the second.The dark elf grabbed Morik's with his own, and at the same time he turned the rogue's hand in so that Drizzt's fingers wrapped around the rogue's. Morik deftly adjusted his tactics to the tackle, trying to land the first thrust instead, but Drizzt was too fast, too well balanced, darting out with dizzying speed, his already superior pace. Fa more enhanced by magic anklets.The drow caught Morik's upraised arm squarely from below, turned as it moved, and ran behind the rogue, twisting the arm and moving nimbly out of range of the other dagger. Morik started to turn too, but then Drizzt just cupped his fingertips, squeezing the top knuckle of Morik's finger, causing excruciating pain.The dagger fell to the ground, and Morik crouched down on one knee. Catti-brie grabbed the rogue's other hand and held it firmly, before he even had time to think of trying to retaliate. "Oh, please don't kill me," pleaded the rogue. "I did take the jewel...I told the assassin...I did follow Wulfgar...whatever!" Drizzt stared up at Catti-brie suspiciously as he let go of the man's hand and tugged Morik to his feet. "I did not betray Jarlaxle," Morik shouted. "there has never been!" "Jarrlaxle?" Catti-brie asked suspiciously. "Who does he think we are?" "Good question," Drizzt said, looking to Morik for an answer. "Aren't you Jarlaxle's spy?" the rogue asked.After a while, his face broke into a relaxed smile and he gave a soft chuckle of embarrassment. "But if that's the case, you..." He stopped suddenly, laughing even more happily. "You are friends of Wulfgar," he said, grinning almost to the ears. Drizzt let him go, and so did Catti-brie, and the man retrieved the dropped dagger, putting both back in his belt at the same time. "Nice meeting!" he said joyfully, and held out his hand to them. "Wulfgar has told me so much about the two of you!" "It seems you and Wulfgar have quite a few stories of your own to tell," Drizzt pointed out. Morik chuckled again, shaking his head.It was obvious that neither the drow nor the human woman intended to shake his outstretched hand, and Morik withdrew it and wiped it on his hip. "Too many stories to tell!" he explained. "From Luskan to Orkney, there are stories of battle and love along the way." "How did you know Jarlaxle?" Catti-brie asked. "Where's Wulfgar?" "Two completely unrelated things, I assure you," Morik replied. "At least it was the last time I saw my big friend. He left Luskan some time ago, with Delly Curty and the kid he brought from the flashy lord of Orkney from." "Kidnapping?" Drizzt asked suspiciously. "Salvation," Morik replied. "The illegitimate child of a frightened young lady, no doubt killed by that dandy or his mean sister." He sighed deeply. "It's a long, complicated story. Better let Wulfgar tell you." "Is he alive?" "Last time I heard," Morik replied. "He's alive and on his way to...Waterdeep, I believe. Trying to find Captain Deudermont, hopefully the captain will help him retrieve his lost warhammer." Catti-brie let out a long breath of relief. "How did he lose his hammer?" Drizzt asked. "Stupid Jos Padel stole it and sold it to Sheila Kree, a most obnoxious pirate," Morik replied. "That female pirate was a scumbag, but Wulfgar has found his heart again, I believe, and that's why I don't want to serve Sheila Kree!" He looked at Drizzt, who was staring at Kay. Tibril, both of them looked calm. "You thought he was dead," Morik stated. "We found a robber, actually a female robber, with a symbol that could only have come from the Fang of Aegis," Drizzt explained. "We know how precious this weapon is to Wulfgar, and that he will not ally himself with the bandit's former associates." "We never thought he'd walk away from this thing, unless it was taken from clasped hands after his death," Catti-brie admitted. "I think we owe you a meal, or, at least, a drink," Drizzt said to Morik, whose face brightened. The three of them walked back to the Cutlass Tavern together, and Morik seemed to be enjoying himself. "You can tell us how we met Jarlaxle," Drizzt said as they entered, Morik's shoulders drooping visibly. The rogue told them how the dark elves had come to Luskan, how he had been visited by Jarlaxle's henchmen, and then by the eccentric mercenary boss himself, to follow Wulfgar.He recounted some of his recent adventures with the dark elves, after Wulfgar left Luskan and Morik, and he carefully avoided losing the barbarian the time Jarlaxle punished him part.Still, when he got to this part of the story, Morik's hand reflexively went up to his own face, which was burned by the vile Raigai that Morik hated from the bottom of his heart A dark elf. During the story, Catti-brie and Drizzt look at each other from time to time, showing genuine concern.If Jarlaxle was interested in their friend, maybe Wulfgar wasn't that safe after all.But the more perplexing question to them was why the dangerous Jarlaxle was interested in Wulfgar in the first place. Morik went on, assuring the two that he had had little contact with Jarlaxle and his leaders for months, and did not expect to see any of them again. "Haven't seen them since the human assassin showed up and told me to run," Morik explained. "I did and only came back recently. I'm smarter than letting the gang follow me, but I trust the human who covered my tracks for me. If they believed I was alive, he wouldn't go back to them Go, I guess." "A human assassin?" asked Drizzt, who could easily guess who that might be, though the drow were at a loss as to why Artemis Entreri would spare someone's life, and at such a great risk. Guess, because this is likely to cause dissatisfaction with the powerful Dayet Independent Mercenary Group.But that was probably a long story, one that Drizzt hoped had nothing to do with Wulfgar. "Where can we find Sheila Kree?" he asked, stopping Morik before he could actually start telling the dark elf story. Morik stared at him for a moment. "Far Seas, maybe," he replied. "She may have a favorable secret port—in fact, I believe I've heard rumors of such a port." "Can you find out for us?" Catti-brie asked. "This kind of information won't come that easily," Morik began to explain, but stopped with a sharp gulp when Drizzt tossed a small sack full of coins onto the table.Drizzt had a friend, the rich dwarf king, who was as concerned about Wulfgar's return as Drizzt was. "Tomorrow night," the drow explained. "it's here." Morik picked up his wallet, nodded, and hurried out of the Cutlass Tavern. "You think the thief will come back with a message?" Catti-brie asked. "He's a loyal friend of Wulfgar's," Drizzt replied, "and he's too afraid of us to slip away." "Looks like our old friend got into a little trouble and got involved in an adventure," Catti-brie pointed out. "It seems our old friend has found a way out of the darkness," retorted Drizzt, a smile on his dark face and a spark of hope in his purple eyes.