Harpers Quest Two- Beyond the Mists

Chapter One

Whenever I think I can relax at last, someone hastens to brutally point out to me that I've Fresh work to do, it's time to Save the World Again

STORM SILVERHAND-BARD OF SHADOWDALE.

Suzail-Faerun- Mirtul 1373

It was one of those lazy days in late Spring when things were starting to wind up and there was the hint of Summer to come in Suzail, the Head City of Cormyr known as the 'Jewel of Cormyr' to both Suzailians and the rest of Faerun.
Tevon Thistlewort happily wandered whistling up the street in one of the better streets of Suzail carrying a shopping basket filled with bottles of ale, a couple of wheels of cheese and some bread sticks and some fresh white rolls.
"Morning Tevon!" called a voice from above him, he looked up and saw a young Halfling woman hanging out of the window of her house and shaking a rug.
"Hello Candice" he called turning on his most charming smile.
"How's it going?" she asked.
"Great!" he said, "man o man am I going to party tonight!"
She said, "It's the big day huh?"
Tevon nodded "you bet I just hope we get to Shadowdale on time!"
"No doubt you will" she said, " hang on!" she disappeared inside and reappeared a few seconds later "catch!" as a parcel got thrown out of the window which Tevon caught easily.
"What's this?" he asked.
"Present for the happy couple".
"Ok I'm sure they will appreciate it," he said "thanks Candice" giving her a final smile he continued on his way.
He continued up the street admiring the well set out houses, most of the houses in this district were two storey townhouses or cottages with nicely set out Gardens and backyards, the people who lived here were mainly middle to lower upper class working folk, there were also many small businesses and cute little cafes and curio shops, he loved this part of Suzail.
He started to whistle again and came to a two storey, well-maintained combined house/business, with lovingly tended window boxes and a small balcony garden and small outside yard, which also contained a garden.
A small Dragon like creature laid in the sun, along with a small dog, a pair of well fed and contented looking Tabby cats and another cat with wings.
Tevon laughed and scratched the belly of the Dragon like creature and headed towards the shop front and entered ringing the bell over the door.
He then put down his basket and walked further in, the front room was full of beautifully crafted wooden furniture and in a cabinet piece of jewellery and leatherwork and crafted statues, carvings, and arts and crafts, on a shelf were wooden toys.
He headed out towards the back room where a small yet functional workshop was situated and sighed as he heard the sound of sandpaper been worked along with some singing.
Tevon sighed and said "Mendis!"
The singing stopped and the aft-aforementioned Mendis looked up "what?"
Tevon said, "You are just about to be married and you're working?"
The figure straightened up to reveal himself to be a tall (for a Halfling!) Halfling, which Tevon was as well, But where Tevon was more towards your 'average' Halfling standing 3.6 with curly brown hair, tanned skin, grey-green eyes a little on the plump side with round rosy cheeks and large bare feet which was covered in a thatch of thick curly hair, Mendis was not.
Mendis was taller standing at 4.0 and slimmer, with thick blue-black, wavy (not curly) hair tied into a topknot and although as tanned as Tevon his skin had bluish tints, he also had a finely featured face with high cheekbones teamed up with amazing jade green eyes, that seemed to have no whites and a very elven slant, this image was added onto due to the fact that he also had elegantly pointed ears that were very elven in shape.
As a matter of fact, he looked more Elven than he did Halfling, which wasn't surprising considering that Mendis was in fact Half-Elven, but that amazing fact didn't make up to his most amazing feature, which was a pair of blue, white and gold wings that sprouted from his back, he had gotten them he said by a spell that had misfired rather spectacularly, but Tevon suspected that he had been born with them or at least developed them when still a child, he was way too familiar with them.
Mendis was a prime example of one touched by magic, born Half Elven due to a night of passion on behalf of his Halfling mother and a Moon Elf noble.
Mendis shrugged "I promised your sister that I would have her cradle finished for her".
"Yeah but your getting married tomorrow!" Tevon said.
"It's almost finished," said Mendis.
Tevon looked at the cradle that Mendis had been toiling on for weeks and saw that Mendis was truly an artesian at his craft, the cradle was beautiful! It was carved with birds and flowers "that's not a cradle that's an heirloom!"
Mendis shrugged "that is my intentions, it will last forever".
"I hope Silke's paying you well for it" he said.
Mendis said "I just hope she likes it".
Tevon said "Mendis you're an artist!"
Mendis said "I like working with wood, maybe it is my elven blood".
"Yeah" said Tevon "look Mendis take a day off you are getting married in the morning the guys and I want to take you out tonight".
Mendis said "as long as I don't end up trussed up and naked somewhere, like your brother did!"
Tevon laughed "hay! That was a good night; you were right in on the Joke if I remember rightly!"
"I didn't want the poor guy tied up and left naked in the middle of nowhere the next morning" Mendis said remembering an incident two years or so ago when Tevon's older brother had gotten married "my suggestion was to leave him tied up in one of the rooms in the Society!"
"Hay Blossom turned up to the wedding late anyway!" Tevon said "you might have to make another cradle soon as well; Blossy is pregnant as well according to Talven".
"Send him to me then" said Mendis bending over and looking at the cradle.
Tevon came over carefully to avoid Mendis's wings whose tips were lying on the floor. Mendis's beautiful wings were almost as tall as he was.
"Come on Mendis, Silke's not due for another month or so, she is not going to have the baby tonight".
"It's a girl you know" Mendis said quietly.
Tevon said "it is? You mean I will have a niece soon".
Mendis nodded "yeah".
"How do you know?"
Mendis tested the rockers and said "you know how" he pointed to his head.
Tevon said "you didn't!"
"No I didn't" he said, "I pick things up like that, you know I do".
Tevon said "I don't know how you handle it though".
Mendis said "I have been trained how to" he took off his apron "I take it you want a cold beer?"
Tevon nodded "yeah".
"same here" he said going over to a cabinet and opening it, inside a blast of cold greeted them both, he pulled two bottles of beer out and handed one to Tevon "Varharland and Felix really should patent these things" he said indicating the cold cabinet, which was basically an insulated wooden cabinet which was kept cold inside with a couple of permanent enchantments, their friend Varharland was a powerful wizard.
"Yeah" said Tevon opening his beer just as Mendis's doorbell rang.
Mendis looked up as a female Half Drow Elf woman walked into the shop wearing the symbol of Eilistraee on her breast, clad in elven chain and toting a sword that just felt of magic.
"Hello" said Mendis.
The woman looked at them both and said, "how long has it been?"
"Pardon?" Mendis asked.
"How long has it been?" she repeated.
Mendis said "I don't understand".
The woman said "of course you don't! I looked different then!"
Tevon said "pardon?"
"Hang on" said Mendis "who are you?"
The woman said "I know I looked different I wandered for what seemed like eons on the Planes, my Body was totally destroyed but my consciousness wasn't and then Eilistraee came to me and offered me a second chance! It's I Mendis! It's Callina!"
"Callina!" Mendis said astounded.
She nodded "yeah"
Mendis said "but you died!"
"I know" she said "Eilistraee bought me back!"
"Callina!" said Tevon "wow! Looking good!"
The woman lowered her head "uh thanks".
Mendis said, "it has been over a year! Callina! Over a year!!" he got up and put his arms around her.
Callina had been a comrade, a member of their band known as Brithic's Band, well over a year ago, she had been killed in battle by a Red Dragon on planet Talafran, which the Band had been fighting a Lich by the name of Tenaradan, she had been a young, novice mage and it had been her first big adventure, the party had grieved for her but had gone on as their Leader Brithic had said life must go on.
"Callina!" said Tevon "I don't believe it!"
Callina smiled shyly and said, "thanks has it really been so long?"
Mendis nodded "yeah".
Callina said "is Darkstar still with the Band?"
Mendis nodded "yes he is, we all are, and although it has been rather quiet of late "he indicated his shop "have my own business now".
Callina said "congratulations".
"Mendis is getting married in the morning" said Tevon "you might still catch the girls if you lucky they are taking Meriel out for the evening before we all head to Shadowdale in the morning, Varharland's teleporting us all there".
Callina said "thanks".
"So, I take it you're a Priestess of Eilistraee now?" Tevon said.
"And Mage!" said Callina "Eilistraee asked me to continue my studies; I'm actually what is known as a Favoured Soul".
"Oh" said Mendis "no doubt you have a story to tell but why don't you go freshen up? And go find the girls? I think they were all headed to Athenai's. I'm not allowed to go".
"It's bad luck to see the bride just before the wedding" Tevon said.
"Meri and I have been living together for ages!" Mendis said "I don't think it would matter much! We are made for one another anyway".
"No" said Tevon "besides why don't you go freshen up? We guys want to take you out on a bachelor party bash. Var has this big night planned, so you can have some fun before you and Meri get hitched!"
Mendis rolled his eyes "this doesn't include dancing girls and a girl jumping out of cakes does it? Like at Tavlans?"
Tevon said "it's Varharland who has planned it, who can tell?"
"I dread to think" Mendis said, knowing Varharland's wacky sense of humour and fun.
Callina laughed "ok let's go!"