"There are children here you coward!" We ascended the gate just in time to hear the most well equipped Tiefling furiously shouting at the mercenary.
"We was running." The mercenary breathed heavily "For our lives!"
"And you led them straight to us!" The Tiefling snapped "And without the druid too! You damnable fool!"
"What a delightful welcome." I drawled as the two looked just about ready to punch each other out.
Both stilled and faced me, looking equally taken off guard by my looks.
"And who the hell are you?" The mercenary demanded with false bravado.
I merely stood there, eyebrow raising ever so slowly.
"Have some respect, Aradin." The Tiefling said "He just saved all our lives."
"Well I didn't ask for any saving." He snapped back and glared back at me.
But before he could say anything else retarded, my eyes narrowed "Get the fuck out of my sight you waste of space."
His words died in his throat and finally the few bits of grey matter in his head seemed to rub themselves together as he made a hasty retreat, his two tired followers sighing in relief and quickly following after him.
"Hah." The Tiefling couldn't help but bark out a huff of disdain "Apologies for having to see that."
"I've dealt with my fair share of cowards." I shrugged.
He nodded "I am Zevlor, leader of this band of refugees from Elturel. You and your party have our thanks for saving us."
"Reyvin Dagoth." I inclined my head "And there is no need for gratitude." I smirked "Dying by goblins is an indignity I would not let anyone suffer."
Before we could continue, a quintet of the Tiefling gate guards ran up to us, the kid who got shot up being dragged by what looked to be a relative.
Of course, they offered their due gratitude and I tolerated it for a while, but just as they were about to leave I added "Do try to wear some actual armor if you are going to be guarding an important post again." I enlightened the gate guard "Stops stupid things like arrows from bothering you."
The kid shuffled on his feet awkwardly but then his sister? patted his back and he nodded rapidly "Of course, sir. I will keep that in mind." And they shuffled away.
Though my side-eye to Zevlor made it clear that equipping his gate-guards properly wasn't optional whatsoever.
He just nodded in understanding.
And then looked over my party "If you are looking for sanctuary, I am afraid that the druids are going to be less than welcoming in the following days."
"Is this about the 'Kagha' our frontiersman here told us about?" I asked.
Wyll chuckled at the nickname.
"It is." Zevlor said "She sees our gathering here as an invasion, and has commanded her fellow druids to begin a rite that would lock us out forever." He shook his head "We would not make it on the road, especially with so many goblins about."
I didn't miss the questioning glance he directed at me for a moment.
"Not ideal." I hummed "But something tells me the goblins will not remain a problem for too long, so you will be fine on that front."
He slowly nodded in understanding "We will be in your debt if that is the case."
"There is no need to rush things." I raised a hand to forestall him "Go to your people and reassure them, we will take it from here."
"Of course." He exhaled "Good luck." And trotted away.
"Really?" Astarion drawled "Are we going to be saving kittens from trees now?"
"If it so amuses me." I hummed without a care.
The vampire rolled his eyes.
"I for one am happy to see you aren't just ignoring the needy." Wyll interjected, to Gale's silent agreement "These people deserve all the help they can get."
"Oh don't take it as plain charity." I shook my head lightly "I simply dislike seeing waste like this."
He looked like he didn't quite believe me, but I wouldn't correct him.
"These weaklings will only slow us down." Lae'zel hissed to herself.
"Then it is good that we are not running anywhere, now isn't it?" I smirked and looked to my fellow scholar in the arcane "Gale, anything you can tell me of this 'rite' we are about to walk into?"
He scratched his stubble for a moment "While I am not an expert in the druidic, I'd say we are facing a Rite of Thorns, the druids wish to summon the wrath of Silvanus and hide themselves behind his protection until the whole crisis blows over."
"And thus either eject the Tieflings, or be rid of them in a more permanent manner." I hummed "Or house and feed them for the duration, but I don't think our new host is of the sharing variety."
"I fear so as well." Gale agreed solemnly.
"Then it is best go and meet the locals." I decided after a moment's consideration "No point in storming the place preemptively if some negotiation can be had."
All of them save for Durge seemed to be taken off guard by my words, but still followed after me as I descended into the Emerald Grove.
We stopped quickly after that, reaching what looked to be a makeshift stie holding a trio of pack animals, tended to by a group of the familiar red-skinned Tieflings while a few steps away stood someone in noticeably different garb, covered in mostly greens.
"Silvanus' blessings." The trader hobbit? Halfling? Short king. Greeted.
"Wind guide you." I quipped and before he could ask what I meant I went on "Having trouble with the guests I see?"
The druid furrowed his brows "We try to help who we can as you just did, of course. But the grove is no travelers rest."
"The drain on resources is that bad?" I asked.
"Druids do not farm." He inclined his head "We take what the forest provides, and it is only thanks to Master Halsin's wisdom that we have full stores, but even those are not infinite."
"That is a fair consideration." I agreed "Though the air here feels more tense than that."
He looked around for a moment and seeing no one listening he lowered his voice and added "Mistress Kagha's decision may be prudent but her insistence and haste worries some of us."
"So she is not universally supported?" I hummed, just as quietly.
"We are loyal to the Circle." The trader corrected giving me a pointed look "But there are questions being asked."
"And why tell me this?" I quirked an eyebrow.
He looked at me seriously "One does not negotiate with a raging storm."
"Hah." I barked out a laugh but said nothing else.
Instead I just waved for my impatient followers to get on with their business and buy what they needed from the man while looking over the rest of the grove.
While waiting for them to barter their way into poverty I took a short stroll, receiving looks of gratitude and suspicion alike but as expected, my moment of leisure was inevitably interrupted by a loud argument going on between a trio of barely adult Tieflings.
"We can't just leave them here!" A horned woman exclaimed.
"And why shouldn't we?" The man dressed in comparatively fine robes with a staff on his back crossed his arms "We owe these people nothing."
"Besides." The other man interjected "We can't just stroll our way to Baldur's Gate. The hills are infested with goblins!"
"My thunderwave will make short work of them." The wizard scoffed.
"And what will happen when you are surrounded by a few dozen, I wonder?" I hummed aloud as I approached them "Will your kin here have to die for your folly?"
The duo's eyes lit up in recognition but too late to stop the wizard as he rounded on me "And who do you think-"
His words died in his throat the moment he saw me "Ah." He cleared his throat "Please forgive any disrespect. How can we help you, sir?"
His siblings'? eyes widened in complete and utter surprise.
"Why would I need your help?" I asked blandly.
"Ah, of course. Why would someone like you need help from little old me?" He muttered, nodding rapidly to himself "I of course meant to say how may I be of service?"
"Relax, boy." I drawled, waving him off "If I wanted simpering I'd just go home. Your name?"
He seemed confused but wasn't about to question me "Rolan, sir."
"Rolan." I said the name as if weighing it, much to his discomfort "Now, Rolan, what is this I hear about abandoning your post?" I asked.
"My- my post?" He asked, voice strained "I assure you I have sworn no oaths-"
"And yet you still stood on the wall while the goblins attacked and faced them with courage." I cut him off "One has to wonder then, was all that for show?"
"Of course I couldn't just let the goblins overrun us!" He sputtered.
"They wouldn't have just ignored you, yes." I nodded "And yet you have caused many of the people here to look up to you for protection. Will you abandon that simply because it is more expedient?"
"Of course not!" He responded angrily, frustration finally catching up to fear "I just don't want to die for them while a greater fate awaits me in Baldur's Gate!"
"A greater fate?" I huffed "And what fate is that?"
He straightened his back "I've been granted the chance to study under the great Master Lorroakan in his tower. Someone of your power must understand that risking a chance like that for a band of nobodies is a waste."
"Firstly" I raised a finger "I must do nothing."
He quickly nodded "Of course."
"Secondly." I raised a second finger "You seem to have something mixed up."
"And what is that, sir?" He asked quickly.
"Do let me finish." I gave him a pointed look "To be a wizard, or mage of any kind, is not fit for cowards or those who would back down from a challenge facing your people. You dream of commanding the spirits and elements, of bending the world to your will, and yet if you cannot face hardship how can you ever hope to rise beyond anything other than mere mediocrity?"
His eyes opened wide "Of course." He exhaled, mind already racing "Thank you for your instruction, sir."
"Just try not to actually die to the goblins." I chuckled "That would be insulting."
"They will not get the chance." He straightened back up.
"Most excellent." I smirked in satisfaction, clapping my hands "Good luck with your apprenticeship."
And with that I left the trio.
It was always irritating seeing someone who seemed talented grow arrogant when they've barely even made the first step. How kind of the world to provide the boy with a chance to hear the words of someone as enlightened as myself, no?
Truly, my generosity is without limit sometimes.
My utterly deserved backpatting session was interrupted most cruelly once more, as an old woman called out to me "Come over dearie! Auntie Ethel has just what you need after a scrap like that."
"Hm?" I exhaled and just as I was about to ignore the geriatric completely I noticed something about her was off...
Whatever guise of a kindly old woman she was hiding behind was blatantly false to my eyes and the creature contorted just beneath was so utterly disgusting I very nearly summoned a sun on its ass on reflex.
Thankfully, I was a bit more patient than that and approached the thing "And what could you possibly have that would interest me, Auntie?"
"Ah, look at you, all skin and bones!" She ignored my tone completely and quickly poured a bit of stew into a crooked wooden bowl "Nothing like a nice meal after smashing some naughties, I say!"
"Right." I drawled and took the bowl "How kind."
"Auntie Ethel won't let anyone starve on her watch, no siree!" She went on rambling.
"How very kind." I repeated "And since you are so kind, you wouldn't happen to be able to point me to any expert healers in the area, would you?"
"How can an old woman like me know any healers?" She 'lamented' and quickly added "But I did gather a lot of bits and bobs over the years that might help you on your way. You'll just visit my house on the meadow near the coast, you can't miss it!"
And there it is.
"I will certainly make the time." I smiled 'pleasantly'.
The creature behind the illusion grinned hungrily at the idea of 'hosting' me.
"Thank you for the stew." I inclined my head and walked away, ignoring its stink eye as I refused to eat it in front of her.
Finding no actual bullshit in the food, I handed it off to some confused kid trying to pawn a ring off to me and found my group of colorful followers overlooking a group of Tieflings trying to get their way into the grove proper.
Or at least its surface area, consisting of a circular ritual site composed of grassy stone blocks and a glowing idol in the middle, surrounded by about a dozen druids chanting rhythmically.
"Care to clue me in?" I asked as I approached my slightly better equipped posse.
"Ah, there you are!" Gale was the one to speak up "The druids took a child down there, but they are letting no one else in."
"And why did they take the child?" I rose an eyebrow.
"Because she tried stealing their idol." Astarion drawled "I'd almost applaud her, if she didn't fail."
"Well, we can't be having that." I nodded and started walking to the group of druids blocking the entrance.
"Let my daughter go!" A particularly dark-skinned Tiefling woman pushed against a twig-haired dwarf of some sort.
And of course the tree-hugging furry roared like a struck beast before transforming into a boar and pounding the ground threateningly.
"Now, now." I spoke up as I approached them "I am sure there is no need for things to get... bloody, don't you agree?"
"They have our child!" The woman rounded on me.
"And I am sure that our dear nature-loving friends here are not as callous as to murder a child." I assured her and turned to the druids with a threatening spark in my eye "Are you?"
The pigfucker looked like he was about to lunge at me like the retard he was but one of his fellow trehuggers patted his back "Let them trough, Kagha will want to see them."
The pig snorted and transformed back into a dwarf.
Disgusting.
"Don't worry." I patted the woman's shoulder "We'll get your child back."
Thus having secured our passage, one of the druids led us through the inner grove and to a pale stone slab gate, muttering something in his language I tooootally didn't memorize and making the way open for us.
The insides looked like a fine mix of natural and artificial, the necessity of intelligent living seeming to just click with the natural cave decor.
However I was not given the time to ponder the rustic beauty even treehuggers were apparently capable of creating for with my eyes I spied a fucking ginger elf woman looming over a Tiefling kid.
"Please!" The child shivered as a snake slithered up the stone plinth next to her and hissed threateningly "I said I was sorry!"
Another druid, a dark skinned man, approached the duo "This is madness, Kagha! She is just a-"
"A what?" The apparent upstart leader rounded on him with a hiss not unlike her snake "A rat? A thief? A poison?" Each word was enunciated by an erratic twitch of her head until she finally looked back to the child with a glare "A threat?"
"I will punish this devil." She looked back to her fellow druid "And I will cast out every one of these parasi- Ukh." She clutched at her throat.
A rather natural consequence of being an insulting waste of air, I decided as I approached with a hand slightly raised, fingers slowly clutching tighter.
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Alternate title: Meeting the new quotas.
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