Deception

Muld and Syndi receive an offer of help from a mysterious stranger.

4.

Deception

 

 

It was only a brief note sent from the King:

 

Princess Syndi,

 

Reports just reached us of an attack upon your parent’s airship late last night at the northern border of Marksylvania.    Farmers in the region reported an areal battle between two airships during the night.    Our airship Vigilance’s Hope came upon the scene early this morning and reported that the Losasidhe airship was heavily damaged by what looked like a magical attack.    Your parents were NOT found amongst the dead, but most, if not all the crew was killed.    We have sent three warships to the area to search for the pirates that did this.

Matron Zeatt used a Divine Question spell and asked if your parents were still alive and unharmed.    She received a positive response, so I suspect that they are being held for some sort of ransom by the pirates and will contact your oldest brother in Losahome soon.   I sent this message rather than have you come to the palace as I suspect there are some spies or perhaps spying magic that would have overheard our conversation.    Please do not think that I am being insensitive. 

I will be in contact with you soon and will meet with you to provide more information and any assistance that I can, as soon as we determine how the pirates knew when your parents left Westmark and the ship they were on.   This is clearly a planned attack.

Trust in Yesh, dear girl, for He will sustain you and guild you.

 

In deepest sympathy,

 

Eleazar

 

As soon as he had finished reading the note, he quickly folded it up, speaking to his fiancée telepathically as he did.

*Sweetheart, do not despair, I think this is what that mysterious note was about.    As long as we cooperate, your parents should be safe.    Don’t speak anything aloud, though, for the wizard could be watching us now.*

*Muld, what are we going to do?!    What if they are killed?!*

*We won’t let that happen.    We have an advantage that we can communicate without this wizard knowing it.   This gives us time to think and plan.    I’m going to announce to everyone that you received some distressing news and we need to leave at once. *

 

Muld told everyone this and they just shook their heads and would not answer even their Guild member’s queries about what had happened.   Muld told Jevon to just keep everyone working and that they would speak to them later.    Then, with his arm around her, Muld led Syndi over to the lifeboat which a crew member lowered to the ground.

*What do we do now?* Syndi asked as they hurried from the shipyard.

*We need to talk out loud; this wizard would expect us to talk about this.   We don’t want to be suspicious, but don’t mention the wizard.   Just follow my lead.   Ask me what we should do now.*

“Muld, what should we do now?”   Syndi complied with his telepathic command.

“I don’t know, sweetheart,” He said out loud, but mentally he said other things.

*Since Alleania knows something is amiss, we may have to enlist her help.*  

As Syndi was trying to think of something to say out loud so that their walk would not look suspicious to anyone spying on them with a crystal ball, suddenly as they passed the Great Cathedral of Yesh, a strong female ‘voice’ spoke to them telepathically.

*Come into the church and request anointing from one of the priests.   He will lead you to a private prayer and counseling room that is magically shielded from any sort of arcane spying.   I’ll be waiting there for you.*

The mental voice seemed somewhat familiar to both of them, but they couldn’t quite identify her.   Her mental presence faded almost as soon as the telepathic communication ended, so they had no chance to ask.

Syndi stopped in the middle of the street, turning to Muld and said, “Muld, I’d like to pray for my parents’ safety and perhaps be anointed for them.”

Muld nodded, “That is a good idea, my dear.”

 

As they entered the church, Muld noticed a young priest of Yesh standing off to one side of the main altar, as if he had been positioned there to wait for them.    He smiled as they approached and when they told him what they wanted, he seemed ready to immediately assist.  

“Follow me,” He said to them, then led them through an archway and down a short hall.   Knocking on a thick wood door at the end of the hall, he did not wait for a reply but pushed the door open and led them inside, closing the door and locking it behind them.

As soon as they saw Archbishop Zeatt, the engaged couple knew that it had been her who had contacted them.    The Drow cleric smiled gently, taking Syndi’s hands and then giving her a motherly hug.

“Don’t worry, child,” she whispered to her, ushering her and Muld into chairs.    The young Cleric stood by the door, listening for anyone spying in the traditional, non-magical way.

“My sister Alleania contacted me after you gave her that note,”   Zeatt told them, “I have a medallion that gives me telepathic abilities when I wear it.    I privately spoke to King Eleazar and Queen Aurei this afternoon in one of the palace’s secure rooms.   They had just received the news about your parents and the attack on the airship and they believe that this is connected to your mysterious note.”

“Is the room in the palace secure from magical spying?”   Syndi asked worriedly and Zeatt nodded reassuringly.

“Yes, child, it has the same protective spells as this room.   No one can hear or see us here.   I hurried back here as I suspected that as soon as you got Eleazar’s note you’d leave.   I’ve been monitoring the street for you.”

“We are very grateful, Reverend Mother.”   Muld replied, squeezing Syndi’s hand, “We are trying to formulate a plan.”

“I think I can assist you,”   Zeatt told them, “Brother Anthony is trustworthy too.    He is a Bitter Dreg and that is why I asked him to join us here, as I would like to suggest that you utilize the Dregs to assist you.”

“Certainly, Reverend Mother,” Syndi answered, rather excited to hear about the shadowy secret organization that operated to assist followers of Yesh.    She had been fascinated by the tales of the adventures of the group, but had never imagined that she’d be in need of their help one day.

“Brother Anthony is the intelligence gathering master of the Westmark branch.    Most Dreg activity has been in the Southern Empire for many years now, due to the persecution of the church there.    But there are Dreg guild houses throughout Marksylvania and neighboring kingdoms.    For them to be most effective, their members and structure is concealed so any enemy of Yesh will not know who they are.”

“And you think they can help our situation?”   Muld asked, turning from Zeatt to Brother Anthony.

Anthony nodded, not leaving his post at the door, “We know most of what happens around the world within a day’s time, through our network of guild houses.    I have sent out a query to our various houses regarding the kidnapping of Princess Syndi’s parents.”

“What have you learned?”   Syndi asked him.

“Since we know where the attack on the airship occurred, I contacted all the guilds around it in towns or cities within five hundred miles.    I’m still waiting for the results of their questioning the people of these towns and cities.”

“You’re asking them about airships flying over and perhaps docking some place?”   Muld wondered.

“Yes, it is evident that the attack on the Losasidhe airship was from another airship which points to some of Hobnail’s pirates.   Hobnail is dead, Master Muld, we do know that.”

“He is dead?”   Muld verified.

Brother Anthony smiled, “You killed him, sir.    He was the dwarf that was raiding your guild’s warehouse.”

“I wasn’t sure " he never said who he was.”

“That is a typical pirate response.     Actually, Hobnail has three brothers that are also pirates and most likely one of them will assume the role of Hobnail.    By doing this, it creates a mythological, supernatural feel to him.   Hobnail becomes a ghost-like mystical being and that creates fear, which the pirates want.”

“Do you know of a ‘Wizard of Windhaven’?”  Muld asked, explaining to Brother Anthony that this was who had sent them the mysterious note.

“There are several wizards in employment of the pirates.     Some of them are more or less slaves of the pirates, as they often kidnap and hold the wizards’ family members as hostages in order to ensure their obedience.”

“Could this ‘Wizard of Windhaven’ be one of them?”  Syndi asked.

“It is likely, I would say.    Windhaven is a place I know of.   It is a floating artificial island --or more accurately, a city--  that the pirates use as a base of operation.    It can be slowly moved from place to place and it levitates at about 10,000 feet on average, usually shrouded by magical fog and clouds.”

“Fascinating!”  Muld responded, “You say it is artificial?    So it is really a vessel?”

“Not exactly, Master Muld.   It is made of rock and soil, magically levitated by extreme magic, years ago.     It is moved by wizards when the pirates deem it necessary.   It usually floats over the Carcaicasse Mountains, between the Dwarven kingdom of Hammerforge and the Losasidhe kingdom.”

“I don’t remember hearing anything about it,”   Syndi told the Bitter Dreg.

“They use a massive amount of anti-detection spells and magic to conceal it from detection.   Around the highest peaks of the Carcaicasse range, few would be around to spot it anyway.”

“So how do you have so much knowledge of it?”  Muld asked.

“Years of gathering information on them from various sources.   These pirates are the primary focus of the Bitter Dregs in northern Marksylvania, Losasidhe, and Hammerforge.   I was briefed on the information on the pirates and Windhaven by the guild master of Hammerforge an hour ago, via crystal ball.”

“So this wizard that contacted us is probably stationed on this floating island?”   Syndi wondered.

“Or else he wants you to believe that,”   Anthony answered.

“Well, what would he want?”  

“I don’t know, Princess.  Perhaps revenge or remuneration for the loss sustained by the pirates.   I’d guess that he wants something that he feels only the two of you can provide.”

“Well, what do you suggest we do, Anthony?”   Muld asked.

“Play along with him; see what he has to say.   Then we’ll discuss what we can do to counter it.    But the two of you should not stay in here very long, for if he is watching you by scrying device, then he will be suspicious of anything that takes a long time that he cannot detect.”

“But we can’t just keep coming back to the church to meet with you.”

“That is no problem, Master Muld.”   Brother Anthony replied with a smile, “You see, I am a natural telepath.”

*Really?* Muld thought to test his claim.

*Yes, sir, I am.* He replied clearly.    *You see, I am not human as I appear to be.*

*Then what are you?*   Syndi asked telepathically, also hearing his thought projection.

In response, Anthony’s form began to change, melting and reforming slightly as if he was made of white clay.   Anthony’s final form was completely different; stark white skin and hair, as well as large white eyes with clear irises set into dark skull-like eye sockets.    The features were almost masklike, but what was more surprising is that Anthony’s form was feminine.   Syndi gasped in surprise, but Zeatt’s reassuring look calmed her.

“A Doppelganger!”  Muld exclaimed excitedly.  

“Actually, I am a Changeling,” Anthony said in a feminine voice completely different from ‘his’ previous one.

“You’re not a man?”   Syndi asked, gazing in fascination at the creature.

“I’m as much a female as you, Princess.   We can assume the appearance of the opposite sex - at least to a convincing degree as long as we are clothed.    We cannot change our actual gender, if you understand what I mean.”

“So is Anthony your actual name?”   Syndi questioned.

“Antheeya is my actual name; I go merely by ‘Ant’.”   Her heavily muted facial features smiled slightly.

“I’m sorry I responded as I did, Ant.    I had never heard of your race.”

“Not many have.    A Changeling is the child of a Doppelganger and a humanoid race.   Most are half human.   I was born in the Underdark and orphaned out into the streets as I repulsed my mother.    But Matron Alleania took me into her household and I worked for her as a spy before we came here.   I am a half Doppelganger and half Drow Changeling.    Most Changelings don’t inherit the Doppelganger telepathy, but I did, and so I joined the Bitter Dregs.    I am indeed the intelligence gathering master of the Dreg’s branch here in Westmark.”

“You had us completely fooled,” Muld told her and she bowed slightly, giving the hint of a smile that was all that her mask-like features would allow.

“Forgive our deception, but I wanted you to see how I could assist you with your situation with the wizard of Windhaven.   Go to the meeting and do not worry, for we will formulate a plan to find your parents, princess.”

“Are there other Changelings in the Bitter Dregs?”   Syndi asked.

“Not here in Westmark, but we have a few elsewhere and even a couple of Doppelgangers.”

“Well, we are very grateful for your help, Ant.   As well as yours, Reverend Mother.”

Zeatt nodded, “Just don’t mention Ant to anyone, not even to your guild members.    Alleania, of course, knows of her, but don’t mention her to anyone.”

“I will come to you in disguise and speak with you telepathically tomorrow, if possible,”   Ant told them, “Keep your telepathy rings on.    Now, I’d suggest that you leave.    Princess, you might act as if you have been crying during our prayers for your family in here.   I will change back into Anthony and will leave with Zeatt.”

“Thank you, Ant.”   Muld extended his hand and the Changeling girl shook it.

“I am glad to help, Master Muld.   I am very fascinated with Practical Magic.”

“Well, if you ever need a job, let me know.”

She nodded and Muld led Syndi out of the room.

The Losasidhe princess acted as if she was trying to regain her composure after a crying session and Muld put his arm around her as if comforting her.

“Do you feel better now, my dear?”   He asked her in case the wizard was spying on them.

“A little.    It’s hard not to be scared.”   She brought authentic sounding emotion to her voice.

“We’ve just got to be strong like Brother Anthony said in his prayer.”

“He’s quite a man, isn’t he?”

“Yes he is, my dear, he certainly is.”

 

They hurried out of the church and made their way back to the apartment, encouraged at the help they had received.