Now, after a thousand years, the hidden architect of the Savage Tide gazes upon new targets. This time, the doom will not be limited to one hapless city. This time, all of civilization is perched on the shore, blissfully ignorant of what the tide is about to bring in.
Early evening finds Daerith Amlyn lounging before the fire in a comfortable leather chair at The Pearl and Parrot, sipping wine and reading a treatise on military tactics. The author's observations are astute, but Daerith can't help but be distracted by his own difficult situation.
Without a job, and thrown out of his father's house, he was in a difficult financial position. If he was careful about it, his money should hold out for another week - two if he gave up wine, but that wasn't likely to happen. Thankfully, if worse came to worst, he could always see if the Witchwarden Tower needed any scribing work done - they usually did. It wasn't glamorous, but it would keep a roof over his head. Still, scratching a pen at a desk for hours a day was not what he wanted out of life. If it was, then the break with his father would never have happened.
Returning his concentration to the treatise, the elvish mage fails to notice one of the serving girls approaching until she's almost upon him.
"Beg pardon, Mister Amlyn," she says, "but there's a woman to see you." She points back towards the entrance to the common room where Daerith can see a very old halfling woman standing with a scroll clasped in one hand. The woman looks familiar, but it takes a moment for him to place her - Kora Whistlegap. She was an old family retainer for the Vanderboren family. He'd met her when visiting the Vanderboren estate in the years that Lavinia Vanderboren had been a student of his. But it had been nearly five years since he'd seen her last, and probably two since he'd seen Lavinia - no doubt because he'd been spending more and more time at the Arena.
Rising from his chair and putting the book down, Daerith walks over to the halfling woman, hand outstretched. "A pleasure to see you again, Mrs. Whistlegap," he says, and minor pleasantries are exchanged. But quickly she hands him the scroll.
"My lady wanted you to read this immediately," Kora says quietly, and she steps back to give Daerith time to open the scroll. He does so immedaitely and reads the following:
Turning to Kora, he offers his reply.Daerith,
I trust this letter finds you in good health. I understand you are at loose ends, and was wondering if you might be able to help me.
If it would be conveneient, I would greatly enjoy having you at dinner at the Vanderboren estate tomorrow evening. I think that I can present you with an opportunity uniquely suited to your skills. And if you had one or two associates who you think might also be capable, I welcome you to bring them as well. This may be more than one person - even one of your talents - could accomplish alone.
Please give Kora your response. I hope to be speaking to you soon.
Lavinia Vanderboren