Monoliths #5q: Arex Doesn't Speak

[Gurns]

Nilan wanted to talk. Of course. This time, though, he was bringing a troll with him. Since most of my encounters with trolls in the past had been excessively exciting – trolls aren't the most relaxed and genial of creatures – I thought someplace safe was indicated. Lintral, Teej, and I headed for the hostel at Road Crossing.

For a time, we entertained ourselves by telling troll jokes.
"How many trolls does it take to start a fire? Just one, but you'll need a lot more to keep it going."
"What's that icky stuff between troll toes? Squished halflings."
"Why did the troll cut off its head? Someone told it two heads were better than one."

After that, we just waited. Well, I was wearing the amulet, so sometimes the elf spirit or the barbarian spirit would wander through me. Still worried about their swords.

Finally, Nilan and Tida showed up, accompanied by a large troll. Well, trolls are all large, from where I'm standing.

Nilan said, "Ah, a no fighting room. You really aren't trusting, eh?"

I shrugged. Even a sometimes impetuous bard like myself will take some precautions.

Nilan made introductions all around. The troll was Targsk.

I'd been practicing something, so just for fun, I murmured, "Ah, the assassin. How does it feel to have failed? Even with the help of your god, I'm still here. And someday..." Then I cackled manically.

Nilan stood quite still and said "Why does Trobriand still speak...I thought he was gone."

Lintral smirked. "Gurns has been practicing his impressions."

I said, "My little joke."

And Targsk! Targsk snickered, and said "Bard funny." Someone who laughs at my jokes! I can see that my previous encounters with trolls hadn't revealed the depth of their wit and humor! Perhaps I should book a performance in Ghore? Well, perhaps not.

I guess Nilan didn't like my little joke. He said, "You'd best leave Trobriand out, else I might have to… Well, you know…" And he patted his dagger.

Lintral was curious. He asked, "Do what, exactly, in a room that bars fighting?"

Nilan ignored him. And moved on to business. He said, "I asked you all here because I wished you to meet my associate." He indicated Targsk. "And we'd like to try something with the amulet."

Ah, not here for the pleasure of my company. What a surprise. But as for letting him try something with the amulet… The last thing Nilan had tried had almost gotten us all killed.

Nilan continued. "Targsk and I have spoken at length regarding the blade."

"The blade?" I asked.

Nilan nodded. "Arex's blade, Avernus the life stealer. We think that since it, too, left soon after his body left, it, too, must have a spirit."

Well, that makes sense.

Nilan added, "Targsk would like to try to speak with Arex."

"If Arex will talk to troll," said Targsk.

Teej murmured, "So would we. Damned fool won't listen."

You said, "Go ahead and speak. He talks to me once in a while, but it's always the same stuff." If these two could get Arex to talk about something else, great!

Targsk said, "I not know what to say."

Ah, well, we can't all be bards, can we? Always ready with the next thought, the next line.

Just then, Llandrien walked into the hostel. He exchanged a few pleasantries with most of us. He and Nilan did a little posturing about Nilan's promise to go to Leuthilspar for trial. Oh, they sounded aggressive and defiant, but it was more show than substance, I thought.

Finally, Nilan turned, and encouraged the troll. "He's a warrior, Targsk, like you...Talk to him."

That worked. Targsk said, "Then he understand importance of good blade in battle. But it not just blade that makes this important. General in battle need something to make self known that he powerful. Making army will be hard. But hope that maybe legend of mighty sword will help boost morale."

That was quite insightful. A bit surprised, I asked, "Are you a general, then? A leader?"

Targsk nodded. "I am warlord of Orbdrin D'oloth. Drow asks me to command forces in fight against Vile One."

Well, that made more sense. I nodded.

Nilan addressed the amulet. "He is the finest of the troll generals, Arex."

I looked at the amulet resting on my chest. "Hear that, Arex? Another general." I've noticed that old soldiers love to talk to each other about their battles, what they did in the wars. But nothing. Arex still wasn't speaking. Or at least, not saying anything new, when he did speak.

Well, I could at least pass that on to Targsk, or to any here who hadn't heard yet.

I said, "He doesn't seem to be listening. Arex says four things these days. Let me tell you what he says."

"Arex says 'Truly, we were all unaware, and no one feared anything. We made war on them, and it was easy to kill them all. None of us thought that the Ultimate Evil would be a greater threat.''

"And Arex says, 'We were wrong, and only the gods kept the world from collapsing into ruin when we failed. Our weapons, blessed by the gods to strike him true... We dropped them, they fell to the ground as he tossed us aside, even as the gods imprisoned Him.'"

"Also, Arex says 'Even with the blessed weapons, we knew it wouldn't be simple. We knew it would take a deadly blow. And we knew it would take a sacrifice of life, a life for His.'"

"And most recently, Arex started saying, 'The weapons. Do they know of their importance? Blast this cursed existence, I can see but words are but mist. Do they know? Why have they not begun the ceremonies to imbue their own weapons?''"

I shrugged. "That's all he says."

Tida stated, "But the gods will not do that again."

I nodded. "That is my understanding."

Tida looked worried. "But he does not understand this."

Teej nodded, and murmured, "He does not, he will not listen. He's as big a pigheaded man as any I've met."

I nodded. "I've tried to talk to him. I've tried to think hard at him. He doesn't understand." I shrugged. "Or I'm not getting through to him."

Tida said, cautiously, "Maybe the wrong person is trying to talk to him."

I wasn't offended, the thought had occurred to me as well. I shrugged again. "Quite possibly."

Nilan was still trying to talking to the amulet. "Arex, tell us of these ceremonies, so we might begin them at once."

Still nothing.

Nilan looked at me. "Maybe if I touch the amulet again, if you will allow me a quick prayer...I assure you I do not taint it."

I raised an eyebrow and said, incredulously, "After last time?"

Llandrien was also quick with an objection. "I assure you, Queen Amlauril would not consider that honest dealing, Assassin." He stared at Nilan, hard. "I've heard drow were mad, but you are nearly beyond belief."

Nilan stood straighter. "My god is with me, and Arex speaks of gods touching weapons....let him feel the touch of a gods presence, perhaps he will speak."

Teej snorted. "Oh, he's mad alright. The holy killer thinks he's got a god's touch."

Llandrien glared. "And my god is with me for all you know, let me touch your holy relic."

Nilan said, earnestly, "Llandrien, to your Queen my life is already forfeit. If this can help, why not try it?"

Not feeling optimistic about his trial, was he?

Llandrien stated, "Because it can't help."

Nilan disagreed. "You don't know that."

We don't? I said, "Let's see, last time, this 'help' nearly got us all killed. And as I recall, your god said nothing. Not even nothing useful. Your god said absolutely nothing."

Llandrien agreed with me. "As Gurns says, I think that qualifies as 'knowing' that."

Nilan persisted. "What can it hurt?"

Teej snickered. Llandrien stared. "Are you mad or just stupid?" he asked.

I reminded Nilan, "That's just what you said last time."

There was some more discussion, but when Nilan had touched the amulet, I had almost been permanently dispossessed of my body. So I wasn't about to let him touch it again.

Eventually, ignoring the bickering, Lintral asked, "Gurns, what was that most recent comment of Arex's?"

I said, "The ceremonies thing? Arex said, 'The weapons. Do they know of their importance? Blast this cursed existence, I can see but words are but mist. Do they know? Why have they not begun the ceremonies to imbue their own weapons?'"

Tida commented, "He seems to know what is going on around him, but he can't seem to find the words to talk."

Nilan said, "We do know of the importance of the good touched weapons. Does he know we know? Maybe he doesn't understand our language, you said he spoke Olde Common."

Um, a good point. I said, "Yes, I've been translating."

Nilan nodded. "You know Olde Common. Can you translate what we say to Olde Common for Arex?"

Well… I said, "I can if I work at it. It would take me some time, maybe a lot of time. I had to write down what he said, and then work it out."

Nilan said, "Then tell him we have the moonblade, we seek his blade, Avernus the life stealer, both are needed to slay the Vile One."

I got out paper and quill to make some notes.

Llandrien objected. "We have the moonblade?" he asked, archly. "I again think you are mad, Assassin."

Nilan frowned at Llandrien. "Yes, Llandrien, you spoke of it by name, you know much of it...I dare say you, champion of your Queen, knows of this weapon..."

Well, the name of the weapon had come up, but as far as I know, Llandrien isn't the Queen's champion.

Llandrien answered, "We do not possess the weapon, Assassin. Her Majesty possesses the weapon, none other. You presume too much."

Nilan retorted, "Unless the Queen plans on wielding it in battle, I daresay you are next in line to do so, so yes, since she possesses it, we do."

Well, one never knows what Queens will choose to do, and who's going to say them "Nay"? And I daresay that if the Queen gave it to someone to wield, it would be the Queen's Champion. Although the moonblade is notorious for choosing it's own wielder, and who's to say who that would be? Not I!

But this wasn't getting us anywhere. I coughed politely. "So, what do you want me to tell Arex about the moonblade?"

Llandrien snorted, "Tell him the truth, an odd enough commodity lately."

Teej suggested, "I'd say that there's the moonblade out there, and we don't know of any other god-touched weapons. One mortal can't take out a god."

I nodded, and made some notes.

Nilan said, "Not unless the god comes in mortal form, Teej."

Teej looked at Nilan. "What god would be fool enough to do that?"

"I'm talking of the Vile One entering a mortal host," said Nilan. "Then we can kill him."

Targsk grumbled, "All this stuff make me think...and now head hurts."

I understood Targsk perfectly. I asked Nilan, "Oh? How do you know that? Since, correct me if I've forgotten, but the Vile One inhabits mortal hosts, and kills them himself. So when the host dies, he doesn't."

Nilan proclaimed, "The monoliths speak of such a feat."

They do? I hadn't seen that anywhere in the monoliths.

Nilan declared, "Once we chip away the layers, smoke will remain. Smoke is him. He will seek a new host. He will enter the body of the mortal sacrifice. At which time, we can kill him with the god touched weapons."

Llandrien shook his head. "Somehow, I think it will not be so simple as you make it sound, Assassin."

I had to agree with that!

Nilan did too, it seems. "No, it will not be simple."

I still didn't think Nilan had the right idea. "Curious. Since Noloth'e indicated that we should wear amulets so that the Vile One wouldn't enter our bodies."

Nilan looked at me earnestly. "Yes, Gurns, we must indeed wear them. But that one mortal, the sacrifice, will remove his or her amulet to allow the Vile One to take him. Or her. And then we must strike."

"And then the rest of us kill that mortal. And the Vile One is free again," I said. "If he can survive his own killing of a mortal body, surely he can survive our killing of one."

Nilan shook his head. "I don't think so, this time he will be killed by the god touched blades."

Llandrien grinned. "All things considered, if you're that anxious to die, Nilan, it can be arranged on more convenient terms."

Nilan smirked at Llandrien. "I'm not volunteering for the sacrifice. I had assumed you would, for Queen and county and all."

I snickered at Nilan. He was contradicting his own plans!

I pointed out, "You say Llandrien will be wielding the moonblade, but then say that he must be taken over by the Vile One. It'll be kind of hard for Llandrien to kill himself!"

Well, the discussion went on, and turned to Avernus. We still didn't have the blade, of course, or any idea where it was, or even if it still existed. But Llandrien mentioned a possibility.

He said, "Arex is drifting and unfocused, a warrior's soul truly resides in his sword. Find the sword, and Arex will talk. Targsk understands the connection, I expect."

Targsk nodded. "I make sure Chasindra is next to me at all times. I not understand why Arex care so little about Avernus. But he doesn't seem to care where she is."

Llandrien shrugged. "Arex is a ghost at present, Troll. If he had a hand to hold is blade, he would."

Teej had a thought. "Gurns, that barbarian is looking for his sword, right?"

I nodded. "So is the elf."

Teej murmured, "That elf, Arex, and the barbarian. That makes three. Three spirits seeking their swords. Where's the barbarian's? We know where the elf's is."

I shrugged. "If the barbarian said more, you'd hear it."

Teej wondered, "How many others?"

I shrugged again. I hadn't had any other, um, guests. Other than Trobriand. "No others. Um, that I'm aware of. Lintral?" Maybe he could see something.

He shrugged. "Not here, but they're thick around the mountain."

"Why haven't we gone there, to the mountain?" Nilan asked.

Mainly, we weren't there because I had wanted to be in place where no one would get killed, when I met Nilan and his troll friend. But all I said was, "We've been there a lot. We went there to get rid of Trobriand."

Teej corrected me, "That was higher up, babe."

So it was.

Nilan arched an eyebrow. "You released Trobriand there?"

Lintral shook his head. "Not at the mountain, but the same range."

Nilan said scornfully, "That was brilliant."

Teej was tired of Nilan ignoring what we said. She slapped him. "I said NOT that same place, drow!"

She slapped him again, and this time put some weight into it. Nilan staggered back.

"You hear it this time?" she snarled.

Tida looked unhappy. "Teej, please don't do that again."

Teej glanced at Tida. "I hope this time he'll NOT sneer at my guy, just because he couldn't bother to listen, Tida. Let's hope it."

Tida sighed.

Nilan said nothing, but wiped a drop of blood from his lip.

Llandrien said, consideringly, "I think you can hit harder than that, Teej. He's still standing upright."

Teej stated, "He's needed. I can't afford to hurt him."

Llandrien agreed. "Yes, but its tempting at times. Her Majesty has commanded the same."

I said, "Her Majesty commanded you to slap Nilan? Odd, very odd."

Meanwhile, Tida had been thinking. "Are we sure that all the god touched weapons were at this battle?"

I shrugged. I was doing that even more than usual, these days. I had no idea. "Good question," I said.

"A good question for the guy on the mountain," suggested Teej,

Nilan chuckled. "I have several questions for the old guy on that mountain."

At that moment, a wormhole opened up, and Artikerus stepped through.

It was a good thing we were meeting in a no fighting room. Nobody seemed happy to see him. Tida rolled her eyes. Teej spit. Nilan glared. Llandrien and Targsk tossed out a few choice insults. That left Lintral and myself as being the most welcoming, because we didn't say or do anything.

Targsk and Llandrien ended up agreeing that King Artifraglemus could easily be mistaken for an enormously fat, unwashed, svirfneblin. You know, for a ranger and a troll, those two were getting along amazingly well. Anyway, after a few more choice words, Llandrien left. A good thing, since the room had gotten quite crowded.

Nilan returned to the subject. "Gurns, do you suppose there is a place we might go to get Arex speaking? Perhaps a place to draw at his memory."

I shrugged. How the hell should I know? If I'd heard anything like that, I would have said so. Long ago.

Lintral suggested, "Perhaps a better translator, as Tida said."

Nilan wondered, "Could the sage translate? He is very wise."

"Faster than I could, I expect," I said.

"I was thinking of a translator in his world," said Lintral.

Nilan pondered. "You think we need a dead one? Can the half drow communicate with him, Lintral?"

Lintral said, "It's possible. I haven't asked her."

Nilan embraced the idea. "Where do you think we might find the half drow? Only place I have ever really seen her is at her monoliths. Shall we go there?"

Lintral nodded, and said "At monoliths, when she had a catalyst. Something to allow her to manifest. Like the Selunite's brooch. Or my orb may have absorbed enough souls to allow her to manifest, but if so, it won't be long."

Nilan suggested, "The Troll Hills one, perhaps. It's close."

That monolith was as good as any, and better than some, so we headed for the Troll Hills.