Memory Lane

[Cirath]

It had been days since he had left Waterdeep behind him, and with it all danger that he might be kept from completing his task. He had only passed a couple of small hamlets and one lone farm so far, and the pickings had been slim to say the least. Not finding any suitable hosts, he simply laid waste to them and moved on. Now the rooftops of another were rising in the distance, smoke curling lazily out of the chimneys.

As he walked, he searched through his vessel’s memories, in the hopes that he could better understand his foe, and hopefully force him back into the void once and for all. He had thought he knew the man, thought he could count on him to save himself at all costs. His previous outbursts and futile attempts to regain control were to be expected, but this last act. Sending the child to warn adventurers of his presence made no sense. He had to know that they would hunt him down and kill him if they took the child seriously, and if they were to die, then he would never regain his body.

He knew how the world, or at least those that knew him or of him, thought of the old self. They thought him a monster, a killer, and hardly worth saving even before his rebirth. Now a hero or two was certain to come in search of him. The new self was not terribly concerned. They would likely underestimate him, and would die swiftly and without incident.

He stopped turning that particular puzzle over in his mind and brought his attention to the task at hand. As he was digging through the host’s memories, he found a city on his route that would likely provide all the vessels he could possibly want. He could not simply walk in and take them, killing everything in his path, though. Fortunately, the old self was not a poor man, and Luskan was known for its slave markets. With a bit of luck, he would have an army ready in the next few months.

But for now, he would have to see what he could glean from this next village. Perhaps he wouldn’t have to kill all of them.

[Lilira]

I made a beeline for the northern gates of the city, straight up the Street of Silks, my hood up and face concealed. My hasty passage drew a few odd looks, but I paid them no mind, slipping out the gates, and pausing to lean against the comforting solidarity of the walls.

North he had told the child. So north I would go. I had sent a few messages to people I thought might help me, but had heard nothing in response. I would not call upon Sotana unless I had no other choice.

Deciding to save my energy until otherwise needed, I started walking. A cheerful little breeze whispered into my ear, blowing the hood back from my head as I strode quickly up the road.

“Damn, I’m out of shape,” I muttered darkly under my breath. There was a time I could have run all the way to the Hostel north of where Tern Road ends with the Great Northern Road before taking a break. Too much time hunched over notes and stories, and too many halfling cookies.

North. Where would he go? The next largest population I could think of between here and north was Neverwinter, but they had sealed off the city to non residents. Noone could get in. After that was Luskan. There was a little known of bandit lair before Luskan. I had hidden there once, unnoticed by its occupants. In that moment, I decided to head there, as quickly as possible and hide close by to watch.

I began my song, traveling as quickly as I could.