Chapter 2: Salvation of Suldanessellar
Rivian followed the sound of battle and led her group to aid the elves. From the moment she stepped into the city, she was captivated by the beauty and serenity of Suldanessellar. This was a city of elves and she felt a close affinity to all things elven. Despite the smell of death lingering in the air and the cries and moans of the wounded, there was no doubt that Suldanessellar was a beautiful haven for the elves. To be defile by Irenicus and his minions was a crime so great to Rivian that she vowed to rid Suldanessellar of her intruders. She would die for this noble cause without regrets.
An arrow loosened from behind and found its target in the heart of a raksasha. The moon elf snapped back to attention at the oncoming battle ahead of her. A group of raksasha, powerful magic users who can shapeshift at will, were fighting a smaller group of elves. They were summoning Baatezu and Pit Fiends, foul monsters from the lower planes to their numbers. The elves were hard-pressed and most of them, desperately trying to hold their defense. Rivian and her group had fought such creatures before and knew how to battle them efficiently.
The raksasha with the stuck arrow fell and the elf who had been fighting it, turned and found another target quickly. Imoen fired another magic arrow from her Gesen Bow and saw it strike home into a Pit Fiend. Stunned by the sudden attack, the twelve feet tall and bat-winged monster let go of the struggling elf and advanced menacingly towards the group.
It was time to join the battle. With a single gesture to the rest of the group to engage the enemies, the sorceress started to cast a powerful spell. On her right, Imoen started to chant a spell, her fingers moving quickly along the gesture of the spell with ease and expertise. With a single battle cry from behind, Minsc the ranger berserker ran to engage the Baatezu fiend who had just dismembered a limb from an elf. It fed the bloody leg into its fanged mouth and licked the blood off its claws, all the while, pinning the helpless elf under its leg.
"Foul creature. You will pay." Anomen spat in disgust and prayed to his patron god for a spell to strike evil. On Rivian's left, the driud, Jaheria finished casting her favorite spell, Insects Swarm. A large swarm of flying insects descended among the group of raksasha, biting them and distracting them from concentrating on spellcasting which stopped the raksasha from dealing any further damage with spells.
A single powerful, purple globe of magic strike the enemies and severed the links of the summoned monsters from their home planes, effectively sending back to where they came from.
The raksasha found themselves without their summoned allies and resorted to fight with their claws and weapons instead. The group dispatched them easily. There were only a couple of survivors from the gruesome battle and all were wounded.
Rivian passed several bottles of healing potions to the elves and had Anomen mend any broken bones with his healing spells. "Thank you, lady, for your timely aid." A wood elf with a nasty cut on his forehead accepted the healing potions Rivian gave him. He gulped the potion and allowed the magic to heal his wounds. The magic relieved his double vision from the pain and being able to see his rescuer better, he was surprised to see the odd group of human and half-elf that had aid him.
"Are you able to walk? Prince Elhan holds the defense at the gates. Join him once you are able." The moon elf smiled lightly at him.
The wood elf nodded quickly. "Do you know where I can find the High Priestess?" the moon elf asked again. "I do not know. She is usually in her chambers in the east or in the Temple." The wood elf pointed to a magnificent building further away.
"Very well. Thank you." The moon elf replied.
"There, no traps on the door." Imoen noted after examining the entrance.
Rivian nodded and opened the door to the High Priestess's chambers. They found the High Priestess alive but engaged in battle by a powerful Baatezu fiend and a few lesser devils. The priestess was an old moon elf, her face lined with age lines and with blue eyes that shone compassion. She was fighting the Baatezu with her mace and trying her best to stay out of range from the menacing sharp claws. "If you are not with the enemy, aid me." The High Priestess pleaded as soon as she saw the group.
"I will aid you." The moon elf answered without any hesitation and reached her hands into her cloak for another spell component. Her fingers moving with familiar grace and her lips chanted the words for a powerful dismissal spell.
"Stop the mage! Slay 'em all!" the Baatezu bellowed at the same time, swinging its claws at the priestess.
Anomen prayed to his God for a spell to smite evil and the brave berserker engaged the nearest devil. Jaheria chose to engage in melee fighting this time, forsaking her spells for her scimitar and kept one of the lesser Devil busy. Within a few breaths, an air elemental was summoned by Imoen. She stood still in concentration and wrestled control over the elemental she summoned. Rolls of sweat glistered on her face until finally she looked up and directed the controlled elemental to aid the priestess against the Baatezu. Rivian had also finished her spell and the familiar purple globe of magic sent the lesser devils back to the home plane.
Severely outnumbered, the Baatezu found itself fending off attacks from all sides. Blasts of magic hit into its scaly skin, and while normal weapons had no effect on the Baatezu, he realized, to its dismay, that the group's weapons were all highly enchanted. Within a short time, the Baatezu was eliminated and the battle over.
"Thank you, child." The high priestess panted droplets of perspiration on her face. "These old bones of mine aren't good for fighting anymore." She smiled gratefully and sat herself on a nearby broken chair.
Rivian liked this elf immediately; she was easy-going and motherly. "Are you the high priestess?" "Yes. I am, though if you are thinking you had just saved a harmless old elf, you're not far from it." The old lady flashed a grin. "How did you come to Suldanessellar?"
"Prince Elhan led me here. Irenicus stole my divine soul and defile this fair city with his presence. I seek to free Suldanessellar and to reclaim my soul." Rivian paused a moment and frowned.
"Elhan had been painfully elusive with answers. Who is Irenicus, really?"
"I'm sorry. It was a great shame, not something we speak of lightly." The elderly moon elf answered apologetically. "Joneleth was a Chosen of the Seldarine, and the queen's consort. His command of elven high magic was second to none in Suldanessellar. However, it was not enough for him. He and his sister seek to attain Godhood by draining the Tree of Life, a deed that would have damned us all if he wasn't stopped. As a punishment, the queen severed his link to the elves and Suldanessellar and banished him from the city." The priestess sighed, wiping her forehead with a kerchief she removed from her sash.
"A vile crime, equivalent to stealing my divine soul." The moon elf replied, rage flashing in her silver blue eyes.
"A thoroughly evil person!" Anomen interjected. "Why didn't the queen just kill him? Surely he deserved death for betraying his people."
"Boo says we kick his butt hard." Minsc agreed, patting his familiar hamster.
Only Imoen remained silent, a momentary pained expression appeared on her face, no doubt recalling some unpleasant memories of suffering at the hands of the crazy mage.
Rivian placed her hand on the young mage's shoulders, offering her support and consolation with the simple gesture. The young girl smiled bravely and nodded her thanks.
"I am sorry. The queen hoped that he would be able to earn his way back to the city." The priestess explained, her eyes dimmed with a hint of sadness. "Save the queen and she can aid you. The queen is in the Palace. Joneleth had sealed the palace gates with his magic. I cannot break his wards. You must invoke the Guardian of the Forests. Gather three artifacts and placed them onto the altar in the Temple . The guardians will be summoned and they will open the palace gates for you." The old priestess suggested.
"What are the three artifacts and where can we find them?" Jaheria asked.
"A moonblade, the globlet of Life and the talisman of Rillifane. I do not know where they are right now, but they are somewhere in the city. I am sorry, child. I can offer no further aid than information. I must stay here and guide any who survived. Besides, these old bones of mine won't last long and my spells are long used up." The old elf smiled apologetically.
"Be well, child and good luck."