Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [73]
"You were correct" the riddlemaster said, and his voice was less patronizing than usual. "'The third and fourth sites were also barding colleges. The riddles name Doss in Berdusk, and Canaith, located near Zazesspur in the land of Tethyr."
"I have recently come from Tethyr," Danilo said thoughtfully, remembering the ballad that had driven him north. He'd tried to put that night from his mind, but he quickly reviewed the event now in search of something that might yield a clue. He wished he had asked Arilyn for more details about the bard who had spread this ballad. Perhaps such information would help them now.
"What powers did the caster gain?" Danilo asked, returning to the matter at hand.
"In Berdusk, the ability to call up or control monsters who use music as a weapon. That would perhaps explain the frog pipers we met in the marshlands near the High Forest. It is interesting to note that there has recently been a marked increase of monster attacks on travelers and farmers to the south of Waterdeep. In many cases, the victims were slain before they could raise weapons in their own defense. These incidents seem to fall along a path between Berdusk and Waterdeep." The riddlemaster paused and considered. "For that matter, the failure of crops around Waterdeep has been profound this year, and unmatched elsewhere in the Northlands but for that one area in the Moonshaes."
"Marvelous," Danilo muttered. "And what happened at Canaith?"
"The caster regained the power to influence crowds through song. Once a common type of bardic magic, it fell dormant during the Time of Trouble."
Danilo fell silent, moving the pieces of this puzzle around in his mind and trying to fit them into a pattern. After a moment he abandoned the exercise. "What's going to happen in Sundabar? The old college Anstruth was there."
"I've haven't gotten that far."
The Harper scratched his chin thoughtfully. "It is possible that the sorcerer hasn't, either. Our foe can obviously travel fast, but we might yet precede him."
Danilo kicked his horse into a trot and rode to the front of the group. The moon elf was riding point guard, as usual, and his silvery hair gleamed in the bright morning light "You'll have to live without me for a short time," the Harper announced. "I'm leaving for Sundabar at once. Upon my honor, I will return at daybreak."
"Upon the dwarf's life, I believe you," Elaith said pointedly, then he smiled at the Harper. "I shall strive to withhold my tears during your absence. What benevolent god should I thank for this turn of events?"
"Khelben Arunsun, but don't refer to him as such. As deities go, he isn't much for ceremony. Now, all jesting aside. The archmage gave me a ring of teleportation that can transport up to three persons to a site of my choice. I'm going to Sundabar, for there may be a chance of catching up with our spellcaster there."
"Then let us be off at once," Elaith said.
"Us? As in, you and me?"
"Of course." The elf smiled pleasantly and produced a plain silver ring from a pouch at his belt "Your magic ring, I believe."
Danilo's jaw dropped. He glanced down at his hands. Sure enough, one of his rings was missing. "How?"
"Let us tend to more important matters," the elf said, returning the ring to its owner. "If it would make you feel more comfortable, by all means bring someone else along with us."
The Harper nodded reluctant agreement as he slid the ring back onto his finger. "It's either Wyn or Morgalla. The others are in your employ, and I trust none of them." He raised his voice to hail the dwarf. "Morgalla, how would you like to teleport to Sundabar with me?"
"How'd you like to kiss an orc?" the dwarf responded sweetly. Dwarves were notoriously leery of magical travel, and Morgalla was no exception.
"Wyn it is," Danilo said in a matter-of-fact tone. "One problem: I can use the ring but once in any given day or night. We will not be able to return until after sunset, and I can only teleport to a place I have been before. We're about a day's travel from Taskerleigh: