Elfsong - Elaine Cunningham [90]
"Fun?"
Danilo slapped the riddlemaster on the back. "Fun," he repeated. "When all this is over, I suggest you look into it."
Vartain seemed unconvinced, but he bowed and hurried off in the direction of Halambar's Lute Shop. The Harper retraced his steps into the tower's reception hall.
"Let's see the scroll," Khelben demanded at once.
Danilo reached into his magic bag. His eyebrows met in a puzzled frown. "That's odd," he mused as he rummaged around. "It was right here on top." The Harper began to remove one item after another from his bag, until the pile on the floor was nearly knee-deep.
"Enough!" Khelben said in exasperation. "The scroll is obviously gone."
His nephew nodded to concede defeat. "Elaith Craulnober has struck again. I've no idea how he does it but he got a ring off my finger without my noticing."
"What does he want with the scroll?"
"He wants to keep it away from you, for fear that you'll find the sorceress before he does. That's why I didn't return at once with the scroll," Danilo admitted. "Apparently our sorceress possesses an elven artifact a powerful magic harp known as the Morninglark, and Elaith would very much like to possess it."
The archmage received this news in silence. "So Elaith Craulnober will be searching the city, making inquiries about this magic harp."
"Most likely. Can you have him picked up?"
"I'll see to the elf," Khelben said firmly. "Why don't you go to Halambar's and see if Vartain is coming up with any useful information."
The Harper hurried to the guildmaster's shop. Krьos Halambar received Danilo politely but looked puzzled when Dan asked for Vartain. "The riddlemaster has not been here since he was hired by Elaith Craulnober, many days ago. Why?"
"You answered my question, I'm afraid," the Harper said ruefully. "Vartain is still working for Elaith." He told Halambar an abbreviated version of the story, and asked if the shop could be closed and guarded so that the sorceress could not cast a spell at the site of the college of Ollamn.
"Visiting bards come here to sign the register, but the actual college stood on the site of the guildhall," Halambar corrected him. He reflected on that possibility. "It would be unprecedented to close the guildhall during the Midsummer festivities. Many visiting bards take lodgings there."
"But it could be done?"
"Oh, yes. I admit to having placed magical wards around the hall. In addition to normal precautions, events in Waterdeep have made such seem prudent."
"Our bard packs a good deal of magical muscle," Danilo said, and reached into his bag for the dragon's cask. It held fewer jewels that he remembered, but he selected several nice gems and handed them to Halambar. "Augment the guard on your shop and the guildhall with as much magic and steel as these stones will purchase. Have the place watched for anyone who fits the description I gave you."
The guildmaster bowed. "All will be done as you say. Lift the curse on the bards, Lord Thann, and your name will be remembered as foremost among us."
Danilo had reason to believe otherwise. Once the magical delusion was lifted, he would again be regarded as an amusing and inept dabbler, a typical idle nobleman of great wealth and little substance. At the moment, Danilo truly regretted the role he had lived for years. If he had not played the fool, if he had taken Khelben's advice and served openly as a mage of promise, he would have been able to share his vision of elfsong's importance. As Khelben's acknowledged apprentice, he could have accomplished much. But who would listen seriously to Danilo Thann, dandy and dilettante? Now knowing what else to do, the Harper politely returned Halambar's respectful bow.
*****
Even during the bright summer afternoon, in the basement tavern known as the Crawling Spider it was dark as night. The plaster walls had been