The Paladins - James M. Ward [0]
Wise
The Double Diamond Triangle
Saga 02 - The Paladins
All characters in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America. Any reproduction or other unauthorized use of the material or artwork contained herein is prohibited without the express written permission of TSR, Inc.
Distributed to the book trade in the United States by Random House, Inc. and in Canada by Random House of Canada Ltd. Distributed to the hobby, toy, and comic trade in the United States and Canada by regional distributors. Distributed worldwide by Wizards of the Coast, Inc. and regional distributors.
Cover art by Heather LeMay.
FORGOTTEN REALMS and the TSR logo are registered trademarks owned by TSR, Inc. DOUBLE DIAMOND TRIANGLE SAGA is a trademark owned by TSR, Inc.
All TSR characters, character names, and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks owned by TSR, Inc.
TSR, Inc. is a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
First Printing: January 1998
Printed in the United States of America.
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 96-90565
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Dedication
For Ceaser, whose healing powers surpassed a paladin.
David Wise
From my point of view, this work is dedicated to helpful spirits, among whom I include my wife, Janean, thanks for the sirloin steaks, smothered in mushrooms. Life would be far more difficult without them.
James M. Ward
Prologue
If a castle gate slams shut, Tyr is pointing to another castle, farther down.
Khelben "Blackstaff" Arunsun labored amid the tall wooden book stands and the long chest of tiny drawers, crammed with exotic components, in his spellcasting chamber at the top of his tower. He turned from tome to tome on the stands, reading and reciting, while green and red sparks buzzed unnoticed around his body. He
shook his head disapprovingly at one manual, turning to a fat grimoire on the next stand and moving its dragon-skin pages with a wave of his finger. Magical energy crackled around his hands. Masterfully controlled rage lent power to his incantations. The bride of Piergeiron Paladinson had been seized in the middle of her own wedding, and because she'd been stolen under Blackstaff's nose, he was taking it very personally!
"The Utter East is tied into this somehow," he grumbled. "The bloodforges that created Lady Eidola's kidnappers came from there, but when I scry the Utter East, the crystal ball goes dark." As Khelben glared at the lightless seeing crystal resting on its onyx pedestal, an ancient spell designed to pierce magical fog, crafted by the great Drawmij of Oerth, popped into his head, and he snapped his fingers at the thought. He crossed his laboratory to a chest of scrolls and thumbed through them until he found the one he wanted, unrolled it, and absorbed the words.
"Savretun, soenlovenom," he muttered, memorizing intently…
"Wake him up! He's sleeping and I can't wake him up!"
Sznapp! Red-fire sparks crackled and seared a huge human paw reaching out to touch the engrossed Black-staff. Without shrinking from the pain of the wizard's personal shield, the massive hand shook Khelben roughly, breaking his concentration. He wheeled with a start and grimaced up at the eight-foot-tall Madieron Sunderstone. Piegeiron's personal bodyguard ignored the magical ward. The wizard made a mental note to increase the strength of his protection.
"What is it, Sunderstone?" he snapped.
"I can't wake my master! He told me to call Captain Rulathon, and when I brought him, my lord wouldn't wake up!" Madieron stammered, uttering more words than Blackstaff had ever heard him put together at one time. That meant real trouble.
With an arcane phrase, Khelben blinked to Pier-geiron's chamber, where Captain Rulathon, second-in-command of the