Thornhold - Elaine Cunningham [101]
“A paladin,” he said thoughtfully, “may well be the finest, purest example of what a man can be-the epitome of all that is noble. And a paladin mounted for battle on his war charger, filled with holy zeal and absolute courage, might well be the most inspiring sight that many mortals could hope to see. He can, and does, accomplish much good. But a hundred paladins, a thousand? United in purpose, single-minded and driven by their sense of duty? I tell you truly, Uncle, I can think of no better definition of terror.”
"These are not words you should repeat to most men,” Khelben cautioned him, “and only to you will I say that, once again, we are in complete agreement. For this reason, I have long been wary of the paladin orders. These good men have a disturbing tendency to ride their war horses over whatever perceived obstacle they find in their path.”
“You are either with a paladin, or you are against him,” Danilo agreed. “There are no half measures, and few shades on their moral pallets other than black and white. I regretfully parted company with my old friend Rhys Brossfeather shortly after he entered Torm’s service. My ways are not his, and that was too much of a stumbling stone for him. In fact, in the eyes of many paladins, I would dare say that a Harper is nearly as much an enemy as a priest of Myrkul.”
The archmage nodded slowly. “That is well said, and therein lies our problem. It is impossible for Harpers to come out against one of the Holy Orders without incurring not only the wrath of the paladins but the suspicion of many of the common folk. In this matter, I am of divided mind. What would you suggest that we do?”
This question was the first of its kind, and Danilo quickly hid his surprise. “What we do best. Watch, report, and shape events in small ways. In the old days, the Harper who was most effective was usually unseen. I have already taken steps to measure the knights’ interest in Bronwyn and their intentions.”
“Oh?”
“Clearly, sending men to infiltrate the Halls of Justice would be a waste of time and effort, considering a paladin’s ability to weigh and measure the intentions of those about him. So I have people watching over Bronwyn’s shop, her usual contacts, even the shops and taverns she frequents. If the paladins seek her out, we will know.”
The archmage nodded, satisfied. “Good. Have you made any progress in your studies?”
Danilo blinked. For a moment, he thought that the canny archmage referred to the half-learned spell hidden in his drawer. Then he remembered the other matter of contention that lay between them: Bronwyn, and the secrets of her past.
“Indeed I have,” he said. He rose and crossed the room to a wall lined with books. Selecting one bound in fine red leather, he returned to the archmage’s side.
“I read all I could find concerning the Knights of Samular. Quite an impressive group, with a long history. There were a few things, though, that did not ring true, not even when I discounted a bit of bardic exaggeration and the usual way legends have of growing in the telling. The capture of Thornhold was one such incident.”
Khelben eyed him keenly. “You are not referring to the recent battle, the capture by the Zhents?”
“No, indeed. The original battle, in which the knights wrested the fortress from some petty warlord. Samular himself was involved, and apparently took personal title of the hold. Paladins were less conscientious about personal possession in those days, it would seem. And as Samular was from an exceedingly wealthy family, I suspect he was so accustomed to ownership that he considered it his right, not a violation of his vows.”
“Leave such matters for the Heralds,” the archmage said impatiently. “Continue.”
“Well, according to the best information I can find, the paladins under Samular’s command took the fortress in a single day, with a force of fewer than fifty men. Brunyundar, the warlord, had three times that many. Even taking into account the fervor and skill for which paladins are renowned, that seems an impossible feat.”
Khelben nodded, following Dan’s reasoning