Part 27: Wherein confrontations take place
: Good to be back in something approaching civilization, I suppose.
: Beef not understand why come back to castle. We meet friends again?: Who? Those old louts? I should hope not, unless they stand between us and our revenge. I don't like being played.: Hrrrggh, Beef not want play games either.: If Sa'Sani's trying to knock off her old help to cover her tracks, they'd be just as much targets as we were. Besides…
: …If they're smart, they'll be long gone by now.
: Alright, here we are. How you want to play this one, lad?
: Straightforward, I think. We go in, we confront Sa'Sani, we demand the truth. I don't think she'd try any funny business in the middle of Crossroad Keep.
: Assuming Sa'Sani plays fair hasn't worked out so far. Agda says we get some troops on loan from Khelgar first!
: I doubt Khelgar's common soldiery would be much help against anyone so powerful. Unless he employs any magic-users or other adventurers…
: Who, like those guys?
: Step aside, assorted little people (and strangely attractive lady)! We have business with the witch of the house!: Hi Heronius!
: Heronius? Beef? What are you two doing here?: Friends of yours?: Sort of, I guess.: Awwww, can they be our friends too? They look sooooo cool! I like the axe.
: I should've known you wouldn't be able to figure this one out on your own. Pick! Agda! Your employer is a devious she-devil!: Uh, actually, we sort of-: No, no need to thank me for liberating you from her clutches. In fact, I should be thankful at least she didn't keep you know who around-
: "You know who?"
: Oh, speak of the devil! Or devil-slayer, as the case may be. So you're a patsy of Sa'Sani as well?: On the contrary, I came as part of an investigation of my own revealed the possibility of an evil plot to-: Hi Paskwell! Beef missed you!: Hello Beef. It is good to-: Beef joined tribe now! Need squash nose though. But first need get revenge!
: Looking like old times all over again!: I was trying to say that our party has already figured out Sa'Sani's a Yuan-ti from her missing associates. We were just going to confront her about it.: Oh really? Did you? And how long did that take, then? Beef and I have seen first hand that Sa'Sani's out to manipulate the Sword Coast and have been using us to do it!: While these accusations are quite wild, I am actually here to investigate Sa'Sani's involvement in inter-faith manoeuvring on behalf of my temple.: What's going on?: Search me, but whoof from the looks of him I think that Paladin's gone a little rotten.
: Pardon, but if there is an inter-faith matter to address, I may be of some help. As a priest of Akadi, I-: Sorry miss, party business. We don't fraternize with the outside help. Unless you want to do some fraternizing later, of course…: We've been trumping through caves and tunnels all over the coast so far, I think we're just as entitled to some answers as you!: Entitled to a free bar of soap in your case, perhaps, but don't be so quick to buy into our dysfunctional little partnership.
: Beef! Long time no see! What's happening?: Beef made new friends but then all friends killed because Sa'Sani make trap! Beef so mad, must fight to make dead friends happy!: Uh, woah. Okay. So some things have changed.: Your friends could use your support again… Beef, was it? We want to find out the truth from Sa'Sani.: Beef know truth! Beef squash it out of mean green lady!: Wait, Sa'Sani's mean? But she let me stay up late and eat sandwiches in bed!
: I am glad to see you are still stirring up trouble. I was worried I might have been too rash in dissolving our previous partnership. This vindication is gratifying.: Did you swallow a dictionary while we were apart? Or had I already begun to forget how unbearably pompous you used to be? : At any rate, step aside and let me deal with this snake woman. Blood calls out for blood, and I need to make sure as little of it is mine as possible!: You cannot kill her, snake or no, literally or not. She is a necessary part of my investigation - I believe she may have been behind the slaying of an Umberlee prioress that continues to have repercussions in the religious world!: Repercussions, you say? Er… not that I'd know anything about that!: You two must've been real fun back in yer heyday, I bet.
: -not settle down, Beef smash traitor green lady into fine green paste, then-: -not even my choice, the damnable temple keeps sending me on these bizarre political missions to-: -if we could all just calm down for half a minute I bet we could finally come to a decision that's not-: -and just set the damn place on fire already! No more fuss, no more muss, and we can finally all get back to-: -shouting! And yelling! And being angry! Beef drooled on Agda's pyjamas once! Heronius! Fire is for teenage girls! -
: Silence!
: I knew it wouldn't take long for old habits to assert themselves, but I had hoped you would all make it past the front door!: Cornelius too? Oh this just gets better and better.: Who's the new guy? His purple glow is pretty neat.: I've no idea, but we may want to start backing away a bit in case they have any more… friends.
: I suppose you're all wondering why I gathered you here today?: You? But I-: The temple of Hoar sent for you upon the special request of my university, although on a personal note they were quick to volunteer you once we mentioned we needed someone to go a long, long way from them.: Heronius, Beef. Did you not wonder why Al'Mohammed was bound in place, seemingly by magic, when you found him behind the inn at Conyberry?: I just sort of assumed he was frozen with terror…: Lots of people look like that before Beef land on them.: Pick, Agda, your party was already well on their way to discovering the truth. I just helped… nudge you along at times.
: S'cuse us, sorry to be a bother but I gotta ask - what the flippin' hells is going on?: My head hurts, and we're not even doing math!: Apologies. For the benefit of our associate members, we six were once an adventuring party in Sa'Sani's service, in distant Samarach. While there we uncovered evidence of Yuan-ti infiltration of the company, eventually leading to our collective exile from the continent.: Upon our return, I have spent my time investigating this corruption and found it lead straight to the top - and far beyond, I fear. There are now great powers at work. Perhaps greater than I ever feared existing.: Is that a confession, perhaps of-: Yes, good Pasquale. Some difficult truths may need facing.
: For now, however, answers await. There is a purpose to our reunion.: I suppose the immediate satisfaction of killing can wait, if you've put so much effort in already.: Huff. Make things go quick, magic man.: Are any of you following this?: Sister, this shit is bananas!
: Worrisome. Not a good start.: She may have beaten us to the punch…
: So, confirmation of fears all round.: What are we dealing with?: And why does Cornelius get to run the company now?: Firstly, we are dealing with an unravelling Yuan-ti plot to do nothing less than seize control of the whole Sword Coast, and possibly the world.: Secondly, the company involves paperwork.: Pass.: Pass.: Pass.: Pass.: What paperwork?
: Stand back a bit, would you? Try to give the poor woman some air.: That appears to be your department, my dear. You can dispense some as soon as we've got some more answers.
: I sense no duplicity or evil at work here. Variel is probably not a Yuan-ti, at least.: Bugger. Flown the coop again! That flighty broad can put a move on when the heat's on.: Indeed. Still, we know enough at this point. Sa'Sani is indeed a Yuan-ti, and her people are involved in a plot to seize power here on the Sword Coast. Even when we killed Luaire, he may still have been under Sa'Sani's orders. The meeting at Conyberry, Na'Sirin's murder, the trap at the Night's Rest… something truly serious is afoot.
: So, the question is put. Are you in, or are you out?: Nobody uses Heronius Napalm IX then tries to dispose of him and gets away with it. Nobody.: Beef swear revenge for dead friends. So Beef good.: I do not like leaving loose ends, and as much as I hate to admit it we do bear some responsibility for Sa'Sani's actions. I will join you.: Okay, cool, listen just give us a minute with our party-mates.: Gotta do a power-meeting.
: Okay! We're off to stop what sounds like maybe a big evil conspiracy. Probably for free, too. You guys want in?: Uh… thanks, but no thanks.: I am sorry, but this whole business sounds far outside our league.: Plus we like being alive!: We're really still at the bandit-fighting, carefree period of our adventuring careers. It's a little too early to be settling down and saving the world I think.
: Agda'll be sorry to see you guys go. Don't forget to write!: Aw damn! I think I forgot how to write again…: Don't worry, we'll look after her. And you two look after each other, okay?: It's been a rare honour t'serve alongside! If you're in town again drop us a line at the adventurer's guild. Be good to see old friends again.: Stay safe! Hope we'll see you around when this is all over!
: Nice guys.: Oh aye. Shame about all them death-defying odds.: So now that we're leaving, did you think that tall human with the black hair was hitting on me?: You? I thought he was giving me the eyes!
: Right! Just us.: Good thing, too. That wind woman would've been too much of a distraction. And maybe the Dwarf…: Very well. Our company is reforged, in order to rectify our past mistakes and put an end to the danger we helped bring about.: We have been misled, and deceit is grounds for revenge. Or at least, that is what Hoar keeps insisting in my ear.: Beef glad all old friends together again. Payback best when shared.: When do we get started?Editor's note:
Their union reformed, our six protagonists at last collectively recognized the threat the Yuan-ti posed to the safety of the Sword Coast. Some may, like Haalgrad, Calanire, and Aka, be somewhat puzzled by the chain of events that brought this about. Be assured you would not be the only ones. Many unique and peculiar circumstances surround the events of Sa'Sani's sudden departure that gave rise to doubts about the veracity of the tale.
Firstly, it must be remembered that the economic circumstances of the Sword Coast were at a low point at the time. The devestation of the Shadow War was only gradually being undone, and the nominal authority of Neverwinter was fragile at best. A successful merchant company was a valuable asset, as was the public confidence in the rebuilding. Were a Yuan-ti conspiracy revealed, the Sword Coast economy might have collapsed in a panic and all of their delicate progress would be undone.
This in part informed Khelgar's decision to leave the company in the hands of the adventurers with Lord Nasher's tacit approval. Khelgar reputation as a Dwarf of action, however, also likely played into his preference of solving problems with adventures over lengthy investigations or inquisitions.
Most of this was long kept secret from the public, as were many details I intend to reveal of the secret war a band of adventurers waged against the terrible serpent god known as Zehir…