A Thousand Orcs by R. A. Salvatore

Author:R. A. Salvatore [Salvatore, R. A.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“He truly is a druid?” Tarathiel asked, hardly believing his ears as a pair of his clan reported the news to him that Pikel’s spells were not some trick, that the dwarf did indeed seem to have druidic magic about him.

Beside him, Innovindil could hardly contain her grin. She was truly enjoying these unexpected guests, and indeed, she had been spending quite a bit of time with Ivan, the surly one, who was about as perfectly dwarflike as any dwarf she had ever seen. She and Ivan had swapped many fine tales over the past few days, and though he remained a prisoner it was fairly obvious that Innovindil’s contact with Ivan had brightened his mood and lessened the trouble he was causing.

Still, Tarathiel thought her a fool for bothering.

“He prays, sincerely so, to Mielikki,” said one of the observers, “and there can be no doubt of his magical abilities, many of which could not be replicated by any cleric of a dwarf god.”

“It makes little sense,” Tarathiel remarked.

“Pikel Bouldershoulder makes little sense,” said the other, “but he is what he appears to be, by all that we can discern. He is a woodland priest, a ‘Doo-dad,’ as he himself puts it.”

“How powerful is his magic?” asked Tarathiel, who had always held druids in great respect.

The two observers looked at each other, their expressions showing clearly that this was a question they had feared.

“It is difficult to discern,” said the first. “Pikel’s magic is ... sporadic.”

Tarathiel looked at him curiously.

“He seems to throw it as he needs it,” the other tried to explain. “Minor dweomers, mostly, though every now and again he seems possessed of a quite potent spell, one that would only be expected of a high-ranking druid, their equivalent of a high priest.”

“It seems almost as if he has caught the goddess’s fancy,” said the first. “As if Mielikki, or one of her minions, has taken a direct interest in him and is watching over him.”

Tarathiel paused a moment to digest the information, then said, “You still have not answered my question.”

“He is no more dangerous than his brother, certainly,” the first replied. “Surely no threat to us or to the Moonwood.”

“You are certain?”

“We are,” answered the second.

“Perhaps it is time for you to speak with the dwarves,” Innovindil offered.

Tarathiel paused again, thinking. “Do you think Sunrise will bear him?” he asked.

“To Montolio’s grove?”

Tarathiel nodded. “Let us see if the image of Mielikki’s symbol will look kindly upon this ‘Doo-dad’ dwarf.”

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