Dungeons & Dragons: The Rod of Seven Parts by Douglas Niles

Author:Douglas Niles [Niles, Douglas]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-0-7869-0479-2
Publisher: Fanversion Publishing
Published: 2018-12-31T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Parnish Fegher

“About Badswell,” I whispered to Saysi as we approached the looming gates leading to the High City “Do you think he’ll have any trouble from the guards?” I remembered that the upper-class district of Argenport had been considerably more diligently guarded than the slums.

Saysi shook her head, turning to look affectionately over her shoulder. The half-ogre ambled along a few steps behind, giving us a chance to walk arm in arm in privacy.

“I don’t think so. Before, sure, it seems they would have been alarmed by someone like him. But have you noticed? Argenport seems, somehow, kind of wilder than before. Like the laws don’t mean much to anybody.”

I nodded grimly, but decided not to say that I had reached the same conclusion. “About this mansion, the place where you think the fourth piece of the rod is. How often have you gone to look at it? Have you seen anyone going in or out? Do you think you’ve been observed while you were there?”

“First, I don’t think the piece is there, I know it is,” she replied tartly.

“Of course.”

“And I don’t know how often I’ve gone there, but I’ve never seen anyone going in or out, so naturally I don’t think anyone has seen me.”

As she led us onward, I looked around, remembering immediately that the High City was much nicer than Argenport’s outer quarter. The streets were wider, lined with plants and bright with blooming flowers, and the scattered drunks much more well dressed than the ragged beggars we’d encountered outside the lofty walls.

“Here’s that fruit seller.” Saysi crossed the street, extending the small leather purse to a stooped, frail-looking woman who stood beside a cart of apples. The elder’s wrinkled and toothless face broke into a disbelieving smile as she took the purse, nodding thanks as the priestess turned back to join us.

“Bless you, child!” called the vendor as we started once again along the street.

“That was nice,” Badswell said, looking back at the woman, then over to Saysi. “You helped her good.”

For the most part, the people on the streets kept their eyes downcast or looked furtively after us as we passed. No one seemed inclined to accost anyone, or even acknowledge a stranger’s presence. Armed guards paced before the gates of several stately houses, and when a patrol of the city watch tromped by, we stepped to the curb. From the protection of their tight formation, the guardsmen’s eyes watchfully probed each alcove and alley.

“Why don’t they post more men at the city gates?” I wondered aloud. “Then they wouldn’t need to send half a regiment out on marching patrol.”

“I don’t know,” Saysi replied. “But you’re right. It doesn’t make sense.”

We started on as the receding footsteps of the patrol faded away down a connecting street. “The sea’s down there,” Saysi said, pointing along a broad avenue we were crossing. “Remember when we walked there and saw the ships from all over the world, and the big temple to Patrikon down near the water? As I said, that’s where I’ve been staying.

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