Dungeons & Dragons by David Lewman

Author:David Lewman [Lewman, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Published: 2023-02-27T00:00:00+00:00

Inside Castle Never, Forge Fitzwilliam led two visiting dignitaries on a tour. Din Caldwell and Porb Piradost wanted to see the castle’s security for themselves before they decided whether to let Forge hold their money while they attended the High Sun Games. They’d brought ample funds with them to Neverwinter to cover their extravagant bets. As they walked down a long hallway, the wizard Sofina followed behind them.

“We appreciate you indulging us, Lord Fitzwilliam,” Din Caldwell said.

“Not at all,” Forge said, flashing a charming smile. “It’s an honor to host you, gentlemen. We’ve taken every measure to protect the assets you’ll wager during the High Sun Games. New iron gates on every entrance to the castle. If the alarm sounds, we lock the gates—no one can get in or out.”

On the corridor wall, a fly seemed to be observing the tour group passing by.

“Then there’s the vault itself,” Forge continued. As they reached a door with no handle, the fly buzzed behind them. “My chief advisor, Sofina, can give you all the details.”

The two guests turned to the sorceress.

“It’s protected by the Arcane Seal of Mordenkainen,” she said.

They waited for her to explain how this magical protection worked, but she just stared at them.

Forge broke the awkward silence. “Perhaps not all of the details. It’s a seriously powerful spell. One of the best.” The truth was, Forge himself didn’t know how the Arcane Seal of Mordenkainen worked. Sofina hadn’t bothered to tell him.

“Your security is impressive, Lord Fitzwilliam,” Porb Piradost said. Forge acknowledged this compliment with a slight inclination of his head. “May I ask,” Piradost continued, “what prompted you to resume the Games? Lord Neverember considered them quite…brutal.”

Forge gave a small shrug. “Lord Neverember and I are very different men. For example, I prefer to be up and about rather than in a vegetative state.”

Din Caldwell chuckled. “You’re terrible.”

“Truth is,” Forge explained, “the Games bring the city together like nothing else. It’s not the role of government to deny the people what they crave.” He paused. “Or to deny you stinking-rich gentlemen the right to profit off them.”

Piradost and Caldwell laughed. The fly buzzed closer—close enough to see Sofina’s markings under her hood. The Red Wizard grew alert, sensing an intruder.

“Now, who wants refreshments?” Forge asked, rubbing his hands together.

“Silence!” Sofina hissed. “A Wild Shape is among us!”

The men looked around, puzzled. They saw nothing out of the ordinary. But Sofina spotted the fly and let out a bloodcurdling shriek. Immediately, the fly slipped into a crack in the wall.

CRRRRACK! Sofina blasted the wall with a thunderwave spell, sending chunks of stone flying into the hallway. The men ducked and sought cover.

But Doric had already left the wall, turning from a fly into a mouse. In her mouse form, she scuttled down the hallway, running as fast as she could. At Sofina’s command, guards charged behind her with their weapons drawn, ready to dispatch the mouse invader.

Doric spotted a suit of armor on display. Still a mouse, she scurried into the armor and shifted back into her humanoid shape as a tiefling.

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