with the combined forces of the ogre and beholder communities- and with their numerous slavesthey would destroy the neogi and mind flayers. And with the ogre chieftess's sons at the lead of forty ogre warriors, the human forces would later be destroyed- in revenge for the death of ShiCaga's husband, and to secure the ship's stores for their unholy alliance.
Gray Eye wanted something else. He wanted the cloak, and the ogres were just stupid enough to help him take it.
Then the ship would be his.
The rasping, sinister laughter of the beholders rang throughout the tower.
Chapter Seven
'… I have had visions, mother, visions of worlds beyond this one. I know that I must be hallucinating, or dreaming, but they are so real. I have seen suns born and whole worlds spin on their axes. And I saw a black pearl as it cracked, from the inside out. I do not understand these things, but I know that I must leave here to seek something more, something wondrous, and something that is better than the life I have here…'
Teldin, CassaRoc, and the giff, dwarf, and halfling leaders talked among themselves for an hour after their agreement to become allies, making broad, preliminary plans for defense and explaining to Teldin the multifaceted- and sometimes highly confusing-political situations aboard the Spelljammer. The ship was more crowded than he had originally thought, holding whole communities of illithids, goblins, neogi, dra-cons, ogres, beholders, elves-it was all too much, and Teldin finally decided that it just did not really matter, as long as he could get the answers he needed.
Privately Teldin and his allies were all worried that no word had been sent from the elves or the Shou. The Shou were largely unknown to Teldin, but he had had enough untrustworthy dealings with the elves to last him a lifetime, and he decided it would be best to consider them both, for the present, as potential enemies.
They briefly talked about some of the legends concerning the Spelljammer, in order for Teldin to get an idea of the great ship's history- what they actually knew of it- and the power structures and hierarchies on board. No one had ever heard of Teldin's cloak before the beholder myth had started to circulate months earlier. Neither could they elaborate on the Dark Times and what they meant to the ship. 'All we know,' Diamondtip explained slowly, 'is that the Dark Times herald war for us all. Food will be in short supply, though we don't really know why. Most of the communities have food supplies and even grow some themselves. Our primary food comes from the Spelljammer's gardens, and I can think of no reason why that should ever stop. The gardens are open to all, and the harvests are plentiful. We go completely without want.'
Talk eventually turned from there to the nature of Teldin's cloak. All, of course, knew of ultimate helms, but they could not be sure of the peculiar qualities the cloak had displayed. 'That could be what pulled you out here,' Lord Kova said, stroking his trim beard. 'But if the cloak is truly an ultimate helm, it is the strangest helm I've ever heard of.'
'Perhaps it is something special,' said Kristobar Brewdoc. 'That would explain why the evil ones consider you dangerous- perhaps it is some kind of device whose magic is uncontrollable, or even limitless. A charm like that could destroy all your enemies.'
'Aye,' CassaRoc said, 'even…' He took a draft of ale. 'Even the Fool.'
'The Fool? Who is that?' Teldin asked.
'No one,' Brewdoc said hurriedly. 'Make-believe, to keep children in line.'
Hancherback snorted loudly. 'Not hardly. He's real, I tell you, but he is less than human- far less.' He turned to the Cloakmaster. 'Evil incarnate, he is. A serpent in the belly of the Spelljammer.'
'Aye,' Kova said. 'We mortals brought the monster to the Spelljammer. And we mortals must destroy it.'
Firespitter was silent through this, glaring occasionally at Lord Kova. He believed that the Fool was a myth created by the Kovans for some unknown purpose- only the dwarves under Kova would be so stupid as to fashion such a ridiculous bogeyman. A worm. Hah!
'No one knows who the Fool really is,' Diamondtip said, 'or if he really exists. Some say he is the secret captain, some say he was the captain once, now deposed. Others say he is a being formed by the violent deaths of others, a being of soulless energy. Others don't believe in him at all.'
A blank look fell across Teldin's face. There was something there with them, he could feel, something cold and empty gnawing at the pit of his soul.
CassaRoc was watching him and said, 'Teldin, are you all right?'
Silently Teldin reached across the table and plucked the dagger from CassaRoc's belt. He held it between his fingers and hefted it, then turned slowly, as if in a trance. In one strong, swift motion, he slung it toward the base of CassaRoc's bar.
'What in the name of the gods do you think you're- '
CassaRoc stopped when he saw what Teldin had done. The dagger vibrated, its point embedded in the wood, and a huge black rat was impaled upon the blade. The knife had speared the rat straight through, yet it still squirmed, scrabbling with its sharp claws against the floor and the wooden bar. There was no blood.
'How?' asked Hancherback.
'It was already dead,' Teldin said. He pulled the knife from the wood and held up the squirming rat.
Firespitter said, 'Undead?'
Teldin nodded. His eyes glazed over and he held his hand close to the rat. The amulet at his neck grew warm. 'Someone had to control this rat. He sees through their eyes.'
'Who?' CassaRoc asked.
Kova answered. 'The Fool, that's who. That's been a legend, too, that he sees through the eyes of others.'
'No,' Teldin said. 'Only the undead, I think.'
'It looks as if we've got one more enemy than we planned on,' Diamondtip said. 'Well, my guns will be ready for him.'
Teldin crushed the rat's head beneath the heel of his boot. Blackness stained the old floor, and the rat died its true, final death. The Fool, Teldin thought. Perhaps the legends about him are true. Teldin nodded. It seems as if the battle lines have been drawn. If I've been called here to become the Fool's enemy, then I am right about my quest.
I'm here to fight for life, and the Fool fights only for death.
…
The alliance soon adjourned so that its members could take the news back to their respective communities, and to prepare for the eventual war with the evil unhumans. When the allies were gone, CassaRoc closed the door and pulled Teldin over to the table.
'I'm weary,' Teldin told the warrior. 'I am so tired of fighting and death.'
'I don't blame you at all, Teldin. You've been through a lot today.'
Teldin yawned. His eyes felt scratchy, and he rubbed his face to keep himself alert. 'It is catching up with me, I think. Still, I feel as though there is much to be done. I couldn't sleep earlier. I don't know if I could now.'
'You look as tired as you sound. Go on to your quarters. You'll sleep just fine.'
CassaRoc watched him silently as the Cloakmaster stared away. 'There's just so much to do.'
'So, what is it with you and that cloak?' CassaRoc asked. 'What?'
'You're… seeing things, aren't you? You knew that undead rat was here.'
Teldin thought. Yes, he had been seeing things and hearing things, and knowing things that he had no knowledge of before he had landed on the Spelljammer.
