Crossover - Chapter 60

Hawke is a bit worried about the price on his head.  It is understandable.  He is very visible and many more than just the Guild of Villains are looking for him now.  The Constables blame him for the drow strike and are looking for him, too.  He gives voice to his concerns, “It’s getting hard for me to get about without bumping into to trouble.  Two groups tried to capture me just this morning.”

Shaddar advises him to no longer risk himself in public.  “If you deem the risk too great, then by all means, remain in the shadows.  It does us no good for you to put yourself at risk needlessly.”

“I’m worried that this Guildmaster won’t know who to fight,” Hawke grumbles. “We don’t want her challenging me directly – that’d do us no good.”

“The Guildmaster will know us better soon enough, have no fear of that!  Another good reason for you to blend in for a while.”  Hakwe nods and leaves to arrange his new and lengthier communication chain.

“A ready-made patsy, should I find myself in need of one,” Shaddar thinks with morbid satisfaction.  “Yes, I must keep my options open.”

Crossover - Chapter 59

“You, tall one!  No the other tall one!  Yes, you!  Move that heavy thing over there!” Cutt’s voice echoes down the hallway as Shaddar slides through the barely stirring underground lair. 

Shaddar is pleased to see that the svirfneblin has reassembled his alchemical workshop much faster than the initial one took to set up.  One factor could be the score or so of drow ‘assistants’ that Cutt has appropriated.  So long as the pipsqueak doesn’t put on airs again, Shaddar is for anything that will speed the thrall’s productivity.

Shaddar’s hopes that the troublesome little gnome has learned his place is dashed as he hears the gnome continue to order about the drow under his control.

“Good job.  Now move it back to where it was…  Because I say so, tall one!  Now get to it!  Bwah-ha-ha!”

Shaddar sighs heavily.  The work of a master is never done when the slaves are such as Cutt.  He makes a mental note to come up with some random, but memorable, public humiliation to inflict upon the gnome later.

Crossover - Chapter 58

Shaddar awakens and it takes just a moment to review the events of yesterday.  Happy thoughts enough, but he is eager to find out what his minions have accomplished during the night as per his orders.

So many plans were set into motion last night…

Masaxle’s unveiling of the drow artwork was inspiring. 

“Behold the glory of our race!” the crazed artisan had yelled as a group of about 300 stonemasons, students and apprentices had seen his workshop.  The silence of the gawking drow caused Shaddar’s tentacles jerk and writhe in pleasure. 

“It speaks to you, does it not, my children?” Shaddar whispered into the quiet room.  A gentle reminder that their new-found passions and freedoms were linked directly to him.  Excellent.  Excellent.

Crossover - Chapter 57

Shaddar leaves Kug to his work and seeks out Barrityl and Yanivlitan.  He can sense their minds in the main audience chamber and sees that they have things to discuss with him from their thoughts.

“Report!” Shaddar barks as he enters the hall.  He strides briskly to the pair of drow and stops with his hands on his hips.

Barrityl bows slightly as he responds, “Great one, you will be pleased to hear that there are so many worthy drow who could be useful as a part of your army that we do not have room to house them all inside the palace.”

“This is a gratifying problem to be presented with,” Shaddar says with a nod.

“Many of the lower classes of drow were quite excited with the idea of not doing their normal labors for the humans and instead to do something for the glory of the drow race,” Barrityl says with pride.

Crossover - Chapter 56

The brawlers and other members of Flame’s group stand in shock, staring at the body that now lies on the floor of the pub.  Shaddar mops delicately at his mouth with a handkerchief.

“Over here men, please,” Shaddar commands, pointing at the corpse.  “The fluids will be finished draining momentarily and you can deliver my completed message – sans about nine pounds – to the Guildmaster.”

One of the burly men turns away and becomes sick behind one of the tables in the pub.  All of them are pale and motionless – frozen with fear.  Pathetic.

Shaddar turns to his thrall and says, “To the victor go the spoils!” 

Crossover - Chapter 55

Shaddar waits by the bar and the regulars of Goggo’s Fisticuff Pit stay well away from him.  Even they can sense he wishes to be left alone.

Toothsnatcher waits nearby, but close to the door in order to intercept any threats that enter the building.  He is surrounded by slightly drunk fans who are congratulating him on his victory and questioning him as to his fighting style and where he learned it.  The minotaur mostly answers in monosyllables or a variety of grunts.  The locals find his behavior quite novel and there is much laughter from their group.

“Where’d ya get this scar?” asks one of the men.

“Someone was clawing at me as I broke his neck with my bare hands,” growls the annoyed minotaur.

The group surrounding him laughs and raise their mugs to his grim reply.  It is obvious from their thoughts that they do not understand that Toothsnatcher is being quite truthful.

Shaddar shakes his head.  “Idiots.  They must have never heard the proverb: ‘Never pester a minotaur’.”

Crossover - Chapter 54

People flee from before the approach of Shaddar and his blood-splattered thrall.  It is not so much their hideous appearance, but the rumors and reports of slaughter that seem to move before them much faster than humans could normally run.  Shaddar is amazed at the efficiency of their grapevine.

Doors slams shut and shutter click together as they draw near to each building and the crowds of people are quickly thinning.  Those humans who see them, invariably turn around and run in the opposite direction.

Toothsnatcher is enjoying himself immensely.  “Best day ever!” he thinks, quite pleased that Shaddar is pushing deeper into the slums and seems intent on causing more trouble. 

“It is useful to have happy thralls – they seem to work more efficiently when they find their orders agreeable,” Shaddar thinks.

Crossover - Chapter 53

Shaddar and Toothsnatcher look very out of place with the well-dressed and excited people whom they stand in line with.  The thought of, “Why are these two freaks in line?  Aren’t they entertainers?” runs through most of their minds.

The exceptions are those members of the Guild of Villains who are running this scam.

“Ha!  These fools literally throw their gold at us!”

“That man in the purple vest and wearing a gold monocle is here to inquire about his dog’s health.  Best get that tidbit to Martus.”

“Say…  Isn’t that tall fellow wearing a funny uniform…  Hold on…  Oh, no!  The Guild of Swashbuckling Rogues!”

Crossover - Chapter 52

Barrityl is going to be gone for quite a while – handling all of the orders that Shaddar (and Cutt) gave him.  Hawke begins yelling orders at the drow porters as to where things should go and what should be unpacked first.

Half of the drow who serve in the underground palace are excited or satisfied (for many different reasons.   Some were disgruntled with the old leadership, some are still dazzled by his mental suggestions, some wanted change, etc.  As for the rest?  They are utterly terrified.  This is acceptable.

“It is boring here and I tire of second-hand reports,” Shaddar thinks.  “I shall go into the slums to taste the dark winds of change for myself!”

He takes Toothsnatcher with him.  He makes sure that the minotaur is wearing his standard, mediocre Swashbuckling Rogue attire.  Those who think that his group has been eliminated must be taught differently.

Crossover - Chapter 51

The last of the chests and boxes have been loaded by the drow that Shaddar brought with him from the underground palace.  It is time to leave.

“Hawke?  Walk with me.  I’m sure you have much more to tell me of my time while I was away.  We can speak on these matters as we travel to our new base of operations.”

“Of course, Boss,” Hawke replies somewhat uncertainly.  He is still a bit hesitant to live in a home built by the palehairs, but will do as he is ordered to by Shaddar.  Good.

“Before we begin, I have an additional task for you to give to your network.”

“Oh?”

Crossover - Chapter 50

It is clear that Shaddar’s appearance has upset the drow elder’s sleep schedule.  All three of the ancient dark elf leaders jump as the double doors fly open and slam into the walls with a bang.  None of them look happy to see him.

The sole female elder looks terrible with lines of deep depression clearly etched in her face.  It looks like she has not been sleeping or eating very well at all.  She appears to be even further aged – something Shaddar did not believe was possible.

“The Harvester returns,” Griselle thinks with frantic dread, “Will he bring us any reason to have optimism?  Oh, why do I torment myself with such thoughts?  It is hopeless!  Our doom is sealed.  Doubtless he comes with a missive that promises an eternity of darkness and pain…”

The second drow elder that Shaddar examines as he walks across the room glares at him with unfeigned and unmasked hostility.

“Drips and spots!  He’s back – and looking even more fancy than he did on his last visit,” thinks the sorcerer Filazar, “I wonder what insipid demand he will make this time?  It’s a good thing I was able to summon my best assassins and hide them in the other room.  I can’t wait to call them in on one excuse or another and humble this fraud for good!”

Crossover - Chapter 49

“So where is our new headquarters going to be?” Hawke asks.

“The dark elves have a facility that will suit us perfectly.  I will be leaving to gain unrestricted access and cooperation from their elders soon,” Shaddar explains.

“Bunking with palehairs?  Ugh!” the man thinks, but Shaddar notes that none of his inner emotion reaches his facial features.

Shaddar continues with an upraised finger, “Actually, I believe that it will be more like a hostile takeover.  I do not expect them to welcome us with open arms to their finest and most secret lair.”

Hawke barks a laugh.  “Not one of their hovels, then?”

“Oh, no,” Shaddar says with a tone of distaste, “Just wait, Hawke.  It is a fitting location for men of our stature.”

Hawke shakes his head.  “No disrespect meant, but I’ll believe that the palehairs are capable of making a place like that when I see it, Boss.”

Crossover - Chapter 48

Back in the border zone of Big City once more, Loolipo guides them into a part of town Shaddar has not visited before.  The place is clearly abandoned with many of the buildings having been torn down or burned several years ago. 

“Hawke told us that this place used to be the main part of town for the hobgoblins to live,” Loolipo says quietly, “It was burned by the Guild of Villains during a riot long ago and never refurbished.”

Kug snorts.  “Just made us cram into the palehair ghetto is all they did,” he says with disgust, “I’ve heard the story many times from my band’s chiefs.  They fixed most of their own warehouses, where we store furniture and other fine things until some human wants it, but not any of our dens or gathering halls.”  The hobgoblin spits to one side of the wagon.  “I hate humans…”

“Rightfully so, General.  But be patient: Retribution is coming,” Shaddar promises.  He notes with satisfaction that many of the other hobgoblins have listened in on this exchange.  Good.

Crossover - Chapter 47

Shaddar is certain that either the Lords or the Mist of Darkness will be after him en masse quite soon.  Because of this, he has no choice but to abandon the Jester and Hawk Meadhall as his center of operations.   He plans to visit the drow Elders again and make them an offer they can’t refuse.  Either they will follow him willingly or he will have Cutt clean up a lot of elf blood from his newly emptied underground palace...

It is unlikely that the Knights will be able to keep their masters in the dark about the ‘winds of change’ that have begun to blow through their city.  Either news of the vile rumors Shaddar spread, the unrest he has caused, or this latest provocation of stealing their tribute will cause the Lords to act.

As for the Mist of Darkness?  Well.  He has no way of contacting them directly, but it is clear that their people have been watching some of his minions at the very least.  But not him and his own personal activities.  No, he has remained fairly well hidden and can avoid any competent minds that are seeking him out.  Shaddar is quite certain that they have no idea that he left the city.

Crossover - Chapter 46

Once they reach the top of the ramp and can see the stars at the top of the Well – it happens.

The slave who is being forced to be the leader of their expedition has an exceptionally bad time…

From one side of the archway a clawed hand darts out and rips the fellow’s throat into a red ruin.  The claw’s owner steps out of the shadows with a hiss and Shaddar recognizes it as a vampire spawn.

“You dare to defy the UnderKing?  This place is not for you!  It is not for anyone!” it snarls, “You die, desecraters!”

Toothsnatcher responds with eagerness to not only remove the threat, but to test his new axe in combat.  He is not disappointed in the results.

Crossover - Chapter 45

Felinxtrath obviously had massive creative control over this world as it came into being; power sufficient to create finery and pomp fit for a king – so he did so.

“And here it is,” Shaddar thinks with his eyes creasing with delight, “All for me.”

Piles of gold nuggets, glass dishes overflowing with richly-colored, dark gemstones, and racks of finely-crafted armor and weapons are immediately visible.  All of it arranged to impress those who might be on hand to witness the grand opening of the treasure chamber.

And it works.  Shaddar’s small force of hobgoblins is impressed.  Even the slaves are murmuring to one another at the sight.  Shaddar, however, is not dazzled for long by such trinkets.  He strides into the room, casting his eyes about for something more.  Works of incomparable artwork line the walls interspersed with further piles of riches.  The artwork is of high quality, but to Shaddar’s eyes it is nothing but refuse; each piece has Felinxtrath’s repulsive features on it somewhere, ruining the lot.  As for wealth?  Ho-hum.

“Surely this is not all?  I am certain that my dead master would have made himself something even more impressive and powerful than mere riches.  They must around here some–“  His thoughts stop and he makes a satisfied slurping noise as he sees what he knew must be here.

Crossover - Chapter 44

This is a disaster.  A disaster!

The Realm is a world based on sound illithid principles, but then the blueprints were torn to fragments and it has been finished by the insane and stupid.  And then!  Then it has run out of control, like a drunken troglodyte in a cave filled with shrieking mushrooms!

And Shaddar is stuck in the middle of this unstable matrix?  Oh.  My. 

“If this is record of how the world works, then perhaps I can glean something of the rules by reading what the four slaves created before they were consumed by the forces of the experiment,” he thinks with forlorn hopes.  How likely is it that the four tortured slaves would mentally co-operate, such that the chair and other magical equipment would understand and process their commands?

Crossover - Chapter 43

There is much groaning when Shaddar kicks the hobgoblins and slaves awake after their extravagant rest.

“Up!  We have much to explore and discover!” he urges.

A thought he had as he awakened is that Felinxtrath may have created a stash of powerful arms, weapons, or magical items for his own personal use in this world.  If so, he would have hidden it somewhere in the city.  If such a trove exists, Shaddar will have it for his own!

Even if this thought is a vain one, the work of centuries of illithid study were done here in this ancient city – stored away as a gift to ‘the long-tentacled one’.  Shaddar feels a burning need for the results and research that would have been collected.  He looks forward to finding it and…  What was the term the drow elders used?  Ah, yes…  Harvesting the knowledge.

These thoughts encourage him to be even more blunt than usual with his minions.

“We leave now,” he states simply and then walks off with Toothsnatcher.  The hobgoblins and slaves have to run to catch up with him, but none of them want to be left alone in this strange ruin.

Crossover - Chapter 42

After the excitement of the battle wears off, Shaddar orders his hobgoblin minions back to the task of breaking through the sealed archway.

There are four different layers of brick, each done with a different style of work.  This indicates that on four different occasions someone returned to this place to further seal whatever lays beyond.  Shaddar’s tentacles twitch with anticipation and other facial signs of speculation.

When the workers finally break through the last layer of the wall a rush of foul air blasts dust and brick chips into the hobgoblin’s faces.  Coughing and sputtering they back away from the hole.

“It has not been disturbed in all this time.  Nor has the chamber been breached anywhere else – otherwise there wouldn’t be the buildup of stagnant air pressure,” Shaddar thinks.

Shaddar walks forward to be the first to enter this new area.  His minions follow him with trepidation, murmuring many questions as they see what lies beyond.

 “I’ve never seen anything like it!”

“The curves hurt my eyes!”

“What is it?”  Many of the hobgoblins ask and think this question as they stare with wonder.

Shaddar puts his hands on his hips on the other side as he surveys the scene that he can see in the dim light.  He decides to grace his minions with an answer to their primary question.

“It is the ruin of an illithid city,” he says softly.

Crossover - Chapter 41

Shaddar hurries his minions along the path.  It soon turns and dips, leading further down into the deep.  The remains of what look like an aqueduct emerges from one side of the hall and travels down with them, but no liquid flows from it’s broken pipework. 

A series of four holes run down one side of the tunnel.  The holes look like they at one time accepted some kind of geared device.  There are marks and scuffs that were some kind of wheels as well, bordering the holes.  Shaddar think that perhaps there used to be a slave-powered trolley to spare those of the race the tedium of walking up and down the lengthy tunnel.  Felinxtrath often spoke of his ideas for such devices.

The descent is long and tiring.  Too taxing on the slaves than Shaddar can believe as they must stop only partway down in order to allow them and the equally sore, but less vocal about it, hobgoblins to sleep.  Shaddar is appalled at the level of sloth the weaker races all share.  He orders that the slaves be gagged to quiet their obnoxious cries for food and water.

“We is hungry, too, master,” Kug explains.

Shaddar arches an eyebrow and looks over the exhausted slaves.  Yes.  A bit of a snack might be nice – and it might also encourage greater speed and fewer complaints if done properly.