Chapters

The Wizards Three: “He’s pretty powerful”

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The Wizards Three

Alustriel stared at the newcomers incredulously. “You can’t be the answer to our Wish! Who on Faerun are you and what did you do to our spell??”

“Well we’re not Stormwatch,” Sifer quipped, quickly overcoming his surprise at where he found himself.

“I am,” Marko piped up. He was distracted by the contents of the room: magnificent desks covered in (no doubt priceless) books, and curio cabinets filled with all manner of magical trinkets—everything from necklaces and brooches to sparkling stones and shoes. All invaluable.

Three ignored his companions to step forward and bow, knowing that three archmages were not to be toyed with.

Mordenkainen smirked, Alustriel nodded graciously, and Tasha smiled with a wink. Three met her gaze as he slipped his hood off, revealing the full brutality of his features. She raised an eyebrow and turned to Alustriel: “Is that the best a Wish can do? I am not impressed.”

“Me either,” Three muttered.

“Oh ye of little faith,” Uthar judged.

Behind him, Eli was prostrate on the floor, face down, arms out, completely overwhelmed by the majestic mages and the equally majestic surroundings. The room was palatial: platinum and gold filigree, every manner of artwork, and soaring vaulted ceilings supported by marble pillars.

“There’s no need for that,” Alustriel said kindly. “We are not holy.”

“But surely this is Heaven? Where else could we be?” Eli said to the beautiful tilework under his face.

“No, not Heaven—not even close. This is Sigil.”

Eli found himself crestfallen. Not Heaven? He hadn’t arrived? He dropped his face onto the tiles and scrunched his eyes closed.

Idris was slowly grasping the fact that standing in front of him were mages who had spells named after them. “Right,” he said clearing his throat, “Pardon, but am I to assume that we are in the ‘City of Doors’? You did say ‘Sigil, yes?'”

“Indeed you are! You find yourselves at the very centre of the Multiverse! And this is my Sanctum within that city,” Alustriel said with some pride. “I can see you are surprised—but believe me, not nearly as surprised as we are.”

“And did I hear mention, as we incorporated, of a Wish spell being cast?”

“You did.”

“And they got us!” Three spluttered. Mordenkainen put his hand over his eyes and shook his head.

“Assuming we are the result of such a weighty incantation, and I think we are all a bit taken aback by being here, would it be polite to ask what you wished for? I’m assuming it wasn’t us,” Idris said cautiously.

“Your politeness is not in question, but thank you for asking. We will explain everything, but first why don’t we retire to somewhere more comfortable. You all look like you have been through…something.”

Idris coughed out a laugh. “That’s one way to put it, yes.”

“Yes we are dishevelled,” Sifer agreed, “You’ve just saved us from death at the hands of Vecna.”

At the mention of the Dark One all three mages stood suddenly more upright, exchanging quick glances, clearly caught off guard by this revelation. Three and Idris looked momentarily horrified at Sifer’s faux pas, but nothing bad happened.

“‘Vecna’, you say?” Mordenkainen probed, causing Idris and Three to again shudder.

“It seems there is more here than meets the eye, in that case,” Alustriel said. “Perhaps our Wish…hm. Let us discuss.”

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Alustriel led the company into the adjoining chamber, finding Sifer already there. As was his nature, he had started counting exits and scoping attack vectors. A magnificent parlour, plush, antique furniture, including sofas and footstools, arranged around the centre. To the north was a grand staircase, and to the south a garden of ferns and flowering plants growing around a raised marble dais. At each corner of the rooms, spiral staircases led upward.

Marko’s eye was drawn to the next chamber, a library with gleaming floor-to-ceiling bookshelves filled with leather-bound tomes. It was all he could do to not abandon Alustriel’s lead and delve into the priceless knowledge.

Alustriel walked up the fine staircase to the north, which opened into a lounge with roaring fireplaces built into the east and west walls. Comfortable couches and chairs were artfully arranged. “Please, sit and make yourselves comfortable.”

Idris quickly removed the remnants of Cienta Tower from himself and Uthar, who was about to sully the silken couch. He couldn’t get to Three in time, who relaxed into a chair like the lord of the manor, covered in the remains of the acolytes

“That’s very considerate,” Alustriel said to Idris with a warm smile, “I thank you.” She waved her hand idly and everyone found themselves equally clean—even Three. At the same time a feast of succulent fruits and tender meats appeared on the central table, accompanied by drinks of all variety.

“Now. Let me formally introduce ourselves. I am Lady Alustriel Silverhand, immortal daughter of Mystra.” Eli’s eyes boggled at this declaration, though Alustriel seemed to think nothing of claiming immortality.

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Alustriel turned to the raven-haired mage. “This is Tasha, our most beloved demonologist.”

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Tasha merely stared, her eyes twinkling but giving nothing away.

“And the third of our trio is Mordenkainen, a renowned archmage from Oerth.”

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Mordenkainen looked to Alustriel with a frown. “The archmage, not a archmage.”

“‘An’ not ‘a’,” Eli said before he could help himself. Mordenkainen waved the correction off impatiently as Eli tried his best to be swallowed by the floor.

“Together we are the Wizards Three,” Alustriel declared. “There have been others who have gone by that name in eons past, but for now it is us.”

“Why did you wish us here?” Marko said abruptly. While he acknowledged the importance of these three, but from experience he knew kowtowing and awe was not the way the game should be played.

“We didn’t,” Mordenkainen snapped.

“Now now, Mordenkainen,” Alustriel calmed. “In answer ‘why’ we Wished: some months ago I detected a sinister wave of magic rippling through the Multiverse. Using my diving abilities I traced the source to Vecna, who, it seems, you six have some unexplained link with?”

Marko nodded slowly as the company made non-committal noises around him.

“‘Link’ is an uncomfortable word,” Uthar muttered.

“We did have a link—but I think he had finished with us,” Sifer added, more out of hope than belief.

Three seemed to have sunk into a trance, whispering obsessively under his breath: “Venca, Venca, Venca, Venca, Venca…”

“We died at his hand,” Eli offered, as Idris almost subconsciously began magically flipping his eye/hand coin.

“You did? And yet you live…”

“But this is Hell, you said.”

“I said it is not Heaven,” Alustriel corrected.

“You said it was no further place from,” Eli frowned. “Where then am I to expect I am?”

Alustriel looked with concern. “I see then that you are very literal. This is not Hell.”

“This isn’t Heaven or Hell, it’s a city,” Idris said.

Tasha, who had been very quiet, turned to Three who was still chanting. “Speaking of those overly popular realms—are you praying?”

“No, no, I’m not. I can pray, I’m pretty good at it. Probably the best pray-er here. But, um…”

“Then what are you doing?”

Three looked confused. “What am I doing? Was I doing something? I sometimes do stuff…what…”

“In the recent past saying that name bought about harmful consequences,” Idris explained, “Every time it was spoken.”

“So he’s getting it out of his system?” Tasha said with a smirk.

“Yeah!” Three exclaimed, “I’m getting it out!”

“Battle sickness,” Sifer muttered.

“I’m not sick!”

“I apologise, Madam, Brother Cooper has a sickness of the mind,” Eli explained to Tasha.

“That isn’t true! I’m well!” Three said with a horrifying smile.

“There’s obviously a lot to unravel here,” Alustriel said soothingly.

“You wished for us and we came,” Three said firmly. “That means it was on purpose. We are meant to be here. Vecna!” The name curled around his tongue like honey.

Marko shook his head and turned to Alustriel. “If you’re powerful wizards, then why couldn’t you deal with Vecna?”

Alustriel paused before answering. “You seem familiar—what is your name?”

“Mister Marko.”

“Ah! Of course—you defeated Tiamat.”

Sifer froze. Defeated Tiamat?! Theat small gnome defeated Tiamat?!?

Marko didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“Well there is some power here in that case. That is quite an accomplishment—the realm still thanks you.”

Marko quickly introduced his companions, then continued. “Let’s get down to business. You called for us: what should we do?”

“Cutting to the chase,” Mordenkainen observed.

Eli had other ideas. “Well if this is not Heaven and it is not Hell, then you have saved our mortal souls and we owe you a debt that we cannot, in fact, repay. So please: command us as you will.”

“Perhaps you can repay it,” the goateed mage smiled.

“We gathered as the Wizards Three because Vecna poses a great threat to the Multiverse,” Alustriel explained.

“Yes,” Marko agreed.

“What we have discovered is a sobering truth: Vecna is using stolen secrets. His cultists have siphoned incredible amounts of latent power from individuals throughout the Multiverse, hoarding their most secret truths. It is not clear to us how he plans to unleash this amassed magic, but…we believe he has a heinous purpose. One that could unravel the Multiverse entire. Elevating Vecna to omniscient domination and cowing all others to his will.”

Silence met this dire declaration before Alustriel continued. “I am extremely curious that you six seem to have encountered Vecna of late.”

“Where is this Multiverse?” Eli piped, oblivious to the implied threat in Alustriel’s words.

“We’re in it,” Three said incredulously, as if talking to an imbecile.

“This is the Multiverse,” Mordenkainen said more patiently, waving his hands to indicate the chambers. “Where you are from is the Multiverse. Everything is the Multiverse.”

“Eli, remember I told you I came from a different place to you?” Idris said to a nod. “All of those places, of which there are many, including what you would regard as Heaven—all of those places in total are what is referred to as ‘the Multiverse’.”

“So we could go through a door and go to Heaven? Now?” Three said faux-innocently.

“From here? You could, if what I have heard of Sigil is true. There’s a reason it is called the ‘City of Doors’.”

“Pah, I don’t want to go,” Three grinned, pointing to Eli. “That guy does.”

“So this Vecna, that we met, would destroy Heaven? Heaven itself?” Eli gasped.

“Vecna would remake the Multiverse in his image,” Mordenkainen nodded. Eli paled.

Tasha looked to Idris. “You are right, but you should also know the portals aren’t working.”

It was Idris’s turn to pale. If the portals in Sigal weren’t operational…something very bad was indeed happening.

“Vecna’s work,” Alustriel confirmed.

“He’s pretty powerful,” Three understated.

“He killed us with a thought,” Eli overstated.

“Powerful and getting ever more so,” Alustriel said. “Getting back to Marko’s question. We created a ritual, a costly one, that allowed us to jointly cast an empowered Wish. What we asked for,” she said glancing around the six heroes, " was that the Weave deliver us an answer to Vecna’s plotting."

“Well it worked,” Three said after a pause.

Tasha snorted. “Too much detail, Alustriel.”

“Marko loves detail,” Three said.

“Too much detail?” Eli frowned. “You’ve given us everything but detail.”

“There are things you should know, and things you should not,” Tasha said bluntly.

“I’m sorry, I’m confused,” Eli said, springing to his feet. “If we are the answer to your prayers—”

“—we need to know everything!” Three finished.

“Thank you, Brother Cooper,” Eli nodded.

“You have jumped to a conclusion,” Tasha said. “We have yet to determine that you are the answer. Merely that the Wish delivered you to us. That is quite different.”

“I…I’m still confused. You asked for an answer to your prayers and we arrived. So how are we…” Eli flushed. “Maybe I’m out of my depth here. Brother Cooper?”

“You are not out of your depth!” Three said with gusto. “The fact that we are here, the fact that I am here, means the Wish has worked and we are here to stop Vecna!”

“I think that’s what I was trying to say!” Eli enthused.

“It was an empowered Wish!” Three said to reinforce the point.

“Or they said it wrong,” Sifer grunted.

Mordenkainen shook his head. “We said it right. However: Vecna has closed the portals in Sigil. Vecna has corrupted the Weave. These are no small feats. How are we to know that you are the answer, and not something Vecna has sent to us?”

Three held his hand up to answer but found his arguments wanting.

“As you said: you have met him. He has killed you. Yet here you are,” Mordenkainen said, brows furrowed.

“Firstly,” Idris said, “we have met him, technically, twice—”

“Twice,” Mordenkainen said, frown deepening as he glanced at his companions.

Idris swallowed. “Twice. And…well, we met him physically just before you bought us here. And…I think he was in the process of killing us when you snatched us away. Certainly the circumstances would have been fatal had you not coincidentally—or because of fate!—drawn us here.”

“We were no longer a concern of his when he turned his back on us,” Sifer added.

“So, my young Brother, you did not die?” Mordenkainen said, looking to Eli.

“Your younger brother did not die?”

“No you, us, Eli, we didn’t die,” Marko explained shortly.

“I feel comforted by your words,” Eli said, unconvinced. “What does ‘closing the portals’ mean?” he deflected.

“It means interplanar travel is no longer possible,” Tasha explained.

“And it was previously?”

“Of course. That’s how your friend with the ears got here,” Tasha said inclining her head to Idris.

“I hadn’t thought of that.”

Sifer leant his big frame against a pillar and looked to Mordenkainen. “Well if we’re agents of Vecna, we don’t know. So I guess you’ll just have to trust your Wish.”

Mordenkainen sighed and turned to Alustriel. “These adventurers can’t defeat Vecna,” he said with barely disguised disdain.

“That’s true, we can’t,” Eli nodded.

“I agree,” Three said.

Alustriel held her hands for silence. “I agree with your soldier. We must be patient and trust in Mystral’s vision. She has shown us that this is the way, and we must believe that she is right.”

“Who?” Eli said.

“The goddess of magic, Eli,” Idris said patiently, “From whence all magic springs.”

“I don’t think we pray to that one,” Eli muttered quietly.

“So what were you original plans should you have been delivered people other than us, or an outcome other than us?” Marko asked, trying to get back on track.

“We weren’t expecting people of any kind,” Alustriel said. “We were expecting some means of undoing what Vecna is in the process of doing.”

“Let us assume that we intend to follow in that path. What would you recommend we do?”

“Good question,” Three said softly.

Alustriel looked thoughtful. “It seems…reasonable, that your fate must be in some way interwoven with Vecna’s. Either as his agents, or agents against. We must have faith that you are against him, until there is evidence otherwise.”

Mordenkainen snorted and Tasha raised her eyebrows at this.

“If you make enquiries with Lord Neverember in Neverwinter,” Idris said to Mordenkainen’s scepticism, “He will confirm that a decade ago, when we were all younger, together we helped defeat a Vecna cult. That is where we encountered a vision of Vecna the first time. He seemed piqued by us then. As he did, funnily enough, before he tried to kill us.”

“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Marko said tiredly. “These people are such powerful wizards surely they have some means to detect the truth of our purpose.”

“I would have them cast that on me,” Eli said enthusiastically. “I can’t attest that I animated for good, but I want nothing more.”

“Do it,” Marko said, jumping off his couch.

“You wish to know?” Mordenkainen said.

“Yes!” Eli pleaded.

“And I don’t think that is necessary,” Alustriel interrupted frowning at Mordenkainen. It was clear she was in charge. She turned to Eli. “As your scarred friend said, you were summoned here by an empowered spell, granted by the grace of Mystra. If we do not trust that grace, we have nothing left. I have to believe that even Vecna could not interrupt that ritual.”

Mordenkainen appeared ready to respond when Tasha hushed him, and, surprisingly, he complied.

Alustriel looked satisfied. “Marko, you asked why we are not fighting him. We are. Every minute of every hour of every day. As you can see we each are somewhat stained, somewhat stretched. We are keeping at bay the worst of what he is doing, as best we can. But it is taking all of our resource to do that, hence the Wish. Perhaps you are the catalysts to undo his schemes whilst we fight his ministrations.”

As Alustriel explained, Marko could see the truth of her words. Each wizard looked tired, stretched, deeply weary, as if their magic was costing them dearly. And he wanted to trust Alustriel, who’s good works he well knew, if not the other two. Decided, Marko nodded. “Alright. What do you recommend we do to unravel his evil doings? What is the plan?”

Alustriel shook her head. “As I have said, we are all surprised by this turn of events. More time is needed, though we have very little.”

“Very little,” Tasha emphasised. “We cannot wait, we must act.”

With a sly grin, Mordenkainen stepped forward. He looked around rubbing his hands, all attention focused on him. “As it happens, I have developed an alternate plan for just such a circumstances,” he said smugly. “I worried that our Wish perhaps wouldn’t stop one as powerful as Vecna, and so it has turned out—or at least, so it would seem thus far,” he added with feigned apology. “Alustriel please forgive me but I did plan a contingency,” Mordenkainen smiled.

“Of course you did, Mordenkainen,” Tasha snorted.

“Go on,” Marko growled.

Mordenkainen paced the centre of the room as he explained. “It is my belief that Vecna is too powerful to stop directly. However no power is absolute—even mine. I have come to the conclusion that Venca will be vulnerable only whist he is weaving his ritual. If we confront him and weaken him at that moment…there is a chance that we can banish him and restore balance to the Multiverse.”

Alustriel waved for the scheming archmage to continue.

“To weaken him we would need powerful magic indeed. Perhaps even…an artefact,” Mordenkainen said, glancing at the cabinets overflowing with magic.

“Oh yes,” Alustriel frowned, “I suppose you mean one of my artefacts?”

“You wound me, Alustriel! While you and Tasha worked on the Wish, I looked for an alternative. And as luck would have it…I believe I have found something.” Mordenkainen looked ridiculously pleased with himself, almost as if expecting applause. He turned to Idris. “It is interesting that you mention Lord Neverember, and his magnificent city. There is something untoward happening in Neverwinter, and I have an inkling it may be related to all of this.”

“In what way?” Idris probed.

“Word has reached me that young Dagult and his scryers has discovered something in his…unique, graveyard. Which to my mind bears further investigation. He of course knows nothing, so play along with him. But as you investigate his problem, look to the deeper secret. For I am convinced there is more to this story—and I am rarely wrong.”

Tasha rolled her eyes, obviously overly familiar with Mordenkainen’s pontifications.

“Remember, Neverember knows nothing of the bigger picture we have painted. Keep it that way,” Mordenkainen emphasised.

“In that case why should we talk to Neverember at all?” Idris asked, suspicious.

“All I have heard is that he has discovered something, something that marries with my investigations. He has information about where and what that is, and it is better to work with him than against, surely?”

“I’m unwilling to lie,” Eli declared.

“There is no need to lie, just do not speak.”

“That I can do,” Eli conceded.

Mordenkainen looked pleased. “And so, Mister Marko, that is the plan you asked for. With Alustriel’s blessing, the portal on the dais below will take you to Neverwinter. There is no time to waste!”

“I thought the portals were all closed?” Eli said with cunning insight. Idris pointed to Eli and nodded.

“They are,” Alustriel said. “All but one. Through our magics, my sanctum is protected from Vecna’s vision and his influence, and I have maintained the last functioning portal in Sigil. As you can well imagine it would be catastrophic should it fall to Vecna. For now it is operational.”

Eli scoffed. “This house of yours is just an elaborate rope trick, is that right?”

“A rope trick? This is a sanctum, a sanctum from Vecna,” Alustriel scowled.

“As I said,” Eli muttered. He could see he had tested Alustriel’s patience and held his hands up in surrender. “All right, then I think this is a great idea. ‘Always start at grass roots’, that’s what I was told by my father.”

“And I know the cemetary very well, so let’s go,” Three said, standing and straitening his clothes.

“Very well,” Alustriel said. “If you are willing, I agree with Mordenkainen’s plan. It is a surprise to me, but he often is. It will give us time to find out why you are here. And perhaps he is right and you will find something interesting down there.”

“Or you might find yourselves in the Abyss,” Tasha said with a curtsey. “Either way, good luck!”

“We might find ourselves in what now?” Eli said.

“In Hell,” Idris said, bringing things full circle.

“We’ve been snatched from those gates already,” Sifer said striding toward the portal.

“It was simply a delay,” Eli muttered.

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Sessions played: September 9, 2024

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