Baldur's Gate: The Merchant

Day 1
Today is the public celebration of Returning Day, the anniversary of Balduran’s historic return to Gray Harbor , and Duke Abdel Adrian is leading the event. Glim Garrack, a Gnome , and Antonias , a bounty hunter, are attending the celebration. Glim has just returned from Waterdeep after trading his many alchemical and Magical items. The two adventures meet each other in the crowd of people.

Glim steps beside Antonias “Are you coming back for returning day too? Just got back from a trading expedition, I did”

“No, I am on a…hunt,” The bounty hunter shoots a sly glance at the white haired gnome.

The light drizzle isn't dampening the festive mood emanating from the gawkers and the hawkers of wares in the Wide, a marketplace packed with people from all strata of society and stalls selling exotic Faerun goods. Cheerful citizens tightly wreath a platform erected along the Wide's eastern edge. Someone wearing an official-looking sash is speaking, but the crowd's noise drowns his words.

Moments later, the throng erupts in wild cheers as an older, surprisingly muscular man takes center stage. The ovation continues for minutes unabated. A nearby wizened female eyes Glim with amusement before hollering, "This here's Duke Abdel Adrian," as if that explains everything. The duke, smiling broadly, bows to the crowd and then gestures for quiet. The crowd obeys, except for one person, who shouts, "We love you, Abdel!"

The duke responds, "I love you, too, Baldur's Gate ," and the assemblage explodes in deafening hurrahs.

Another wave of the speaker's hand silences the crowd. For several minutes, the duke heaps civic praise on Balduran, the founder of Baldur's Gate; expounds on the virtues of shared opportunity; and waxes poetic about the future. As he talks, Glim notices a disturbance to his right. Someone is pushing roughly toward the platform. A cloaked and hooded figure emerges from the crowd, scrambles onto the podium, and strides toward Adrian, short sword in hand.

The other officials scatter, leaving Adrian alone on the podium with the attacker.

Watch guards move toward the stage, but the panicking crowd impedes their progress and prevents them from using their crossbows effectively.

Adrian and his assailant are almost perfectly matched in skill, but the attacker’s weapon gives him the advantage. Slowly the assailant starts to gain ground. Glim and Antonias push through the panicking crowd to get closer to the fight. Antonias pulls out a small crossbow able to be held in one hand. Within a second he already has it loaded.

The duke tries to finish the battle with a straight jab but his assailant dances to the side, plunging his sword into the man’s arm pit and into the heart hidden beyond. The duke falls to the ground with a thud. His lifeless eyes locked onto the crowd, who scream for him in vain.

Antonias takes aim with his crossbow, but Glim stops Antonias from shooting. “You might want to be careful who you shoot, Lad. That man is strong. Especially if he is able to overcome someone such as Adrian.”

As the assailant gloats over his foe, he suddenly jerks wildly, a sickening bone crushing echoing in the air as his form distorts, twisting upon itself before ripping apart, and another figure standing in its wake. Antonias looks upon the creature that stole his prey. Its skin has a reddish hue covered with strands of black paint that cover its sickly white eyes. Two horns sprout from its brow and curve around to the top of the outsider’s skull.

“He stole my prey,” Antonias growls before launching the first attack on the creature. The bolt soars through the air, but is stopped dead in its tracks by the creature’s thick skin.

Glim finally breaks from the crowd, and pulls a wand from his underneath his brown cloak. “Ah, looks like I am getting drug into a fight. If I only knew what this foe was?”

“It doesn’t matter what he is. He took my kill,” Antonias says after giving Glim a quick, angry glance.

<p class="MsoNormal">Glim points his wand in the direction of the creature and activates it, but the wand only gives a slight shudder. “Come on! Don’t do this to me today!”

<p class="MsoNormal">The bounty hunter breaks from Glim and heads to the creature’s right flank, reloading his crossbow with a flick of his wrist and firing it with deadly accuracy. The bolt strikes the creature again, but the bolt is still no match for the creature’s naturally protective skin. “You might want to close in with your sword, “Glim hollers.

<p class="MsoNormal">The creature instantly turns its gaze to Glim and rushes him. Two claws close in on Glim. The gnome’s clumsy footwork is his downfall as he feels both claws bury themselves in his flesh. Glim recovers from the blow and takes a step back. He again tries to activate his wand, but it only replies with a shudder. Antonias drops his useless crossbow to the ground and unsheathes his longsword while approaching his foe from behind. The monster turns his attention to the Hunter and rakes him with his claws. One claw comes around and grazes Antonia’s on the cheek.

<p class="MsoNormal">“Come on you stupid contraption!” Glim hollers as he shakes the wand violently. The wand gives a great quiver and lets off a beam of light into the sky. Glim channels the energy of the wand and attunes himself to it—giving him a better understanding of the magic device.

<p class="MsoNormal">Antonias stabs with his longsword. The creature sidesteps the attack and retaliates with a series of claws and bites. Antonias uses a series of canny dodges move away from the attacks. Glim takes advantage of the creature being completely focused on Antonias. A ray of magical energy erupts from the tip of Glim’s wand and strikes the creatures back critically. The magic singes the beast considerably, throwing it into a rage.

<p class="MsoNormal">The monster throws a clumsily placed claw at Antonias. Antonias swats the claw away and comes around for an attack, but is caught off guard as the creature’s second claw slaps him across the skull. A raging flame burns in Antonias’s eye as he lets out an angry growl and swings wildly at the creature.

<p class="MsoNormal">“They are both bloody mad, “Glim states as he lets loose another magical bolt. The creature’s thick hide is no match for the raw magical energy that slams into his back once more. The creature flinches greatly before he attacks the man before him feverishly. One claw catches on Antonias’s Leather armor and cuts a deep gash within it.

<p class="MsoNormal">Another magical bolt hits the creature. Blood pours from the monster’s wounds as he lets out a dreadful howl. With great strain, it manages to raise both of its claws and plunge them into Antonias’s skin. The strike almost brings Antonias to his knees as blood oozes from his wounds and pain pulses through his body.

<p class="MsoNormal">“That’s going to leave a mark. But keep fighting. You’re not broken yet, “Glim tells Antonias. But the Hunter barely notices Glim’s comment. He pushes the claws off him and comes in for another swing. The creature is able to dodge it and another incoming bolt from Glim. Antonias swings again with his longsword and causes the creature to stumble back. Glim takes one last shot with his wand. The blinding energy of the wand flashes before the creature’s eyes as it falls over, never to get up again.

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