Crown of Fire Chapter Fifteen: In the Hidden House

[masterghandalf]

MG: Well, everyone, it’s time to continue our journey through Ed Greenwood’s Crown of Fire! Last time, Shandril destroyed Iliph Thraun (with some help from Elminster and Storm) and suffered an anticlimactic miscarriage in the process; Fzoul took over as acting head of the Zhentarim in Manshoon’s absence and sent a slimy misogynist wizard after Shandril, and to be protected from said wizard Shandril got dumped through a portal to an unknown location. Today, we find out exactly what’s going on with that. Joining us will be Errezha and Calassara!

Chapter Fifteen: In the Hidden House

Errezha: Well, to get things started, our opening quote is once again from Laeral, who today says that: All of us need a hidden, private place, a little refuge all our own where we can shut out the cares of the world for a while. It’s why we build play-huts when we’re young and love-nests when we’re old – but those can be lost forever if the love fails. Those of us wise enough or lucky enough to have such a place as we grow older will keep our wits longer and laugh more than others. Honestly, aside from the part about love-nests – about which I must admit I have no experience whatsoever – I… actually mostly agree with that. Hmph. I suppose everyone stumbles onto saying something worthwhile occasionally. And so, the chapter proper finds Shandril herself in a grand hall of dark, carved wood and oval mirrors. The mirrors, it seems, reflect the room as a whole but not Shandril herself; after checking her hands to make sure she’s still visible, she wonders exactly what sort of place she’s found herself in. Apparently, the portal is still standing in the hallway behind her, so she concludes this must be where Tessaril meant to send her – I don’t think those ideas necessarily flow from one another – and fears that if she steps back through, she’ll find herself facing Beliarge again, and she doesn’t have enough spellfire left for that (you could always let him blast you; that should charge you back up). Shandril looks around the hall again and realizes she has no idea where she is, and that if she leaves, she might get completely lost. It might go on forever like the dungeons under Waterdeep, and she’d starve or die in a trap before finding the way out or seeing the sun again. I have to ask – how, exactly, does someone as sheltered as Shandril know about dungeons under Waterdeep, anyway? Has Mirt been telling tales?

MG: I’ll note that there’s more than just “dungeons” under Waterdeep – there’s a whole other city, Skullport, in the caverns down there. Though I somehow doubt Shandril knows that.

Calassara: Skullport, eh? *she looks speculative* Sounds like an exciting town. Why couldn’t we be reading a story there instead – assuming that’s not where Shandril has ended up, anyway, which I doubt. But, looking around some more, Shandril finds a number of tables and chests, some bearing the insignia of the Purple Dragon of Cormyr, along with a slim, glowing sword, small enough for her to comfortably lift, which she takes. Shandril, dear, do you even know how to use a sword? Turning back to the gate, she sees something else – The dark figure of the Zhentarim, striding out of nothingness beyond the gate into the room with her. He turned his head to look about, and she saw his cruel smile. Shandril realizes that she has a moment to act before he spots her, and it was hideously easy. Beliarge turns around to find himself facing Shandril, his eyes lit up as he saw her, he started to smile – and she thrust the sword up, into his throat. Is… is that it? After how he was introduced so dramatically last chapter, after Greenwood went out of his way to make sure we hate him, this is how Beliarge is going to end, without even facing Shandril’s spellfire? Not quite, as it happen – it turns out Greenwood has quite the nasty extended death scene in mind for him. Beliarge of the Zhentarim choked and sputtered. His eyes bulged, and as Shandril tore her blade free, blood rained everywhere. Beliarge claws at his throat, while apparently trying to invoke some magic in his rings, to no avail, but his thrashing then sprays his blood onto the portal, which vanishes… for some reason. The Zhentarim staggered, fell clutching at his gullet, made a horrible gurgling sound as he kicked the floor, and then went limp. Shandril was alone again. *conversationally* Well, that was rather horrible, wasn’t it? Seeming worse than usual, even, possibly because it was done by mundane means and not by magic. Let’s not do that again, shall we, Greenwood?

Errezha: *snorts* I don’t take bets I know I’ll lose. Shandril looks down at Beliarge’s corpse, decides not to pry the rings from his bloodstained fingers – how generous of her- but does wipe her sword off on his robes. Despite her earlier fear of getting lost, she decides that she was not going to stand here beside a dead Zhent and also fears getting caught up in any spells his death might set off – dear girl, if he had any contingencies, one would think he would have set them to protect him from death in the fist place, which he clearly didn’t! Still wondering where she is, Shandril makes her way down a corridor and towards what looks like a source of light, only to find that it’s not windows, but paintings; the first few seemed to be portraits of noble folk, staring haughtily out of the frames at her. She then passes several that are bare, including one that has nothing but two large and piercing dark eyes and another that’s seemingly been slashed and is still bloodstained. Then a scraping sound echoes through the empty hallway, and Shandril wonders if she’s being pursued, and by the Prince, is this actual tension I see? Unsettled, she makes her way down to the end of the corridor, where there are three doors and faint radiance coming from the walls. She opens one of the doors, is startled by some sort of small flying creature as it soars past her head, and finds herself in a dim, dusty room full of a confusing array of crates, barrels and boxes covered with draped cloth. Moving on to the next door, here she finds the edge of a cliff, with jagged rock walls descending on the left to black depths far below. An unusual thing to have in one’s home, unless the door itself is some manner of portal… She sees a village in the distance but has no idea where it is or if it’s even real; dropping a coin out of her pouch and seeing it fall into the darkness below satisfies her this isn’t an illusion, but she has no way to get down and so shuts the door. Hearing the scraping sound again, she turns around, only to find herself face-to-face with the Zhentarim wizard walking slowly and confidently down the hall toward her. There was no blood on him; he looked unhurt and very much alive. Well, well; the plot thickens, I see! Beliarge smiles and greets Shandril, daring her to test her sword against his magic (I would say she already did, and you came up wanting…) Shandril, understandably, is deeply disturbed by the apparition of the dead man and considers jumping through the door behind her, even though she has no idea where it leads or if she’d even survive the fall – she then turns back to Beliarge and found herself staring at a stone wall that hadn’t been there before, blocking the hall only a few paces away. The carved stone face of a lion stood out in relief in its center. She can still hear the wizard’s footsteps on the other side, and realizes he hasn’t slowed down at all, so she tosses a coin into the “wall,” only for it to pass through and vanish. Illusion! There was no Narm or Mirt or anyone else here to help her now. Whether she lived or died was up to her. Damn all Zhent wizards! Now, now, Shandril. I know you’re young, but you’ve been the one carrying every battle you’ve been in, contributing far more than either Mirt or Narm. Do remember that, and don’t pine for men far less powerful than yourself to come and save you.

MG: And as for Shandril being on her own here… no, no she’s not. Though considering who will be helping her out shortly, she might’ve been better off alone…

Calassara: That was ominous. Anyway, Shandril throws herself through the last of the doors and finds herself in a vast marble hall, dwarfing Mourngrym’s feast hall in Shadowdale. She runs down it, trying to get as far away from her pursuer as she can, and though the hall is apparently empty, she can see movement out of the corner of her eye, as if phantoms were locked together in stately dances. Finally, however, she reaches the far end, where there’s a dais and a door – and that’s when the music starts. Soft, sweet piping and harping. Intricate and mournful – and like nothing she’d ever heard before. Now, normally I’d be fascinated by this, but in context – I’m increasingly sure this hall is haunted. Behind her, she can hear the wizard step into the hall after her, and she makes her way to the door on the dais, while behind her the hall itself starts to change, seemingly sprouting additional passageways going off at various angles. Well, that is profoundly unsettling. Shandril, I’m starting to think you desperately need to get out of here and am wondering why Tessaril thought sending you to such a place was a good idea. She makes it trough the door, and now finds herself in a room that’s wholly dark, save for a glowing sphere in the center. Magic, no doubt. As she approaches, the sphere flashes with light, revealing the room to be mostly full of old chests and cabinets, that seemed to flow and shift for a moment, as if they sometimes held other shapes. That is what we normally call a very bad sign, yes? The absolute best case scenario being that this room is infested with mimics, and it could be much worse. Opening a door, she finds that behind it is a writhing mass of snakes as tall as she is – oh, Calistria’s Sting, why? – and slams the door in horror, which seems an appropriate response. Trying another door, she finds herself in a different room lined with yet more doors – how many of these is Greenwood going to have Shandril try? – one of which leads to the shore of a vast lake, another to a hall filled with old tapestries. Which happens to be patrolled by a man in full armor – or, as Shandril realizes, an animated suit of armor, which, thankfully, determines she is not a threat and takes up an immobile position on a plinth by the wall. Attempting to leave the room, she suddenly finds herself face to face with Beliarge, and quite appropriately slams the door in his face. The first door she tries leads somewhere fiery, but the next is small and bare, furnished only with a stool and a single door at the far end. Opening that door with her sword drawn, she suddenly finds her weapon parried as someone calls out Well met, Shan! And then immediately she is folded into an embrace by Torm, Knight of Myth Drannor and Engaging Rogue. Oh, Savored Sting deliver me, it’s him again! And Rathan, too, behind him! And excuse me, but is Engaging Rogue Torm’s official title, now? “Rogue,” I’ll give you, but “engaging” he is not. “Enraging,” perhaps…

Errezha: *snorts* Now you’re sounding like me. I knew you’d come around eventually. But Torm kissed her heartily – without asking permission first and knowing full well she’s married and with her being rather younger than him as well, though I’m not sure by exactly how much – and then Rathan asks Torm to save some of Shandril’s kisses for him and, ugh. I’d forgotten how truly obnoxious this pair are, and I’m not sure I even want to know how they got… wherever “here” is… or what they’re doing. Shandril, strangely enough, finds herself reassured by the kiss, taking it as proof that Torm is real and not an illusion – that isn’t very reassuring either – and Torm asks her what she’s doing here and where Narm is. Suddenly the door behind her opens and Beliarge steps through suddenly, Rathan notices something about him. He’s got golden eyes! And so, the truth is revealed – Shandril did kill the real Beliarge earlier this chapter, and the one who’s been chasing her ever since is Magusta wearing his form! Which… honestly raises even more questions, most obviously, when and how did Magusta get in here? Especially since we haven’t visited this subplot at all in, what, a half-dozen chapters, or thereabouts? But Magusta, her cover blown, shapeshifts into a fanged and clawed monster and charges, only to be met by Rathan with his mace. While the Malaugrym’s distracted, Torm waves Shandril on to the next door, telling her to flee. I look forward to a chance to taste your sweet lips again when next we meet – hopefully at an occasion of rather more leisure – Torm, you’re disgusting. Stop it. Thankfully, Rathan calls on him to stop flirting and help him, which he does, while Rathan calls back to Shandril to follow the banners and she’ll be safe. Torm then pulls what looks like a golden rose from his belt and smashes it into Magusta, where it explodes into light. Shandril shaded her eyes against the brilliance, and thought she saw Torm’s blade thrust right through the still-changing monster before the knights and the thing faded amid a cloud of rushing golden light… and she was alone again. So, that entire interlude was completely pointless, then? I think I’ve mostly given up hope for the Malaugrym ever actually mattering. Shandril stumbles trough the nearest door, finds yet more doors, including one that leads to an icy tundra containing a dead orc, and then remembers Rathan’s instruction to follow the banners. Trying another door, she does indeed find herself in a long hallway full of banners, bearing symbols she doesn’t recognize; she tries to find Deepingdale’s heraldry (which… I don’t even know what that looks like?) but fails. Giving up, she asks the air Tessaril, what have you done to me? - an excellent question – and then as if on command a door swings open and she finds herself staring back into the hall where she first appeared, where the real Beliarge’s corpse is still lying – and Tessaril is standing next to it. Shandril runs over to her and then comes up short. Tessaril… is that really you? Tessaril smiles and says it is – exactly what an imposter would say – and adds that I can tell wandering in my House has unsettled you. *acidly* Oh, you think?

Calassara: Shandril does admit she’s just a touch unsettled – she has developed a knack for understatement, I see – and asks what exactly this place is. Tessaril says it is the Hidden House – ah, but that is what it is called, not what it is – and it that it has been here since Myth Drannor was new. It was apparently made by an archmage of very great power… some tales say Azuth himself…

MG: For a refresher, that’s the god of wizards and a vassal of Mystra; he was once a powerful mortal archmage before ascending.

Calassara: …and Shandril admits she’s never heard of it, but Tessaril says it’s an obscure tale, and even most of those who know of it don’t know how to get there. She uses it for various purposes – sometimes to hide things for King Azoun, and sometimes as a refuge for those in need (hopefully you prepare them better than you did Shandril…) Shandril then asks, if Beliarge was dead the whole time, who was chasing her? A shapeshifting being that Torm and Rathan are after – I suppose Storm must have filled you in on that? By the way, how did the two of you get free, when we last saw you bound by a spell and with a sword stuck in your mouths? Did the spell simply break when Beliarge died? Disappointingly anticlimactic, if so. Shandril says that she remembers Elminster alluding to them, and Tessaril adds that the Malaugrym are very dangerous; Certainly too powerful for Torm and Rathan. Excuse me? Then why did Elminster send them after Magusta instead of Storm or someone who could actually handle the job? Tessaril explains that she was the one who gave Torm the golden flower – when? – and that it would have teleported Magusta to a random place, so it’ll be a while before she can find Shandril again. I’m still curious about how she got into the Hidden House in the first place, and how Torm and Rathan followed. Tessaril then explains that there’s nothing to be done against the Malaugrym but to use your spellfire on anything that has golden eyes… really gold, like shining metal, I mean. One can only hope that nothing else has eyes that color, hmmm? And I seem to recall Gorstag and Lureene disposed of a Malaugrym handily enough with just an axe and a kitchen knife, so I doubt spellfire is required. Tessaril then changes the subject and asks Shandril what she thinks of the House, and she admits it can be frightening, which I’m of the opinion is quite obvious. Shandril then asks how Tessaril found the House, and she explains that she didn’t – it’s part of the charge of the Lord of Eveningstar and she was told about it when she was appointed to the post. It’s apparently not common knowledge, however, as other Cormyrean lords have wondered why such a small town merits such an important lordship. They usually put it down to Azoun and my being very old friends. That’s certainly a way to put it, if I understand the nature of your relationship correctly. And do they also assume that all previous Lords of Eveningstar have also been sleeping with their monarchs? Which would certainly make for interesting gossip, if true…

Errezha: Tessaril then summons some nice chairs, apparently from elsewhere in the House, and invites Shandril to take a seat and some wine. She explains that during the time of Netheril – that name again – the House belonged to a sorceress named Phaeryl, who was apparently a famous dragon-breeder (Shandril has heard of her, though I haven’t). After she died, the secret of the House was lost until the Harpers stumbled onto it, and later Tessaril herself helped explore it (I suppose that is why no one ever questioned the importance of previous Lords of Eveningstar, if the House was only discovered in Tessaril’s lifetime)…

Calassara: I like my version better.

Errezha: You would. Tessaril admits that she didn’t much care for wandering in here alone, but it would have been much worse if she’d had a Malaugrym chasing her, and then some conjured servants – more animated suits of armor, apparently – appear to carry Beliarge’s body off. Tessaril thanks Shandril for killing him, since it freed her and Storm from his spell, and she says he wasn’t supposed to be able to follow her but that his magic was strong enough to overcome her own.

MG: Which, considering Storm is scary powerful and Tessaril’s no slouch either, just makes me wonder how powerful this dude was supposed to be and why he wasn’t higher-ranked in the Zhentarim than he appeared to be (maybe they couldn’t stand him, either – Fzoul basically did give him a suicide mission on purpose, after all…)

Errezha: I know the feeling. Tessaril also adds that the House is a good place to hide, if you know how to manipulate it with the right words, and Tessaril herself has learned how to feel the presence of anyone else inside, including Shandril. She promises that Shandril can stay here until Mirt and Narm are recovered, and there are even places where she can practice spellfire safely; Shandril thanks her profusely, and Tessaril gives her permission to call her Tess… a wielder of spellfire may find fewer hiding places in all vast Faerun than she expected. This is one of them. Think of it when you’re looking for a home; neither Azoun nor I will try to command you if you choose to stay here. We consider it one of Cormyr’s treasures – but not part of Cormyr. Well, back home, such an offer would certainly come with strings attached, but… while I have many issues with her methods, Tessaril is at least trying to help, which puts her far ahead of most of Greenwood’s mentors.

Calassara: I’ll second that. Shandril is uncertain, so Tessaril continues – both Mirt and Narm are recovering, and apparently the priests of Lathander are now in awe of Shandril’s healing abilities. Oh, and Elminster hasn’t turned back up yet, but Storm’s gone back to Shadowdale, apparently having learned that her part in the story is over with. And without even checking on Shandril, apparently. Gods, why are all of Greenwood’s characters so… profoundly discourteous? Tessaril has also contacted Vangerdahast, Cormyr’s court wizard, with some questions and he’s of the opinion that you fought something called a ‘lich lord,’ more powerful at sorcery than most archmages living today. She adds that Vangerdahast is impressed with her too, and Shandril notes that so’s everyone else I meet – but then they usually try to kill me. She then finds herself drooping wearily and realizes that Tessaril put something in the wine and says with sleepy outrage that she trusted her. Tessaril’s reply is… not helpful. I hope you’ll go on trusting me. That is not reassuring. She does add that Shandril is pushing herself too hard, and she needs to get some rest or she’ll use too much spellfire and kill herself, but that she can rest safely here and kisses her on the cheek. Which is... understandable... but could you have told her that before you gave her the drugged wine? Was it really too much to ask? And yet, we’re told that as she drifts off, it looked as if she was trying to frown, but smiling in relief. And the scene ends there. We then cut back to Zhentil Keep, as Sarhthor informs Fzoul that Beliarge is dead, at which neither of them is surprised or displeased. He was an overconfident, arrogant fool. One we’re better off without. Fzoul asks if Sarhthor disapproves of cruelty and pride, and Sarhthor in response… actually starts talking sensibly. I see no reason to laud villainy just because the Brotherhood uses might and pays no heed to the moral judgments of others. If I have a flaw, it should be something I work against to make me better in the service of the Brotherhood – not something I take pride in and show to all as a weakness of the Brotherhood, ready to be taken advantage of. What a… refreshingly pragmatic approach to villainy; I’m surprised Greenwood wrote it, but even Fzoul is impressed by it.

MG: Yeah, the Zhents over the years have gotten something of a reputation for being full of fail, but this tends to me more what they’re like when they’re at their best – yes, they’re a bunch of selfish assholes bound together by mutual pursuit of wealth and power and don’t pretend otherwise, but they’re not “evil for the sake of evil” and generally use specific means to work for specific goals, not engaging in random acts of cruelty for the lulz, and can be surprisingly amicable if they have no pressing reason to want you dead. But… let’s just say there’s a reason Greenwood puts this spiel in the mouth of Sarhthor, and it’s not because he’s suddenly come up with a competent villain. Also, it kind of amuses me, but in this book, he’s taken to using “wizard” and “sorcerer” interchangeably, and this very chapter describes Sahrthor as the latter when he appears to be the former. Now, in early (when Crown of Fire was written) D&D "wizard” “sorcerer” and “mage” tended to be used pretty interchangeably, but from 3e on a wizard and a sorcerer became quite different things, so it’s kind of strange in hindsight.

Errezha: *emphatically* Indeed. So, Fzoul asks Sarhthor what he thinks they should do about spellfire, and Sarhthor explains that he thinks it’s a formidable weapon, but not worth destroying the Zhentarim to obtain. Instead, he’d rather focus on more practical concerns, such as working to undermine Thay’s growing influence and potentially assassinate someone named Maalthiir of Hillsfar, whoever he may be…

MG: Hillsfar’s one of the other Moonsea city-states, and a major rival of Zhentil Keep and Mulmaster. Maalthiir’s a merchant and moderately powerful wizard who recently seized power there (though, spoilers, they won’t manage to assassinate him; Maalthiir stuck around iirc at least to third edition).

Errezha: And in general, Sarhthor wants to focus more on spreading the Zhentarim’s influence through espionage, politicking and secret deals rather than through deploying Zhentil Keep’s armies, since that risks starting a war they can’t win; I approve. Fzoul admits that this is more sense than I’ve heard from the mouth of a wizard of the Brotherhood for several winters. Fzoul adds that he hopes they can work together in the future, and that it would be better for once if the Zhentarim could actually accomplish things other than infighting between the priesthood and the wizards. Though the expression he offers is a cruel parody of a smile, just in case this foray into pragmatism makes us forget Fzoul is evil. Greenwood, a word, if you please – evil people are, in fact, capable of smiling. Sarhthor adds that he wants to build Zhentil Keep into something more than a fortress of fear, Fzoul – an empire ruling all Dragon Reach and the Moonsea. He knows that despite their differences, this is something they both want, and he’s listened in on the Banites’ prayers often enough to know that establishing such an empire in Bane’s name is one of the church’s goals. These… these are concrete objectives, with rough ideas of how to obtain them, set out by Greenwood villains. I am genuinely in shock. Fzoul then asks Sarhthor how he’d go about building such an empire, and the scene ends as he’s about to explain. Can… can we stay with the Zhentarim, please? They’re actually being interesting for once. I am in shock.

Calassara: Alas, we find ourselves back with Narm, as he, apparently fully healed, enters the Hidden House and finds Shandril eating something; he asks what it is and she replies fried snake, to his shock and disgust (I don’t see what’s wrong with it. I’ve eaten snake; prepared properly, it’s quite good). But his reaction amuses Mirt, who is apparently behind him and admits snake can be good if prepared right (Mirt the Moneylender agrees with me about something; I feel sullied) though he recommends sticking with chicken. He then keeps joking about the snake until Tessaril comes in and makes him knock it off, accompanied by Storm – I guess she’s not out of the story after all, then – and someone who appears to be Elminster (which causes Shandril to squeal with delight upon seeing him, how embarrassing). But then he kisses her, and it turns out to her disgust that it’s Torm… which is, if anything worse. Though Shandril does punch Torm and leave him doubled over, which doesn’t justify the scene but is cathartic enough in the moment I’ll tolerate it. Apparently Torm has been pretending to be Elminster to fool anyone spying into thinking he’s in Shadowdale (what about hunting Magusta?) though he’s disappointed he can’t get in any philandering, robbing cradles, or lightening purses while doing it (I’m not sure why, as I’m quite certain Elminster has, in fact, done all of those things). Shandril then asks if she’s sufficiently healed to leave the House yet (how long have they been there, anyway?) and in response Tessaril takes her to a window and shows her what she says is another world beyond it; apparently, however, if you think of a person, this window can also be used to show them. Shandril tests it out, summoning an image of Gorstag and Lureene at the Rising Moon, and Tessaril asks her if she’s sorry she left. Once I would have answered you very differently, but – no, I’m not sorry. I’m not either; no one should be cooped up in one building their whole life, which is apparently what Gorstag was doing to you. Tessaril then tells Shandril to look again, and pulls up an image of someone else. A man in a black, high-collared robe sat at a table of ebony marble… his hands were clasped; Shandril realized suddenly that he was praying. Shandril asks who he is, and Tessaril explains that if she is determined to face the Zhentarim, then you’ll be facing the wits of this man; Fzoul Chembryl, High Priest of the Black Altar – the Temple of Bane in Zhentil Keep. She tells Shandril to watch him for a while before she acts, so she has some idea what she’s up against. Tessaril then adds that Fzoul isn’t presently in Zhentil Keep but rather the Citadel of the Raven, an old fortress the Keep’s forces recently annexed, and that he’s apparently using a room Tessaril normally sees when spying on Manshoon. Shandril concludes that Fzoul must have taken over Manshoon’s position when he died, but Tessaril isn’t so sure. Be not so sure Manshoon’s gone… others have been sure they destroyed him before. Shandril then wonders where Manshoon is if he’s not dead, and Tessaril admits that maybe he is gone for good this time, since Fzoul’s never been bold enough to use his rooms before (Greenwood, you’re not actually fooling anyone, you know). But suddenly Fzoul looks up and seems to become aware he’s being spied on; he raises his hands and there’s a flash of magic, and then the window shatters. Shandril apologizes for the destruction – and then gets back to the only thing that’s been on her mind lately. I’d like to strike at this Fzoul right away. Dear girl, you didn’t even know who he was until five minutes ago, and he’s not been particularly involved in pursuing you, and yet you already want him dead. This is… concerning. Tessaril protests that Shandril isn’t ready yet, but the chapter ends as Shandril declares that neither… is he. Shandril, I mean this as kindly as possible, but you don’t know that. And, unlike many of the villains in these books, he actually seems to have his act together, or at least be friends – or allies – with someone who does.

MG: And before we go, I’d like to say… this chapter is long, and really just all over the place in terms of tone and content. After how he was hyped up last time, Beliarge is killed off anticlimactically immediately; Shandril’s wandering through the Hidden House is actually pretty creepy and atmospheric at first, but sadly ends up turning into an increasingly repetitive series of her opening various doors and finding weird things behind them. Everything regarding Torm, Rathan and Magusta makes no sense whatsoever, and is just a completely random addition to the chapter. Tessaril alternates between being an actually reasonable mentor and then doing creepy things like drugging Shandril without getting her consent first and just ends up sending a lot of mixed signals. Fzoul and Sarhthor actually get to get down to business and engage in some actually competent villainy, but I already know it won’t amount to anything in the long run, so it falls flat. And then it doesn’t take long for Shandril to get right back to wishing murder on the Zhents (having apparently transferred her vengeance wholesale from Manshoon to Fzoul because reasons) so we’re right back where we started. Fun! Meanwhile, Shandril's miscarriage is never mentioned at all. Next time, Shandril actually launches her attack on Zhentil Keep, at long last. We’ll see you then! No pics today.