Errand of Mercy by Roger E. Moore is the fourth novella in the Double Diamond Triangle Saga series.
Summary[]
The story continues immediately after the events of the Paladins, as Miltiades, Kern Desanea, Jacob, Trandon, and Kastonoph Nesher step through the gate that transported them from the Sargauth Level of Undermountain to somewhere in the Utter East. That "somewhere" turned out to be Eldrinpar, the capital of Doegan. As they arrived they were greeted by Ikavi Garkim, a Mar and the secretly telepathic Chamber of Councilors member and the emperor of Doegan's right hand.[2]
The greeting emissary guided the paladins though the trap-ridden halls of the Stone Arch vault, fighting mistrust and resistance form the new guests. The paladins agreed to being escorted to the palace to request help (or find the culprit) in retrieving the missing Eidola of Neverwinter. On their elephant ride to the palace, Garkim gave the guests a short, albeit unreliable, version of the region's history, culture, colonization and the Bloodforge Wars. Bloodforge was the reason the paladins come to the East, as the forge's basal golems were the creatures that kidnapped Eidola. According to their guide, all of the Five Nations of the Utter East had one of the bloodforges of their own, and possibly, the mysterious faction called the Fallen Temple, one of the five churches that came to Doegan from the Moonshae Isles during the colonization.[3]
The paladins reached the palace and were given guest quarters to rest and clean themselves up. During the rest, a hulking man attacked the paladins but was killed, meting into a goo similar to the apple butter from Waterdeep. This attack by a basal golem only made the paladins' of Tyr mistrust their guests even further.[4]
During a welcoming meal, the paladins and Ikavi Garkim were invited to an audience with the emperor Aetheric III. To their surprise, they arrived to an empty throne room with emperor's booming voice echoing in their minds. Eventually the paladins discovered the telepathic monstrosity in a giant water tank of the black poisonous liquid. The emperor shared with the paladins that the cost of use of the bloodforges was not just draining of the land and its people of life, but also altering their shapes. Aetheric III was altered the most due to his heavy bloodforge use, he resembled a giant aquatic creature with scaled tentacles, beautiful face, huge jet black eyes and rashed, damaged, rotting flesh. The emperor also told them that the bloodforges were created by the Mar's ancestors to seal otherworldly forces and influences on the region away and use of the artifacts weakened the barriers. The fish-creature revealed that Eidola was tased by the Fallen Temple, the temple that used to be that of Tyr, now also known as the Temple of the Broken Hammer. Aetheric III asked Miltiades, the group's leader for help against the common enemy and after a communion with his deity he agreed to destroy the enemies of Doegan.[5]
After the paladins departed, the emperor confined in his advisor Garkim, that yes, the paladins agreed to destroy the enemies of Doegan with their god's blessing, but that also included the emperor himself, the Fallen Temple, and the bloodforges. Ikavi Garkim was tasked to be ready to assassinate the newcomers if they move against the emperor.[6]
Index[]
Characters[]
- Aetheric III • Aleena Paladinstar • Erling • Hethran • Ikavi Garkim • Jacob • Kastonoph Nesher • Kern Desanea • Miltiades • Trandon
- Referenced only
- Aetheric I • Aetheric II • Boarswic • Brand the Slaver King • Cambor • Eidola • Erwain • Evaine • Gethonar • Justarvis • Harloon • Helvar • Khelben Arunsun • Parsane • Piergeiron the Paladinson • Rosamund Flame-Hair • Taergen • Ysdar
Creatures[]
- basal golem • elephant • ettin • Ffolk • horse • Mar (ethnicity) • red ox • sparrow
- Referenced only
Locations[]
- Doegan • Eldrin River • Eldrinpar • Great Sea • Sargauth Level • Stone Arch • Undermountain • Utter East
- Referenced only
- Abyss • Cormyr • Edenvale • Field of Heroes • Free Cities of Parsanic • Konigheim • Mead-Hall of Clan Chief Harvald • Moonshae Isles • Neverwinter • Phlan • Waterdeep
Organizations[]
- Chamber of Councilors • Fallen Temple
- Referenced only
- Great Council • Lords' Alliance • Right Armada • Southern Clave
Magic[]
- Referenced only
Wondrous Items[]
- ring of detect poison
- Referenced only
Religion[]
Miscellaneous[]
- apple • apple butter • Doegan wine • grape • liko angr • incense • ivory • Maran • marble • orange • palm • silk • spices • Thorass language
- Referenced only
- Bloodforge Wars • rum
Appendix[]
Notes[]
- ↑ The Abduction, p.6 states that the wedding of Piergeiron the Paladinson and Eidola took place in the Year of the Haunting, 1377 DR. However, that date is implausible. Khelben Arunsun died in 1374 DR as depicted in Blackstaff (novel). Furthermore, Aleena Paladinstar was stated to be gone from Waterdeep by 1372 DR, planeswalking (City of Splendors: Waterdeep). On the other hand, the events of the Descent to Undermountain took place in 1370 DR, during which Aleena was actively banned from adventuring and any danger by her father. In the events of The Paladins, as well as the finale of the DDTS, Aleena took a central role, no longer bound by her father's rules. She later, with all the experience she received from battling the Unseen and hordes of Tanar'ri, felt confident enough to use her magic to traverse the planes. This places DDTS events likely in 1371 DR. This also does not conflict with appearances by Artemis Entreri, and the Neshers.
References[]
- ↑ J. Robert King (February 1998). The Abduction. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 6. ISBN 0-7869-0864-5.
- ↑ Roger E. Moore (February 1998). Errand of Mercy. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 1–29. ISBN 0-7869-0867-X.
- ↑ Roger E. Moore (February 1998). Errand of Mercy. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 30–44. ISBN 0-7869-0867-X.
- ↑ Roger E. Moore (February 1998). Errand of Mercy. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 45–54. ISBN 0-7869-0867-X.
- ↑ Roger E. Moore (February 1998). Errand of Mercy. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 54–84. ISBN 0-7869-0867-X.
- ↑ Roger E. Moore (February 1998). Errand of Mercy. (Wizards of the Coast), pp. 84–87. ISBN 0-7869-0867-X.