Sojourn - Chapters Twelve and Thirteen
Aug. 13th, 2023 06:36 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo last time, Drizzt dealt with his very first surface winter! He also met a bear! WOO.
So winter's almost finished now. The snow is getting lighter and the wind is much warmer. Drizzt is still facing some challenges though, the biggest being the daytime glare of the sun off the snow-covered ground. It really curtails his ability to move around during the day.
I hadn't thought about that, but that's a good point.
So Drizzt maintains a mostly nocturnal lifestyle at least for now, but he's pretty optimistic. And now that he's got a pretty reliable source of food and rest, he's starting to wonder about his surroundings - particularly the far wall of the valley.
He decides to go check it out. And the narrative decides to get dramatic about it:
He came down on the other bank running, springing over or around the many rocks and crags without a thought or care. How different his demeanor might have been if he had known that he was now on the side of the valley belonging to Graul, the great orc chieftain!
Indeed.
Anyway, we're told that the orcs know he's there, but fortunately, Graul is wary of dark elves and has, thus far, kept his distance. He knows enough now to realize that Drizzt is alone, but he's not sure if he's a scout or renegade. Both options are bad. A scout means more drow soon, and a renegade might want to make friends (and thus take over the band.)
This eventually leads Graul to order two patrols to go kill Drizzt. Fortunately, Drizzt spots them. Initially he thinks they're human, and wants to avoid a fight. When he realizes that they're orcs, he still wants to avoid the fight. He actually does have some experience with orcs from back in Menzoberranzan, and doesn't like them (calling them "smelly things") but doesn't really have any justification for a fight. Well, not yet. When Drizzt realizes that they're following him with hostile intent, he regrets giving up the chance to fight on favorable ground. It's almost dawn, and Drizzt is going to have to deal with both orcs and blinding snow glare.
Drizzt still tries to run for it. That said, he makes a second error - he ends up running afoul of the OTHER patrol - this one with a wolf and stone giant. The wolf is actually a worg, and Drizzt does end up having to fight it. But fortunately, he's able to use a globe of darkness and Guen's help to defeat the rest of the orcs.
The stone giant is a bigger problem though. Especially since Drizzt's drow-made scimitar chooses now to finally give up the ghost, snapping off at the hilt against the stone giant's skin. Oops.
Fortunately, Guen saves Drizzt, but she runs afoul of ice and snow, and ends up separated from Drizzt. Drizzt, "like any wise warrior so obviously outnumbers", decides to run the fuck away. I don't blame him. But getting away is easier said than done. Drizzt does manage to get rid of the worg permanently, with a clever trap. But now he's only got a dagger. He tries to parlay in goblin, but no luck. (He does get a spear out of the deal though, as an orc throws it at him and misses! Yay!)
But just as things look bad, an owl swoops down to distract the giant, and a black-feathered arrow gets him in the back. This gives Drizzt the opportunity to shove his spear into the giant's backside. Oh my! A few more arrows pierce it in the chest, and one gets him in the heart. Yay!
The orcs end up fleeing. A few meet their end by Drizzt and/or the arrows. It's quite exciting all around. Salvatore is always good with battle scenes. Finally, when it's all done, Drizzt gets to meet the dude who helped him.
He was tall, straight, and very old, with a huge gray moustache and wild gray hair. Most curious of all were his milky white and pupil-less eyes. If Drizzt had not witnessed the man’s archery display, he would have believed the man blind. The old man’s limbs seemed quite frail, too, but Drizzt did not let appearances deceive him. The expert archer kept his heavy longbow bowed and ready, an arrow firmly nocked, with hardly any effort. The draw did not have to look far to see the deadly efficiency with which the human could put the powerful weapon to use.
This dude, by the way, speaks goblin. So Drizzt can actually talk to him! This leads the man to tell Drizzt that he's his prisoner. Guen growls and Drizzt replies, "I think not." And the chapter ends!
Since the recap is short (fight scenes are long to read and short to recap), I'll move onto the next.
So we start this chapter right after the last:
“Friend of yours?” the old man asked calmly.
“Guenhwyvar,” Drizzt explained.
“Big cat?”
“Oh, yes,” Drizzt answered.
The old man eased his bowstring straight and let the arrow stowly slip, point down. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and seemed to fall within himself. A moment later, Drizzt noticed that Guenhwyvar’s ears came up suddenly, and the drow understood that this strange human was somehow making a telepathic link to the panther.
Huh, I hadn't realized animal empathy was supposed to work quite so psychically. Interesting. Anyway, the old man says she's a good cat. Meanwhile, Guen casually stalks over to Drizzt, clearly not considering the old man an enemy after all.
The old man introduces himself as Montolio DeBrouchee. I'd forgotten his last name, so I guess Mooshie isn't THAT bad a nickname as I'd remembered. It still makes me wince, but that's for later.
Drizzt is inclined to go their separate ways. But Montolio points out that they don't have to.
“Am I to be your . . . prisoner . . . once more?” Drizzt asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
The sincerity of Montolio’s ensuing laughter brought a smile to the draw’s face despite his cynicism. “Mine?” the old man asked incredulously. “No, no, I believe we have settled that issue. But you have killed some minions of Graul this day, a deed that the ore king will want punished. Let me offer you a room at my castle. The ores will not approach the place.” He showed a wry smile and bent over toward Drizzt to whisper, as if to keep his next words a secret between them. “They will not come near me, you know.” Montolio pointed to his strange eyes. “They believe me to be bad magic because of my . . .” Montolio struggled for the word that would convey the thought, but the guttural language was limited and he soon grew frustrated.
I don't think it's really fair to laugh, Monty. You JUST said he was your prisoner. But Drizzt is distracted by the realization that Montolio is blind, and had used his owl's hooting to aim his shots. That's pretty fucking badass.
I enjoy seeing disability come up in magical settings. I mean, sure, you can probably get away with saying "Oh, magic would fix it", but that's kind of limiting. It's more fun to see the interesting ways that magic could be used to accommodate a disability instead!
One thing I like here is that the communication isn't perfect. Montolio speaks goblin, but still has to search for words. And Drizzt, of course, doesn't know what words like winter or bear mean. But they can figure it out.
Drizzt, dramatic and angsty, initially refuses Montolio's invitation. He cites the Thistledowns, and says that he brings trouble.
Montolio is like ancient though and definitely knows how to make a badass boast:
“I do not fear doom,” Montolio said, forcing a smile. “! have lived through many... fights, Drizzt Do'Urden. I have fought in a dozen bloody wars and spent an entire winter trapped on the side of a mountain with a broken leg. I have killed a giant with only a dagger and . . . befriended . . . every animal for five thousand steps in any direction. Do not fear for me.” Again came that wry, knowing smile. “But, then” Montolio said slowly, “It is not for me that you fear”
Drizzt felt confused and a bit insulted.
“You fear for yourself,” Montolio continued, undaunted. “Self-pity? It does not fit one of your prowess. Dismiss it and come along with me.”
Drizzt scowls, which Montolio naturally doesn't see. He does sense Guen bumping Drizzt's leg and points out that Guen wants him to come along. He promises a place better than a cave, and a meal better than half-cooked fish.
Aww, poor Drizzt. He's finally getting the invite that he's wanted for so long, but he's pretty traumatized. Fortunately, the cat girlfriend is looking out for him. He still tries to say no, though.
Drizzt remained adamant, reminding himself pointedly by conjuring an image of carnage in a farmhouse far away. “I will not come,” he said firmly.
“Then I must name you as an enemy, and a prisoner!” Montolio roared, snapping his bow back to a ready position. “your cat will not aid you this time, Drizzt Do’Urden!” Montolio leaned in and flashed his smile and whispered, “The cat agrees with me.”
It was too much for Drizzt. He knew that the old man wouldn’t shoot him, but Montolio’s flaky charm soon wore away the drow’s mental defenses, considerable though they were.
Aw.
So we get to see Montolio's home!
What Montolio had described as a castle turned out to be a series of wooden caves dug around the roots of huge and tightly packed evergreens. Lean-tos of woven sticks furthered the protection and somewhat linked the caves together, and a low wall of stacked rocks ringed the whole complex. As Drizzt neared the place, he noticed several rope-and-wood bridges crossing from tree to tree at various heights, with rope ladders leading up to them from the ground level and with crossbows securely mounted at fairly regular intervals.
Aww, swanky!
Birds and animals are excited to greet Montolio. Montolio, for his part, tells Drizzt that he has many rooms, blankets and food. He's frustrated by his lack of ability to have a real conversation, though. He has lots he wants to say to Drizzt and learn from Drizzt. Unfortunately, the social dynamics in goblin are also pretty unhelpful. Friendship, for example, means either a temporary military alliance or servitude to a stronger goblin. Not applicable.
It does raise the interesting question of what friendship translates as in drow. Salvatore's never really addressed that. I commented in Homeland that Drizzt occasionally seemed to have words for concepts that didn't really make sense in drow society (fairness, justice, honor, and so on.) But it does occur to me that if the drow language is ancient enough then the concepts may have already existed from before Lolth really got her hooks into the Ilythiiri.
Montolio decides his first goal is to teach Drizzt the human common tongue. Drizzt is tentatively on board, figuring that knowing the language might help avoid trouble. Montolio is happy. His owl is less happy, figuring with Guen about, he'll be spending less time in the lower boughs. Aw. I think Guen can behave!
Some distance away, Kellindil also seems to be happy to hear the report (from his "cousin") that Montolio took Drizzt in. He's startled, and a little concerned about Montolio at first, but once reassured that Montolio is unharmed and in control, we get to wrap up this plot thread.
“We could set a watch over Montolio’s grove,” the other elf offered. “If you fear for the old ranger’s safety-“
“No,” Kellindil replied. “No, the drow once again has proven himself no enemy. I have suspected his friendly intentions since I encountered him near Maldobar. Now I am satisfied. Let us get on with our business and leave the drow and the ranger to theirs.”
Someone else is less happy. Tephanis was eavesdropping on the elf camp. He apparently often steals food and other items for comfort. He does not like that Drizzt is around - he's made another powerful ally and doesn't want to lose them. He reports to said ally, the winter wolf Caroak, and warns him away from Drizzt. At least for now, Caroak is inclined to agree. Winter wolves, we're told, are closer to monster than animal, and thus don't tend to get along with rangers.
--
We get...not exactly a time skip, so much as a time slide. Basically, we're told that as winter eases into spring, Montolio and Drizzt get closer. Drizzt is learning the common tongue pretty quickly, and even manages to learn reading and writing. Montolio also has a very large book collection, which implies that either his blindness is a relatively recent disability, or that he has some other means of reading the text. The story, sadly, doesn't tell us. Drizzt definitely enjoys reading said books though.
He starts getting more practical lessons too: how seasons work, how to anticipate the weather, and more baby ranger techniques. Montolio thinks that he'd never have believed it, but Drizzt possesses "the demeanor of a surface elf, perhaps even the heart of the ranger!".
Montolio asks how Drizzt calmed his bear roommate. Drizzt isn't really sure, but thinks it's like how Montolio spoke to Guen. Montolio is pleased to hear it, and this leads into what is pretty clearly a full blown apprenticeship.
A particularly notable event happens when Drizzt meets an angry badger. Badgers, we're told, are the meanest creatures in the region. So how does Drizzt handle it?
Drizzt’s first instinct sent his hand flashing to his dagger. The badger reared and showed its wicked teeth and claws, hissing and sputtering a thousand complaints.
Drizzt eased back, even put his dagger back in its sheath. Suddenly, he viewed the encounter from the badger’s point of view, knew that the animal felt overly threatened. Somehow, Drizzt then further realized that the badger had chosen this den as a place to raise its soon-coming litter of pups.
The badger seemed confused by the draw’s deliberate motions. Late in term, the expectant mother did not want a fight, and as Drizzt carefully slipped the berry bush back in place to conceal the den, the badger eased down to all fours, sniffed the air so that it could remember the dark elf's scent, and went back into its hole.
Woo. Go Drizzt!
Montolio is very happy. Drizzt doesn't really understand yet, but that's okay. It does come out though that the dagger is the only weapon Drizzt has yet. Montolio can change that though, he has an armory! Even better, he has a really nice scimitar!
He asks what Drizzt would prefer to use with the scimitar: a dirk, dagger? Drizzt though, is a special special guy, and asks about another scimitar. Montolio thinks he'll tangle himself up, but Drizzt notes that it's not an uncommon style for drow. Montolio does have a second scimitar, but it's more a show-piece. It IS a bit too light and fragile, but Drizzt still likes it better than a cumbersome straight sword.
So anyway, time continues into summer, and Drizzt and Montolio get to enjoy their happy mentor-student dynamic. It's really nice! And the chapter ends with some ominous hints that Graul is looking for Drizzt. Oh dear.
So winter's almost finished now. The snow is getting lighter and the wind is much warmer. Drizzt is still facing some challenges though, the biggest being the daytime glare of the sun off the snow-covered ground. It really curtails his ability to move around during the day.
I hadn't thought about that, but that's a good point.
So Drizzt maintains a mostly nocturnal lifestyle at least for now, but he's pretty optimistic. And now that he's got a pretty reliable source of food and rest, he's starting to wonder about his surroundings - particularly the far wall of the valley.
He decides to go check it out. And the narrative decides to get dramatic about it:
He came down on the other bank running, springing over or around the many rocks and crags without a thought or care. How different his demeanor might have been if he had known that he was now on the side of the valley belonging to Graul, the great orc chieftain!
Indeed.
Anyway, we're told that the orcs know he's there, but fortunately, Graul is wary of dark elves and has, thus far, kept his distance. He knows enough now to realize that Drizzt is alone, but he's not sure if he's a scout or renegade. Both options are bad. A scout means more drow soon, and a renegade might want to make friends (and thus take over the band.)
This eventually leads Graul to order two patrols to go kill Drizzt. Fortunately, Drizzt spots them. Initially he thinks they're human, and wants to avoid a fight. When he realizes that they're orcs, he still wants to avoid the fight. He actually does have some experience with orcs from back in Menzoberranzan, and doesn't like them (calling them "smelly things") but doesn't really have any justification for a fight. Well, not yet. When Drizzt realizes that they're following him with hostile intent, he regrets giving up the chance to fight on favorable ground. It's almost dawn, and Drizzt is going to have to deal with both orcs and blinding snow glare.
Drizzt still tries to run for it. That said, he makes a second error - he ends up running afoul of the OTHER patrol - this one with a wolf and stone giant. The wolf is actually a worg, and Drizzt does end up having to fight it. But fortunately, he's able to use a globe of darkness and Guen's help to defeat the rest of the orcs.
The stone giant is a bigger problem though. Especially since Drizzt's drow-made scimitar chooses now to finally give up the ghost, snapping off at the hilt against the stone giant's skin. Oops.
Fortunately, Guen saves Drizzt, but she runs afoul of ice and snow, and ends up separated from Drizzt. Drizzt, "like any wise warrior so obviously outnumbers", decides to run the fuck away. I don't blame him. But getting away is easier said than done. Drizzt does manage to get rid of the worg permanently, with a clever trap. But now he's only got a dagger. He tries to parlay in goblin, but no luck. (He does get a spear out of the deal though, as an orc throws it at him and misses! Yay!)
But just as things look bad, an owl swoops down to distract the giant, and a black-feathered arrow gets him in the back. This gives Drizzt the opportunity to shove his spear into the giant's backside. Oh my! A few more arrows pierce it in the chest, and one gets him in the heart. Yay!
The orcs end up fleeing. A few meet their end by Drizzt and/or the arrows. It's quite exciting all around. Salvatore is always good with battle scenes. Finally, when it's all done, Drizzt gets to meet the dude who helped him.
He was tall, straight, and very old, with a huge gray moustache and wild gray hair. Most curious of all were his milky white and pupil-less eyes. If Drizzt had not witnessed the man’s archery display, he would have believed the man blind. The old man’s limbs seemed quite frail, too, but Drizzt did not let appearances deceive him. The expert archer kept his heavy longbow bowed and ready, an arrow firmly nocked, with hardly any effort. The draw did not have to look far to see the deadly efficiency with which the human could put the powerful weapon to use.
This dude, by the way, speaks goblin. So Drizzt can actually talk to him! This leads the man to tell Drizzt that he's his prisoner. Guen growls and Drizzt replies, "I think not." And the chapter ends!
Since the recap is short (fight scenes are long to read and short to recap), I'll move onto the next.
So we start this chapter right after the last:
“Friend of yours?” the old man asked calmly.
“Guenhwyvar,” Drizzt explained.
“Big cat?”
“Oh, yes,” Drizzt answered.
The old man eased his bowstring straight and let the arrow stowly slip, point down. He closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and seemed to fall within himself. A moment later, Drizzt noticed that Guenhwyvar’s ears came up suddenly, and the drow understood that this strange human was somehow making a telepathic link to the panther.
Huh, I hadn't realized animal empathy was supposed to work quite so psychically. Interesting. Anyway, the old man says she's a good cat. Meanwhile, Guen casually stalks over to Drizzt, clearly not considering the old man an enemy after all.
The old man introduces himself as Montolio DeBrouchee. I'd forgotten his last name, so I guess Mooshie isn't THAT bad a nickname as I'd remembered. It still makes me wince, but that's for later.
Drizzt is inclined to go their separate ways. But Montolio points out that they don't have to.
“Am I to be your . . . prisoner . . . once more?” Drizzt asked with a bit of sarcasm in his voice.
The sincerity of Montolio’s ensuing laughter brought a smile to the draw’s face despite his cynicism. “Mine?” the old man asked incredulously. “No, no, I believe we have settled that issue. But you have killed some minions of Graul this day, a deed that the ore king will want punished. Let me offer you a room at my castle. The ores will not approach the place.” He showed a wry smile and bent over toward Drizzt to whisper, as if to keep his next words a secret between them. “They will not come near me, you know.” Montolio pointed to his strange eyes. “They believe me to be bad magic because of my . . .” Montolio struggled for the word that would convey the thought, but the guttural language was limited and he soon grew frustrated.
I don't think it's really fair to laugh, Monty. You JUST said he was your prisoner. But Drizzt is distracted by the realization that Montolio is blind, and had used his owl's hooting to aim his shots. That's pretty fucking badass.
I enjoy seeing disability come up in magical settings. I mean, sure, you can probably get away with saying "Oh, magic would fix it", but that's kind of limiting. It's more fun to see the interesting ways that magic could be used to accommodate a disability instead!
One thing I like here is that the communication isn't perfect. Montolio speaks goblin, but still has to search for words. And Drizzt, of course, doesn't know what words like winter or bear mean. But they can figure it out.
Drizzt, dramatic and angsty, initially refuses Montolio's invitation. He cites the Thistledowns, and says that he brings trouble.
Montolio is like ancient though and definitely knows how to make a badass boast:
“I do not fear doom,” Montolio said, forcing a smile. “! have lived through many... fights, Drizzt Do'Urden. I have fought in a dozen bloody wars and spent an entire winter trapped on the side of a mountain with a broken leg. I have killed a giant with only a dagger and . . . befriended . . . every animal for five thousand steps in any direction. Do not fear for me.” Again came that wry, knowing smile. “But, then” Montolio said slowly, “It is not for me that you fear”
Drizzt felt confused and a bit insulted.
“You fear for yourself,” Montolio continued, undaunted. “Self-pity? It does not fit one of your prowess. Dismiss it and come along with me.”
Drizzt scowls, which Montolio naturally doesn't see. He does sense Guen bumping Drizzt's leg and points out that Guen wants him to come along. He promises a place better than a cave, and a meal better than half-cooked fish.
Aww, poor Drizzt. He's finally getting the invite that he's wanted for so long, but he's pretty traumatized. Fortunately, the cat girlfriend is looking out for him. He still tries to say no, though.
Drizzt remained adamant, reminding himself pointedly by conjuring an image of carnage in a farmhouse far away. “I will not come,” he said firmly.
“Then I must name you as an enemy, and a prisoner!” Montolio roared, snapping his bow back to a ready position. “your cat will not aid you this time, Drizzt Do’Urden!” Montolio leaned in and flashed his smile and whispered, “The cat agrees with me.”
It was too much for Drizzt. He knew that the old man wouldn’t shoot him, but Montolio’s flaky charm soon wore away the drow’s mental defenses, considerable though they were.
Aw.
So we get to see Montolio's home!
What Montolio had described as a castle turned out to be a series of wooden caves dug around the roots of huge and tightly packed evergreens. Lean-tos of woven sticks furthered the protection and somewhat linked the caves together, and a low wall of stacked rocks ringed the whole complex. As Drizzt neared the place, he noticed several rope-and-wood bridges crossing from tree to tree at various heights, with rope ladders leading up to them from the ground level and with crossbows securely mounted at fairly regular intervals.
Aww, swanky!
Birds and animals are excited to greet Montolio. Montolio, for his part, tells Drizzt that he has many rooms, blankets and food. He's frustrated by his lack of ability to have a real conversation, though. He has lots he wants to say to Drizzt and learn from Drizzt. Unfortunately, the social dynamics in goblin are also pretty unhelpful. Friendship, for example, means either a temporary military alliance or servitude to a stronger goblin. Not applicable.
It does raise the interesting question of what friendship translates as in drow. Salvatore's never really addressed that. I commented in Homeland that Drizzt occasionally seemed to have words for concepts that didn't really make sense in drow society (fairness, justice, honor, and so on.) But it does occur to me that if the drow language is ancient enough then the concepts may have already existed from before Lolth really got her hooks into the Ilythiiri.
Montolio decides his first goal is to teach Drizzt the human common tongue. Drizzt is tentatively on board, figuring that knowing the language might help avoid trouble. Montolio is happy. His owl is less happy, figuring with Guen about, he'll be spending less time in the lower boughs. Aw. I think Guen can behave!
Some distance away, Kellindil also seems to be happy to hear the report (from his "cousin") that Montolio took Drizzt in. He's startled, and a little concerned about Montolio at first, but once reassured that Montolio is unharmed and in control, we get to wrap up this plot thread.
“We could set a watch over Montolio’s grove,” the other elf offered. “If you fear for the old ranger’s safety-“
“No,” Kellindil replied. “No, the drow once again has proven himself no enemy. I have suspected his friendly intentions since I encountered him near Maldobar. Now I am satisfied. Let us get on with our business and leave the drow and the ranger to theirs.”
Someone else is less happy. Tephanis was eavesdropping on the elf camp. He apparently often steals food and other items for comfort. He does not like that Drizzt is around - he's made another powerful ally and doesn't want to lose them. He reports to said ally, the winter wolf Caroak, and warns him away from Drizzt. At least for now, Caroak is inclined to agree. Winter wolves, we're told, are closer to monster than animal, and thus don't tend to get along with rangers.
--
We get...not exactly a time skip, so much as a time slide. Basically, we're told that as winter eases into spring, Montolio and Drizzt get closer. Drizzt is learning the common tongue pretty quickly, and even manages to learn reading and writing. Montolio also has a very large book collection, which implies that either his blindness is a relatively recent disability, or that he has some other means of reading the text. The story, sadly, doesn't tell us. Drizzt definitely enjoys reading said books though.
He starts getting more practical lessons too: how seasons work, how to anticipate the weather, and more baby ranger techniques. Montolio thinks that he'd never have believed it, but Drizzt possesses "the demeanor of a surface elf, perhaps even the heart of the ranger!".
Montolio asks how Drizzt calmed his bear roommate. Drizzt isn't really sure, but thinks it's like how Montolio spoke to Guen. Montolio is pleased to hear it, and this leads into what is pretty clearly a full blown apprenticeship.
A particularly notable event happens when Drizzt meets an angry badger. Badgers, we're told, are the meanest creatures in the region. So how does Drizzt handle it?
Drizzt’s first instinct sent his hand flashing to his dagger. The badger reared and showed its wicked teeth and claws, hissing and sputtering a thousand complaints.
Drizzt eased back, even put his dagger back in its sheath. Suddenly, he viewed the encounter from the badger’s point of view, knew that the animal felt overly threatened. Somehow, Drizzt then further realized that the badger had chosen this den as a place to raise its soon-coming litter of pups.
The badger seemed confused by the draw’s deliberate motions. Late in term, the expectant mother did not want a fight, and as Drizzt carefully slipped the berry bush back in place to conceal the den, the badger eased down to all fours, sniffed the air so that it could remember the dark elf's scent, and went back into its hole.
Woo. Go Drizzt!
Montolio is very happy. Drizzt doesn't really understand yet, but that's okay. It does come out though that the dagger is the only weapon Drizzt has yet. Montolio can change that though, he has an armory! Even better, he has a really nice scimitar!
He asks what Drizzt would prefer to use with the scimitar: a dirk, dagger? Drizzt though, is a special special guy, and asks about another scimitar. Montolio thinks he'll tangle himself up, but Drizzt notes that it's not an uncommon style for drow. Montolio does have a second scimitar, but it's more a show-piece. It IS a bit too light and fragile, but Drizzt still likes it better than a cumbersome straight sword.
So anyway, time continues into summer, and Drizzt and Montolio get to enjoy their happy mentor-student dynamic. It's really nice! And the chapter ends with some ominous hints that Graul is looking for Drizzt. Oh dear.