Streams of Silver - Chapter Fifteen
May. 16th, 2020 02:23 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatOkay, so last time R.A. Salvatore's Marty Stu met one of Ed Greenwood's Mary Sues and the sparks flew accordingly.
That's probably mean, but it was amusingly over the top.
So we rejoin our heroes. The book, for some reason, tells us that Drizzt had had "little trouble" convincing Bruenor to switch course for a bit, and unnecessarily explains to us that while Bruenor is anxious to get to Sundabar, he's not going to pass up a potential valuable information source that's so close by.
I'm not sure why this bit was necessary. Bruenor's not an idiot. He came for information and is told that there's information close by. There's a tiny bit of backtracking, but it's not like they have to go all the way back to Luskan, or Bryn Shander.
Anyway, Drizzt apparently didn't tell anyone that the Queen of Silverymoon appeared to feed his ego. He claims he got the information from a traveler on the road. Amusingly, we're told that Drizzt's friends find this story "contrived" but they trust him and are willing to respect his privacy.
Apparently the food is good, and seems to have some restorative properties: causing Regis to feel like he's rested for a week and healing Wulfgar's leg and back completely.
Wulfgar's observation is quite sweet and hilariously full of purple prose.
Wulfgar suspected that Drizzt's encounter had involved someone of great importance long before the drow revealed the marvelous gifts. For the drow's inner glow of optimism, the knowing sparkle in his eyes that reflected the indomitable spirit that had kept him going through trials that would have crushed most men, had returned, fully and dramatically. The barbarian didn't need to know the identity of the person; he was just glad that his friend had come through the depression.
Teehee. Oh, Salvatore, your gift with the overblown phrase never ceases to delight me.
Anyway, there is an unexpected danger in Silverymoon. If you recall, our intrepid band of villains left their pet golem outside, after Entreri dented Sydney's confidence in her boss. It senses Drizzt and goes to find Sydney.
We're now following Bok as it rampages toward the city, tossing aside boulders and swatting aside the guards who are launched through the air by his "magically strong arms". It ends up walking straight into the river and going straight across the bottom of it. Eventually it punches through the city wall.
Hmm, Alustriel might want to see about doing some improvements to her infrastructure.
We now join Entreri, who is impatiently pacing in his room at the inn. He thinks our heroes will be here right now. Hah, accidentally inconvenienced by the plot. That said, I'm a little disappointed not to see Entreri and Sydney spring their trap.
They end up interrupted by the ghost of Morkai, who brings a message from Dendybar, Sydney's boss. (Entreri slips back into the shadows, and Catti-brie sits very still.) Morkai gives Sydney some useless information about Drizzt and company's path (namely that they went through the Trollmoors). Morkai notes gleefully that he was asked twice about Drizzt's whereabouts, but not compelled and vanishes.
Sydney notes that bit, but doesn't quite realize that this means that Morkai's glee means he's holding back additional information that she needs. She's focused on the idea that Dendybar's hold over Morkai has lessened.
In the meantime, Entreri and Sydney are getting bored with guarding Catti-brie, something that imparts actual tension. Sydney's plan is that they wait three more days, then return to Nesme, and possibly cross the Evermoors themselves. Entreri notes that if it turns out that the gang died in the Evermoors, they'd have no reason to keep Catti-brie alive.
For her part:
Catti-brie showed no emotion throughout the entire conversation, determined not to let Entreri gain any advantage by learning of her weakness, or strength. She had faith that her friends were not dead. The likes of Bruenor Battlehammer and Drizzt Do'Urden were not destined to die in an unmarked grave in some desolate fen. And Catti-brie would never accept that Wulfgar was dead until the proof was irrefutable. Holding to her faith, her duty to her friends was to maintain a blank facade. She knew that she was winning her personal battle, that the paralyzing fear Entreri held over her lessened every day. She would be ready to act when the time came. She just had to make certain that Entreri and Sydney didn't realize it.
Drama may not be hereditary, but it is certainly environmental. I wish Salvatore would shit or get off the pot when it comes to the sort of romantic plot between Catti-brie and Wulfgar. He drops little bits like this and seems to think that's enough to carry the idea that the two are attracted to each other. Honestly, I see more spark between Drizzt and Alustriel.
I like that Catti-brie's overcoming her fear though.
Jierdan interrupts the planning sesson by announcing that "It has come!". Hilariously, Sydney thinks he means the dwarf. Wow. That's racist, Sydney. Yeesh. Jierdan clarifies: it's Bok!
Entreri orders Jierdan to stay with Catti-brie, which makes Jierdan resentful. Sydney backs up the order as they go out to find out what's happening. Poor Jierdan, it doesn't pay to be simply competent in this crowd. Catti-brie uses this opportunity to get more aggressive in her attempts to win him over. She uses the fact that he's a proud, mostly honorable fellow stuck in servitude to assholes and basically points out exactly how fucked he is: his friends are back in Luskan, his boss will retaliate if he goes back there, and Sydney and Entreri pretty clearly will kill his ass once he becomes less useful.
She manages to provoke him to the point where he does hit her, once, something that seems to horrify him. Catti-brie hides her satisfaction because she thinks his loss of self-restraint means she's getting through to him. She ALSO knows that when Entreri sees the bruise on her, things will get even more explosive. Hah.
So Sydney and Entreri rush to find Bok, who has been trapped by a knight and wizard. We witness a meaningless tangent where the knight wants it destroyed, but the wizard is mesmerized by its construction. When Sydney claims it, the knight and wizard are amazed. We even get a dose of sexism, as the knight is "amazed that a woman, or anyone for that matter, controlled the monster that had knocked aside some of his finest warriors and taken down a section of the city wall."
Really dude? You live in a city ruled by a woman who is basically Galadriel. Come on.
The knight doesn't want to give Bok back, understandably, and he wants Sydney to pay for the damage. The wizard just wants to study Bok for one night. Sydney agrees but forbids the disappointed wizard from disassembling him.
Sydney and Entreri realize that Bok's behavior could only be because of Drizzt. They realize that it probably didn't follow Drizzt into the city, since the heroes would have fought to subdue it. Entreri decides to investigate.
So they learn that Drizzt was turned away, and Entreri is indeed mad about the bruise, threatening Jierdan yet again. Sydney gets Bok back and they head out.
Now the scene shifts to our not!Galadriel, who is brushing her hair from her face as she looks down at them. I'm not sure if she's supposed to be literally above them, or if she's using some kind of scrying device. She doesn't know who they are, but she thinks they're up to no good. She wishes that she had a way to aid the heroes, but statecraft calls.
Wow, I kind of assumed you'd be a little more useful, Alustriel. You can't send some kind of magical message? Harkle Harpell can fucking manage THAT. And now the chapter ends.
That's probably mean, but it was amusingly over the top.
So we rejoin our heroes. The book, for some reason, tells us that Drizzt had had "little trouble" convincing Bruenor to switch course for a bit, and unnecessarily explains to us that while Bruenor is anxious to get to Sundabar, he's not going to pass up a potential valuable information source that's so close by.
I'm not sure why this bit was necessary. Bruenor's not an idiot. He came for information and is told that there's information close by. There's a tiny bit of backtracking, but it's not like they have to go all the way back to Luskan, or Bryn Shander.
Anyway, Drizzt apparently didn't tell anyone that the Queen of Silverymoon appeared to feed his ego. He claims he got the information from a traveler on the road. Amusingly, we're told that Drizzt's friends find this story "contrived" but they trust him and are willing to respect his privacy.
Apparently the food is good, and seems to have some restorative properties: causing Regis to feel like he's rested for a week and healing Wulfgar's leg and back completely.
Wulfgar's observation is quite sweet and hilariously full of purple prose.
Wulfgar suspected that Drizzt's encounter had involved someone of great importance long before the drow revealed the marvelous gifts. For the drow's inner glow of optimism, the knowing sparkle in his eyes that reflected the indomitable spirit that had kept him going through trials that would have crushed most men, had returned, fully and dramatically. The barbarian didn't need to know the identity of the person; he was just glad that his friend had come through the depression.
Teehee. Oh, Salvatore, your gift with the overblown phrase never ceases to delight me.
Anyway, there is an unexpected danger in Silverymoon. If you recall, our intrepid band of villains left their pet golem outside, after Entreri dented Sydney's confidence in her boss. It senses Drizzt and goes to find Sydney.
We're now following Bok as it rampages toward the city, tossing aside boulders and swatting aside the guards who are launched through the air by his "magically strong arms". It ends up walking straight into the river and going straight across the bottom of it. Eventually it punches through the city wall.
Hmm, Alustriel might want to see about doing some improvements to her infrastructure.
We now join Entreri, who is impatiently pacing in his room at the inn. He thinks our heroes will be here right now. Hah, accidentally inconvenienced by the plot. That said, I'm a little disappointed not to see Entreri and Sydney spring their trap.
They end up interrupted by the ghost of Morkai, who brings a message from Dendybar, Sydney's boss. (Entreri slips back into the shadows, and Catti-brie sits very still.) Morkai gives Sydney some useless information about Drizzt and company's path (namely that they went through the Trollmoors). Morkai notes gleefully that he was asked twice about Drizzt's whereabouts, but not compelled and vanishes.
Sydney notes that bit, but doesn't quite realize that this means that Morkai's glee means he's holding back additional information that she needs. She's focused on the idea that Dendybar's hold over Morkai has lessened.
In the meantime, Entreri and Sydney are getting bored with guarding Catti-brie, something that imparts actual tension. Sydney's plan is that they wait three more days, then return to Nesme, and possibly cross the Evermoors themselves. Entreri notes that if it turns out that the gang died in the Evermoors, they'd have no reason to keep Catti-brie alive.
For her part:
Catti-brie showed no emotion throughout the entire conversation, determined not to let Entreri gain any advantage by learning of her weakness, or strength. She had faith that her friends were not dead. The likes of Bruenor Battlehammer and Drizzt Do'Urden were not destined to die in an unmarked grave in some desolate fen. And Catti-brie would never accept that Wulfgar was dead until the proof was irrefutable. Holding to her faith, her duty to her friends was to maintain a blank facade. She knew that she was winning her personal battle, that the paralyzing fear Entreri held over her lessened every day. She would be ready to act when the time came. She just had to make certain that Entreri and Sydney didn't realize it.
Drama may not be hereditary, but it is certainly environmental. I wish Salvatore would shit or get off the pot when it comes to the sort of romantic plot between Catti-brie and Wulfgar. He drops little bits like this and seems to think that's enough to carry the idea that the two are attracted to each other. Honestly, I see more spark between Drizzt and Alustriel.
I like that Catti-brie's overcoming her fear though.
Jierdan interrupts the planning sesson by announcing that "It has come!". Hilariously, Sydney thinks he means the dwarf. Wow. That's racist, Sydney. Yeesh. Jierdan clarifies: it's Bok!
Entreri orders Jierdan to stay with Catti-brie, which makes Jierdan resentful. Sydney backs up the order as they go out to find out what's happening. Poor Jierdan, it doesn't pay to be simply competent in this crowd. Catti-brie uses this opportunity to get more aggressive in her attempts to win him over. She uses the fact that he's a proud, mostly honorable fellow stuck in servitude to assholes and basically points out exactly how fucked he is: his friends are back in Luskan, his boss will retaliate if he goes back there, and Sydney and Entreri pretty clearly will kill his ass once he becomes less useful.
She manages to provoke him to the point where he does hit her, once, something that seems to horrify him. Catti-brie hides her satisfaction because she thinks his loss of self-restraint means she's getting through to him. She ALSO knows that when Entreri sees the bruise on her, things will get even more explosive. Hah.
So Sydney and Entreri rush to find Bok, who has been trapped by a knight and wizard. We witness a meaningless tangent where the knight wants it destroyed, but the wizard is mesmerized by its construction. When Sydney claims it, the knight and wizard are amazed. We even get a dose of sexism, as the knight is "amazed that a woman, or anyone for that matter, controlled the monster that had knocked aside some of his finest warriors and taken down a section of the city wall."
Really dude? You live in a city ruled by a woman who is basically Galadriel. Come on.
The knight doesn't want to give Bok back, understandably, and he wants Sydney to pay for the damage. The wizard just wants to study Bok for one night. Sydney agrees but forbids the disappointed wizard from disassembling him.
Sydney and Entreri realize that Bok's behavior could only be because of Drizzt. They realize that it probably didn't follow Drizzt into the city, since the heroes would have fought to subdue it. Entreri decides to investigate.
So they learn that Drizzt was turned away, and Entreri is indeed mad about the bruise, threatening Jierdan yet again. Sydney gets Bok back and they head out.
Now the scene shifts to our not!Galadriel, who is brushing her hair from her face as she looks down at them. I'm not sure if she's supposed to be literally above them, or if she's using some kind of scrying device. She doesn't know who they are, but she thinks they're up to no good. She wishes that she had a way to aid the heroes, but statecraft calls.
Wow, I kind of assumed you'd be a little more useful, Alustriel. You can't send some kind of magical message? Harkle Harpell can fucking manage THAT. And now the chapter ends.