The Halfling's Gem - Chapter 2
Nov. 9th, 2020 12:13 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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i_read_whatSo last time, we caught up with Drizzt and Wulfgar, and Wulfgar kind of/sort of learned a lesson that he'd already learned before, that didn't completely make sense to begin with.
That's a Harpell for you, I suppose.
So this time, we're catching up with Artemis Entreri. He's living up to the stereotype of his womanish name by gazing at pretty jewelry. Specifically, the ruby gem. Entreri had used it to gain passage to Calimport, and now it's trying to lure him in too. But Entreri isn't the counterpart to the great Drizzt Do'Urden for nothing, and he tears his gaze away.
Regis is there too, and he's a clever sort as always. Entreri is unusually chatty as he looks at the gem, appreciating both Regis and Pasha Pook's motivation, and Regis is ready to try to use that. Unfortunately, Entreri is Entreri, so he doesn't fall for Regis's ploy.
He puts away the ruby and takes out Guenhwyvar's statuette. He wants Regis to explain it, which surprises me. But then again, I don't think he's actually seen Drizzt call on Guen. And if he knew that Drizzt sometimes traveled with a panther, he might not connect it to the statuette.
Ah, but I spoke too soon. Regis starts his explanation, trying to call out Guen's name, but Entreri stops him. I like Entreri, but his omniscience is starting to annoy me. It's a bit like my issue with Thrawn in Timothy Zahn's Star Wars books. In order to make the villain a more formidable threat, Salvatore and Zahn are both erring on the side of making them pretty much infallible until the confrontation. Which actually makes them the opposite of interesting.
Entreri does become an interesting character as I recall, but that's when he gets to be flawed and fail.
Regis takes an interesting tactic here, suggesting Entreri call Guen himself, as a companion. But Entreri's not interested in that. We get a dramatic declaration:
"Fool," repeated Entreri. "That is where you err. In the streets, companions bring dependence and doom! Look at yourself, friend of the drow. What strength do you bring to Drizzt Do'Urden now? He rushes blindly to your aid, to fulfill his responsibility as your companion." He spat the word out with obvious distaste. "To his ultimate demise!"
...Entreri's ability to dramatically monologue does appeal to me, I admit. For his part, Regis can't exactly argue. Entreri leaves dramatically. He leaves the door unlocked, but it's not like Regis has anywhere to go. And halflings are apparently sensitive to the sea. So he's not having fun.
For his part, Entreri's gone to walk the deck. It's cold and windy. He looks at the pendant and thinks about how Pasha Pook will be thrilled to get it back. It's very powerful. Entreri wonders if Pook ever used it on him. He can't deny that the ruby has an effect on him. But he vows that it won't get him again. He's going to learn how it works, so he can overcome it.
I actually rather admire that goal.
Then of course, things get a little homoerotic:
Then he felt in his pouch, grasped the figurine of the panther, and turned his gaze back to the north. "Are you watching, Drizzt Do'Urden?" he asked into the night.
He knew the answer. Somewhere far behind, in Waterdeep or Longsaddle or somewhere in between, the drow's lavender eyes were turned southward.
...you really should learn a better way to flirt, dude.
Never before had Entreri encountered anyone with reflexes to match his own or as deadly with a blade as he, and memories of his clash with Drizzt Do'Urden haunted his every thought. They were so akin, their movements cut from the same dance. And yet, the drow, compassionate and caring, possessed a basic humanity that Entreri had long ago discarded.
...yeah.
Anyway, Entreri reveals to us the crux of his obsession, which came up in Streams of Silver, but I don't begrudge a refreshing:
His voice reflected deadly determination, with a subtle, almost imperceptive, hint of anxiety. This would be the truest challenge of both their lives, the test of the differing tenets that had guided their every actions. For Entreri, there could be no draw. He had sold his soul for his skill, and if Drizzt Do'Urden defeated him, or even proved his equal, the assassin's existence would be no more than a wasted lie.
This probably gets into why Entreri is such an enduring character in the Drizzt mythos, despite the actual rival battles getting repetitive really quickly. It's a complex motivation that's a lot more layered than most of Salvatore's other minor characters. Especially since, the series being what it is, Entreri is doomed to fail.
Spoiler, I suppose, but it can't be shocking to know that Drizzt will defeat Entreri. Multiple times and in multiple ways. And that's where the character becomes the most interesting, because he truly has to deal with the idea that he is just wrong. About everything. He didn't HAVE to give up his soul for his skill. He didn't have to discard friendship or love. He didn't have to become the man he is. But that doesn't undo those experience. So what does he do now?
Even when I was very tired of Drizzt's own series, I remember thinking Entreri's side trilogy was possibly Salvatore's best work. We'll see if it holds up when I get there.
We head back to Regis, who is thinking about his friends. This of course is the exposition to reintroduce the gist of the trilogy to the reader. And it's interesting to see Regis's side of things. For example, he'd apparently only meant Icewind Dale to be a short stopover in his ten years of traveling (Regis is fifty years old, which I think is still reasonably young for a halfling), but now that he's being dragged back to Calimport, he's realizing that it was home.
He knows Drizzt will come for him, probably Wulfgar and Catti-brie too. Which makes it funny that Catti-brie isn't actually intending to come after him. Oops. Bruenor's not coming though. Regis did have time to see Bruenor's last desperate charge to stop the Goth My Little Pony dragon. He's still devastated, because, despite all the gruffness and teasing, he considers Bruenor his dearest companion.
Aw. Though I remember Bruenor being a dick to you.
Regis is clever though, he's thinking about his own role to play here. Entreri will look for allies among Pook's people to set up his showdown with Drizzt. Regis will have to slow him down. He gets an idea when he sees the candle: he hitches up a sleeve and drops some droplets down his arm.
We're not told what he's doing though. Then the scene changes.
It's morning. Regis is on deck, and wanting to finish his business. He's rehearsing lines and mustering his courage. For his part, Entreri is again feeling chatty, taunting him about the shoreline being in view (though still too far for Regis to swim, if he were inclined). He even says he'd let Regis make the attempt so he can enjoy the show.
Regis gets angry at the mockery, but he's smart, and waits for the explanation. It comes. Sharks. Or as Entreri describes them, "Smart fish". Marked by a pointed fin. They follow the boat and wait for edibles. Like humans or halflings.
Entreri saunters off, leaving Regis alone. A sailor comes up to make conversation, and Regis gets to work, thanking the man for his courage in taking them to Calimport. OH. CLEVER. Basically Regis implies, but doesn't say outright that he has some kind of plague and they're going to Calimport for the cure. While pretending agony, he starts scratching away the wax on his arm, revealing blood and burns.
Regis shrugged helplessly. "They just happen. From the inside." Now it was the sailor's turn to pale. "But I will make it to Calimport," he stated unconvincingly. "It takes a few months to eat you away. And most of my wounds are recent." Regis looked down, then presented his scarred arm. "See?" The sailor runs off.
Hehehe. Okay, Regis, that was pretty good. The chapter ends here.
That's a Harpell for you, I suppose.
So this time, we're catching up with Artemis Entreri. He's living up to the stereotype of his womanish name by gazing at pretty jewelry. Specifically, the ruby gem. Entreri had used it to gain passage to Calimport, and now it's trying to lure him in too. But Entreri isn't the counterpart to the great Drizzt Do'Urden for nothing, and he tears his gaze away.
Regis is there too, and he's a clever sort as always. Entreri is unusually chatty as he looks at the gem, appreciating both Regis and Pasha Pook's motivation, and Regis is ready to try to use that. Unfortunately, Entreri is Entreri, so he doesn't fall for Regis's ploy.
He puts away the ruby and takes out Guenhwyvar's statuette. He wants Regis to explain it, which surprises me. But then again, I don't think he's actually seen Drizzt call on Guen. And if he knew that Drizzt sometimes traveled with a panther, he might not connect it to the statuette.
Ah, but I spoke too soon. Regis starts his explanation, trying to call out Guen's name, but Entreri stops him. I like Entreri, but his omniscience is starting to annoy me. It's a bit like my issue with Thrawn in Timothy Zahn's Star Wars books. In order to make the villain a more formidable threat, Salvatore and Zahn are both erring on the side of making them pretty much infallible until the confrontation. Which actually makes them the opposite of interesting.
Entreri does become an interesting character as I recall, but that's when he gets to be flawed and fail.
Regis takes an interesting tactic here, suggesting Entreri call Guen himself, as a companion. But Entreri's not interested in that. We get a dramatic declaration:
"Fool," repeated Entreri. "That is where you err. In the streets, companions bring dependence and doom! Look at yourself, friend of the drow. What strength do you bring to Drizzt Do'Urden now? He rushes blindly to your aid, to fulfill his responsibility as your companion." He spat the word out with obvious distaste. "To his ultimate demise!"
...Entreri's ability to dramatically monologue does appeal to me, I admit. For his part, Regis can't exactly argue. Entreri leaves dramatically. He leaves the door unlocked, but it's not like Regis has anywhere to go. And halflings are apparently sensitive to the sea. So he's not having fun.
For his part, Entreri's gone to walk the deck. It's cold and windy. He looks at the pendant and thinks about how Pasha Pook will be thrilled to get it back. It's very powerful. Entreri wonders if Pook ever used it on him. He can't deny that the ruby has an effect on him. But he vows that it won't get him again. He's going to learn how it works, so he can overcome it.
I actually rather admire that goal.
Then of course, things get a little homoerotic:
Then he felt in his pouch, grasped the figurine of the panther, and turned his gaze back to the north. "Are you watching, Drizzt Do'Urden?" he asked into the night.
He knew the answer. Somewhere far behind, in Waterdeep or Longsaddle or somewhere in between, the drow's lavender eyes were turned southward.
...you really should learn a better way to flirt, dude.
Never before had Entreri encountered anyone with reflexes to match his own or as deadly with a blade as he, and memories of his clash with Drizzt Do'Urden haunted his every thought. They were so akin, their movements cut from the same dance. And yet, the drow, compassionate and caring, possessed a basic humanity that Entreri had long ago discarded.
...yeah.
Anyway, Entreri reveals to us the crux of his obsession, which came up in Streams of Silver, but I don't begrudge a refreshing:
His voice reflected deadly determination, with a subtle, almost imperceptive, hint of anxiety. This would be the truest challenge of both their lives, the test of the differing tenets that had guided their every actions. For Entreri, there could be no draw. He had sold his soul for his skill, and if Drizzt Do'Urden defeated him, or even proved his equal, the assassin's existence would be no more than a wasted lie.
This probably gets into why Entreri is such an enduring character in the Drizzt mythos, despite the actual rival battles getting repetitive really quickly. It's a complex motivation that's a lot more layered than most of Salvatore's other minor characters. Especially since, the series being what it is, Entreri is doomed to fail.
Spoiler, I suppose, but it can't be shocking to know that Drizzt will defeat Entreri. Multiple times and in multiple ways. And that's where the character becomes the most interesting, because he truly has to deal with the idea that he is just wrong. About everything. He didn't HAVE to give up his soul for his skill. He didn't have to discard friendship or love. He didn't have to become the man he is. But that doesn't undo those experience. So what does he do now?
Even when I was very tired of Drizzt's own series, I remember thinking Entreri's side trilogy was possibly Salvatore's best work. We'll see if it holds up when I get there.
We head back to Regis, who is thinking about his friends. This of course is the exposition to reintroduce the gist of the trilogy to the reader. And it's interesting to see Regis's side of things. For example, he'd apparently only meant Icewind Dale to be a short stopover in his ten years of traveling (Regis is fifty years old, which I think is still reasonably young for a halfling), but now that he's being dragged back to Calimport, he's realizing that it was home.
He knows Drizzt will come for him, probably Wulfgar and Catti-brie too. Which makes it funny that Catti-brie isn't actually intending to come after him. Oops. Bruenor's not coming though. Regis did have time to see Bruenor's last desperate charge to stop the Goth My Little Pony dragon. He's still devastated, because, despite all the gruffness and teasing, he considers Bruenor his dearest companion.
Aw. Though I remember Bruenor being a dick to you.
Regis is clever though, he's thinking about his own role to play here. Entreri will look for allies among Pook's people to set up his showdown with Drizzt. Regis will have to slow him down. He gets an idea when he sees the candle: he hitches up a sleeve and drops some droplets down his arm.
We're not told what he's doing though. Then the scene changes.
It's morning. Regis is on deck, and wanting to finish his business. He's rehearsing lines and mustering his courage. For his part, Entreri is again feeling chatty, taunting him about the shoreline being in view (though still too far for Regis to swim, if he were inclined). He even says he'd let Regis make the attempt so he can enjoy the show.
Regis gets angry at the mockery, but he's smart, and waits for the explanation. It comes. Sharks. Or as Entreri describes them, "Smart fish". Marked by a pointed fin. They follow the boat and wait for edibles. Like humans or halflings.
Entreri saunters off, leaving Regis alone. A sailor comes up to make conversation, and Regis gets to work, thanking the man for his courage in taking them to Calimport. OH. CLEVER. Basically Regis implies, but doesn't say outright that he has some kind of plague and they're going to Calimport for the cure. While pretending agony, he starts scratching away the wax on his arm, revealing blood and burns.
Regis shrugged helplessly. "They just happen. From the inside." Now it was the sailor's turn to pale. "But I will make it to Calimport," he stated unconvincingly. "It takes a few months to eat you away. And most of my wounds are recent." Regis looked down, then presented his scarred arm. "See?" The sailor runs off.
Hehehe. Okay, Regis, that was pretty good. The chapter ends here.
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Date: 2020-11-19 02:23 am (UTC)And go Regis go!
no subject
Date: 2020-11-19 02:26 am (UTC)