Sune's Solution (D&D/MGE)

View: https://youtu.be/cHVpBvEFXxo?si=TN3W-9XO4pGObQCC

[Technically yes]

Thanks to @Armoury for the beta!

—

It's a bold statement, but at the same time… "Yes. We are, technically, married."

The room goes silent, very silent. Well, almost silent. Brynhild is notably tapping her front hooves against the ground, with a wide, face splitting grin.

"You… never told me you were married?" Fuyao asks, sounding noticeably hurt.

Cidrom smiles, her silver wings expanding behind her with the sound of ringing crystal. "It's quite simple really, we performed a task, together, for Mystra. Long before he had even met you human. Our reward was this mansion, Baeran has been living in it for some time, and I've come and gone as I pleased, though we've never run into each other face to face here. So, by law-"

"By common law we are wed, yes." You finish tiredly. "But I have not taken you as my wife Cidrom, you are a lovely woman and a mighty dragon besides." You smile. "And beyond that a dear friend. But I would have had you court me properly instead of merely claiming common law. As it stands I've already promised my hand to Fuyao."

Ignis, Miki and Isabella all turn their heads to look at your squire. All the while Brynhild's taps against the floor increase in both speed and volume. Cidrom however, is glaring. Her entire focus on the squire, snowflakes formed in the air around her, and her breath began to mist.

Fuyao… simply stared back, a bored expression on her face. "You? How dare you?"

Fuyao arches a brow. "I didn't dare anything. He proposed to me."

Cidrom's head whips around to glare at you now, it's becoming hard to hear now from the loud tippy-tappies coming from Brynhild. "You? After everything we've been th-"

"Enough."

Cidrom's jaw clicks shut, Brynhild stills, and everyone focuses on you.

"I nearly just died, again. I would rather get to the bottom of this than to argue about my lovelife. I will sort out… all of this with you later, Cidrom. I am in no mood for this comedy routine."

Cidrom hesitates for a moment, then nods her head slowly. "Very well."

"How did you run into that dragon, tell me everything."

Cidrom closes her eyes and lets out a slow breath. She doesn't open them. "I was flying back to Baldur's Gate, one of my envoys stated it had been attacked. When I saw… that beast, I refuse to call it a dragon, rampaging through the forest. I got within a hundred yards of it and it launched itself at me. It fought with a rabid fierceness I was unprepared for, there was no intelligence, no spark of thought. Just a savage fury greater than even the most vicious black dragon."

"I noticed," you reply, gesturing to the bandages across your chest. "When was the last time you were in Baldur's Gate?"

"Two months," Cidrom replies. "Why?"

"I've heard of the attack myself." You say. "And I've been trying to get there now for several days. Though I kept getting waylaid by people who needed my help."

"Fool! I required no aid. For I am the BRINGING OF DOOM!"

You glance up at the ceiling, you say nothing, staring at the vampire.

Isabella looks away, poking her fingers together. "Well. I… um. Nevermind."

"Thank you," you shift your focus back to Cidrom. "I've run into several of these newcomers. Some friendly, some far from it. You?"

Cidrom shakes her head. "Not near my lair, not that I've noticed." She then looks over your assembled group, one after the other. Paying particular attention to Isabella still perched on the ceiling before looking at you. "I sense… evil here. Strong, but not in this room."

You nod your head. "Another of my 'company', I summoned her by accident and as of now I'm keeping an eye on her. She is evil, extremely so. But she may have information." You didn't like keeping Illias around, much less for the fact you hadn't seen her now for some time. But she was here, the servants told you as such. But now… now you had an opportunity. "Cidrom, I need a favor."

The dragon looks at you quizzically.

—

Cidrom tore through the air like an arrow in flight, silver scales glistening in the afternoon sun that played across the Sword Coast. The roads and villages below were forgotten, unnecessary speedbumps. Because as Cidrom soared through the sky, you alone on her back, you could easily make out Baldur's Gate in front of you. Tall and proud white walls stretched out for miles, wrapping around several hills before stopping at the coast. Within it were thousands of red-roofed buildings, each built of the same yellow stone that marked this region of the Sword Coast. Ships came and went from the harbor, each a white dot on a glistening blue sea. Baldur's Gate was beautiful, it had always been beautiful. Only now… now it was hurt.

A large swath of the eastern edge of the city was in ruins, ruined husks of buildings remained where once the Lower City had stood. "Gods." You mutter.

"Indeed," Cidrom rumbles beneath you. "I was not aware it was this bad."

"Take me to High Hall."

Cidrom begins to dive, taking us towards the center of the city. It was just her and yourself now, the rest of your party was waiting back in the mansion for three reasons. The first, was of course, for their safety. The second was you didn't want to figure out how to get Brynhild safely onto the back of a dragon. The third was that Fuyao and Cidrom seemed to have rapidly decided they weren't, aren't, and would never be, friends.

High Hall was a city within a city, bleach white walls surrounded a central keep. Dotted with blue domes and tiles. It was one of the oldest parts of the city, and the proudest. Filled with the nobility, the highest class of merchants, and, of course, The Council of Four: the rulers of Baldur's Gate. It was also one of the most unpleasant places you had ever frequented, and that included several Hag Cults. The dragon landed on the outside green, her wings folding at her side. The guards, of which there were many, were staring at you both in shock, alarm, and in some cases absolute panic. That panic dimmed slightly as you slid off of Cidrom, and the dragon returned to her Humanoid form.

The guards look like they want to do something, and indeed, several of them are closing in around the two of you as you approach the gatehouse. But that dies about as quickly as it takes for the head of the guard to spot you. "Open the gates! Priority!"

The metal gates leading up to the keep roll up with a clatter, and you continue with a small nod to the guard. You pass them all, giving them no thought. You were going to get your answers now, and nothing else was going to delay you. Then you were inside, passing by the various nobles that made up the upper crust of Baldur's Gate. Most recognized you, you recognized none of them. A few called your name, a few merely stared at Cidrom in interest. All got out of your way as you walked through the crowd, parting around you like a wave as you made your way to the central chamber. The guard in front of the chamber, a member of the Flaming Fists, a truly gigantic mercenary company mostly based in Baldur's Gate hurriedly stepped to the side.

You opened the door.

"We have more reports of these visitors coming in from Eltur-." An elderly female voice was speaking, but then halted abruptly. Four heads turned to look towards the door in various states of annoyance. Ulder, Grand Duke of the city, the head of the flaming fists and a man you had worked with in the past was looking at you in great relief. Thalamara, the woman who was speaking, was simply a noblewoman. Dillard, another noble, was staring at you from his seat. And Belynne, was at the far end of the room, leaning against a wall. A merchant. Evil radiated in this room much the same as it did in the room of nobles, but you neither had the time, nor patience to root it out. It was always present around nobles in any case.

"Lord Anderghast, thank Balduran you're here." Ulder greets warmly.

Oh, right, they had made you a Lord here. You only recall being knighted, or perhaps that was Neverwinter. It didn't particularly matter. "Explain to me what happened, now."

"Have you received reports of outsiders? Creatures appearing through portals?" Dillard asks.

"I've met several of them, some monsters, including one that broke through the wards at Candlekeep. Some are evil, some aren't." You gesture to Cidrom. "My friend here recently encountered a dragon just outside the city."

"A dragon? Another one!?" Thalamara asks, her voice nearly a shriek.

"Dead now," Cidrom replies.

"A woman claiming to be a dragon appeared in the city recently, she… claimed a husband, if the reports were to be believed, and when she was refused she became violent. When the guard came, she became only more violent, and she burned down a portion of the Lower Quarter before she was finally stopped." Ulder explains.

You nod, the story matching that the Paladins gave you. "Any others?"

Ulder shakes his head. "We've arrested any outsiders that are non-violent, though some have been killed by panicked citizens."

"Arrested?" you ask. "I ran into a group of Paladins of Tempus hunting them. Lethally."

"I gave no such order," Ulder says.

"I did," Thalamara replies. "We cannot allow them to roam free after such a showcase of power Ulder. And our prisons are growing crowded."

"The only ones that I've run into that are evil are mindless beasts, and if this dragon of yours is of the type I believe. It's quite possible she was panicked and confused." You close your eyes. "Not that it excuses her actions. But these new arrivals are not here by choice from what I've gleaned, they need our help." You open your eyes again, staring at the assembled group. "I'm sheltering several myself."

"You will turn them over," Belynne speaks for the first time, her voice lilting but harsh in any case.

"... Will I now? If one is a monster that deserves death, I will, and I have. But others with sentience that aren't evil. No, no I shall not."

"That wasn't a request, you are a Lord of this city." Belynne continues.

"No," you agree. "You are correct, it wasn't a request. For you cannot make such things of me, let alone an order." You turn your head to stare at the woman alone. "Unless you believe yourself capable of taking them from me?"

Belynne looks away quickly.

You focus on Ulder. "I have been given a task by Sune, directly. I do not know how widespread this is, I myself am still trying to get information. But for now, not all the new arrivals are evil. Different, to be sure, and from a different culture than ours. But they shall not be hunted for sport."

"It's for the safety of the city." Dillard grumbles.

"Then detain them if you must. But have the priests and Paladins of the city see their motives and alignment." You reply. "We have other things to worry about," you gesture to your bandages. "I slew a dragon covered in corpseflesh less than a few hours ago. Before then I dealt with a flayed dog that was summoned with enough power to ignore the wards of the central library of Candlekeep." You then focus on Ulder once more. "Contain the panic of the citizenry as best you can, I know this isn't a simple request. But they aren't invading. At least, not the ones masquerading as women."

"You may be a legend, but that gives you no right to give us instruction." Thalamara growls, the old woman's voice akin to nails on a chalkboard.

"I'm not giving you instruction. I'm suggesting what you should be doing if you do not want me to become your enemy." You reply simply.

The room goes silent, dead silent. Even Cidrom turns her head to look at you.

"This situation is chaotic, and I will fix it. But I will require time, aid, and resources."

Nobody says anything, not for a good half minute. The nobles glance at each other, not a word passing between them. Until finally, after some time. Ulder looks at you. "What… do you plan to do?"

—

Choose two.

[] [Seek guidance from the Palace of Passion]
The grand temple of Sune, one of two. And the only one nearby. You sought guidance about many things, personal and divine.

[] [Seek guidance from the Cloak Tower]
If anyone could give you answers, or at least would be researching this. It would be the wizards of the Cloak Tower in their floating university.

[] [Seek out the Shrine of Suffering]
The priests of Ilmater, god of suffering and martyrdom, take all who come in, and they may have 'hidden' some refugees.

[] [Seek out the Zhentarim]
A 'merchants' guild, in reality one of the most evil organizations in existence. Thieves, murderers, assassins. You knew where they hid in this city, and you had contacts. They would have information, however unpleasant.