#but since the party returned to waterdeep and she had to make these decisions while other bounty hunters we're also out for them

[w1lmuttart]

Thinking about Amber Bolt again and wondering about the lore you have for her 👀

Hooo boy where do I even start

Aight so first off, Amber is actually not her real name, it's an adventuring name she uses to follow Tabaxi naming conventions, to make her seem less suspicious. her name, given by her caretaker who took her in when she was orphaned in waterdeep, is Rhema. That caretaker, is working for the zhentarim and had groomed Rhema into joining as well to repay her for all good she's done for her. So now Rhema works as a spy and blackmailer for the zhents 👍

Now, around five sessions in, the cats out of the bag (ha) and the party knows, one of the party members have a bounty on his head and Rhema had to weigh whether killing him due to a petty argument between siblings (it was his sister who set the bounty) or keeping him alive for the sake of the mission they're all on which means going against orders. For now she has chosen the latter and is an absolute anxious mess over it lmao

[my-favourite-zhent]

Fortune and Favour

Hello folks, a new AU long fic for you.

Summary:

AU set in Luskan 1480DR. Rugan has assumed leadership over the Coin Spinners gang and taken the name Clearlight. When a Waterdhavian noble comes snooping around for Illuskan Netherese relics under the gang's headquarters Rugan steps up to put them in their place. What he instead finds is the chance at an amazing payday and an unexpected prize.

Notes:

This AU is straight out of the filthy mind of @fistfuloftarenths. She head canoned the idea of Rugan of Clearlight based off the screenshots of @captainsigge. Fistful also came up with a lot of the scene ideas, so I'm bordering on being her ghostwriter at this point. Also thank you to @dustdeepsea for helping me with the title and summary. Big shout out to all three for beta reading for me. These fics are pretty much written for the Zhentil Keep Perverts at this point.

Banner by the lovely @coreene

Chapter One below the cut or here on AO3

Chapter One

1480 15 Uktar

Eden of Clearlight was dead, had been for many months now. While she had rallied many of the other gangs to the Coin Spinners banner, she had lost almost as many men in the ensuing chaos. The Coin Spinners had been left adrift, weakened, directionless and Rugan had seen an opportunity.

He’d only been a lieutenant in a lower ranking gang – so low its name does not bear recounting – when Eden had pulled them all into the fold. But now she and most of her officers were dead. There had been a few others that vied for leadership, and all had found a knife in their back. Either each other’s or Rugan’s.

So it came to be that at barely twenty-four Rugan had become the new head of the Coin Spinners, and with it acquired the title Clearlight. So named for the temple-come-fortress that housed them. He had struck decisively at the other criminal organisations before they had gotten their feet back under them. Most had survived but in weakened states. There were few left who would dare challenge him now. Which was why Amnos’ information came as a surprise.

“Some girl’s been asking about you down in the Cutlass,” the redheaded man had said as the pair stood in front of the altar to Tymora that marked the centre of the fortress.

“That right? Looking to get recruited?” Rugan drawled in his lilting Luskan accent. He tilted his head as he spoke, tied back flaxen hair catching gold in the sunlight that trickled through the stained-glass window overhead. It was said to be the last glass window in Luskan, and for which the temple and now Rugan derived their name.

“Doesn't seem like, looked a bit posh to be joining up.” Amnos scratched his beard pensively.

“A noble?” His eyebrow quirked. That was interesting. Not that he had any love for nobles but he’d never heard of one stooping to joining a street gang, especially not in Luskan of all places.

“Seemed so, dressed nice and spoke real educated-like too. Southern accent it sounded like.”

“Who’s she affiliated with?” The thought of a southerner stirring up trouble did give him pause. Kalen Dren, one of the parties who had been involved in the annihilation of the Luskan gangs, had been from Waterdeep and had since returned there. Any locals would’ve known to stay out of Rugan's way.

Amnos shrugged. “Doesn’t seem like she knows the local gangs, we haven’t seen her make contact with anyone. She’s just been reading books when she’s not harassing the locals.”

“Suppose we should pay this little interloper a visit then. We can’t have just anyone trading on my good name.” He smiled shark-like.

+++++

The Cutlass was one of the busier inns. In the city’s heyday it had been a sight to behold. Still turned a profit as it was, but much like Luskan it’s glory days were long past. The timbers were old and rotted, and its windows were made of thin sheets of animal horn rather than glass.

A nervous silence had fallen over the taproom when Rugan and Amnos entered and he felt a smile play at the corner of his mouth. There was power there, in being feared. Rugan’s exploits against the other guilds had been cutthroat and his reputation well earned. He had little interest in the common folk though. These customers had no reason to fear him as long as they didn’t cross him, but there was no need to tell them that.

He nodded at Amnos to wait for him down here before ascending the stairs to the inn’s rooms. The girl had been under watch for a few days now and his men had informed him of which room was hers. He knocked at the door. Whatever this little noble wanted, he'd be sure to send them packing.

The door swung open and there she stood. Little was right, she barely came up to his chest. But gods, she was beautiful. With soft raven waves cascading past her shoulders, a small but perky bust and a delicate waist that was begging to be grasped.

“Heard you've been asking around about Clearlight, lass.”

It was meant to be intimidating, well, just a touch to start. In her excitement the girl didn't seem to notice. She clasped her hands together under her chin and looked at him with wide eyes.

“You know about the Clearlight temple?” The delight in her voice was unmasked. Her eyes were sparkling, and they were lovely too, framed by thick dark lashes.

The girl’s reaction was the exact opposite of what he had intended, and he felt himself swallow unexpectedly. She grasped his hand in both of hers.

“Oh, do please come in!” She began pulling him into the room without waiting for a reply. Rugan allowed this, but not without some trepidation. Was this a trap set by a rival faction?

“I'd love to hear your opinion on the maps. It took a while to piece them together.” She ushered him towards a table that looked like the victim of a mad cartographer. Several maps were scattered over its surface, weighted down with pebbles. He could see underneath was a larger sheet that had connections between these disparate pieces drawn in.

“Now, no one source had all the sections of the undercity of course. What information we have on Netheril and Illusk is fragmented at best. But based on the complete diagrams from various other Netherese ruins we know that the general floorplan of a Netherese vault house follows a distinct pattern…” The girl had taken a seat at the table and continued to chatter on, but she had lost him a while ago. He sat down in the opposite chair, scrutinising her as she spoke. 

A thin braid encircled the crown of her head, adding a touch of order to the chaos that was her hair. Her blouse looked to be of a fine cotton, with ruffled trim along a neckline that dipped deliciously low. He admired how the swell of her breasts peaked out from beneath her top. It was cinched under her bust by a green velvet jacquard corset, laced up the front. Her pants were tan leather, they looked smooth and barely worn. Amnos had been right, entirely too posh to be a recruit. Some noble out of Baldur’s Gate or Waterdeep mayhaps?

“I keep asking about the temple but no one seems to want to talk about it. You'd think it was dedicated to Beshaba rather than Tymora with how skittish the locals have been.”

“People can be a bit superstitious here in Luskan,” he offered, inwardly grinning at his good fortune. 

She was a complete and utter fool. For all her research she had neglected to look into the local criminal organisations before coming to Luskan. Of course she didn't know that the Coin Spinners had taken the temple as their base, and that he had taken its name for his own.

“Ah, forgive my manners. I've forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Isolde.” She held out her hand for him to shake.

“Rugan.” He replied, taking her hand and raising it to place a kiss upon it.

She was taken aback, eyes wide with surprise.

‘Didn't think a guttersnipe like me knew how to address a noble lady, did ya?’ Rugan was both rankled by the thought and smug that he had proved her wrong. 

He noticed a blush creep over her cheeks and how she seemed to be appraising him now as if noticing him for the first time. He felt the beginnings of a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. No, it was more than surprise, she was flattered.

“P-pleased to meet you,” she managed to eke out.

“Indeed.”

Then, just as quickly, it seemed his hold on her was broken by a sudden recollection.

“Ah I almost forgot! The onion skin!”

“Onion skin?” 

But she was already out of her seat and rooting through her pack. She returned with a roll of paper that when unfurled was semi translucent. He supposed it did resemble the skin of an onion.

Carefully she placed it overtop the other maps, pinning it down based on some landmarks only she perceived. There was a map on the onion skin he realised. Tymora’s tits, this was—

“It's the blueprint for Tymora’s temple. The clerics in Waterdeep let me take a look at their copy. Took a bit of maths to get it to scale with the others but luckily the walls are mostly square. Mind you, this is from when it was built in the 1370s, there's no way to tell what it looks like now over a hundred years later. At least not short of going in yourself.”

Now this was something. It galled him to think that a map of the hideout had just been floating around in some Waterdeep temple for any preening noble to come have a little look-see.

“And these markings here?” He gestured to the map, careful to keep his tone neutral.

There were four circles and three crosses marked on the onion skin which lined up with structures on the maps below. He already had a sneaking suspicion what they were based on their locations.

“Passages down to Illusk. The circles are confirmed, cross-referenced with some old journal entries of a priestess I found in Candlekeep library.” 

She was correct, two were caved in, but the remaining pair the Coin Spinners had heavily trapped and kept watch over. Never knew what manner of sneak or beast would come up from the undercity.

“And the crosses are unconfirmed?”

“Right, I couldn't find any historical records that mention them specifically, but based on the fact that the first four correspond with the Netherese designs, I think it's safe to assume there would be a temple counterpart for the remaining three. Two of them are connected to a hidden inner chamber while the third connects to the high priest’s chambers, which would explain why they weren't widely known. I mean, it's just a hunch, but I'm fairly confident.”

She looked proud, and he supposed she had reason to be, having found three unguarded entrances to slip into his lair.

“Why would the temple builders create passages, and not just loot the undercity?”

“They may have already looted it or attempted to. But I suspect the temple's location would be particularly auspicious, sitting on top of a coin house. The number of passages also suggests this—seven was considered lucky in many human cultures.” She mused.

There was a sharp whistle and they both started from their chairs.

“Shit, the kettle.” She hurried over to the opposite table where a ceramic kettle bedecked with runes was steaming. Nobles and their magic toys.

“Would you like some tea?” She called over her shoulder.

“Oh, aye.”

Rugan took the opportunity to consider his next steps. He had come here expecting an upstart wanting to buy their way into the guild, or perhaps some imposter trading on his name. Either one he would've cowed or killed, depending on how much he disliked them. He was certainly prepared to dislike some preening noble.

But, technically she was innocent of any crime outside general nosiness. If anything it was his good luck that he had found her before some rival did. He could just take the map but that left the girl as a loose end. 

Rugan watched as she prepared two cups of tea. Killing her would be easy enough, but it would be simpler to find the entrances with her know-how.

‘Besides,’ he thought, as she tucked her hair behind her ear revealing more of her slender neck, ‘Noble or not, it would be a crime to remove such a pretty thing from the world.’

She returned with the two cups, and he noted she had left two sugar cubes on his saucer. Sugar had been a luxury in Luskan of late, seemed like more and more things were luxuries nowadays.

“My thanks.” He accepted the cup politely and dropped both cubes in before stirring. “You bring all this with you from Waterdeep?”

“Yes, that's right. Generally prefer to travel light but the merchants I know in the city were of the consensus that it’s a bit harder to get supplied in Luskan, and in any case it was just the one boat up.” She took the seat beside him and sipped at her tea.

“Not too long of a trip I hope?”

“A little more than half a tenday by galley. Not long at all.”

He nodded and took a deep draught of the tea. Rugan was no deckhand, but you don’t grow up in the city of sails without learning a thing or two about ships. A galley was one of the fastest and most expensive ships to book passage on, just one way may have run her fourty or fifty gold pieces. Definitely moneyed, maybe a merchant family out of Waterdeep? She might fetch a nice ransom. No servants though, at least none that Amnos had observed. This wasn’t entirely unusual with tourists who thought part of the fun was ‘roughing it’ . Especially if they were stingy tourists.

“I’m being rude again, I’ve forgotten to ask about your interest in the temple.” And she really did look sorry.

“Well I live there for one.”

“Live there!” She straightened in her chair. “But the clerics in Waterdeep, they said the clergy has long since abandoned Clearlight temple.”

“We’re not really associated with the Waterdeep branch. None of the large organisations have any interest in Luskan since the Spellplague. You could say we’re a bit esoteric compared to most Tymorans.” Rugan didn’t consider himself a particularly good liar, but the girl hadn’t seemed to have noticed.

She was leaning in close now, barely containing her excitement. “So you’ve been inside? You’ve seen the passageways?” He could smell her hair now, it was like jasmine and orange peels.

“Aye lass, some of them. Most are collapsed but those new ones on your map I haven’t seen before. Could be worth an investigation.” The girl was almost leaping out of her chair, this was too easy.

“Would you permit me to come look?” Her voice had already been high but it seemingly shifted a whole octave up now. “I promise not to disturb anything, and of course there would be a split of anything found down there.”

He let his features fall into a charming smile. “Well, if you're promising.” Of course the split would be highly in his favour, if he let her keep anything at all. Unlikely.

It was his lucky day, Tymora be praised. He was going to secure the fortress, possibly a payday and—he let his gaze linger on her a moment—a bit of company if he played his cards right.

She must have noticed his stare, noticed how close they were because her cheeks were reddening and it seemed like her breath was caught in her throat.

“Are you a treasure hunter, then?” Her cup was no longer steady in her hand and he gently took it from her, placing it on the table.

“N-no, just a student. I've been writing my graduation thesis on Illusk.”

“And the treasures they left behind?” He leaned in closer as well so they were mere inches apart. 

“It's the records I'm interested in.” Her voice was quieter now, it had a breathy quality to it.

“Not the coin?” She merely shook her head and he reached forward to palm her cheek. When she didn't protest, Rugan felt confident in his approach. She was younger than him, not by much, but enough that combined with a sheltered upbringing she was likely inexperienced in these things.

“Seems to me, if we're going to be working together we should get to know one another a little better. Don't you agree?”

[lunaschild2016]

I’ll Be Your Dungeon Master

Ok! So this is....a pretty odd one for me but it was fun writing it! I am showing my geek colors a bit in this one. Hope you enjoy.

Eric thought his girl was cheating on him. Boy, was he wrong.

@kenzieam  @pathybo  @jaihardy @every-jai @ericdauntless @beautifulramblingbrains @bookgirlthings @jojuarez26 @oddsnendsfanfics @offroadinjandals  @singingpeople @iammarylastar @irasancti @captstefanbrandt  @clublulu333 @fuckthatfeeling @tigpooh67 @ex-bookjunky  @jughead-wuz-here wuz-here@badassbaker@beanzjellly@beltz2016 @meganbee15@affabletimelady@scorpio2009@gylisaa @geekybeyondallreason@violetsonthelam @kyloswarstars@emmysrandomthoughts @kgurew @beltzboys2015-blog@slytherin-princess-25273 @whatwouldbuffydo666@jaiboomer11@holamor@wealwayskeepfighting   *****************************************************************************************

The air crackled with tension, causing the hairs on the arms of people in the area to stand on end. Anyone going to or from the corridor that held the apartment that was the source of such a charged atmosphere found ways to get to their destination without having to come too close to it. They didn’t want to hear what might be going on behind that scarred black door.

The occupants of the apartment were in various states. Disbelief, outright fear, and amusement (locked behind a strongly maintained expression of blankness). They all watched in silence as a standoff was being held but in complete silence.

Eric Coulter had just barged his way into the apartment his girlfriend was in, having followed her there on the suspicion that she was cheating on him. Nothing else could have explained why his girl had been eagerly waiting for him to go out on his weekly night patrol. Normally she would have been giving him rambling lectures, mixed in with cursed demands that he better be safe and make it back to her, then covered up by dark humor. All while she watched him dress from their bed after she spent at least an hour giving him the incentive to get home asap. It had become almost routine after six months of living together until two months ago that had stopped.

He had dismissed it at first as her being occupied with work and female issues. It never occurred to him it could be anything else. Until he had offhandedly asked her what she was going to do while he was out, more talking about what work she planned on doing. Her reply was what set off the chain events that led them to where they were now. A simple mention of plans with a friend that was never really expanded upon. It was a mystery and one he wouldn’t stand for.

He did the only thing he could do and had her followed for a month. Once it was established she was going to the same apartment and not leaving from it until just before dawn, when he was normally scheduled to return from his patrol, he had enough and put the rest of his plan in action. Having left their apartment as normal, he went to his office instead and waited an hour. Plenty of time for her to make it to her destination and to be caught red-handed.

He was right on both accounts. She was at the apartment and in the middle of the activities she attended every month but it was nothing like he expected.

The apartment belonged to someone she worked with in R&D. A former Erudite, like themselves, but at least six years older than them both. If Cameron weren’t wearing the black of Dauntless you would think he was still Erudite. He was the very definition of a geek in looks and personality.

When Eric found out whose apartment Zoe was disappearing to, he had at first been insulted that she had chosen someone like him to replace him in her bed. Someone that didn’t have a bit of power in Dauntless and was physically much weaker. Then he remembered that Cameron had been exactly the type of guy she had gone for in Erudite and she had even made comments regarding him and how well they work together.

Outwardly, Eric is nothing but cocky and self-assured. Inside he has always questioned why someone as brilliant as Zoe was giving him the fucking time of day. He had always questioned that even when they were just friends. He had planned to remind her of just why she choose him and now that plan was shot to hell.

“As you can see, Eric, I am not in the throes of coital bliss or any other such thing you shoved your way in here thinking you were going to catch me doing. So you can run along to your patrol.” Zoe said from the other side of the table while glaring at him.

“Nonsense,” Eric waved her words away and walked over to pull up a chair beside her. “You heard Cameron. I am welcome to join and the patrol was assigned to Four to train the new junior leader.”

Cameron sensed that he had avoided the death he thought for sure he was going to suffer when he saw Eric looming in his doorway. He gladly offered the leader a chance to join his group of friends. He didn’t expect the man to accept based on what they were doing.

Eric Coulter didn’t seem like the guy who would be caught dead playing Dungeons & Dragons.

“Ummm,” Cameron cleared his throat and watched as Eric spun the chair into place beside Zoe and giving her a cocky smirk. Zoe was shooting him glares and nervous looks to the rest of the group. “So we are starting a new campaign.”

“Perfect timing then,” Eric said with a wide grin showing perfect white teeth.

“Yes, it is a new campaign but we have a perfect party set up. We don’t need you coming in causing trouble.” Zoe hissed over at her boyfriend.

Eric mock-pouted at her and chuckled when she narrowed her eyes in return. “I’ll be on my best behavior. Promise.”

She didn’t believe him and for good reason but thinking about the reasons she had kept this new past time a secret from him had her feeling guilty. So she caved to his puppy dog blue eyes and the excitement she saw sparkling behind them as well.

“Fine.” She grumbled and then yanked out her bag of dice sets. “Pick your dice out from there and make a character.”

The others had been just as happy that the storm had been avoided. They almost eagerly waited while Eric made his character and talked back and forth with Cameron in hushed whispers when they went to the side of the room. Zoe let her head fall to the table and just knew this wasn’t going to be good. It didn’t take long for her to be proved right.

“After you return to the city, your group is called to come before the Lords of Waterdeep. You are to be given a new quest and will be joined by your new party member.” Cameron begins in his normal dungeon master tone, setting the mood and specifics. He looks around the table and continues a little nervously. “Malice Baenre, an emissary for the Drow.”

Zoe’s eyes snapped over to Eric who looked to be barely holding in his glee and the gleam of menace plain for her to read. He smirked at her and shrugged casually.

She looked at Cameron and wondered if he knew exactly what he had just brought down upon their little group.

A drow among sheep. This was not good, not good at all.

*************************************************************

Later the next day in the privacy of their own home, Zoe wearily crawled her way into bed trying to put the horrors of the last several hours out of her mind.

Eric was moving around, getting undressed, with a pleased smile that hadn’t left his face since they exited Cameron’s apartment. He slid into bed beside her and stretched out on his back putting his hands under his head and looked over at her, seeing her staring blankly at the ceiling.

“Well, that was fun.” He said with enthusiasm and a smile.

Zoe turned her head to the side but otherwise didn’t move. “Yes. So fun to watch you systematically corrupt, kill or disable the entire party while also somehow convincing them war is good and sending the entirety of the realms into chaos.” She said in a dry tone and then looked back at the ceiling. “So fun.” She said in a strained whisper.

“The next game should be interesting.” He says with a shrug.

This time Zoe pops up and glares at him. “What next game!” She shrieks. “There will be no next game. Cameron was in a corner muttering about failing and the others could barely speak after what their characters did. You broke them!”

Eric raised up and ran a finger down her cheek with a smile. “Guess it’s a good thing I volunteered to run the next game.”

Zoe jerked in surprise. “What?”

Eric shrugged casually. “I felt bad so I told Cameron I would run the game so he could play. We can meet here.”

“What about your patrols?” Zoe whispered as she looked at Eric with wide eyes.

“You had a point and I don’t need to be there personally all the time. Four took leadership for a reason and I need to start trusting him to do his job.”

“So you won’t be going out on any more overnight patrols?” The hope and tears shining in her eyes, the absolute relief in them let him know he made the right decision.

“Nope.” He replied while popping the p.

Zoe tackled him to the bed and kissed him hungrily. He happily returned it and then turned them so he was covering her. He pulled away and smirked down at her.

“Besides, think of all the interesting things having me as a dungeon master will bring.”

He chuckled but didn’t let her speak as her eyes widened in horror, he claimed her mouth and showed her what else he was a master of.