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ut no one has ever questioned that they were accidents occurring during the course of MeleeMagthere's legitimate business。 The goddess knows； I never lost seven in a single hour； two of them from Houses with seats on the Council。 How does such a thing happen？〃
〃I needed seven assistants with a degree of magical expertise to help me perform the summoning ritual。 Had I called upon fullfledged wizards； they would have joined the experiment as equal partners。 They would have emerged from the ritual possessed of the same newly discovered secrets as myself； equally able to conjure and control the Sarthos demon。 Naturally I wished to avoid such a sharing； so I opted to use apprentices instead。〃
Pharaun grinned and continued； 〃In retrospect； I must admit that it may not have been a good idea。 The fiend didn't even require seven heartbeats to smash them all。〃
An updraft wafted past Ryld's face； carrying the constant murmur of the metropolis below。 He caught its scent as well； a plex odor made of cooking smoke； incense； perfume； the stink of unwashed thralls； and a thousand other things。
〃Why perform such a dangerous ritual in the first place？〃 he asked。
Pharaun smiled as if it was a silly question。 Perhaps it was。
〃To bee more powerful； of course；〃 the wizard answered。 〃At present； I'm one of the thirty most puissant mages in the city。 If I controlled the Sarthos demon； I'd be one of the five。 Perhaps even the first； mightier than dreary old Gromph himself。〃
I see。
Ambition was an essential part of the drow character； and Ryld sometimes envied Pharaun his stillpassionate investment in the struggle for status。 The warrior supposed that he himself had achieved the pinnacle of his ambitions when he became one of the lesser masters of MeleeMagthere； for certainly he； born a moner； could never climb any higher。 From that day forward； he'd stopped peering hungrily upward and concentrated on looking down； to guard against all those who wished to kill him in hopes of ascending to his position。
Pharaun was a Master of Sorcere as Ryld was a Master of MeleeMagthere； but perhaps； being of noble blood； Pharaun really did aspire to assassinate the formidable Gromph Baenre and seize his office。 Even if he didn't； wizards； by the nature of their intricate and clandestine art； maintained a rivalry that enpassed more than who was a master； who was chief wizard in a great House； and who was neither。 They also cared about such things as who could know the most esoteric secrets； could conjure the deadliest specter； or see most clearly into the future。 In fact； they cared so deeply that they occasionally sought to murder each other and plunder one another's spell books even when such hostilities ran counter to the interests of their Houses； severing an alliance or disrupting a negotiation。
〃Now；〃 Pharaun said； reaching inside the elegant folds of his piwafwi and producing a silver flask； 〃I'll have to turn my back on the Sarthos demon for a while。 I hope the poor behemoth won't be lonely without me。〃
He unscrewed the bottle； took a sip； and passed the container to Ryld。
Ryld hoped the flask didn't contain wine or an exotic liqueur。 Pharaun was forever pressing such libations on him and insisting that he try to recognize all the elements that allegedly blended together to create the taste； even though Ryld had demonstrated time and again that his palate was incapable of such a dissection。
He drank and was pleased to find that for a change； the flask contained simple brandy； probably imported at some expense from the inhospitable world that lay like a rind atop the Underdark； baking in the excruciating sunlight。 The liquor burned his mouth and kindled a warm glow in his stomach。
He handed the brandy back to Pharaun and said； 〃I assume Gromph told you to leave the entity alone。〃
〃In effect。 He assigned me another task to occupy my time。 Should I succeed； the Archmage will five me my transgressions。 Should I fail 。 。 。 well； I'll hope for a nice beheading or garroting； but I'm not so unrealistic as to expect anything that quick。〃
〃What task？〃
〃A number of males have eloped from their families； and not to a merchant clan or Bregan D'aerthe either but to an unknown destination。 I'm supposed to find them。〃
Pharaun took another sip； then offered the flask again。
〃What did they steal？〃 asked Ryld； waving off the drink。
Pharaun smiled and said； 〃That's a good guess； but you're wrong。 As far as I know； no one walked off with anything important。 You see； it isn't just a few fellows from one particular House。 It's a bunch of them from any number of homes； noble and mon alike。〃
〃All right； but so what？ Why does the Archmage of Menzoberranzan care？〃
〃I don't know。 He offered some vague excuse of an explanation； but there's something—several somethings； belike—that he's not telling me。〃
〃That's not going to make your job any easier。〃
〃How true。 The old tyrant did condescend to say that he isn't the only one interested in the fugitives' whereabouts。 The priestesses are equally concerned； but that emphatically did not make them want to join forces with Gromph。 Matron Mother Baenre herself ordered him to drop the matter。〃
〃Matron Baenre；〃 said Ryld。 〃I like this less with every word you speak。〃
〃Oh； I don't know。 Just because Triel Baenre rules all Menzoberranzan； and I'm about to flout her express wishes 。 。 。 Anyway； the Archmage says he can no longer investigate the disappearances himself。 Seems the ladies have their eyes on him； but； lucky me； I am not so burdened。〃
〃That doesn't mean you're going to find the missing males。 If they fled the city； they could be anywhere in the Underdark by now。〃
〃Please；〃 said Pharaun with a grin； 〃you don't have to try to cheer me up。 Actually； I'm going to start looking in Eastmyr and the Braeryn。 Apparently some of the runaways were last sighted in those déclassé vicinities； and perhaps they linger there still。 Even if they do intend to depart Menzoberranzan； they may still be making preparations for the journey。〃
〃If they've already decamped；〃 Ryld said； 〃you might at least find a witness who can at tell you what tunnel they took。 It's a sensible plan； but I can think of another。 It's reckless to gamble your life when you don't even understand the game。 You could flee Menzoberranzan yourself。 With your wizardry； you're one of the few people capable of undertaking such a dangerous trek alone。〃
〃I could try；〃 Pharaun said； 〃but I suspect Gromph would track me down。 Even if he didn't； I would have lost my home and forfeited the rank I worked my whole life to earn。 Would you give up being a master just to avoid a spot of danger？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then you understand my predicament。 I imagine you've also figured out why I called on you today。〃
〃I think so。〃
〃Of course you have。 Whatever it is that's truly transpiring； my chances of survival improve if I have a rade to watch my back。〃
Ryld scowled。 〃You mean； a rade willing to defy the express will of Matron Mother Baenre and risk running afoul of the Archmage of Menzoberranzan as well。〃
〃Quite； and by a happy coincidence you have the look of a drow in need of a break from his daily routine。 You know you're bored to death。 It's painful to watch you grouch your way