Balthazar's Demise

Report written by Azrael and sent to several citizens:

A message is spread by the rangers, to all prominent citizens of Port St. Herve:

''Tuor and I went to do a little reconnaissance up at the black tower. We landed on the roof, Tuor landing with a thunderous boom, which seemed to echo up and down within the tower, and proceeded down the internal staircase. I had assumed this tower was a stronghold of the mage guilds, driven from Ebrus two centuries ago, and I think that has now been confirmed.''

''As we proceeded down the steps, small chimes played a note for each step. Every third set of steps between landings had an uneven number of steps, and the last set of chimes before reaching the landing played a horribly discordant note, even to my untrained ear. While the other landings were bare and unfurnished, these landings each had a small desk, carved with the same rune with which Terrence marked the library. ''

''These landings also had what appear to be hymnals of some sort, some of which were marked with the same rune. I took one of these with me, although I could not read it. It seems to be some kind of dark, archaic language. Perhaps one of you can examine it more closely when I return. ''

''Proceeding a good distance down the steps, we began to hear what sounded like an enormous beast snoring soundly. Shortly thereafter, we made out the shape of what would later be seen more clearly as a giant tentacled ear. As we proceeded towards it to investigate, we, especially Tuor, began to have some trouble remembering what we had done, and what we had only thought had happened, almost like waking from a dream. ''

''Before we could make it all the way down, we saw the figure of a halfling making his way up the steps. We accosted him, and brought him up to the nearest safe landing to question him. ''

''He was not the Balthazar we have seen in the past. His powers and confidence were entirely lacking, and he carried nothing but a small dagger, which we did not even bother taking from him. I say this as an illustration of just how powerless he had become after whatever Terrence had done. He was quite reluctant to disclose any real information, although he did say the tower is known as 'The Idiot's Ear'. ''

''After misreading (in Tuor's perception, at least) his response as to whether he had any desire to continue living, I dispatched him with my sword. This was, in my mind, both an act of mercy and caution against a potentially powerful enemy, should his powers be regained. I now see Tuor's interpretation of his response as maybe more accurate, and even feel some regret for slaying him. ''

''It did, however, produce the only real information he gave us. As he was dying, he wrote on the floor in his own blood: "Terrence shattered my world. Hope his whispers don't shatter yours." ''

''We both heard immediately after this, what could only be Terrence's voice in our heads, telling us that Balthazar had stolen Ellendel's spellbook, and it has been reclaimed by it's prior owner. This is, in my mind, a much more dangerous threat.''

''After Balthazar had died, we continued down to examine the ear. In the room, we saw crude drawings on the walls of peasants being eaten and villages destroyed by a large tentacled beast. As the story drawn on the wall progressed, there were many tentacle-faced creatures (which Tor recognized as mindflayers) worshiping the previous creature, which we determined to be the sleeping idiot, whose enormous ear we were standing next to. ''

''Upon proceeding down the stairs not half a flight, we heard a voice in our minds attempting to draw us towards it, and reveling at the thought of devouring us. Needless to say, we ran. ''

''On our flight back, the only thing of real interest, was the sight of three spires to the northwest of the tower, strongly resembling a cathedral. We encountered several wights, and another fext as well, but dispatched them without much difficulty.''