The Adventures of Avery Dameron

This is the first complete psuedo-novel I ever wrote while in high school. I've been meaning to dust it off and rewrite it in a setting completely my own for possible publication. I am going to print it as it was written some 20+ years ago. Maybe you can give me your opinion on whether its worth the time to salvage or if I should scrap it and start over.

P.S. As I am editing this for publication here it has come to my attention that I seem to have written the Forrest Gump of Fantasy. I dont know if any of you have ever read the book Forrest Gump but I personally found it to be one of the worst books I've ever read. The film bares little resemblance to the book. I've always wondered how they were able to turn that book into an academy award winning movie but they did. So even though this isnt a great work it shows theres still hope for it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Aventure's of Avery Dameron

Chapter 4
---------

They came out in forest, after a bit of checking, Avery deduced that they were facing south. Urus and Avery rode south to the end of the forest. After a few hours they came out to a road running east to west, from there they traveled east along the road. After about ten minutes Avery stopped and packed away his weapons leaving him with only his daggers. Urus followed his lead and then they traveled onward.

They traveled to a bridge where several men stood guard. They asked them what their business was in Shadowdale. Avery explained that they just wanted someplace to stay for the night and to know what world they were on. The guards laughed. Two of them escorted Avery and Urus to the Old Skull Inn and Tavern. On the way they were informed that they were on Toril.

The guards brought them around the side to the stables, and then bid them good luck in their travels. Urus paid for the stabling and then he and Avery went around to the front with their packs.

They entered through the front doors into the cozy taproom. Behind the bar stood a middle-aged, gray-haired, plump, but still beautiful woman cleaning tankards with a rag. She wore a leather low-bodice vest over a plain cotton gown. She looked up from her work and smiled.

"Well met, travelers," she said in a lilting, husky voice. "Welcome to my home. You have found The Old Skull Inn, and I am Jhaele Silvermane, at your service."

Avery and Urus rented two rooms for a week each. Avery chose Three Couches, while Urus picked Warm Fires. The two men brought their belongings up to their rooms, and then met in the taproom with the assassin's belongings. They ordered up some food and asked to sit and eat with them when it was ready.

While they waited, they unloaded the assassin's three packs. The contents of the first was two hand crossbows with approximately eighty quarrels, over one hundred metal quarrels for the arquebus.

The second contained: a darksuit, a housebreaker's harness, two small, metal vials one labeled **Aniseed**, the other labeled **Catstink**, a quill pen that upon close examination revealed a hidden blade, two wrist sheaths, and a razor ring. Avery attempted to use his power to determined if any of the bags contained magical items.

The third contained: a black velvet cloak, a sixty foot length of rope, about the size of a slender wand that weighed about two and one half pounds, a small, clear quartz gem, a light crossbow, with an unusually designed, thick wrist strap, an oval shaped amulet, a pair of gloves, that when Avery put them snugly on almost totally melded to his hands, a six foot circular piece of cloth, that when placed up to one of the walls proved to be a **Portable Hole**, and a box containing a deck of cards.

With the discovery of the portable hole, Avery feared that his powers no longer worked. He tried all of the others, the only ones that worked were his mental powers. By the time he was finished trying his old powers, Jhaele returned with their meal.

"What's all this?"

"Urus here saved me from being killed by an assassin, and this is what we found on him."

They moved some of the stuff out of the way and then Jhaele joined them and they ate and drank. During their meal Avery gave Jhaele one of the hand crossbows and half the quarrels. Later Urus decided to test fate and try out the cards.

Urus chose three cards. As he picked the first card a female elven warrior in chain mail entered the taproom, he walked over to watch. His first card was the **Knight**. The warrior stepped forward and pledged her life to Urus. Avery smiled, while he was at the sage school he had read up on it and recognized that what just occurred was the magic of a **Deck of Many Things**.

Urus' second card was the **Moon**. Urus described it as a moonstone gem with three gleams in it. Avery informed him that it meant he had three wishes. Urus smiled.

His final card was the **Star**. Urus said that he felt stronger somehow. Avery told him that that was because he was a fighter. Urus handed the deck to Avery, who had also decided to test fate.

Avery chose to pick four cards. His first card was the **Fates**, Avery smiled knowing that it meant that he could avoid any one situation. He then picked his second card, it was the **Key**.

Suddenly a map and twenty sheaf arrows appeared on the table next to Avery. The map began in a city named Waterdeep, and went under one of it's inns to a secret treasure horde under the city.

Avery's third card was the **Sun**. Almost immediately a pair of boots appeared next to Avery. Avery touched the boots and used his power to determine what they were as he had with everything else, but, still nothing happened, so Avery put them on, then he chose his final card.

His final card was the **Gem**, next to him appeared fifty gems and jewels of various sizes. Before putting them into his bag of holding he passed the deck to Jhaele, who after seeing both Avery and Urus pick several cards without harm decided also to try.

She chose to take only one. Her card was the **Key**. Next to her appeared a treasure map and a dagger. Avery checked the dagger, but discovered nothing, by then he had become frustrated. Urus told him that maybe it was the gods way of telling him not to become dependent on his special powers. She put the deck back into it's box and then handed it to Urus.

The two men packed up their things. Avery took the cloak, light crossbow, the gloves he was wearing, the portable hole, and everything the cards had given him. He also took the darksuit, housebreakers harness, quill pen, and wrist sheaths, and brought them up stairs.

Urus and his new companion, took the rest, and went to his room to discuss their current situation. He would later tell Avery that she told him that she would fight at his side to the death, but that was all, she was not his concubine.

Avery put his new arrows into his quiver. Then took his dagger sheaths off of his belt and put the daggers into the wrist sheaths that he strapped on to his wrists. He hurried back and forth acrossed his room faster than he had ever before. He took off his boots then tried it again, he discovered that the deck had granted him a pair of magical boots. Before he returned to the taproom, Avery put another pair of black gloves on over the others.

Avery stopped short upon entering the taproom when he saw a younger version of Jhaele standing behind the bar. She was in her early to mid twenties. She wore brown leather boots, with tan pants, and a low cut tan shirt. Her long brown hair hung over her right shoulder in a braid. Her face was that of angelic beauty. She looked up at Avery. The look she gave him was a touch of innocence mixed with the look of a seductress, then smiled shyly.

Avery bowed as he spoke. "My dear lady, you possess a beauty that transcends that of even goddesses. Will you be so kind as to honor me with your presence this evening for a quite meal?"

The woman blushes. "M'lord, you flatter me. I would be delighted to dine with you if my mother doesn't need my help."

As she spoke Jhaele entered the room. She told her daughter that she was free to dine with Avery. Jhaele introduced Avery to her daughter, Nelil. Then she let Nelil go with Avery. Nelil took Avery to the pool next to a tower, owned by a wizard name Elminster.

The two followed a flagstone that led to the wizard's tower. About half way to the tower, Nelil led Avery down a side path. Next to the pool, on a rock, sat an elderly man in robes smoking a pipe.

"Well met, Nelil. Who is thy friend?"

"Elminster this is Avery Dameron. Avery this is Elminster the Sage."

The two men greeted one another. "Please, sit. Any friend of the Silvermane's is a friend of mine."

After an hour Nelil excused herself so she could prepared for the evening meal. After she left their discussion turned to magic, and then too the drow. Avery told Elminster of his mixed heritage, and of his homeland, Elminster told Avery to come back when he was ready to go home and he would help. The two men talked until the sun finally set. Then Avery bid Elminster a good evening and headed back to the inn. Before he left Elminster invited him to join him as a guest of Lord Mourngrym Amcathra, at the Tower of Ashaba for morning tomorrow. They agreed to meet at the inn in the morning. Avery thanked him for everything.

When Avery arrived back at the inn, Urus and the female elf were sitting at a table. He called Avery over and introduced his friend.

"This is Delynn Rosabell. Delynn this is my friend Avery Dameron."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Avery smiled as she spoke.

"It is honor to finally meet you Delynn, but, I have a dinner date and so I will be unavailable until after evening feast. Please excuse me."

Avery walked up to the bar. Jhaele told Avery that they had set up a table in his room and Nelil was waiting for him there.

When he got to his room Avery could smell perfume. He opened his door to find Nelil standing next to a beautifully set table, but nothing could have over shadowed her beauty. She wore a low cut, almost transparent white gown and a pair of silver slippers. Inner twined in her braided hair was strips of silvery cloth. He shut the door and then walked over to her. They sat and had a delightful meal.

After their meal Avery walked Nelil down to her room. There he kissed on the hand and bid her a fond good evening and then went to meet his friends.

By then, Urus was fairly inebriated and trying to bed Delynn, who was having a bit of trouble fending him off. The other patrons were a group of seven human warriors, all male. They laughed and cheered Urus on.

Jhaele saw Avery enter the room. "Will you please help her before they join in and take her virtue."

Avery nodded and proceeded to try to stop his friend, but the other warriors moved in to stop him. Avery quickly knocked out three of them, but the rest drew weapons and attacked. Even with his current condition Urus readily jump into the middle of them weaponless. Jhaele, Avery, and Delynn jumped in and each took on one of the fighters.

After they had incapacitated all of them Jhaele called for the guard to take them away. They came quickly and hauled them off. While Jhaele explained what happened, Avery and Delynn helped Urus up to bed and then they came back down to relax.

They helped Jhaele clean up the mess and close up the inn for the evening, then they sat and talked for a few hours before heading up to bed. Avery offered his bed to Delynn and opted to sleep on the floor.

Avery was awoke the next morning by someone knocking on his door. Delynn was already awake so she answered the door. It was Nelil. After some in depth explaining they convinced her that nothing had happened. She told Avery that Elminster was waiting for him in the taproom. Nelil and Avery decided to go for a ride into the forest, and picnic, later after he returned. Nelil prepared them a picnic basket.

Elminster was sitting in the taproom talking to Jhaele when Avery came downstairs. As soon as Elminster saw him, he stood and headed for the door, with Avery following. The two men talked about the two temples, on the way into town, and Avery's home world more as they walked to the tower. Avery had limited knowledge of the upper world, but he knew more than any sage about his underground world.

The Tower was a huge, square stone building two lofty stories high. It didn't possess a moat, but it did have docks on the nearby river. It sported an off-center, seven-story tower, which contained ballistae and a clearly-visible landing deck for aerial steeds.

Elminster led Avery through the huge double front doors, that were guarded by six men carrying halberds. The doors opened into a high-ceilinged, tapestried, and shield-hung hall, which led down to a right-hand turn into the Great Hall of the Tower, a large room of long tables. Elminster and Avery sat at the Lord's table.

A tall, slim, young-looking man, handsomely sporting a thin moustache, and dark hair entered the room. He was informally dressed in high quality clothes, and wore a long sword and dagger on his belt. He smiled and greeted Elminster, whom introduced him to Avery.

"It is a honor to meet you Lord Mourngrym."

"As is it for me to meet a friend of Elminster's." He turned to a very attractive, young-looking woman, wearing a beautiful gown of rich reds and greens. He took her hand and introduced her to Avery. Avery stood and bowed.

"This is my beloved, wife Shaerl. Darling, this is Avery Dameron, a friend of Elminster's."

"Well met good sir. I hope that, my husband and I may also know your friendship."

"Thank my Lady, I would love to consider you and your husband my comrades." He waited for her to sit, then he sat down.

They talked for some time, getting to know one another. Before Avery left, Lady Shaerl asked if he could take a message to her cousin Lady Regent Alasalynn Rowanmantle of Tilverton, since he and his companions were leaving later that week. He, of course agreed, and then bid them all a good day.

As soon as Avery arrived, Nelil finished packing their picnic basket and then they rode a few miles away into the forest. There they ate and played for a few hours.

They were cleaning up when a few yards away a portal opened up, and an elven woman came through it. She was extremely slim, even for an elf. Her hair was long and curly, she had beautiful exotic purple eyes. Her black breeches and red tunic, was trimmed with ornate patterns and fancy designs. She was extremely disoriented and stumbled a few steps before regaining her footing. She spotted Avery and Nelil and approached them for help.

"My name is Thevila of the Vale, I'm a Psychokineticist. Where am I?"

"You are a few miles from the town of Shadowdale, on the Planet Toril."

"Toril! This means I may never make it home."

"That is a possibility. You are more then welcome to join the adventuring group that I am a part of, if you like. Come with us."

The three rode back to town, there Avery introduced Thevila to both Urus, and Delynn. They found out that Thevila and Delynn came from the same world and were once in the same adventuring party for a wizard named Joachim. Avery and Nelil left them to talk and went for a walk.

Nelil brought Avery to the family farmhouse to meet her family. The introductions went well. Nelil's older brother Durgo, took an exceptional liking to Avery and gave him a tour of the farm. On their way back to the inn, Avery told her that he really liked her family.

When they got back, Avery's friends informed him that they had decided to leave the next day, Avery agreed to go with them. Nelil walked off, and Avery followed her.

"Hey, cheer up. You knew when you met me, that I would be leaving within a couple of days. We still have tonight." She looked up at him. "Stay with me tonight."

Avery smiled and nodded, and then went to his friends. Nelil went to prepare everything for that evening. Avery offered his room to the two ladies, telling them that he had other arrangements for that evening. He sat with them, and got to know Thevila a little. After about an hour or so Jhaele came and told Avery that his meal was awaiting him in Nelil's room.

Avery quickly ran upstairs and changed into his formal wear and went to Nelil's room. Somehow Nelil had been able to make herself look even lovelier than their first night together. Her semitransparent gown was a lovely baby blue, and she wore slippers that perfectly matched her gown. That night they spent the entire evening loving each other.