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.

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The Aventure's of Avery Dameron

Chapter 7
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They spent several months among their elven brethren, while Captain Carreigh and his crew were out sailing, on their continuing mission for the queen. During that time everyone stayed with Avery among the green elves. They lived side by side with them, learning to love nature. They also taught the elves how to better defend themselves in the open, while learning how to fight in the forest.

One evening, while Avery was alone, he discovered that Urus had left his special chain mail in his room with the rest of his things the day he died. Avery put it on.

The chain mail shrunk to give Avery a perfect fit, he thought that strange, but, let it go. He realized that it possessed powers, that Urus had never told him about. Avery chose to keep it, and give some of Urus' other things to Delynn.

It was a beautiful morning, the day that the envoy from Queen Amlaruil entered the village. They informed him, that the queen requested an audience with him, as soon as possible. The company packed up and then returned to the city. Avery's friends decided to wait for him at The Green Sword Tavern, while he went to meet with the queen.

The queen was accompanied by a woman wearing a dark cloak. The woman spoke a greeting to Avery in drow, which he returned. The queen told him, that he and his friends were needed to escort the lady, back to her people. They were to leave in a few hours. Avery met his friends at the tavern, and informed them of their departure orders and then left to get Zared and Carl. Carl chose to stay there among the unicorns of Evermeet. Avery understood and said goodbye to his friend, for he didn't expect to ever return.

Zared and Avery arrived, just as Carreigh Macumail's ship, the **Mist-Walker** docked. They greeted him and boarded the ship. Less than an hour later, they left port on their way to Waterdeep.

During their voyage the drow woman told Avery that her name was Karsel'lyn Lylyl-Lytherraias. She and Avery became close companions during their voyage. Many evenings, they sparred each other on the main deck, along with Mariko. Several rumors went around about her and him being lovers but none were ever substantiated.

The voyage was relatively quick and uneventful. Upon docking in Waterdeep everyone said their goodbyes to the crew of the **Mist-Walker**. Then, Trothgar went to hopefully get Lorrick, while everyone else bought provisions.

Trothgar returned an hour later with a drunken Lorrick. Upon arrival, both of them officially joined the Company of the Crescent Moon, Making it's roster, Avery, Delynn, Thevila, Guido, Mariko, Lorrick, and Trothgar. Avery gave Trothgar temporary leadership of the company while they were on Toril.

They purchased mounts for everyone and rode west, to were Karsel'lyn was to meet her companions. Their first evening on the road, During Avery's watch, he pulled out the mask he had won from the old man. It was made of a smooth, white gemstone, that Avery had read of once during his schooling. It had not been found in over four millennia.

He placed it on his face. It immediately melded to his face, so he couldn't feel it. He suddenly felt more intelligent than ever. When he tried to remove it, it reappeared. He smiled and then put it back on. As he wore it longer he began to realize that it two possessed great power. He told no one.

As he sat, with the hood of his black cloak pulled over head, he could almost feel someone outside the camp watching them. He thought of the fact that it was possibly an assassin there to kill, Karsel'lyn. Avery quietly told Veldrin to stay in camp as he backed out away from the light of the fire, and used his infravision to spot their watcher.

While Avery attempted to sneak up on him, the drow assassin, Mourn prepared himself. He waited until the last moment, and then he attacked Avery with his rapier, and his poisoned dagger.

Avery quickly pinned Mourn's sword arm, but hadn't noticed the dagger in his other hand. Mourn plunged the dagger into Avery's side. Enraged Avery flipped the dagger from the wrist sheath on his right hand, into his hand, and plunged it into Mourn's side. As the dagger entered Mourn's body, Avery realized that he was drow. Avery smiled, and twisted the dagger as he spoke.

"Die assassin! The only life taken here will be thine."

Mourn voice was harsh, but weak. "Very well, then I'll trade my life for thine; for my dagger is poisoned." At the same time, they shoved each other away. Avery stumble over a bush that was behind him, as Mourn mounted his steed and slowly rode away. As Avery stood he checked his wound. Miraculously Avery's new chain mail had prevented Mourn's dagger from delivering it's fatal blow. Unfortunately, it did cut a nasty hole into Avery's tunic. A few hours later, after he had changed, Avery woke Delynn for her watch.

For the next month, they traveled long hours sleeping only three-to-four hours during the day under the watchful eye of Veldrin. While traveling, Trothgar taught Avery allot about Toril's heartlands. Late one afternoon at the end of that month they entered the city of Elturel.

Elturel was a large city, almost twice the size of Tilverton. Several people covered the streets like ants at a picnic. It made it almost impossible to keep total discretion for their charge. Due to all the people, they went into the first inn they came to; it was Phontyr's Unicorn.

Phontyr's Unicorn was a converted, former factory. It was ramshackled, eccentric, and friendly, a perfect place for them. Trothgar paid for the rooms as Avery stabled the horses. The company used the horses and then themselves to sneak Veldrin up to Avery's room. As soon as Avery arrived back at the inn, everyone went to their rooms for well deserved sleep.

The company awoke late the next morning. After pooling their funds for supplies, Avery and Guido went to the market. Guido watched in amazement as Avery talked the merchants into giving them their provisions for a price that was well below what they originally asked for. Guido asked him about it as they traveled back to the inn.

"How did you manage to get this stuff so cheap?"

"I have absolutely no idea. They just seemed to want to lower their prices for me."

They noticed as they got close to the inn, that everyone had already gotten the horses ready and were waiting for them to arrive. Avery and Guido handed out all the provisions, before mounting up and riding out of the city. It took them three weeks to get to High Horn, and another six days to make it to Arabel. Trothgar sent Lorrick and Delynn into the city to get supplies, while the rest of the party remained outside. They returned an hour later with supplies, and then they traveled off to Tilverton.

Because they had made such good time, the company chose to stay the evening in Tilverton before heading on to Shadowdale. They rented rooms at the Windlord's Rest, and spent the rest of the evening drinking and celebrating life.

The next morning they arose early and left before morning feast. Veldrin was laying by the side of the road as they left town. He rose and followed along side of Avery as always.

Two days after leaving Tilverton, they ran into a group of twelve drow warrior led by a totally recovered Mourn. Mourn's eyes grew wide as he recognized Avery.

"You should have died back there."

Without missing a beat. "You should have also. I guess that I am getting lazy. This time you will not escape."

Mariko cast a **fireball** spell into the middle of the drow, three of them fell. Avery and Mourn charged each other. Veldrin attacked two of the drow as they tried to close in on Karsel'lyn. He viciously ripped into them as Delynn and Guido moved in front of Karsel'lyn.

As the remaining drow began to flee, Trothgar brought them down with his bow as Mariko hit them with spells. Seeing that the warriors were all but slain, Mourn used a magical amulet to open a portal and he escaped through it.

They rested there long enough for Mariko to memorize her spells and then rode on to Shadowdale. It was four days before they finally were within throwing distance of Shadowdale.

Karsel'lyn led them off the road into the forest to where a group of drow women were waiting. There Karsel'lyn said her goodbyes and then followed her companions down into the Drow Realms. After that they rode back to the road and then on into Shadowdale.

As the rest of the company headed on to the Old Skull, Avery stopped off at Elminster's pool in hopes of seeing Elminster. As he approached, Avery could heard two men speaking.

When he finally reached the pool, Elminster was sitting on his boulder talking to another man whose back was turned toward Avery. The man wore brown robes and carried a twisted wooden staff with a jewel in the top, that Avery recognized. The man turned and smiled through his long, graying, brown beard. His blue eyes gleamed as he spotted Avery.

"Avery, my boy. How have you been?"

Avery smiled and hugged his old mentor. "Nosrevi, by Nom it is good to see you. What brought you here?"

"I was sent here to tell you that you are a father." Elminster looked down at the ground as Nosrevi spoke.

"Jasenta?"

"Yes, she had sextuplets. Three boys and Three girls."

"There's something else that ye need to know." Elminster stood as he spoke. "The best person to tell thee this news is Storm Silverhand. Come we will go to her home."

The men walked up the side path to where Veldrin laid waiting for Avery.

"What is this? Does this magnificent creature belong to thee, Avery?"

"No sir, he is my protector, but no one owns him. He can come and go as he pleases."

Both Elminster and Nosrevi nodded and then proceeded to bring Avery to Storm Silverhand's farm. They turned north at the crossroads and walked up to the second farm to the east side of the road.

As they approached the farmhouse, they could hear the familiar cry of infants coming from inside. Avery watched a tall, muscular, attractive woman, with long silver hair that hung down below her knees, walk into the house. Elminster told them that that was Storm Silverhand.

Elminster knocked as he entered Storm's house. She and four other women were holding children, trying desperately to quite them. Elminster smiled and pointed to Avery.

"Storm, this is Avery Dameron."

Storm looked at Avery. "Well met sir. let me introduce you to your sons. As soon as she was able to leave Nelil decided that she wanted to adventure and left them with me to take care of, she also left them unnamed. Elminster tells me that you are a person to trust and so in return for my services on raising your sons, you will take my place training new Harpers in use of weapons. Agreed?"

"Thank you milady, I am forever in your debt."

None of the children were identical so it made remembering the names Avery gave them easy to remember. Some of them showed their drow heritage. Avery used the children's hair and eye color to remember their names.

The first was Lucretius, he had silver hair and grayish blue eyes; Then there was Richard, he was the spitting image of Avery; Morgan had Blond hair and blue eyes; Kabriel had brown hair and blue eyes; and Gregor had black hair and red eyes.

Avery and Storm made there deal for two-to-three years. The time depended on when the children were fully toilet trained. Avery agreed to stay with Storm and help out with the chores when no one was there to learn.

After their talk Avery left with Elminster and Nosrevi and walked to the inn. He introduced the company to Elminster and Nosrevi and informed them of his current situation.

Under the tutelage of Elminster all of the party, whose named had been changed to the Company of the Lion Moon, joined the ranks of the Harpers. Their new name came from the addition of their lion companion. They possessed the perfect cover as an already established adventuring party. With the help of Nosrevi, who had joined the party, they teleported to just outside of Berdusk to official join.

Unbeknownst to the party, Elminster arrived at Twilight Hall before them to inform Lady Cylyria of his support of the company and volunteer to travel with them as another recruit.

Upon entering Berdusk, the party followed Elminster's directions to Twilight Hall. They were warmly welcomed into Twilight Hall and escorted to an audience with Obslin Minstrelwish, the seneschal of Twilight Hall.

On the way, they heard and saw several harpist playing and singing a beautiful tune. In the courtyard several men and women were engrossed in weapons practice. The delicious scent of fresh-baked bread waft past them as they were ushered into a small audience room.

The room contained a simple wooden table with two chairs drawn up at it, facing each other. On the walls around the room were several maps of Faerun. The ceiling was lost in a magical darkness, in which wink tiny lights arranged as stars of the night sky are. In the room stood Obslin.

He was a tall halfling male with white hair a nondescript brown clothing. He told them that due to their sponsor, they could for go the usual question and answer session and move on to their meeting with Cylyria Dragonbreast, the High Lady of Berdusk and a senior Harper.

He took Avery's hand and levitated straight upward into the "night sky" overhead. The "night sky" was a narrow layer concealing a circular opening up into a room above. It was a trophy hall containing a stuffed beholder, several floating, glowing swords and battle axes in their own cases, and a few lore-books. A breathtakenly beautiful female Harper, dressed in traveling clothes of brown and green, was studying one of the books at a desk. She looked up and greeted Avery warmly and saluted Obslin, who descended down through the opening.

A few minutes later all of the party were guided into another room next to the trophy hall. There they were greeted by Cylyria.

Cylyria was a soft-spoken, gentle, and grave woman, with slim, graceful beauty. She was short and had long, very straight white hair, fine-boned features, and very large, dark eyes of deep emerald hue.

She welcomed them to the Harpers and gave them their first mission; to escort a caravan going to Elversult. After that Obslin escorted then to guest-quarters to prepare.

On the way he told them that "the first one's always a bit of a test. Do as well as you can; make us proud."

While they waited, Obslin gathered all the provisions they needed and then sent them off on their mission. Obslin gave them directions to were the caravan owner was waiting for them and also sent along another recruit with them.

They arrived just in time to begin the trek to Elversult. The caravan headed south out of the city, following a trade route that Jarsal, the caravan leader, had long ago mapped out for his caravans.

Three days out of Berdusk the caravan was attacked by a group of twenty five Zhentarim warriors and mages. During the fierce battle Avery used an arrow dipped in a sleep poison he made to drop the Zhentarim leader.

By the end of the battle all of the Zhentarim but their leader were slain. Both Delynn and Trothgar were seriously wounded. Guido healed them the best he could and then bandaged the wounds he couldn't. Jarsal told them that they would head for Iriaebor to the temple of Selune there.

Avery probed the Zhentarim leader's mind to find out that they had recently captured two Harpers and sent them to Zhentil Keep for interrogation. He pulled Mariko off to the side and told her that he needed her to come with him to rescue the two Harpers from Zhentil Keep.

Afterwards he asked Veldrin to stay with the caravan and watch over the party. Then he had Nosrevi teleport him and Mariko to Shadowdale.