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housefathers." The drow's lavender eyes narrowed on the barbarian as Regis
continued. "It means: May the fleas of a thousand reindeer nest in your
genitals"
Bruenor broke down into laughter, Wulfgar soon joining. Drizzt couldn't help
but go along.
"Come, the day is long," the drow said. "Let, us begin this adventure - it
should prove interesting!"
"Where will you go?" Regis asked somberly. A small part of the halfling
actually envied his friends; he had to admit that he would miss them.
"To Bremen, first," replied Drizzt. "We shall complete our provisions there
and strike out to the southwest."
"Luskan?"
"Perhaps, if the fates deem it."
"Good speed," Regis offered as the three companions started out without
further delay.
Regis watched them disappear, wondering how he had ever picked such foolish
friends. He shrugged it away and turned back to his palace - there was plenty of
food left over from lunch.
He was stopped before he got through the door.
"First Citizen!" came a call from the street. The voice belonged to a
warehouseman from the southern section of the city, where the merchant caravans
loaded and unloaded. Regis waited for his approach.
"A man, First Citizen," the warehouseman said, bowing apologetically for
disturbing so important a person. "Asking about you. He claims to be a
representative from the Heroes Society in Luskan, sent to request your presence
at their next meeting. He said that he would pay you well."
"His name?"
"He gave none, just this!" The warehouseman opened a small pouch of gold.
It was all that Regis needed to see. He left at once for the rendezvous with
the man from Luskan.
Once again, sheer luck saved the halfling's life, for he saw the stranger
before the stranger saw him. He recognized the man at once, though he hadn't
seen him in years, by the emerald-encrusted dagger hilt protruding from the
sheath on his hip. Regis had often contemplated stealing that beautiful weapon,
but even he had a limit to his foolhardiness. The dagger belonged to Artemis
Entreri.
Pasha Pook's prime assassin.
* * * * *
The three companions left Bremen before dawn the next day. Anxious to begin
the adventure, they made good time and were far out into the tundra when the
first rays of the sun peeked over the eastern horizon behind them.
Still, Bruenor was not surprised when he noticed Regis scrambling across the
empty plain to catch up with them.
"Got 'imself into trouble again, or I'm a bearded gnome," the dwarf
snickered to Wulfgar and Drizzt.
"Well met," said Drizzt. "But haven't we already said our farewells?"
"I decided that I could not let Bruenor run off into trouble without me
being there to pull him out," Regis puffed, trying to catch his breath.
"Yer cumin'?" groaned Bruenor. "Ye've brought no supplies, fool halfling!"
"I don't eat much," Regis pleaded, an edge of desperation creeping into his
