Several Drinks with Volo - Magic the Gathering D&D Tales

1. Xanathar and the Mad Mage

By the light of a candle-lit lantern Volo turned to the barkeep, "Some say the Yawning Portal is a gateway to the dream-world, what do you think Durnan? We should hardly have it so, and had better all wake up with a few ales and a good story eh?" The barkeep nodded in understanding and poured a tankard of his finest cosmos elixir for the sage, "the usual?" he winked.

"Exactly thankyou," replied Volo gratefully and began his account, pulling out a golden coin that glimmered in the light. As the popular sage flipped the talisman casually to the barkeep the smiling face of the goddess of good fortune flashed joyfully through the air before landing with uncanny accuracy in the barkeep's vest pocket. Volo winked back at the barkeep and drew a deep breath;

"Xanathar the Lord of Skullport is an old ally of Grazilaxx, a mind flayer with a gift for telepathic control. Grazilaxx has remained unknown to us for a long time, his ambition seems unlimited.  Tyrannical alliances, those based on mutual distrust were already second nature. The Kingpin, as he was known within the guild, was the one who paid them in lots of nice shiny gold was naurally compatible with illithid mind control, wouldn't you say?"

Drizzt, Cattie Brie and Bruenor sat at the adjacent table, each glancing at the other with a sceptical eye. The mystical panther Guenhwyvar lay peacefully by the warm fire. Other patrons danced and sung, unaware of the matters being spoken of by the party.

"My good friend Mordenkainen here told me in no uncertain terms, that Halaster and Xanathar had a monopoly over so many astral gateways that he'd noticed the effects from another plane, and came to assist. He's sitting behind you by the way, hello!"

"Hello there. Infront of you actually," responded the man in blue wizard robes, teleporting suddenly to the bar as though it were normal. "Which is why we need your help."

"Hah, I knew it," Bruenor grumbled, but Drizzt raised a gloved hand inassent;

"I'm interested," the ranger replied, "but have you seen any flumph around recently? I've been tracking a group of levitating jellyfish for weeks. I understand they're drawn to psychic energy. I was hoping they'd lead us to a hidden mind flayer lair, although I'd rather be hunting Icingdeath. If you truly need our help though.."

Volo finishing up a particularly extended draught of his cosmos elixir, his eyes sparkling with recollections of so many stories. "As it happens we discovered some flumph in Undermountain that led us to illithid caves uo the coast. Turtle druids on pilgrimage from Arcavios helped us drive them out. Zimone tells me they summoned Charix the Avatar of Crabs from the depths of Waterdeep Harbour, which gobbled them all up. Rumour has it they peformed the summoning in a Tyrite Sanctum, so how about a little immortality if you don't mind?"

Mordenkainenflipped through the pages of his favourite spellbook. "Yes, we should get some. It feels like such a long time since I cast burning hands!" he reflected, "I may have some things that can help." Volo nodded thankfully;

"I was talking about flumphs with someone.. you there with the scimitars, wasn't it? Forget the flumphs, there's a hive of beholder in Undermountain, here beneath our very feet, and doing terrible things to those foolish enough to go hunting for them, and then moving on to those who don't know they're coming." What they guard is more terrible, but compared to the demons some have faced they may seem less concerning? Have you tried the Old Gnawbone ale? I highly recommend it," chirped the the tipsy sage, "before we go rushing off on some reckless adventure?"

Breunor commanded Cattie Brie to go capture a tray of Old Gnawbone Ale from the barmaid, and the party shared a rousing drink. Drizzt looked upon the labels of the bottle. He noticed the look of thirsty anticipation in the eyes of the legendary green dragon as it closed in on an unguarded cart of good dwarven ale. "If only it were to be so easy," said Mordenkainen cheerfully, "but you'd be surprised how large illusionary dogs can get these days."

"And remember," winked Cattie Brie with a veteran glance, "don't eversplit the party!" The companions laughed, knowing all too well the trouble they'd had in the past from going their separate ways. "Agreed, said the drow. Cheers!"