This is a break away from the previous party and world of Errich, Salazar, Thorin, Aramil and Xar. Although this is still certainly the Forgotten Realms, we're not going to be seeing any of them because this is a different party.

Foxglove growled uncomfortably as she watched him dart across the small tower room eagerly. She was uneasy and shuffled her wings on her back, unable to stay still on the tripod she had chosen for her perch.

"Oh, quiet!" He snapped at her, clicking his fingers in the pseudodragon's' direction. "Nothing's going to go wrong.

Foxglove bowed her blue head, tail twitching. Of course, he never listened. You'd think, with those big ears dangling on his head, that he'd be able to hear her reasoning but no avail, apparently. She sighed and watched as he danced from one side of the room to the other, dropping the leaves, herbs and various items into the black pot that sat before her. Foxglove sniffed tentatively and spat instantly, flapping up and away.

"I told you to be quiet!" He ordered instantly and Foxglove landed quickly on his shoulder. She growled again in her master's' ear and he finally seemed to hear his familiar's' worries.

"Look," He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I know you hate potion-making, but this will secure me a position at the Guild Master's' side. And, when I'm there, I'll be one step away from being in charge. Can't you calm down, Foxy?"

His name was Edarin, and he was a Sun Elf, complete with sheer arrogance. He was rude, inflated and egotistical but he hadn't always been. He was just too damn smart and he was exploiting that. And it didn't do him any harm when he started to weasel in some of that magic.

With anyone else, Foxglove would have abandoned them the moment their pride got in the way of their sense but something was keeping her there. Maybe she still remembered the sweeter, caring elf underneath this power-hungry man. And she wanted to bring him back.

Edarin held his own arm steady as he paused excitedly above the crimson, bubbling liquid. Then, the final ingredient was dropped in. Both he and Foxglove held their breath as they stared into the water. There was silence. The water began to still and cool. Edarin began to squeal uncontrollably, putting down the ingredient before dancing around the tower room, laughing in relief.

"It worked! It worked!" He cried. Then, the excitement faded and Foxglove watched in dismay as a twisted, prideful, confident smirk twisted over his joyful expression. "Of course it did."

~*~

Edarin was envied.

He was handsome, attractive and charming. He was strong, fast and witty. Young, starstruck villagers of the town said he was built in the vision of the Gods; stunned, older residents claimed him to be a genius and that he could answer practically every question; his coworkers swore that he was a bastard son of a bitch. 

Not only had he rose through the Alchemist's' Guild too quickly, but he swooned the officials and they gifted him a young, blue pseudodragon just for getting promotted. And everyone below him hated him for it. They didn't like how he was allowed to boss them around within only a few years of being welcomed. They wanted him gone. But they couldn't do that without reason.

Then one of them, his most vengeful hater, saw some... criminalising things.

If there was one thing the Alchemist's' Guild was against, it was enchanters. The Guild Master hated them with a passion for their ways were, 'unethical'. Not that Edarin had ever cared. He used his genius mind to learn the way of the enchanters and magically charmed his customers. That's how he got found out.

Because of a difficult customer.

"I promise you, sir," Edarin said with a beam, his black eyes glittering. "My elixir will cure anything imaginable. I am no scammer, I am from the Alchemist's' Guild." He gestured calmly to the navy poncho he wore over dark under clothers, the silver emblem showing the customer his status and postion as it shone in the sun.

"I don't like to buy from elves," The customer snorted. He was a tall half-orc, built solely of muscle and meat.

Foxgolve, wrapped around Edarin's' shoulder like she always was, sniffed in annoyance. This half-orc had waited for everyone to go, then had waltzed in like he owned the place, trying to bother the alchemist. That's when Kidri slided up in the shadows, to watch Edarin be argued with by someone Edarin wouldn't be able to snitch on.

"Well, then," Growled Edarin, losing his short amount of patience quickly on this fool. "I'll ask you to but my elixir or leave. Sir."

The half-orc glared. "You Sun Elves think you're all brilliant and powerful just because you got some sparkily magic. Well, you don't scare me. I know that you're just a snivelling, cowardly-"

Edarin pointed his quarterstaff at him and a puff of pale, glittery pink spat from it's' tip, into the half-orc's' face. Kidri's' eyes widened and he stared, anxiety and eagerness swelling inside him as he toyed with the idea that the great Edarin Amakiir had just messed up.

The half-orc blinked for a while and then his face lit up. "Gosh, I'm so sorry! I've been in such a foul mood, I shouldn't have been so rude!"

"It's alright, friend," Purred Edarin, an unfathomable confidence washing over him. "I forgive you."

"You do?!" The half-orc managed to smile even wider, eyes brightening with hope. "I'm so happy! I really hope I didn't upset you. If it'll make my behaviour up to you, I'll buy some of this elixir for you!"

Now it was Edarin's' turn to smile widely. "That would be delightful."

So the exchange was made and the half orc dropped ten gold pieces in the Sun Elf's' waiting palm, grabbing the crimson liquid.

Kidri watched, stunned, as Foxglove growled uncomfortably.

Edarin rolled his eyes. "Foxy, it's just a simple enchantment! Besides, that man was a dick and at least he's pissed off. Now, we gotta swap stands, or he'll come back and start hassling us again."

The human standing in the shadows began to grin, a welcome, evil, feeling of power in his chest. Edarin was an enchanter. He was about to be out of the picture.

~*~

Needless to say, Kidri snitched. He even exaggerated the charming spell and downplayed everything else to make Edarin seem as awful as possible. His story was even backed as Guild members he had never even met began to agree with his story. So, all he had to do was wait for it.

Edarin entered the Alchemist's' Guild later, with a fellow member, named Evalyn. She was also a human and was the only person who could tone down his arrogance and bring out the nicer side of him. They both wore the inky, navy coloured ponchos to show their importance in the Guild.

They walked together, talking away calmly and not noticing or just ignoring victorious and joyful looks from nearly everyone they passed. The pair opened the doors to the main hall and, the moment they stepped through, a collection of alchemists leaped upon Edarin, pinning him to the ground and others wrenched Evalyn away.

"Get off me, you idiots! What in Shadowfell do you think you're doing?!" Edarin protested, kicking and elbowing when he could.

Kidri took the pleasure of grabbing Foxglove himself, holding the pseudodragon in a vice-like grip, tightening his fist and making her shriek in pain.

"Careful, Amakiir," He cooed dangerously. "We wouldn't want anyone to get hurt."

Edarin's' black eyes swam in fury. "Let her go, Smith, or I swear, you will regret it!"

Kidri's' face lit up in triumph. "I don't think I will."

"Edarin Amakiir," The Guild Master called out calmly from where he sat. He was an old, fat man who's' face flapped when he spoke. But, of course, looks weren't everything and he was intelligent, if a sexist objectifier. "You have been accused..."

"Accused of what, for Tiamat's' sake?" Demanded Edarin, elbowing the men holding him.

"Edarin's done nothing!" Evalyn tried, struggling against the men holding her, panic in her eyes for more than just Edarin as the ones handling her began to get a little to handsy.

The Master glared. "Silence, woman! You keep trying my patience and now you shall shut up." He turned his piggy eyes onto Edarin, whose lip had been cut in the struggle. "You, Edarin Amakiir, have been accused of using enchantment magic to further your sales."

"What fiend have you been listening to, then?" Edarin demanded.

"He's been listening to me," Kidri stepped forwards, moving his thumb and forefinger to pinch Foxglove's' neck warningly. "And I saw you, charming that half-orc to buy your elixir."

Edarin fumed. "I did no such thing! He offered to buy it himself, I only charmed him to get him off my back-!"

"So you admit it?" Asked the Master, sounding bored as if this scene was uninteresting. "You charmed this half-orc?"

"No, I-!"

Kidri's' hold on Foxglove's' neck grew firm and the little pseudodragon began to writhe, spluttering and whining for air.

"Fine, fine, okay! I charmed him, just let Foxy go!" Edarin admitted with a shout, watching his little blue familiar beginning to tire almost to quickly.

The human didn't budge. "Beg, and I'll let her live."

Edarin managed to shove a few of his guards off him and jumped dangerously close to Kidri. "You heartless little bastard-!"

"I don't hear any begging," Kidri taunted, holding the flailing familiar high above his head.

A tear began to shine in the Sun Elf's' eye. "Fine, please, I-I'm begging you! Let Foxglove go, please! I beg you!"

"Better," Drawled Kidri and his fingers loosened, letting the tiny dragon breathe.

The Master seemed unmoved by what had just happened. "Edarin Amakiir, I hearby banish you from the Alchemist's' Guild, for enchanting a customer with inethical means. If you don't leave, I shall have Smith, here, dispose of your familiar."

Other alchemists chuckled darkly, twisted delight in their eyes as they witnessed the great Edarin Amakiir finally fall from grace. There was silence, only broken by the grunts and struggles from Evalyn. But then...

"Fine. I'll go," Edarin promised, keeping his eyes solely on the Guild's' Master. "But I'll be back. And you, Smith," He began, making eye contact with the inane human, "Will wish you never tried to strangle my pseudodragon."

"I don't think I will," Kidri promised too, and the two men stared at each other with more loathing then should ever be possible.

Then, Evalyn was let go and so was Edarin. Foxglove was realeased too and she flocked instantly to her master who cradled her with the fear that, somehow, he may now loose her.

Edarin gave Kidri one last glare. "Watch your back, Smith," He growled, before quietly backing out through the doors he came in. Evalyn chased after him.

There was silence as the Master left the room and then the alchemists burst into cheer. None of them liked Edarin. They all wanted him gone and now he was.

But Kidri wasn't done yet. He walked up to three grubby newbies, obviously hyped on the adrenaline. "Excuse me, friends," He smiled. "But how would you like a job?"

~*~

"Edarin! Edarin, wait!" Evalyn called, finally breaking through the elf's' angry haze. They had managed to make their way to the edge of the city and, finally, the alchemist slowled down.

But he was still furious as he spun around to face Evalyn. "How dare they!" He ranted, his pretty features twisted angrily and his copper hair falling in his face. "I gave them everything! World-sold potions, reliable elixirs, money beyond the dreams of that fat, old man and this is my payment!"

Evalyn raised her hands up carefully. "Ed-"

"I slaved away for them!" He claimed. "Working to the bone to get to where I was and they throw me out just like that! It's unfair! Oh, that Smith... He's gonna need the Gods on his side when I get to him again, I-"

"Edarin!" Evakyn shouted, shutting him up. A moment of silence passed between them and Evalyn's' face was filled with sympathy. "I get it, okay? Kidri is a bitch, what he did was inhumane. But if you go charging off after him, what are you going to do if you do end him? Kill whoever comes after you again?"

Edarin was taken aback. "N-No, obviously not! Just Smith, and then I'll-"

"Is that what Foxglove wants?" Evalyn argued and silence fell on them. Slowly, Edarin looked down at the lithe, blue pseudodragon and Foxglove looked back; her eyes were painful and there was a begging on her draconic features. Back when she had been held by Kidri, she had felt death coming for her. It had been upon her for a moment. And she didn't like that feeling.

"No, it isn't..." Edarin whispered quietly, reaching a hand up to pet Foxglove's' head fondly.

"So let it go. For now, at least," Urged Evalyn. "It's going to be hard enough with you gone, let alone with you dead." She stepped forwards, taking her best friend's' hands.. "And besides you-"

A potion vial exploded over their head and, instinctively, Edarin dived forwards, taking Foxglove and Evalyn out of the way of the shards of glass that followed. Using himself to protect them, he shrieked as glass stabbed his back and savaged at his poncho.

Three burly men jumped up from the rooftops, hurling random potions at the three on the ground. Evalyn stumbled to her feet and threw a vial back at them, that blew up next to them, sending them also onto the ground.

"Kidri wants you dead, Amakiir!" Announced one of them. "And we're gonna see you get put down!"

Foxglove was shrieking and all five of the humanoids fumbled in their poncho's' hidden pockets for something. They all threw their vials at the same time.

Edarin saw it happen, almost in slow-mo. One of these 'assassins' had thrown their vial at an angle. It flew into one of his friends and the explosion that folowed was twice as big, catching the other potions in the blast. There was a crackle of silence and, then, an eruption.

The last thing Edarin remembered was fyling backwards in the air at insane speed, Foxglove flying after him deperately and the light fading as he smacked into a wall.

~*~

Then he sat up with a gasp.

"Easy, sir!" A doctor in white robes assured, a look of repulsion on his face that he failed to hide. "You're alright. Your familiar brought us to you. You're lucky, you got a loyal one."

Still panting, Edarin looked over at Foxglove who suddenly hissed and spitted upon seeing his face. "F-Foxy, are you okay-?" He tried but the doctor held up his hand.

"I'm afraid, sir... That your face may have changed."

And he held up a mirror for Edarin to look into. And the alchemist screamed.