The Ultimate Helm

Indeed, Estriss said. I have been here for some time now, and I feel the end of your journey is at hand. "You do not fear the Dark Times?"

Teldin, Teldin. You bear the Cloak of the First Pilot, the Ultimate Helm, the legacy of the lostfuna. Your coming here was foretold by the beholders. No, I do not fear a man's destiny. And your destiny, tied in with the legacy of the Juna, is meant to be great. Of that, I am sure.

CassaRoc welcomed the strangers and held out chairs for them. His quarters were more expansive than most of the rooms in the Tower of Thought, but just as spartan. Except for the small bar set up in one corner, the room contained only CassaRoc's small bunk, a wooden wardrobe, a trunk, and a round table, where fewer conferences had taken place than all-night card games broken only by periodic trips to the bar. "Can we get on with this discussion?" Stardawn requested. He took a seat opposite Estriss and folded his hands on the tabletop. Estriss looked at Teldin. Teldin looked at CassaRoc. CassaRoc said, "Sit. I'll get us some ales."

Estriss said, Not for me. CassaRoc looked at him as though he were crazy, then nodded once, remembering that illithids preferred brains to beer. CassaRoc shuddered.

"I'm here as the ambassador of the Elven High Command," Stardawn said. "We have heard the rumor of the Cloakmaster's coming. I am here to ensure that elven concerns are duly considered during the Dark Times, in case this human is truly the Cloakmaster we have heard about."

CassaRoc brought over the ales and sat down. "We sent for you in order to allay your fears. Teldin has no desire to harm anyone on the Spelljammer. The Dark Times are the furthest thing from his mind."

You may rest assured that Teldin is the Cloakmaster of legend, Estriss said. He bears the Ultimate Helm.

Stardawn scowled. "Speak not to me, illithid. I will have nothing to do with you. My concerns are with the alleged Cloakmaster." He turned to Teldin. "An ultimate helm is nothing," he said. "Helmsmen have come and gone, and they all bore ultimate helms." He paused. "The elves have no argument if you wish to claim to be the Cloakmaster of myth… if, indeed, you can. We simply wish to ensure that our concerns are met:

"Already battles are breaking out across the ship. As we speak, my brothers are fighting those of the goblin alliance, an age-old feud that will finally result in the destruction of the disgusting goblin hordes." The elf took a breath and pointed a finger at Teldin. "Your powers are many. We need assurance that the elves will be offered protection against all its enemies."

Teldin considered his words. "What can I do for you?" Cloakmaster, Estriss said, your duties, and your abilities, will soon become clear. Through all my research, at least one line of information has become clear: I believe it is your duty to ensure peace throughout the Spelljammer, for the elves and all the races. Minor skirmishes and feuds are inevitable, but war and wanton murder are things that no race must be allowed to commit.

Teldin looked Stardawn in the eyes. "I've spent too much time and come too far on my quest to allow atrocities such as this to take place under my authority."

Stardawn said, "That has not stopped the beholders from conquering the minotaurs- "

"And it hasn't stopped you from engaging the goblins," CassaRoc commented.

The two warriors glared at each other over the table. "I do not yet have all my answers," Teldin said, "I have been called to the Spelljammer, and now it seems I must wait, but I know not for what. The battles seem to have begun without me, or because of me. If I can, I'll stop them all. Already I've seen too much death and devastation, and I still can't get many clear answers why.

"But I have had enough. This cloak is more than an ultimate helm. It is the Ultimate Helm, I believe. I can't tell you how I know, or why this helm is different. It just is. But if it is my destiny to take the helm of the Spelljammer, I will see it through to the end.

"If the Elven High Command wants peace; then it shall have it. A ship as wondrous as the Spelljammer should preserve and cherish life, not destroy it.

"If you demand a guarantee, then you have it." Teldin stretched out his hand to the elf.

Stardawn rose from the table, ignoring Teldin's proffered hand. "Your words are noble, human, but I have no proof that you are the Cloakmaster foretold by legend, nor that your word is any better than that of any Long Fang."

Teldin took back his hand and shrugged. He briefly explained to Stardawn and Estriss how the cloak had become his and how he had found the Spelljammer. He finished by recounting the attacks on him as soon as he had arrived. He offered a demonstration of the cloak's powers, but the elf shook his head.

Stardawn was silent for a moment, then he said, "I must take this information to the high command. The decision will be ours together." He nodded once, then left.

CassaRoc commented, "He didn't touch his drink." He pulled it over to him.

That did not go well. The mind flayer's voice was loud in Teldin's mind.

"No, Estriss, it didn't," said Teldin. "In my previous dealings with elves, I've found them to be nothing but contradictory in all their affairs. First they're trying to kill me, then they're my best friends."

"You can say that about everyone," CassaRoc said.

They have their own agenda, Estriss said, whatever that is. I would be cautious of that one, though. There is a fire inside him that burns almost uncontrollably. I would not trust Stardawn for all the gold in Realmspace.

Teldin looked at his friend and smiled. He thought, I'm not always sure I trust you either. What he said was, "I should have known you would arrive here before me."

I was lucky. The arcane I traveled with already knew of the Spelljammer's position. I have since been accepted by the illithid community as a friend and an advisor.

"And your research?" Teldin inquired. "What can you tell me?"

With the cloak, you may know more than I. What do you need to know?

"First," CassaRoc interrupted, "where do the mind flayers stand?"

Estriss was silent at first. I have spoken with Lord Trebek, and he wished me to express his regrets that the illithid community can do nothing at this time. He is taking the all-too-human attitude of 'wait and see.'

However, I will place my trust in Teldin. I have no loyalty to the Spelljammer's illithids. My loyalty is to knowledge. You and I… Well, he said mentally, I will help you all I can.

"Good," Teldin said. "I respect that, my friend." He leaned across the table. "Now, what can you tell me? I need to become the captain of the Spelljammer, and I don't even know how."

Ahhh. Estriss's facial tentacles twitched with interest. This is one of the first things I discovered in the books of Lord Trebek. Your first task is to find what is called the adytum.

"Adytum? How do I find that? What is it?"

Estriss made a curious sucking sound, the equivalent of illithid laughter. You don't find it. It finds you.

"What does that mean?"

The adytum is a chamber of some kind, hidden from all but those who are worthy. Now, let me ask you, have you felt any odd yearnings while on board, a feeling to get out and explore the Spelljammer/'

Teldin considered. "No, not really. Well- " The dream. When he had awakened from the dream, he had gotten out of bed and wanted to get out, to explore. "Yes," he said. "Yes. Once, but- "

Excellent. This is what you are to do: Listen to your feelings. When you are called, you must answer. The end of your quest lies there, in the adytum.

Soon, it will call you, and you will hear.

Estriss stayed and talked for another hour, going over his research. Teldin was overwhelmed, forgetting much of it, hoping that it would come to him later, when he needed it. The growing of brain mold was not all that interesting, nor was an examination of the Guild tower's patterns in hobbying.