Forgotten Realms Issue 25: Wake of the Realms Master

The Realms’ Master crew is still with the human merchants and Tashira the elf leader when this issue begins.  Tashira is filling the arrogant gold elf role that used to be Vartan’s domain before he found humility.  Meanwhile, the human merchants are helping Captain Omen prepare a “wake” for the Realms’ Master as it is a tradition among their people.  The merchants believe that the passing of a ship should be treated like the passing of a family member.  Captain Omen seems inclined to agree with them.

While everyone is distracted by the pretty fireworks, Labelas Enoreth decides to appear to his former priest and attempts to make amends.  Vartan doesn’t take this well.

Labelas takes the punch without complaint and pleads his case to Vartan.  He tells Vartan when he was cast down from the heavens that it was like being blinded, deafened, and crippled all at once.  Labelas says he went mad, and without Vartan’s strength of character to help him through it, things would have been even worse.

Vartan is skeptical and demands to know what Labelas wants.  Labelas insists he is only here to apologize and offer restitution in the form of a godly wish to his favored servant.  Vartan demands that Labelas instead grant his companions their wishes instead, as recompense for the misery he caused them when he possessed Vartan’s body.

Labelas reluctantly agrees and decides to start with Agrivar.  Agrivar finds himself in a brewery, or as Labelas calls it, “a drunkard’s heaven and a former drunk’s hell.”  He then makes Agrivar an offer.

Labelas protests that he must grant Agrivar a wish, but Agrivar’s tells only wish is that Labelas leave them alone.

Having failed in his first attempt, Labelas decides to try his luck with Foxilion.  Not surprisingly, Foxilion is much more practical and tries to decide what to do with this once in a lifetime chance.

Unnerved by the fact that Agrivar refused his wish, Foxilion decides it is wise to refuse Labelas’ offer as well.  Having failed twice, Vartan suggests that Labelas try his hand with Minder.

Minder is amused that this elven god wants to grant her wish, but she really only has one: that Labelas help Captain Omen.  Omen is somber when Labelas appears before him.  The old wizard has spent years in fear of death, but he knows that even a god like Labelas cannot stave off death forever.  Labelas is also unwilling to speed Omen into death’s arms.  In the end though, he decides there is one thing the god can grant him.

Omen finds himself back in the land of his birth.  When he inquires about Gabrella, Labelas tells him she is waiting for him. The reunion does not initially go as Omen had hoped.

The two wizards engage in a magical battle, using elementals to fight as their proxies.  It is too much strain for Omen, who collapses in a heap.  Seeing Omen in his weakened state breaks Gabrella’s resolve.  She simply can’t stand to lose Omen as well.  As the two make their peace, Grimwald stirs in his bed.  Omen tells Gabrella to go to Grimwald, all the jealousy and hatred having left him.  He then thanks Labelas and asks to be returned to his friends.

The only person left to grant a wish to is Ishi, the friend of Vartan’s that he wronged the worst.

Despite most of his companions refusing his godly wishes, Vartan is pleased with Labelas’ efforts.  Vartan isn’t quite ready to return to Labelas’ priesthood, but he no longer hates his former deity and the two part on good terms.  Perhaps some day Vartan will even be ready to return to the fold.

The next morning, the Realms’ Master crew awakens.  They only remember the previous evenings events as a dream, but they all feel renewed.  Omen decides to make the trip overland to Halruaa to settle accounts and perhaps even get a new boat.  Everyone in the crew agrees to make the journey with him.

Thoughts

• Foxilion’s outfit in this issue is simply atrocious.  Seriously Foxy, I thought you had better taste.
• Considering how little time Jeff Grubb had to tie everything up, this is a very nice ending to the series.
• I am glad that Labelas got a chance to redeem himself, at least a little bit.
• I never cease to be amazed at how far Vartan has come from the arrogant elf he was in the first issue.  While all of the Realms’ Master crew changed over the course of the series, he experienced the most genuine growth.
• Although the series is over, I am not done with my reviews.  For the next installment prepare to go back in time for a look at the Forgotten Realms annual!