"Ed Greenwood - Forgotten Realms - Elminster 4 - Elminster In Hell" - читать интересную книгу автора (Greenwood Ed)

should be remembered that this Laeral is Laeral Rythkyn, called by some "Laeral of
Loudwater," a Harper mage who is the namesake-not related-of Laeral Aransun Silverhand
of the Seven).
? "The Tears of a Goddess" (the memory at the end of Chapter 19) in late Eleint of 1371 DR,
the Year of the Unstrung Harp.
? "The Srinshee Plays With Fire"(the first Srinshee memory in Chapter 20) on the morning of 9
Nightal in 241 DR, the Year of the HippogriffтАЩs Folly.
? "Kisses and Damnations" (the second Srinshee memory in Chapter 20) in the carry evening
 of Midsummer 30th in 666 DR, the Year of Stern Judgment.
? "One Fool Deserves Another" (the third Srinshee memory in Chapter 20) on 14 Hammer in
907 DR, the Year of Wailing.
? "The Coming of the Shadow" (the memory at the end of Chapter 21) on 6 Flamerule in 1294
DR, the Year of the Deep Moon.
? "Fools as Her Champions" (the memory in Chapter 22) on 21 Eleint in 1246 DR, the Year
of Burning Steel.


BEGINNINGS
Memories are wonderful things.
Yet they can burn like the hottest fire, raging and consuming their bearers, or cut like cruel blades. I
can trap one in a gem and hold it in my hand to give to another and yet keep it also in my mind, fading
slowly over time, like paths to favorite places that have become overgrown and lost,
What is a human but a bundle of memories?
What better treasure can the aged keep to warm and delight them whenever they rummage through
the sack of their own stored remembrances?
And what more hideous crime can there be than to snatch away memories from a man?
Only my kisses should be able to do that to him-and then only when Mystra deems it needful. Yet a
thing called Nergal dared to do this to my man. I, Alassra, made Nergal pay a fitting price and was
damned in that doing-and care not and would do it again.
I dare anything and will die doing so. Fools of Thay and other places know me for my slaying spells
and my fury. Often it masters me, and men call me "mad," when they should use the words "recklessтАЭ or
тАЬlost in bloodlust." I do enjoy destruction. I admit-yet I also nurture and defend and treat with kindness.
Here I've done both, showing all who read of the kindnesses I so love, the reason I'd lay down my
life as freely as I do my body before this man called Elminster, even if he had no more magic than a
village idiot. Some will say I've set down secrets that common eyes should never have seen, and to them
I say two things: "Have I truly?" and "I care not!" Some have said holy Mystra and others of the divine
will smite me for this doing-yet here I still stand, unrepentant.
So come, and read secrets. Heed this tale I have gathered, and learn-or care not, and turn away, to
walk defenseless the rest of your undoubtedly short days. Choose freely.
I am the Storm Queen, and I never threaten. I merely promise.


Chapter One
ROCKS AND A WARM PLACE
There is no greater blasphemy than this.
This is the thing forbidden, for all gods and men, for every living being of this or any world-to shred
asunder the stuff of which we are all made, leaving rents of crawling nothingness in Toril. Roiling, weeping
wounds for all the Realms to spill out through, and all the cold and gnawing void to rush in...
With all the selfish and headstrong and uncaring fools who'd hurled magic about for all these
centuries, it was a wonder this didn't happen more often. This thought offered little comfort.