Aphonion Tales (New posts 6/13, 6/15, 6/19)
- Thread starter Cerebral Paladin
- Start date
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
Begin Session 16:
Four days before the coronation, the morning began like any other. Dame Brionna received a report, this time from the Chamberlain, and approached the full Council.
“A delegation is approaching from Path. But there are some transportation problems.”
“Transportation problems? Send some horses,” said Alistair dismissively.
“It’s more complicated than that, your grace. Path is a major trade partner, so they are sending a large delegation, but they are also one of the stranger Paranswarmian kingdoms. They have a very rigid caste structure, and each caste has to stay on a different level from the other castes.”
“When you say different levels…” asked Kit.
“I mean it literally. The cities in Path are constructed with elevated roads for the higher castes running above the normal roads, and ditches for the lower castes to the side. So far, they’ve been building a makeshift wooden road, continually disassembling it in the back and extending it in the front, but that’s slowing them down enormously.”
“Will they arrive on time?” asked Alistair.
“It will be very close, your grace. If they work through the nights and can increase their pace a little, perhaps.”
“But we can’t risk them arriving late.”
“What if we sent elephants and horses?” asked Mahler.
“That could work… elephants for the nobles, horses for the next rank, then ponies, and foot traffic,” said Dame Brionna. “It will still be difficult when they sleep, but it should at least ensure that they arrive on time.”
“What about the dire elephants from Seachen?” asked Kit. “I bet we could build howdahs that would let them have as many levels as they needed.”
“And even one dire elephant would be able to carry the entire group. I think that’s perfect. With your grace’s permission.”
Alistair waved airily. “If the Chief Engineer is willing, then by all means. Otherwise, take care of it with ordinary elephants, horses, and such. We’ll wait for you to return, and then begin interrogating some more of our prisoners.”
Four days before the coronation, the morning began like any other. Dame Brionna received a report, this time from the Chamberlain, and approached the full Council.
“A delegation is approaching from Path. But there are some transportation problems.”
“Transportation problems? Send some horses,” said Alistair dismissively.
“It’s more complicated than that, your grace. Path is a major trade partner, so they are sending a large delegation, but they are also one of the stranger Paranswarmian kingdoms. They have a very rigid caste structure, and each caste has to stay on a different level from the other castes.”
“When you say different levels…” asked Kit.
“I mean it literally. The cities in Path are constructed with elevated roads for the higher castes running above the normal roads, and ditches for the lower castes to the side. So far, they’ve been building a makeshift wooden road, continually disassembling it in the back and extending it in the front, but that’s slowing them down enormously.”
“Will they arrive on time?” asked Alistair.
“It will be very close, your grace. If they work through the nights and can increase their pace a little, perhaps.”
“But we can’t risk them arriving late.”
“What if we sent elephants and horses?” asked Mahler.
“That could work… elephants for the nobles, horses for the next rank, then ponies, and foot traffic,” said Dame Brionna. “It will still be difficult when they sleep, but it should at least ensure that they arrive on time.”
“What about the dire elephants from Seachen?” asked Kit. “I bet we could build howdahs that would let them have as many levels as they needed.”
“And even one dire elephant would be able to carry the entire group. I think that’s perfect. With your grace’s permission.”
Alistair waved airily. “If the Chief Engineer is willing, then by all means. Otherwise, take care of it with ordinary elephants, horses, and such. We’ll wait for you to return, and then begin interrogating some more of our prisoners.”
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
Thanks, Quartz!
I didn't recognize the EPT stuff, but I'm not surprised it's there--the DM is a long-time fan.
----
After Dame Brionna left, Alistair turned to Kit. “You know how we were talking earlier about the need to infiltrate the brothels for intelligence purposes? This is the perfect opportunity, with four of the current brothels having just been shut down.”
“Oooo, you’re right,” said Kit. “I’ll have someone from the Guild start up the new brothels to meet the demand. With the madams definitely working for me, and them carefully recruiting some of the prostitutes, we should start getting a lot of interesting information.”
“Of course, that will only help with domestic intelligence work.”
“At first. But we can also use it to prepare to later move into other countries. As some of the prostitutes working for us get older, we can set them up as madams in other countries. And then we’ll have a full network.”
Alistair looked at her seriously. “You know that in some of the countries we’ll want to spy on the prostitutes are all slaves.”
“We can’t use slaves! I’m just not willing to do that.”
“I understand-- slavery is an abomination. But in those countries, free prostitutes would be a tip off.”
“What about manumitting the slaves involved?” asked Mahler.
“That might work,” said Alistair. “In some countries, we couldn’t do it legally, but we could do it unofficially, and then help them escape to Canberry later.”
“I don’t know… I’m not sure that we would be able to rely on them,” said Kit. “I’d be worried that they would be forced to admit what they were doing.”
“That’s why I figured that we would free them,” responded Mahler. “That way their gratitude would serve to keep the operation secret.”
“The only other option would be to send free people in to act as slaves. But that would be tremendously dangerous for them. I know that a lot of your people take risks, but still…”
Kit nodded. “I’m not sure we can do that, either. But we don’t need to figure that out now.”
“True. We can get started with intelligence in the local brothels, and even when we expand outwards we can start with countries where free prostitutes would fit in.”
After a few moments Kit giggled. “I was just thinking about how this will turn out using the body-parts naming convention for the intelligence service. ‘The Naughty Bits reporting to the Mouth.’ We may need to make an exception for this line of work…”
Alistair laughed. “But think about how great a title like ‘the Genitals of the Archduchy’ would be.”
I didn't recognize the EPT stuff, but I'm not surprised it's there--the DM is a long-time fan.
----
After Dame Brionna left, Alistair turned to Kit. “You know how we were talking earlier about the need to infiltrate the brothels for intelligence purposes? This is the perfect opportunity, with four of the current brothels having just been shut down.”
“Oooo, you’re right,” said Kit. “I’ll have someone from the Guild start up the new brothels to meet the demand. With the madams definitely working for me, and them carefully recruiting some of the prostitutes, we should start getting a lot of interesting information.”
“Of course, that will only help with domestic intelligence work.”
“At first. But we can also use it to prepare to later move into other countries. As some of the prostitutes working for us get older, we can set them up as madams in other countries. And then we’ll have a full network.”
Alistair looked at her seriously. “You know that in some of the countries we’ll want to spy on the prostitutes are all slaves.”
“We can’t use slaves! I’m just not willing to do that.”
“I understand-- slavery is an abomination. But in those countries, free prostitutes would be a tip off.”
“What about manumitting the slaves involved?” asked Mahler.
“That might work,” said Alistair. “In some countries, we couldn’t do it legally, but we could do it unofficially, and then help them escape to Canberry later.”
“I don’t know… I’m not sure that we would be able to rely on them,” said Kit. “I’d be worried that they would be forced to admit what they were doing.”
“That’s why I figured that we would free them,” responded Mahler. “That way their gratitude would serve to keep the operation secret.”
“The only other option would be to send free people in to act as slaves. But that would be tremendously dangerous for them. I know that a lot of your people take risks, but still…”
Kit nodded. “I’m not sure we can do that, either. But we don’t need to figure that out now.”
“True. We can get started with intelligence in the local brothels, and even when we expand outwards we can start with countries where free prostitutes would fit in.”
After a few moments Kit giggled. “I was just thinking about how this will turn out using the body-parts naming convention for the intelligence service. ‘The Naughty Bits reporting to the Mouth.’ We may need to make an exception for this line of work…”
Alistair laughed. “But think about how great a title like ‘the Genitals of the Archduchy’ would be.”
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
The discussion degenerated into ribald humor until Kit suddenly stopped. “Another one of the Harlequins has been spotted in Pottersflat and is being followed. I just got a message from one of my people, who says they may need back-up.” She looked around the room and confirmed that there was no one there whispering to her. “I’m going to try to get more information.” She closed her eyes momentarily and activated Detect Thoughts. The only minds that were present were the ones she knew of-- Alistair, Mahler, and some guards outside the chamber. But there was an odd lingering set of thoughts surrounding part of her fan, apparently from some hidden function. Kit thought for a moment and then opened a mindlink to the fan itself.
Kit’s body stiffened suddenly as her mind went through the fan and away from her physical surroundings. She stared out through eyes not her own, on a clean but humble street. A furtive figure darted quickly from shadow to shadow, and she followed, carried along by the person whose eyes she was borrowing.
The voice that Kit had heard whispering to her moments earlier spoke again. “Lady, you are with me again…” A small hint of confusion entered the voice. “You feel different. It has been so long since you have spoken to me.”
Kit thought back, <<Do you have backup?>>
“There are others following.”
<<Good. These Harlequins are dangerous. I want him taken alive and brought back to the palace.>>
“Does the lady wish to know where he’s going?”
<<Yes, please.>>
“We will follow for now, then.”
<<Good, follow, report, and then capture him and bring him in.>>
Kit sensed a sort of fawning attitude from the man as he replied. “I will catch him, lady, you’ll see.”
<<Remember, be careful, and bring him in alive.>>
“We will do our best, lady. Always for the Throne, and always for you.”
Kit released the mindlink and snapped back to her own body in the palace. Alistair was holding her, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. Her friends looked at her with concern as she readjusted to her surroundings and looked around.
“Are you alright? What happened?” asked Alistair.
“I’m fine,” she stammered. “Just a little surprised. When I reached out to the fan with my mind, I was in the mind of one of my people. The experience was interesting… and useful.” She nodded a little, calming down and thinking more carefully. “I’ll have to have the Farsensor check out the fan more. It clearly has additional powers we did not know about.”
Kit’s body stiffened suddenly as her mind went through the fan and away from her physical surroundings. She stared out through eyes not her own, on a clean but humble street. A furtive figure darted quickly from shadow to shadow, and she followed, carried along by the person whose eyes she was borrowing.
The voice that Kit had heard whispering to her moments earlier spoke again. “Lady, you are with me again…” A small hint of confusion entered the voice. “You feel different. It has been so long since you have spoken to me.”
Kit thought back, <<Do you have backup?>>
“There are others following.”
<<Good. These Harlequins are dangerous. I want him taken alive and brought back to the palace.>>
“Does the lady wish to know where he’s going?”
<<Yes, please.>>
“We will follow for now, then.”
<<Good, follow, report, and then capture him and bring him in.>>
Kit sensed a sort of fawning attitude from the man as he replied. “I will catch him, lady, you’ll see.”
<<Remember, be careful, and bring him in alive.>>
“We will do our best, lady. Always for the Throne, and always for you.”
Kit released the mindlink and snapped back to her own body in the palace. Alistair was holding her, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. Her friends looked at her with concern as she readjusted to her surroundings and looked around.
“Are you alright? What happened?” asked Alistair.
“I’m fine,” she stammered. “Just a little surprised. When I reached out to the fan with my mind, I was in the mind of one of my people. The experience was interesting… and useful.” She nodded a little, calming down and thinking more carefully. “I’ll have to have the Farsensor check out the fan more. It clearly has additional powers we did not know about.”
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
The Eldar entered the Council chambers a few minutes later. Kit held forward the fan. “We were wondering if you could tell us a little bit more about this fan. We know the basics of its powers, but it seems to be able to do some things we knew nothing about.”
“Ah…. That’s a very old fan, especially by the standards of your people. It is a passive carrier of psionic strength.”
“Yes, I knew about that. But someone was able to contact me through it.”
The Eldar nodded. “Yes, those who are connected to the fan are able to contact its bearer. The ones who are connected to it carry the streamers that were once attached to its base.”
“When I was contacted, I formed a mindlink back to the fan and saw through the eyes of the person who had contacted me.”
“You can do more than passively receive their signals, because you are psionically active in your own right.”
“What more can I do?”
“You have just ridden one. It is a form of astral projection, but with different limitations and strengths than an ordinary astral projection.”
“Is there any danger in it?” asked Alistair. “Can she be pulled through the fan against her will?”
“No, it will not happen except when she actively makes a connection. It seems a useful tool for you.” The Eldar thought for a moment. “There should have been twenty streamers originally. If there were, then there are twenty people attached to the fan.”
“How do I contact different… Of course, twenty streamers, one for each crystal in the fan. To contact each person, I form a connection to the corresponding crystal.”
The Eldar nodded. “Precisely.”
“Ah…. That’s a very old fan, especially by the standards of your people. It is a passive carrier of psionic strength.”
“Yes, I knew about that. But someone was able to contact me through it.”
The Eldar nodded. “Yes, those who are connected to the fan are able to contact its bearer. The ones who are connected to it carry the streamers that were once attached to its base.”
“When I was contacted, I formed a mindlink back to the fan and saw through the eyes of the person who had contacted me.”
“You can do more than passively receive their signals, because you are psionically active in your own right.”
“What more can I do?”
“You have just ridden one. It is a form of astral projection, but with different limitations and strengths than an ordinary astral projection.”
“Is there any danger in it?” asked Alistair. “Can she be pulled through the fan against her will?”
“No, it will not happen except when she actively makes a connection. It seems a useful tool for you.” The Eldar thought for a moment. “There should have been twenty streamers originally. If there were, then there are twenty people attached to the fan.”
“How do I contact different… Of course, twenty streamers, one for each crystal in the fan. To contact each person, I form a connection to the corresponding crystal.”
The Eldar nodded. “Precisely.”
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
While Kit thought about her new tool, Alistair raised a separate issue. “We intend to interrogate one of the captured Harlequins soon-- a drowan assassin, dedicated to Algaroth. Do you have any suggestions for how to go about reaching him? Could you read his mind? We don’t dare remove the psionic blocks for a less powerful psion.”
“Is he a powerful psion by drowan standards?”
“We believe so.”
The Farsensor shook his head. “Then I will be unable to penetrate his defenses. I can read the minds of those without shields or with only minor defenses. But to penetrate the defenses of a skilled psion would require a Coercer, and probably one with greater mastery than the drow.”
Alistair grimaced. “I had forgotten that mindreading is an aspect of Coercion, not Farsensing. I suppose we’ll have to use more direct forms of interrogation, much as it pains me.”
“If I may, your grace, I have a suggestion for your initial effort. I would begin by appealing to his sense of honor and asking for his cooperation, perhaps in exchange for something. Despite their participation in the worst betrayal of all time, some of our fallen cousins believe that they are honorable. It may be easier to get him to cooperate voluntarily than to coerce answers from him.”
Dame Brionna nodded. “We can certainly give that a try. Can you help us verify that he has no traps and no warpstone on him? We need to make certain that he won’t try to attack.”
“Of course, those are small matters for one of my skill.” The Eldar looked the Harlequin officer over, probing quickly with his mind. “You needn’t worry about traps. There are none on him. He also has no warpstone; I should have sensed the chaos instantly. Indeed, he is not even aligned with chaos himself, although there is no surprise in that--Algaroth is strongly aligned with law. You are wise to keep his psionic powers neutralized, however. He has a powerful mind, for a drow.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster,” replied Dame Brionna. “We’ll inform you of anything we learn, of course.” She turned to Alistair. “We can also post a fast mage to counterspell any attempts at casting he makes, even with his hands bound. Even so, your grace, I must request that you remain outside the cell. The danger that he might find some way to attack you is too great.”
“I understand. I’m not happy about it, but I understand the need.”
“I can keep you linked in through a mindlink,” said Kit. “And you can watch from behind one of the walls.”
Alistair nodded. “That’s the best we can do, I think.”
“Is he a powerful psion by drowan standards?”
“We believe so.”
The Farsensor shook his head. “Then I will be unable to penetrate his defenses. I can read the minds of those without shields or with only minor defenses. But to penetrate the defenses of a skilled psion would require a Coercer, and probably one with greater mastery than the drow.”
Alistair grimaced. “I had forgotten that mindreading is an aspect of Coercion, not Farsensing. I suppose we’ll have to use more direct forms of interrogation, much as it pains me.”
“If I may, your grace, I have a suggestion for your initial effort. I would begin by appealing to his sense of honor and asking for his cooperation, perhaps in exchange for something. Despite their participation in the worst betrayal of all time, some of our fallen cousins believe that they are honorable. It may be easier to get him to cooperate voluntarily than to coerce answers from him.”
Dame Brionna nodded. “We can certainly give that a try. Can you help us verify that he has no traps and no warpstone on him? We need to make certain that he won’t try to attack.”
“Of course, those are small matters for one of my skill.” The Eldar looked the Harlequin officer over, probing quickly with his mind. “You needn’t worry about traps. There are none on him. He also has no warpstone; I should have sensed the chaos instantly. Indeed, he is not even aligned with chaos himself, although there is no surprise in that--Algaroth is strongly aligned with law. You are wise to keep his psionic powers neutralized, however. He has a powerful mind, for a drow.”
“Thank you, Grandmaster,” replied Dame Brionna. “We’ll inform you of anything we learn, of course.” She turned to Alistair. “We can also post a fast mage to counterspell any attempts at casting he makes, even with his hands bound. Even so, your grace, I must request that you remain outside the cell. The danger that he might find some way to attack you is too great.”
“I understand. I’m not happy about it, but I understand the need.”
“I can keep you linked in through a mindlink,” said Kit. “And you can watch from behind one of the walls.”
Alistair nodded. “That’s the best we can do, I think.”
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
After carefully planning the security and discussing the details of any possible deals, Dame Brionna and Kit entered the Harlequin’s cell accompanied by several reliable guards and a particularly quick mage to counterspell any magical efforts by the Harlequin. All were under protection from evil effects to block mind control. Dame Brionna looked around the room carefully, and when satisfied, nodded to one of the guards, who carefully roused the Harlequin, while Kit reached out with her mind and established the mindlink to Alistair.
The Harlequin became instantly alert. His eyes scanned quickly around the room, taking the measure of each person present. He devoted most of his attention to Dame Brionna, who he looked at with interest, and Kit, who he watched with trepidation.
<<He’s… afraid of me?>> sent Kit to Alistair.
<<You’re moving up in the spy world,>> he sent back with a smile.
<<Apparently so.>>
Dame Brionna began the conversation. “We are prepared to under the right circumstances to be merciful. This requires your full cooperation and the giving of information we consider useful.”
The Harlequin nodded calmly.
Kit continued, “If you cooperate, which means answering our questions fully and giving your promise to not harm us while you are being questioned, we will give you a few concessions: a quick and painless death; a private one to save you shame; and afterwards we will do with your body as you wish.”
He nodded again.
“Do you agree to these terms?” Dame Brionna pressed the point to avoid any possible confusion.
The Harlequin nodded a third time.
Dame Brionna gestured to a guard, who removed the gag.
“You have defeated me and captured me. I am yours to do with as you see fit. It is the way.”
“Thank you for understanding the situation,” replied Dame Brionna.
“You are a being of honor. I am a being of honor. It is normal that we should understand each other.” The Harlequin remained focused on Dame Brionna, although his eyes flicked towards Kit and Mahler as he mentioned honor.
“We have little else in common, but perhaps we can agree on that,” Dame Brionna responded.
The Harlequin became instantly alert. His eyes scanned quickly around the room, taking the measure of each person present. He devoted most of his attention to Dame Brionna, who he looked at with interest, and Kit, who he watched with trepidation.
<<He’s… afraid of me?>> sent Kit to Alistair.
<<You’re moving up in the spy world,>> he sent back with a smile.
<<Apparently so.>>
Dame Brionna began the conversation. “We are prepared to under the right circumstances to be merciful. This requires your full cooperation and the giving of information we consider useful.”
The Harlequin nodded calmly.
Kit continued, “If you cooperate, which means answering our questions fully and giving your promise to not harm us while you are being questioned, we will give you a few concessions: a quick and painless death; a private one to save you shame; and afterwards we will do with your body as you wish.”
He nodded again.
“Do you agree to these terms?” Dame Brionna pressed the point to avoid any possible confusion.
The Harlequin nodded a third time.
Dame Brionna gestured to a guard, who removed the gag.
“You have defeated me and captured me. I am yours to do with as you see fit. It is the way.”
“Thank you for understanding the situation,” replied Dame Brionna.
“You are a being of honor. I am a being of honor. It is normal that we should understand each other.” The Harlequin remained focused on Dame Brionna, although his eyes flicked towards Kit and Mahler as he mentioned honor.
“We have little else in common, but perhaps we can agree on that,” Dame Brionna responded.
Cerebral Paladin
First Post
Kit cut to the heart of the matter. “Who hired you and what was your mission or missions?”
“Lord Quinliart Moriquendarim approached our Society and asked for the commitment of twenty to discomfit a kingdom that stood in the way of the destruction of the Forest of Singing Leaves. Lord Quinliart had reached an agreement with an Abomination that could have arisen to be a cthon, but had chosen not to, and a ratlord. There was another party to their agreement, but we never met it. Our superior agreed to Lord Quinliart’s request. Our mission was fourfold: infiltrate the city, which was exceedingly easy; disrupt the process leading up to the coronation, by spreading disease and helping a local cult slaughter innocents who were distant cousins of the true race to give additional power to the abomination that could have been a cthon; and to poison water in the poor quarter, killing about a quarter of the residents. I had not yet decided to do the last. It was an agonizing poison, and I do not know what it would add. And lastly, we were to kill the Archduke before he took the throne. Quinliart gave specific orders about each.”
Kit grumbled mentally to Alistair about the Harlequin’s dismissive comment about infiltrating the city, <<Hmph. I wasn’t in charge then.>>
<<They don’t understand what a free city means.>>
<<Also true.>>
Dame Brionna continued the questioning. “What were your orders for how to kill the Archduke?”
“We were to strike during the coronation parade. The Archduke’s path into the City is known, at least in important regards. There are many starting points, but the ending point is known, and the possibilities are limited. I would have dispatched two on each path with my full complement; since I no longer had my full complement, I would have concentrated my men near the end point. To kill him, there is a cache of special darts from the vermin lord beneath the perfumery in Pottersfield. We were to use those. It would not matter if we did not hit him directly. There were 60 darts. He could not survive, even with the support of the hated cousin.”
“Wait… why wouldn’t it matter if you hit him directly?” asked Kit.
“The darts were enchanted with warpscrolls to cause the most horrible mutations. We could only carry three each, because even through their cases, they would affect us if we carried more than that.”
<<Warpstone? Ugh.>>
<<Or some similar magical changing effect,>> replied Alistair.
Kit shuddered. <<Don’t want to think about it.>>
“How close did you need to get the darts?” asked Dame Brionna, remaining focused on the practical.
“The darts could effect an area about twenty feet in radius.”
“Did you have other agents besides the other Harlequins?”
“Yes, we placed gargoyles along the route.”
“Surely you must have expected His Grace to carry orichalcum as a safeguard?”
The Harlequin smiled. “So often humans don’t have the sense to do so. But yes, we had planned for that eventuality. The vermin lord had calculated that even if you had the orichalcum to stop some of the darts, you would not have enough for them all.”
“Lord Quinliart Moriquendarim approached our Society and asked for the commitment of twenty to discomfit a kingdom that stood in the way of the destruction of the Forest of Singing Leaves. Lord Quinliart had reached an agreement with an Abomination that could have arisen to be a cthon, but had chosen not to, and a ratlord. There was another party to their agreement, but we never met it. Our superior agreed to Lord Quinliart’s request. Our mission was fourfold: infiltrate the city, which was exceedingly easy; disrupt the process leading up to the coronation, by spreading disease and helping a local cult slaughter innocents who were distant cousins of the true race to give additional power to the abomination that could have been a cthon; and to poison water in the poor quarter, killing about a quarter of the residents. I had not yet decided to do the last. It was an agonizing poison, and I do not know what it would add. And lastly, we were to kill the Archduke before he took the throne. Quinliart gave specific orders about each.”
Kit grumbled mentally to Alistair about the Harlequin’s dismissive comment about infiltrating the city, <<Hmph. I wasn’t in charge then.>>
<<They don’t understand what a free city means.>>
<<Also true.>>
Dame Brionna continued the questioning. “What were your orders for how to kill the Archduke?”
“We were to strike during the coronation parade. The Archduke’s path into the City is known, at least in important regards. There are many starting points, but the ending point is known, and the possibilities are limited. I would have dispatched two on each path with my full complement; since I no longer had my full complement, I would have concentrated my men near the end point. To kill him, there is a cache of special darts from the vermin lord beneath the perfumery in Pottersfield. We were to use those. It would not matter if we did not hit him directly. There were 60 darts. He could not survive, even with the support of the hated cousin.”
“Wait… why wouldn’t it matter if you hit him directly?” asked Kit.
“The darts were enchanted with warpscrolls to cause the most horrible mutations. We could only carry three each, because even through their cases, they would affect us if we carried more than that.”
<<Warpstone? Ugh.>>
<<Or some similar magical changing effect,>> replied Alistair.
Kit shuddered. <<Don’t want to think about it.>>
“How close did you need to get the darts?” asked Dame Brionna, remaining focused on the practical.
“The darts could effect an area about twenty feet in radius.”
“Did you have other agents besides the other Harlequins?”
“Yes, we placed gargoyles along the route.”
“Surely you must have expected His Grace to carry orichalcum as a safeguard?”
The Harlequin smiled. “So often humans don’t have the sense to do so. But yes, we had planned for that eventuality. The vermin lord had calculated that even if you had the orichalcum to stop some of the darts, you would not have enough for them all.”
Baron Opal
First Post
Cerebral Paladin said:
I don't know what that means. Interesting.
