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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 3243691" data-attributes="member: 3448">After the captain left, Kit raised an eyebrow.  “It certainly seems like an assassination attempt on the One of Ones.  I’m not sure they were actually from Thar Ingmath, though.  It all seems too obvious-- like they wanted people to conclude that Thar Ingmath had assassinated the One of Ones.”“And if it were Thar Ingmath, why were they using a Hanalian voller?” asked Dame Brionna.  “But if they were from Hanal, trying to appear as if they were mercenaries hired by Thar Ingmath… it would have started a war, and pulled Masque and Canberry in as well with the new alliance.  And if they killed the One of Ones, the surviving threes would be unlikely to notice that it was too obvious that the mercenaries were working for Thar Ingmath.  Of course, we can’t ignore the possibility that they were actually mercenaries.”“Yes we can,” replied Alistair.  “Whoever heard of mercenaries fighting to the death?  If they were actually adventurers hired by Thar Ingmath, they all would have broken and fled, or even surrendered, once it was clear that they were beaten.  I suppose there’s the vaguest possibility that they are religious zealots or something; I think some of the Drow mercenaries actually will fight to the death if commanded to by their priestesses.  But while we need to check them out to be absolutely certain, these are almost certainly agents of an intelligence service that wants us to think that it was Thar Ingmath.”“Makes sense,” said Kit.  “And everything is consistent with Hanal-- they have one of the best intelligence services on the continent, especially for offensive operations, and it would explain the voller.”While the army moved into position to escort the coronation party, another detachment of troops arrived with the captured phraint, and it was brought to the Council for questioning.“Who are you?” asked Alistair.“I am 3 of 360.”Kit frowned.  “Is that your name?”The phraint’s voice remained utterly impassive as it answered, “It is my designation.”Alistair proceeded.  “How did you come to be in the woods northwest of here?  Who do you serve?”“I was purchased for the sole purpose of becoming a warband, nearly 2 years ago; I was not given the name of the purchaser, but only told to practice endlessly with the special weapons for which I was designed.  I was then told that the time was nigh and that my mission had been changed, and my mission had been changed.  I was transported with a group of men, all of whom were mutilated in the way of magi.  We traveled to the woods north of here.”“Where did you come from?”“From the woods to the north where I was captured.”“No, before that.”“When?”  Even the phraint’s questions were flat and uninflected.  It’s voice gave no hint of either curiosity or frustration, just a desire to get clarification.”“After your training.”“I trained in the North.  We traveled south to get to the woods.  I originally came from further south than here.”Dame Brionna focused on the key issue.  “What were your orders?”“I was given three orders.  The first was to slay a specific human, with an image that was given to me.  The second was to obey the human commander set above me.  The third was to obey my stickbrother, 54 of 360, who had been bred with command capacity.”“And why did you surrender?”“Your troops came.  We fought.  My stick brother fell.  My human commander fell.  No command had been given me to continue to struggle or to be killed.  It was evident that I could not overcome the warriors of your hive.  At the command of those who bought me, I was given the power of speech.  Therefore, I offered my surrender so I would not become dysfunctional.  I stand here now.”* * *Updates may be irregular for the next week or 10 days.  Happy Holidays!</blockquote>

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