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Message: <blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 4220121" data-attributes="member: 1210">“Inoke!” roars Alcar. “That traitor!”“Nonetheless,” Baron Lillamere says calmly, “if we are to take out the Angels of the Apocalypse, I think we need him.”“We don’t need him!”“We might need him,” Gerontius nods. “That’s a good idea. I’ve been giving him a lot of thought lately, too.”“He was a traitor to Chaos,” Blaze shrugs. “Just like that bastard Horbin.”“Horbin isn’t actually so bad, either,” sighs Lillamere.“Indeed. He was a staunch ally, and never betrayed us,” Chakar speaks up. “Inoke was a mighty ally, and though he turned against us, he never actually fought us- never even attacked us.”“Well, he... hmm,” muses Thrush. “I guess he attacked Tiamat, but she’s hardly one of us, even if she was on our side.”Alcar scowls. “We’ll talk about this some more, certainly,” Lillamere says diplomatically. “Well, I think zat it is time for dinner,” Gerontius says. “What do you say we return to Var for now and talk about all of zis over a meal?”***Back at the Three Rubies, in Var, Alcar issues a sending to Lucifer’s Hidden Minister, Glaisig. We need to talk. You are elder; I respect that. The Angels of the Apocalypse are coming. The mighty must unite. We must meet.The response is immediate: We must do nothing. You presume too much. You assume that we are not on their side.Alcar is taken aback. He relates this message to the rest of the party, and everyone erupts in debate. Most of it quickly becomes telepathic. Is he serious, do you think? asks Lillamere.No, Alcar declares. He wouldn’t tell us something like that, if he really was. He’s too smart. Glaisig plays his cards close to his chest. He’s just refusing to play nice with us. Well, that’s fine. We’ll just remember that.“I don’t know,” Sybele says aloud. “The devil dude is,” she switches to the link, pretty sneaky. What if he told you the truth, knowing that we’d never believe him? It could be the nugget of truth at the center of a web of lies!There’s no way to be sure of anything- except that he won’t be helping us, Chakar remarks. So let us proceed without the aid of devils.It’s probably for the best, Lillamere acknowledges wryly.Alcar purses his lips, unsatisfied. He proceeds with a series of sendings, coaxing Glaisig to get involved, but the devil refuses to be drawn in to anything involving the Angels of the Apocalypse.Meanwhile, Blaze grumbles into his drink about fey guards in God-King Malford’s castle that can detect him. He is puzzled as to how that happened, but definitely respects the king’s castle security now. Lillamere says, “Well, I actually have another dinner engagement. I’ll see you guys in a while.” With that, he greater teleports to just outside Malford’s castle. He is already dressed impeccably for dinner; he shows himself in to the appointed room. The guards and servants recognize, and defer to, him. Soon he reaches the small, private dining chamber where Belmondo, Thrush and the king await him. It’s a long, political dinner.Thrush- “Emperor” Thrush, he hopes- tells God-King Malford of his plan to conquer the Forinthian Empire, and of his possession of the crown. He tells Malford of Wankerman’s plan to conquer Strogass, as well, and of his possession of the Rod of the Dark Emperor. Malford plainly doesn’t like it.Thrush tries to reassure him. “Don’t worry, we have no plans that conflict with you. In fact, my reign could be great for you. We could resolve all the territorial issues and so on.”“You would, of course, recognize my sovereignty over Goldstone,” Malford says. Thrush frowns. “I can’t promise that. If I start giving territory away before I’m even on the throne, I’ll never be able to rally the nobles and the military around me. But think about it. If I become Emperor, we can negotiate a solution. That means that I can recognize your control over most of Dorhaus outright, and we can figure out some equitable solution for the rest.”Malford stares at him. “You’re smarter,” he chuckles.Thrush blushes. “Yes,” he nods, “I got a pretty useful magic item for this endeavor. It makes me a lot smarter, wiser and more charismatic. A lot.”“Where did it come from?”“Prayzose,” Thrush says frankly. The word itself is close to a threat. “You’ve given me a lot to think about, I”ll admit,” Malford mutters.“I have another idea, my lord,” Baron Lillamere announces. “About the Tiger Princess.”“Oh?” “We can neutralize her- by marrying her.”God-King Malford snorts. “There aren’t exactly a lot of candidates qualified to neutralize her.”“I could,” Lillamere says. “You probably could, at that,” God-King Malford nods. “That’s a good idea,” Thrush agrees, “but there is a complication.”“What’s that?” asks Baron Lillamere.“Their child. The child must die.”“I won’t be involved in infanticide,” Malford declares. “And neither should you!”Thrush sighs. “I understand that it’s distasteful. But if I don’t kill that baby, when it grows up, it will come and challenge me. And by that time, I’ll certainly be past my prime; I might even be in my sick bed. If I leave that kid alive, I’ll be just like the stupid villain in every damned cheap Peshan theater I’ve ever seen- undone by failing to take care of the obvious.”“I won’t be partial to it, either,” Baron Lillamere says. “It would really mess up my ‘marry the Tiger Princess’ idea, too.”“It has to be done,” Thrush insists.“Well, look, we can resolve this later,” Lillamere sighs. But Malford chuckles. “There is one problem with your plan, Thrush. Her baby is already gone. She will not say where. She has anticipated you- and, likely, a thousand others.”Thrush’s face is a thundercloud. “So she has,” he growls. “Well then. So be it, for now.” He smooths his face. “Now, then- Malford, will you help me in my bid? I am not asking for men, or anything in particular- just your good will, and willingness to back me.”Malford studies him carefully.“I’m the best choice for you,” Thrush says. “I’m probably the only person that might take the throne that is friendly to you.”Malford nods. “True. Well, I recognize the merits of your arguments, I’ll give you that... all right, I won’t declare for you yet or back you with any military force at this time, but you can know that I support your bid.”“I’m still welcome in your lands? In Var?”God-King Malford nods. “Yes, and hopefully we will be able to usher in a new age of peace.”“Well,” Baron Lillamere asks, “is there anything that we can do to help you out? How are things going since the end of the Great War of Ethics?”“Fine, fine,” Malford says vaguely. Well, Thrush, my lad, I’d never have expected this of you. I’ll have to be careful what I say and do around you, now- no state secrets for you and your friends, alas. Damn it, Lester, you always bring this kind of trouble to me! Aloud, he continues, “Well, anything that you could do about Master Control could help.”Lillamere turns to Belmondo the Enhanced. The dwarven prostheticist is slurping enthusiastically at his soup. “Belmondo, what do you know about Master Control’s activities?”Belmondo swallows and then replies, “Hm, Belmondo doesn’t know much about what Master Control wants, really. While Belmondo was a prisoner, I was immobilized and unable to react almost the entire time. Belmondo knows nothing that can help you.”“Well, we need to assign you some bodyguards,” Baron Lillamere starts. “Belmondo doesn’t need bodyguards,” the dwarf cuts him off.“Yes, you do,” Lillamere insists. “This is twice, now, that Master Control has taken you and tried to use you. It isn’t going to stop. We need to ensure it doesn’t get ahold of you again.”Belmondo glares at him for an instant, but then his stern face sags. “You are right,” he admits. “Very well. Belmondo will accept bodyguards.”The conversation continues, wandering amongst various subjects until it comes to the Chaos worms, and Malford reveals something else interesting: apparently, Valonia’s Underdark is suffering from some kind of infestation of tool- and weapon-using worms with arms.“Interesting,” says Lillamere bleakly.Then he and Thrush tell the God-King about the cannibal fleet. Malford already knows about it, but was not aware of the size of it. “They were driven out by one of the Angels of the Apocalypse,” Thrush informs him. Malford growls under his breath. Fuligin, the first Angel of the Apocalypse, destroyed almost all life on Dorhaus. Felenga, the second of them, nearly merged himself with the Negative Energy Plane. Who knows what terrible plans this new angel has, or what horrendous powers?“The cannibals are coming right for Dorhaus, too,” adds Lillamere. “Do you have any ideas as to what we can do to stop them?”Malford smiles. “Rinardo,” he replies.***At the Three Rubies, Blaze finds a note waiting for him. It’s from someone named Bendrulo Pigeonfinger, a minor Xaositecht. He wants to see if he can stay with either Blaze or Wankerman (both Xaositechts as well) “for a few days” while he parties it up with them. “Hangers-on,” remarks Blaze.“Do we need ‘em?” asks Bahgerah.“Not really.”“You know what we do need, though?” Gerontius says.“What?” asks Alcar.“Inoke.”Alcar curses again. “He never attacked us, and he never lied to us,” Lillamere points out. “That is true,” scowls Alcar.“Great, it’s settled.” Baron Lillamere smiles. “We’ll get ahold of him for breakfast.”“It’s hardly settled,” Alcar retorts, but he does not dispute the baron’s plan for breakfast. The rest of the evening is almost uneventful. The only thing that happens, other than some drinking, eating and whoring, is the arrival of a tabaxi named Prrillk, sent by the famed tabaxi leader Hobbes. Apparently, Hobbes has somehow heard about the radiocrystal golem attack on Bahgerah, and (according to Prrillk), he was also attacked by similar golems recently, deep in the Underdark, in an area where teleportation only works across a short distance. Hobbes is tied up in some delicate negotiations, but he’d love it if Bahgerah would be willing to investigate the complex. “I’ll think about it,” Bahgerah says, “but I have a lot of other commitments that I need to handle first.”“Well, contact Lord Hobbes when you are ready,” Prrillk purrs. ***Morning. Breakfast?Inoke, it’s Alcar. Come chill at the Three Rubies. Talk, chill, come on, bro.The response: Alcar, we’ll talk.Breakfast.Next Time: Breakfast with Inoke! Rinardo! And Darkhold!</blockquote>

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