House Millithor in COSQ: part 4

[Endur]

Kripp casts Sending, informing the Matron of the progress of his quest.

Alive, is Narcelia. Found her, Kripp did. Met Carcelon, did That Which Swims In Darkness. Great Favor, Found Carcelon. Speedy Travel Back, Will Require Magic.

 

[Endur]

Quertus and others spend several hours casting magical spells and detecting magic to see if the heroes are hidden inside Szith Morcane. The surviving commoners on the commoner level are interrogated to determine if the heroes have disguised themselves as drow or goblinoids.

While this is going on, Torellen's vampiric minions communicate their opinion regarding the plan to dive down the chasm towards the river below. Most of them consider it akin to jumping on a stake. The minions are careful to not communicate their opinion in the presence of the Matron.

 

[Serpenteye]

(assuming the Matron overheard Quertus conversation with his familiar; )

"Have Icho make the deal with his contacts, but let them know that we will only pay for accurate information and only once it has been verified. Let the bidding go no higher than five souls, commoners and goblinoids only."

 

[Endur]

ooc: The Matron does not know about Icho, the invisible and inaudible familiar that Quertus has acquired, but presuming that Quertus mentioned to the Matron that he has some abyssal contacts...

Icho whispers to Quertus, "I might be able to get my contacts to agree to one goblin soul in advance and four souls later after the information has been verified. But my contacts won't yield any info if we don't pay something in advance. They don't trust drow."

 

[Serpenteye]

Icho whispers to Quertus, "I might be able to get my contacts to agree to one goblin soul in advance and four souls later after the information has been verified. But my contacts won't yield any info if we don't pay something in advance. They don't trust drow."

(once it gets around to the Matron...)

"Understandable. Very well, make the deal. You may collect one goblin soul in advance."

The Matron orders Tierak to have the Bebiliths to weave a ladder of webs connecting the different layers, but to keep the center of the chasm clear. She then orders one of the vampires to collect one goblin from the commoner's level and carry it here as quickly as possible.

 

[Endur]

After Quertus sacrifices a goblin named Gwig (who reminds Quertus of another Goblin that was sent to the Abyss), Icho vanishes. Icho returns a few minutes later. "The sources say the Bhaal-child is in the Tower in Shadowdale."

 

[Serpenteye]

The Matron hisses quietly in vexation. "I'm afraid that cannot be verified, if it is indeed true. Payment has been delivered as promised."

"Quertus, fetch Carcelon's expedition. We must prepare our defenses."

 

[Dalamar]

Torellan approaches Matron Millithor after the devil deal.
"Mother, some of my children believe that your plan is akin to suicide. And I tend to agree with that, there is simply nothing they can do that way that they couldn't do better if equipped with say... crossbows and poisoned bolts. The vampiric gift of wall climbing should be enough to keep them from the range of their fighters, and if they spread out, they force the enemies's spellcasters to waste valuable spells."

 

[Serpenteye]

Torellan approaches Matron Millithor after the devil deal.
"Mother, some of my children believe that your plan is akin to suicide. And I tend to agree with that, there is simply nothing they can do that way that they couldn't do better if equipped with say... crossbows and poisoned bolts. The vampiric gift of wall climbing should be enough to keep them from the range of their fighters, and if they spread out, they force the enemies's spellcasters to waste valuable spells."

"But will their attacks hit the enemy, trough their near legendary armour and powerful abjurations? And what of poison, my boy? Do we have enough to spend it on such unskilled warriors?"
"You know the only way your children will die is if they are destroyed in their coffins. If we are defeated, only then will they die. By making a temporary sacrifice to win us the battle they are assuring their own long-term survival. If my plan is akin to suicide it's a distant relative indeed."

 

[Dalamar]

"Yes, my children aren't permanently destroyed. However, they still do feel pain. Would you, Mother, throw yourself against our attackers if you knew that you would rise to feel again for a while the pain that killed you?"