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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Milo Windby" data-source="post: 760042" data-attributes="member: 202">The Lost City – Part 5 (Session 30)Milo and the others walked a space away from the worshippers and spoke in hushed tones.”So, what do you think?” Milo asked the group.”I think you’ve got a good chance of getting these ‘Magi’ to play nice with the Brotherhood upstairs.” replied Mazi.  ”It looks like you’re in good enough standing with them to direct them where you will.  You can basically tell them what they have to do to win and they’ll do it.””Right,” said Milo with some trepidation.  He didn’t know how he felt about leading a group of blind followers into danger and possible death.  ”We still need to find the Maidens and convince them to ally with the others.””Aye.  Mazi’n me will bring ‘em round.” Brigit said with confidence.Milo brightened at the thought of taking a backseat in the next diplomatic discussion.  ”That’s right!  That’s all you guys!””Don’t sound too enthusiastic about it.” Mazi said acerbically.  ”Why do I get the feeling that this is going to fall to me?””Well Brigit can help, but with her beard I don’t know if they’ll take her for a man or a woman.”  Milo suppressed a grin.”Ya got a problem wi’ mah beard, then yer gonna have a problem wi’ me axe too!””No, no, no.  I don’t have a problem with your beard at all.  It’s very tasteful.” Milo raised his hands in a mock warding gesture.  He glanced at Kella, aloof and uninterested in the discussion.  ”I don’t think you’ll want to leave it to you-know-who.” he whispered to Mazi.Kella’s ears were too sharp for Milo’s whisper to go unnoticed.  ”Stupid heathens!  I hope you all burn.  At least that would leave us to the important matters!”Milo raised his eyebrows at the vehement outburst.  He hoped Kella wouldn’t be that unfriendly until they got Jeremiah back to the plateaus.  They had no idea where they were, much less how to get back.  Who knew how long they’d have to spend together?They fell into a short discussion on the merits of joining the Brotherhood and the Magi before they enlisted the Maidens.  It was decided to leave them isolated until all three groups agreed to the alliance.”I think it’s time to tell the Magi the news then.” Mazi said to the halfling.Milo nodded.  He called to Auriga and the two met in the center of the room.  The older man lowered his head in respect.  Milo ignored the discomfiting gesture and spoke.  ”As you have probably guessed, we’ve passed through the levels above to reach you.  Along the way we met the Brotherhood of Gorm.”Milo was interrupted by a sharp intake of breath from the other.  ”The heathens?””Yes, yes.  It’s very scandalous, I know.  They’re kind of on the way down here, so it was inevitable.  Their leader, Kanadius, spoke of past alliances between your people.””They are untrustworthy.””That may be,” Milo tried to head the argument off but was interrupted.”They and the women live for war.  We live for studies and for worship.  They are very violent.  We do not have much communication with them, as it should be.””Yes, but you have to accept that in order to overcome Zargon and Zenobia, violence will be necessary.””This is understood.  We have studied the arcane arts to aid us in this battle.””Wise tactics.  But don’t you think that allying yourselves with warriors in a battle such as this would be prudent?  Especially allies that have the same goal as yourselves?””Knowing the intentions of their hearts is very difficult.  They have told us one thing in the past and have done something completely different.””That’s a valid concern.  But with us, my companions and I, to help lead you and keep the others in line I am confident that we can keep a truce active long enough to overthrow Zargon and Zenobia.  You can then part your separate ways and govern yourselves in peace once again.””And who will lead us once Zenobia is overthrown?””Well as far as who will lead the Magi, I think that is a decision we should leave up to Usamigaras.  I think the Brotherhood will have to determine their own leader.””So we trade one group who rules over us and sacrifices us for warring factions?””I’d say that depends on how long you plan on going to war with the Brotherhood.””We do not plan on war.  We simply defend ourselves from them.””After the danger has passed I believe we can write up documents.  Truces and treaties to which both sides can agree.””If they will swear on the altar that they will abide by these truces, then our God will ensure that they cannot break them.”Milo shook his head sadly, he very much doubted the Brotherhood would agree to such a thing.  ”And if they require the same from you?  You wouldn’t have a problem swearing on their altar?””We will swear on our altar, not theirs.  We can accept the judgment of our God.””Do you believe that will satisfy them?””I do not know.” Auriga said simply.Milo despaired at reaching Auriga with reason.  He whispered back to the others, ”What do you think, burn this bridge when we get to it?””That may be for the best.  We can’t stand her and argue this forever.” Mazi said.”Argh!  Jus’ skip all this.  Let ‘em all die fer all Ah care.” Brigit exclaimed.  She earned a few fearful stares from the gathered worshippers.”Let’s find out where the Maidens are and get this over with.” Mazi said quietly.Milo nodded and turned back to Auriga.  ”Now, in order to ensure our success at overthrowing Zenobia, we believe it would be wise to ally ourselves with the Maidens.”Auriga cleared his throat, obviously in consternation.  ”You suggest many strange things.  But if you can accomplish this, if you can win from them their sworn oath that they will not attack us when we are done, then we will ally with them and the Brotherhood.””Very well!” Milo clapped his hands together once in relief.  ”You point us towards the Maidens and we’ll get on our way.  Once we have everyone’s agreement on an alliance we will gather and overthrow Zenobia!”Auriga directed them to another door leading from the chamber.  He told them of a wall of symbols and which one to press to take them to the Maidens.  He warned them that they would hear a great rumbling before the way was opened.”Now, in case we encounter any of the queen’s patrols along the way, do you have any protections you can offer?  Invisibility would be a welcome spell.” Milo asked.”Is the Holy One asking for assistance from the Magi?” Auriga asked.”Yes I am, and I’m not ashamed to admit it.””Does he not have protections granted him by Usamigaras?””I certainly do, but I’d prefer to keep them in reserve in case of emergency.”  Milo thought for a moment longer before continuing.  ”I believe it would be wise to approach the Maidens with women only.  If you could render Jeremiah and I invisible, the negotiations may go more favorably.””Atu, Abu, come forth.” Auriga motioned two of the worshippers to stand before him.  ”Cast your spells upon the Chosen One and his companion.”The two did as they were bid.  Milo and Jeremiah shimmered as if they were figments of a heat mirage before they disappeared from sight completely.Milo bid a disembodied farewell to Auriga and the worshippers as the others made their way to the door.A long hall led to the aforementioned door.  A bank of raised symbols lined the door.  Milo wondered what would happen if they were to press the wrong symbol.  His curiosity would have to wait.  Mazithra pressed the symbol of which Auriga told them.  A deep rumble sounded beyond the door.  It seemed as if tons of stone grated upon stone behind the closed portal.  After a few moments the sounds died to an echo through the hall in which they stood.  Brigit heaved the heavy stone door inward.  Another non-descript hallway lay beyond.  Milo shrugged and followed the others in.An identical door to the last lay at the end of the hallway.  Brigit heaved her bulk at the door as she did the other.  She tromped her plated boots into the large chamber behind the door.  Milo hoped her noise would mask the sound of Jeremiah’s similarly plated feet.  Brigit soon stopped as she took in the sight of the room.Ten women sat at a table, all were staring at the interlopers.  They were clad in bronze chainmail draped over green tunics.  Their faces were also covered in bronze masks.  These were sculpted as the face of the third statue from the top of the pyramid, the woman with the wheat and the sword.  The woman at the head of the table stood and spoke gruffly, ”Who are you and what are you doing here?”Mazi stepped forward.  ”Who’s in charge here?” she asked imperiously.”I am,” said the standing woman.  ”Do you come to claim challenge rights?””No, I don’t.  My name is Mazithra and I am here to help form an alliance between the Maidens, the Brotherhood and the Magi.”The other woman scoffed, ”Are you truly a woman that you pose such an outrageous alliance?”Mazi bristled at the implied insult.</blockquote>

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