[Game Thread] Chapter Six: Be Careful What You Wish For

[SpatulaOdoom]

Dark eyes are serious and focused as he listens to Nallaul's story. His syntax and the order of his thoughts takes a little effort to follow since the drow is likely unused to using the common tongue. It's an incredible series of events, even for someone growing jaded to wonder as quickly as Morgan has over the last few months.

PresumablyFinding no hint of a lie in his words, Morgan quickly passes over the relevant bits to Zilira. Of most interest was that the godforge shard in the drow city had already been recovered, and that Deimos may have either already succumbed to Ciin's trap, or he'd been working with her from the start and Morgan's read on his vision had been wrong. Either way their deal had been rendered moot by the recovery of the Godforge. The Demi-god's increase in power was worrying, but the death of Ira and the recovery of the paragons heartening.
All in all a mixed bag of good and bad.
As usual.

”Well.” Morgan says, reaching for his sachel.
”That's certainly a story worth a glass or two of wine.” He produces a mostly full bottle of Riven Red and a glass. ”Fair warning. We make ours from grapes, not mushrooms.”
He pours the drow a glass, offering to the other new arrivals as well.

Originally Posted by Nallaul

"Where is her slave?--- All I have is a feeling that there is something wrong about him, I admit."

"You're not the only one." He does decline to say exactly where the man is though.

”A few more questions if you don't mind. What happened to Dea? There were more members to her party, last I knew a Paladin named Steven and a Illucia of the Ailen. Do any of you know what happened to them?”

He turns his gaze to Jaan. ”I'm glad to see you back master Jaan. Are you Lyanis's replacement?”

[Acathala]

Noticing that some of the surfacers are having trouble understanding him, he slows down his speach. Whilst his Halvan is pretty good, he doesn't wish them to know he speaks that just yet. Nallaul gives Morgan an odd look when he explains about the wine. "Yes I know. I have a couple of cases for when I.....ah entertain company. I think I've tried this one before..... Ah yes, quite pleasant." Nallaul sips the wine. Since the twins likely aren't drinking, he explains "They won't touch it until you've tried some. Poison is a concern in our culture. Yes I know I'm drinking it, but the girls know I'm highly resistant to poison. What I migh laugh off as stomach cramps, could kill them several times over."
On the slave Nallaul nods. "I am glad I am not being overly paranoid if your people too distrust him. May I ask what is your interest is in him?"
When Morgan asks Dea he replies. "She became at least a demi goddess and left with the person Shade brought. I got the impression she was not happy with daddy dearest or his church. Particularly as Lolth was the one to break the news to her who Deimos was to her. I liked her. She has a shong spirit. You would have to ask Isoude about the pair you mentioned. I never met or heard of them."

[SpatulaOdoom]

Morgan chuckles as he pours himself a glass as well.
”I suppose if it could very well have been poisoned long ago and I'd have never noticed, assuming it was something that didn't change the taste. I'm pretty sure it isn't though, Rhys didn't keel over when we shared a glass from the same bottle.”
Being immune to poisons might be convenient, but it did make getting a good drunk on inconvenient.
”If you happen to have a bottle of the mushroom wine on you I'd happily trade for it, we can talk about it later.”

Originally Posted by Nallaul

"I am glad I am not being overly paranoid if your people too distrust him. May I ask what is your interest is in him?"

Morgan gives his head a small shake.
”Apologies but no. Some subjects we will be unable to discuss. I'm sure you understand.”
He turns his gaze to the others, wondering quietly if Zilira's alright.

[Makenshi]

Originally Posted by Nallaul

"Master Shade, I hate to ask for another kindness, but would you mind checking Triss for signs of Mind Control? Probably best if everyone from the underdark is checked, though you could leave the guards and servants."

Shade seems mildly amused by the request. "Ah, of course, you're not familiar with me are you? I interfered in this instance because of the God Forge. Otherwise I try to keep out of the events of Aheka. It breeds dependence and reliance which I'm not fond of."

Originally Posted by Nallaul

"Where is her slave? No doubt she tried to deceive you about him. It may be worth interrogating him even if a long held suspicion of mine turns out to be incorrect. All I have is a dealing that there is something wrong about him, I admit."

Vulcar nods his head an agreement with Morgan. "Yes, we have our suspicions about him to, but without vetting you first we can't say why. Is there anything you can tell us about this slave? A name? Where they come from? What they're like exactly?"

Originally Posted by Morgan

”I'm glad to see you back master Jaan. Are you Lyanis's replacement?”

Jaan seems a bit overwhelmed by the whole situation and takes a while to realise that Morgan is talking to him. "I..what? What happened to Lyanis?"

"She was killed a short time ago." Mirik explains. "Apparently she was supposed to be replaced soon anyway and so she opted not to be revived. You are a Risen Martyr like her are you?" Jaan nods. "What is it exactly that Hiahel asked you to do?"

"He wanted me to look into the events in the Underdark and, if possible, prevent Dea from following in the footsteps of her father." He sighs in disappointment. "I'm not sure how successful I was though. Before she left she said that her 'path isn't in the light', although like Nallaul said, she seemed to expect to be in conflict with her father to one degree or another."

Originally Posted by Morgan

"A few more questions if you don't mind. What happened to Dea? There were more members to her party, last I knew a Paladin named Steven and a Illucia of the Ailen. Do any of you know what happened to them?"

As Nallaul suggested, it was Isoude with the answers they wanted here. "Illucia died fighting that...woman who was experimenting on bandits and slaves in an attempt to create her own Trueforged." Alnei's expression darkens at this news, evidently having not known of it before. "Rygtha too, although I'm less sorry about that. As for Steven, he and Lym stayed with a friend of his on the surface, trying to sort out the situation with that woman and investigating if there were any Drow in the area."

She taps her foot against the floor in thought. "And the friend of Dea's name was Deison if that makes any difference."

That gets Celes' attention. "Deison? Are you sure? A tall young man with white-ish hair?" Isoude nods and the Princess turns to Vulcar. "Didn't Nevh kill him and return his body to the Church?"

Before anyone else can say anything else Shade pipes in. "Oh, that was me. I stole Deison's body and replaced it with a copy. It was the easiest way to get information on Deimos and to give Dea a reason to stay for a while. My intention was to speak to her before she left, but she recovered quicker than I expected."


~MTWC

[Acathala]

"Triss is a telepath and cleric. Of all Myr'delith's children, she is the one I was most wary of, after Xul'oilin. I presume Xu'deln has told how she acquired the slave, so I won't bother repeating it. What you may not know is that they are lovers. Which may mean she's a willing accomplice in whatever he's doing. As for the slave he's an Elernan seer called Hywel." Nallaul hesitates for a moment, stroking his hair. "I'm not sure how to explain my suspicions, but....... He simply doesn't act like a slave. There are times where I think he finds his whole situation amusing. On top of that Triss let's him get away with stuff that even the most trusted slave would not." The mage keeps stroking his hair, pausing. "I realise that I have nothing other than my suspicion here. Tel'shar may know more, or he may not."
On the wine. "A deal can be made. Our wine tends to be sweeter, and there are more than a few that are cloying. Also our wine tends to be more pungent then yours."

[SpatulaOdoom]

There is a lot of information flying at him from several different sources. Best to focus on what is important and hold the rest for later.

Shade's attitude, for the most part, is something Morgan agrees with. It's how he wishes the gods viewed things instead of all these archgates and demi-gods and such. How much worse would things be if not for Fisali's caveat? With Sanctuary, the Godforge, and Jem'alen, though it was Shade's responsibility as much as anybody else, and it all threaded through Zera.
”One thing that's been puzzling me Shade. To get to Sanctuary you have to be invited in. Who invited Zera in? Do we need to keep an eye out for yet another secret society? One that might have been subverted?”
Morgan can't help but wonder if it has something to do with Mask and the shadow talker girl who'd contacted Humility.
”So is it actually Deison, or are you sock puppeting his body? If the latter, she probably won't be terribly happy when she finds out.”

Morgan is distracted for a moment as Zilira finally returns his attempts to contact her.
"Deimos is up to something. Zilira says his temple is empty."

The lanky man sighs when Nallaul names Xu'deln. He'd pushed to keep the poor man's anonymity. He had enough spirits bothering him that he didn't need to be pestered by curious researchers, politicians, and Shade's admirers as well, to say nothing of vengeful drow.
It had been exactly as he'd suspected. Hywel. A seer, psion, pawn of Zera, and potential godling to boot.

”I think it might be best if I interview this Hywel immediately. Care to join me Kala? Lady Mrith, I'd like you to join us as well. If you'd be willing of course.”
Him, Mrith, Rhys, Kala, and a contingent of the Royal guard should be more than enough to contend with Hywel. Better it would be a good opportunity to try to get a feel for his new comrade in a semi-controlled environment. Hopefully Hywel didn't yet know that they knew of him.

[Acathala]

"Of course Deimos is up to something. He's attacking my city. He's up to an additional something then." Nallaul says. He turns to the King and says. "So what happens now, Patron Father? What do you intend to do with Tel'shar? The twins and I? We have co-operated fully with your questions.". Indeed Nallaul had co-operated fully, so much so that he was concerned he had nothing left to bargain with should the Halvans turn nasty.

[SpatulaOdoom]

”You know how to tell when he's up to something? You can tell because yes he's up to something. He's always up to something. Whatever something that emptied his church right now is just less expected than Lolth provoking a fight with Deimos. That we knew was coming.”
The painful thing about predicting the future was that changing the outcome results in something you didn't predict.
”Now. We should probably continue this conversation when we are not around someone who is probably compromised by a psion.”

[Makenshi]

OOC @ Acathala: Xu'deln's name hasn't been mentioned yet as far as I'm aware.

Originally Posted by Morgan

"One thing that's been puzzling me Shade. To get to Sanctuary you have to be invited in. Who invited Zera in? Do we need to keep an eye out for yet another secret society? One that might have been subverted?"

"When someone is in control of it, yes, but Zera got in when no one was in it, a mistake I do not intend to make again when I recover it. Sanctuary was created in a time when it didn't even occur to me that there wouldn't be someone inside of it. A lesson that no matter someone's power simple mistakes can still be costly. I will most likely use the God Forge to alter Sanctuary's nature once it has been recovered, making such a takeover impossible in the future."

Originally Posted by Morgan

"So is it actually Deison, or are you sock puppeting his body? If the latter, she probably won't be terribly happy when she finds out."

"Oh, he's all Deison. Puppets are such...crude tools, and to be honest that girl could do with someone to look out for her, Deity or no. Just try not to kill him the next time you see him. If what Nallaul said is true then they might be more allies and enemies."

On the matter of Deimos and Zilira, Seneca Sol frowns. "If Zilira is to be helping Coiya then I will recall the Covenant. While they might not be the same as having a Demi-Goddess as a guardian there is something to be said for numbers."

Originally Posted by Nallaul

"So what happens now, Patron Father? What do you intend to do with Tel'shar? The twins and I? We have co-operated fully with your questions."

Vulcar seems momentarily puzzled by the title at first before realising that Nallaul was talking to him. "It is too soon to say, but rest assured I have no intention of chopping off your heads at this moment. Tel'shar's situation is more problematic, however, since he not only smuggled a weapon into this meeting but attempted to murder a guest of mine. Regardless of his intentions, that is not something that I can simply ignore. That is not how we do things on the surface." He glances between the three of them. "Something you would all do well to remember." Turning his attention to T'rissafay, the King frowns before speaking with Kala. "Is she well enough to be cared for by another if you go with Morgan?"

Kala nods. "She will need guarding though. Even without Lolth she is still a Telepath."

Vulcar nods. "I'll see to it." He turns to the others present. "I suggest we re-convene this meeting at a later date. Arrangements are being made to transport you back to your respective nations should you wish, and we have means of communication if you prefer to remain. Either way, I suggest you inform everyone of the potential danger posed by Deimos and the Seven. No one wants a repeat of the Troubles."

As Kala and Morgan move to leave Malhas moves to follow. "Might I suggest we bring one or more of the Drow with us? A friendly face would make it easier to question the Drow with the slave and explain the situation."

~MTWC

[SpatulaOdoom]

Originally Posted by Shade

"Just try not to kill him the next time you see him. If what Nallaul said is true then they might be more allies than enemies."

Morgan simply shrugs.
”Depends if he tries attacking me or mine again...” Morgan doesn't feel the need to elaborate on what would happen in that case. Deison might have the reputation of an honorable man, but he was still a follower of Deimos, with all that implied.
”As for Dea, I'm not going to blame her for the crimes of her father. Just her own, whatever they might be. If she's trying to break away from all that then good, but I'll remain wary. Someone should let Cpt. Windwalker know though.”

Seneca's choice to bring his vampire buddies back is of no real consequence to Morgan. He hadn't even known they were gone. Another layer of protection was good however.
He also keeps his mouth shut when Tel'shar's “attempted” murder is commented upon. Technically he had killed her, just very briefly.

Originally Posted by Malhas

"Might I suggest we bring one or more of the Drow with us? A friendly face would make it easier to question the Drow with the slave and explain the situation."”

Morgan raises an eyebrow. Well... Tel'shar was blatantly allied with Deimos, and his daughters and friends might be as well, which meant what they heard would probably be passed on. In theory Diemos and Zera were enemies, but nothing would stop big D from using the info against them in some way. Depending on what they learned, if anything. He didn't trust them, but he'd worked with plenty of people he didn't trust lately, and it might be useful as Malhas suggested.

”Ok then.” He looks over at Nallaul and Tel'shar's daughters. ”Any volunteers? Should be interesting.”

[Acathala]

Nallaul corrects Vulchar. "Deimos and the Six. Ira's dead, remember."
On Triss Nallaul remarks. "I would also remove any magical items from her, and she may also be carrying poison herself. On the safe and perhaps slightly paranoid side, if you could place her in a place where teleportation is barred that would be good." With a nod to Shade. "Well where teleportation is barred to us mere mortals at least."

Nallaul starts to laugh when Malhas makes his suggestion. Not at the actual suggestion, but the way it was phrased. He stops quickly though. "I doubt many if any amongst the remainder of the delegation would consider us "Friendly Faces". More like faces to be feared and obeyed. However your actual suggestion has merit. I am the only witness here whom saw Lolth die. They are certainly more likely to believe me over a human." His eyes drift to Triss then Felynda. "There is another concern. Once they find out Lolth is dead..... her former clerics will become targets. Felynda and Triss may well need protection."
He turns to Felynda. "It would be useful if you came along and confirmed that you could no longer felt her presence. However no one knows you're here outside this room. It's up to you if you want to come."
To her sister he says. "Why don't you get to know the people here better?"
Nodding to Morgan. "Lead on then."

[SpatulaOdoom]

”You're forgetting your history. Members of the Seven have fallen and been replaced before. The one just now dead was not the first Ira, and I suspect another will take his place as lord of assassins sooner or later. Fortunately, since his deific power was either claimed or redirected to the Paragons, it should be a true drain on the fiendish pantheon's sum power rather than just passing on the torch to a newer less experienced Ira.”
It did beg the question of the device they'd apparently used to drain his power. Another godforge piece? A similar design? Or was something else going on? For now he didn't seem to have much recourse to investigate, so best to focus on other things.

Originally Posted by Nallaul

”Once they find out Lolth is dead..... her former clerics will become targets. Felynda and Triss may well need protection."

”Hmm. A people ground into the dirt grabbing their chance to rise up and take vengeance on their oppressors. Now where have I heard that one before.” The Demongate war, the Halvan empires, any number of smaller scale things. You'd think people would learn from history rather than keep trying to repeat it and expect things would go better this time.

With a shrug Morgan leads the small group away from the grand hall. He opens his mouth as if to say something then seems to lapse in consideration.
”You know. I was going to re-assure you that they'd be safe here. But now that I think of it our track record for keeping drow guests from dying isn't exactly sterling. Zero for two as it stands. Hmm.” He brightens slightly. ”On the up side Kala is sitting at two for two at bringing them back. So I guess in aggregate we're doing OK. Ah, there's Rhys.”
Morgan waves over a towering Halvan. At six and a half feet he was a few inches taller than even Morgan, and packed with tightly wound muscle where Morgan was rangy bordering on skinny. Light brown hair is cut long enough that it needs a pony tail to be kept out of his warm green eyes.
”Nallaul, meet Rhys Emlyn my adoptive brother.” Sort of. Close enough to not be worth the long winded explanation every time he was introduced to some random stranger. ”He's a something of a prodigy soldier, so if things go bad keep him between you and the bad people with pointy bits of metal.
Rhys, this is Nallaul, from that drow city I mentioned. I don't know him or much trust him, so you know... Keep an eye on him, hey?”
Morgan realizes he hasn't introduced Kala or Malhas.
”Oh, and Nallaul, this is Kala the Silent Seer, another adoptive sibling, and Malhas, her half-brother, though we've only recently met.”

[Acathala]

Nallaul bites his tongue at Morgan's comments. He doesn't feel like an argument just now, especially with Tel'shar's fate in the hands of thes humans. Still the fact they hadn't immediately executed him was a good sign. He follows with Felynda if she deigns to come, looking around as he goes. It was strange to be in a place with so much light that was not Xufaer's abode.
When Rhys isintroduced, Nallaul can't help but compare him to Alamen, as she had often fulfiled the role of his guardian in battle when they had patrolled. Privately he thinks that Alamen would have the edge, as she was a wielder of both blade and magic. Thinking of her makes him feel momentarily sad, as she is likely dead. Shakes the feeling off quickly. "Hello there then Rhys. Hopefully it won't come to a fight, but I'm a handy arachnomancer to have in a fight"
On Morgan's comment about not trusting him, he chuckles dryly. "That's okay, I don't know you or trust you much either. Kind of forced to trust you a bit since Tel'shar's fate is in the hands of your patron father."
He looks at the brother and sister, saying "Well met you two too. I hope Kala you won't take offense when I say I hope I don't need your skill set."

[SpatulaOdoom]

”Of course you don't trust me. I wouldn't believe you if you said you did. Perhaps we'll develop a little trust with some association.”
There's no malice in Morgan's words. They're simply a statement of fact. Everything he'd heard and seen suggested that being a Drow meant trust was in short supply.
”Don't worry about it. It's a difficult and complicated situation. I'm not entirely sure what Tel'shar expected to happen, given he's supposedly an expert on the surface realm.” Morgan guides the group to a small watch room where a squad of royal guard are stationed discreetly. Morgan is pleased to find the gloriously mustachioed sergeant who'd helped him with the Windwalker situation. He appropriates the man and his squad of royal guardsmen.
”Oh and call him King Vulcar. Patron Father or Matron Mother aren't really terms anyone uses up here or will recognize. The closest thing we have are the heads of the various noble houses, which he is, but that title is superseded by being King of an entire country.”

[Acathala]

Nallaul sighs. "Look, Tel'shar has always been unpredictable. Being unpredictable has helped him survive the underdark. I don't know why Tel'shar chose to assassinate Triss in a room full of witnesses, but I say with certainly it was not an impulsive act. Perhaps he wished to silence her to prevent her telling Hywel and in turn his master. Assuming he has one but he strikes me as somebody's agent. Does Halva and Deimos share an enemy I wonder? Or perhaps it was to prove to the others Lolth's power was broken." Again he sighs "I watched most of the people I knew die horribly today. I know most of them had it coming, but I was fond of a couple of them. Tel'shar means a lot to me. He's been my friend since childhood. We may not be related by blood, but we are still brothers. No matter what he's done, I don't want to lose him. In our society that is weakness, and is part of the reason why we need a new society."