Collusion

Pentatina, 22 1000 PC

After a long night of navigating tunnels and fighting dwarves, our heroes return to the Chicdell estate to find Ozimius and Mask having a discussion at the base of the stairs within Oliveryn´s mansion.

Ozimius quickly draws his companions in to a conversation regarding freeing the Sajenese slaves still kept by House Elán.  All agree that the slaves must be freed and House Elán must be brought down.  The tired adventures allow the conversation to drift to the presence of mindflayers in the city alluded to by the spirit of the duergar captain.  They begin identifying allies that can help with which ever foe they finally decide the focus on.  Exhaustion finally forces all but Oliveryn, who managed to sleep the night, to collapse in their various beds until the following day.

The following day, our heroes begin discussing how to deal with the alleged mindflayers and determine that using the possibilty of mindflayers infiltrating Troll´s Bridge will allow them to discredit the Houses that are loyal to the mayor beginning with House Elán.

Our heroes have returned to the manor from the kobold caves and it is nearly morning.

As they enter, they see Ozimius and Mask standing at the bottom of the stairs in conversation.

A servant has woken up Oliveryn at Ozimius' "request."

Sparta: Man, am I bushed.

Ozimius glances at the others then back to Mask while he waits for Oliveryn.

Sparta: Having Duergar beat on me all night sure is tiring.

Wintersky: Completely exhausted.

Legeand: Funny, I do not see green leaves on you, but I hear you.

Nyza: Hi, Ozi. Hope your night was as exciting.

Wintersky looks concernedly at Mask.

Ozimius: It was Nyza, and yours?

Nyza: Um... me just echo what Sparta say.

Mask turns so she is only facing Ozimius.

Oliveryn enters the room, fully dressed in regular clothes.

Ozimius: Mask, I leave the plans up to you. Just tell me what we must do. I will handle the rest.

Wintersky: It looks like someone managed to rest.

Ozimius: Just make sure they come down hard. I need to make an example of them.

Oliveryn: Yes, it seems I have gotten plenty of rest lately.

Mask: It may be helpful to enlist our companions, as well, in some fashion.

Ozimius: I plan to.

Ozimius turns to the others.

Nyza: Now that Morrisul is dead, maybe the assassinations stop and we can breathe easier?

Mask: Do not count on it, Nyza.

Ozimius: I have a job that needs doing. Can I count on you all for help?

Legeand: Depends on the help asked.

Wintersky: What is the job?

Mask: What we have been up to since we arrived in Troll's Bridge.

Ozimius: House Elan has refused to release its slaves. I am going to bring it to its knees.

Oliveryn: I doubt the assinations will stop that easly, Nyza. There are more people in Troll's Bridge that would like me not to be here.

Nyza: Nyza help. If um, it can wait a few hours? Nyza soooo tired.

Ozimius: Mask is going to handle the magic end.

Mask: We have some planning to do, so rest is possible.

Ozimius looks to Legeand.

Legeand: And you need us to handle the physical end or distract them?

Ozimius: But I will do this with or without your help.

Ozimius: That depends on Mask.

Ozimius: She is key in this.

Nyza glares at Mask, a hint of jealously in her reptilian eyes.

Mask: I will take any advice offered and include anyone willing to help.

Legeand: If you asked us to go in and murder someone for some unknown reason, I would have said no, but this I will say yes too.

Ozimius grins.

Ozimius: There may well be killing. But the Sajenese can not be allowed to remain enslaved.

Wintersky: Freeing slaves is a worthy cause. Include me in this mission.

Mask turns to Sparta.

Sparta: I'll be happy to help you destroy anyone bent on keeping slaves.

Ozimius: My thanks, Sparta. All the other houses have released the slaves as requested. Elan is the last.

Legeand: Killing is not the problem. It is the who and the reasons that bothers me.

Ozimius looks at Oliveryn pointedly.

Mask: Oliveryn?

Oliveryn: I always support you, Ozi, for servitude without payment is highly wrong; not just economically but morally as well.

Ozimius nods

Sparta: I didn't know you were so discriminating, Legeand.

Ozimius: I still need your word, Oli, that you will not tolerate Sajenese slavery in your house.

Legeand: I can be.

Legeand: I rather not go into a nobelman's house and kill him to find out he was a good man rather than evil.

Oliveryn: There is no slavery in my house, Ozi. Everyone is paid what they are due to their skill. If they were deemed not suitable for work, then they were released.

Ozimius nods, relieved.

Mask: That is not a problem with House Elan, Legeand.

Ozimius: Good or evil, Elan must be take down. I cannot stand by while the Sajenese are enslaved.

Sparta: From what I've seen, nobleman may be an oxymoron in this town.

Mask giggles behind her mask at Sparta's quip.

Ozimius frowns at Mask.

Legeand: We have a second problem then after this house.

Nyza: What is that?

Ozimius (grinning at Mask): Speaking of oxymorons.

Legeand: Your squid-faced things.

Mask: What squid-faced things?

Mask: Mindflayers?

Nyza: Oh yes, the duergar mention illithids.

Sparta: In the Underdark.

Sparta: Coming to pay a visit.

Legeand: And the lizard folk too.

Wintersky: Yes, the spirit of the duergar captain said they are the precursor to an illithid invasion.

Nyza: Nyza is not eager to confront them. They are the ones that enslave many, many, many elves, yes?

Mask: Yes, Nyza, that is why there is a separate Elven Monarchy.

Legeand: From what we know they may be looking to here for something.

Sparta: More slaves.

Mask: According to the history of Walton, illithids tried to invade Walton centuries ago before its fall.

Mask: It sparked a huge war between the Githyanki and the Mindflayers in the Astral Plane around the city.

Sparta: That was over a thousand years ago, why come back now?

Legeand: They built up their forces maybe.

Mask: Because there is a new metropolis to enslave?

Ozimius: The Sajenese of this city are all but united. They may find things more difficult then they think.

Sparta: Maybe we should enlist our Gith friend.

Wintersky: The duergar captain implied they are already taking root.

Legeand: Under the water the captain said?

Mask: Gith friend?

Nyza: Grez?

Ozimius: If they are within the city, there is no place low enough to hide that they will not be found by the thieves, beggars and assassins.

Sparta: Yeah, Grezeliziea.

Mask: Or orcs, trolls and kobolds.

Legeand: Unless they already started on controling those factions.

Wintersky: I got the impression it was much deeper than that.

Wintersky: We need to be more observant of the leaders to see if they are dominated.

Nyza: And also, we need to ward ourselves from the mental dominations.

Ozimius (looks at Mask): Is there not a way to tell with magic?

Sparta eyes Oliveryn carefully.

Mask: There are ways magically and by observation, Ozi.

Ozimius (whispers to Sparta): Sparta, what is wrong?

Oliveryn sits back against the wall holding a small cup of tea.

Legeand: Hopefully they have not started too deeply up here or we might be up to our necks in tentacles.

Wintersky: Yes, puppets are quite easy to spot with the right training.

Ozimius: Mask, what are the clues to telling if someone is dominated?

Sparta (whispers back): Nothing, just looking to see if any of us are dominated.

Mask: As Wintersky stated, they seem like puppets.

Nyza: Me can demonstrate a charm effect, but the stronger magic is more obvious.

Mask: Their actions will seem stiff and their manner unsual.

Ozimius (grins): Puppets have a weakness. Their strings can be cut.

Mask: If you can find the puppeteer.

Legeand: Then you cut all the strings.

Mask: That needs magic to do.

Ozimius: Eventually yes, but with no puppets, there can be no puppet master (fingers his dagger)

Legeand: Should we let some others know of this? It might help to spread the news.

Sparta: We seem to have an ample supply of magic between you and Nyza.

Wintersky: Killing the puppets is not helpful, Ozi.

Ozimius (grins): But depending on the puppet, it may be enjoyable

Ozimius winks at Wintersky.

Sparta: The town is already beset by vampires, how would they react to an invasion of mindflayers.

Mask: We have multiple kinds of puppeteers here in Troll's Bridge then.

Sparta: It could cause a panic.

Legeand: Never said to the public, but what about the mage schools and churches?

Oliveryn: Possibly, some Lords or Ladies?

Mask: Oddly enough, vampires are great at killing mindflayers.

Legeand: Vampires have no will or mind of their own ?

Ozimius: Perhaps we killed them too quickly.

Nyza: So we should all become vampires?

Nyza grins.

Sparta: As long as they don't turn them into undead mindflayers, yeesh.

Ozimius (grins): Not a bad idea Nyza.

Mask: Vampires certainly do have will and minds, Legeand. Just look at Hardun.

Legeand: Vampire mindslayer. Would that even work?

Mask: Undead are immune to the mindflayers power.

Legeand: Hmm, true, but not all of them seem to, like those ones from way back we fought. not that anything dying says much more than a scream.

Ozimius: So if we get Hardun to bite a few people, we can use them to kill the mindflayers.

Wintersky: Bad idea.

Mask: It may be worth it to inform Hardun and let him decide how to fight the mindflayers.

Nyza: Telling the mages and divine officials about the problem sounds good, but until we know more about the mindflayer threat, it does not seem like there is much else we can do.

Ozimius nods.

Legeand: We at least need to protect ourselves from them.

Mask: True.

Mask: Protection wards are possible.

Ozimius: I do not mind talking to Hardun. I find him fascinating.

Oliveryn: So, shall I send a request to see the Mayor?

Oliveryn sips his tea.

Mask: In the matter of the mindflayers, it cannot hurt.

Legeand: What about some of our out of town friends?

Legeand: Any of them might help too.

Mask: Do you think the githyanki of the tower would help?

Mask: Enough vampire activity in Troll's Bridge may just drive them away.

Oliveryn nods and walks to the door opening it, looking for a servant.

Ozimius: Driving them away if fine, but does not fix the problem. Better to root them out and eradicate them once and for all.

Mask: That would ultimately take us the Grayholm.

Nyza: Ack, that is the heart of the faerie land!

Oliveryn returns to the room.

Legeand: Do we really want to go there yet? But, it could not hurt either.

Ozimius: What would be the problem with that?

Mask: Yes, and they have been fighting them for over a thousand years.

Oliveryn: I have a servant drafting up a letter to send to my grandfather. We shall have a reply soon.

Sparta: We haven't talked to Grezeliziea in almost a year, but we helped her get home safely.

Sparta: If the Githyanki hate the Illithids that much, they might help us.

Mask: Do you have a way of contacting her?

Nyza: Me can try.

Wintersky yawns deeply.

Nyza: A scrying sensor has a chance of finding her and then Nyza speak through it.

Mask: We should get some rest before we start doing anything else strenuous.

Nyza nods.

Ozimius nods.

Sparta: Aye, that sounds like a great idea.

Wintersky: I will be in my tent.

Sparta: Sleep, then breakfast.

Ozimius: I will return in the morning.

Sparta: And maybe a quick brunch after that.

Legeand: Sleep would be welcome.

Ozimius leaves Oliveryn's house, and returns to the Bloodcloth

Nyza hands Oliveryn the Eternal Wand of Identify before she goes to bed.

Our heroes make their ways to their various rooms and lodging to get some rest while Oliveryn tends to his boring duties.

Oliveryn tends to his boring duties as the Lord of the manior. He day dreams about going on a long road trip singing about his companions victories.

The next morning our heroes are refreshed and ready to continue.

Nyza: So, what is first on the agenda then? Do we contact the gith? The vampires? The elves?

Legeand: Well, Oli can go to his father, you can go to the gith, and can Mask not go to the elves?

Nyza: Hah, yes, me like that plan.

Ozimius: Want me to look for some more undead to help the vampires?

Mask: Elves? That probably would not work very well.

Legeand: It is not like they do not know us by now.

Mask: I could contact The Grotesque.

Ozimius: The who?

Sparta: I'd say breakfast is the first order of business.

Ozimius perks up at the mention of The Grotesque.

Legeand: Zodyu?

Wintersky: I rather you did not, Mask.

Ozimius: Why?

Wintersky: That church is a vile place.

Ozimius: I can go.

Nyza: Nyza do not want to be debted to a god of death.

Legeand: Yea...that sounds like a bad thing.

Ozimius: It might help.

Mask: I already have a relationship with The Grotesque. If we should follow that route, I should go.

Ozimius nods.

Ozimius: I think you should talk to him. We could use the help.

Sparta: You have a relationship with The Grotesque?

Sparta: Lukinvor won't be happy about that.

Mask: Neither would Visaria, for that matter, but I am not a very nice person as you are well aware of.

Legeand: Well not that bad, Mask. You are helping us.

Ozimius grins at Mask.

Mask: I try.

Sparta: Aye, but my patriarch doesn't know Visaria like he knows Lukinvor.

Oliveryn asks the servants to prepair a small breakfast for eveyone as they awaken.

Mask: Oddly enough, it seem that Oliveryn could build up some powerful prestige to unite the city against the mindflayer threat and help his cause with the people during the coup.

Nyza's breakfast is uncharacteristically light. Water and bread.

Sparta: Right Grandpa?

Sparta receives a subconscious nod from Manty's Heirloom.

Oliveryn: I could try to rally the populace against these "puppetmasters," but if left unchecked it could lead to a witch hunt.

Oliveryn: We could use this idea, though, as a staging out to overthrow the power in Troll's Bridge.

Mask: Publize it after the mindflayers are defeated.

Legeand: Or, during many smaller battles like we generaly end up doing.

Nyza: A coup might reveal the mind-flayers too. They will want to control the governing power if it changes, yes?

Mask: That is brilliant, Nyza!

Nyza giggles.

Sparta: The people will happily flock to a leader who has saved them from a fate worse than death.

Oliveryn: Make the people in Troll's Bridge think certain people, people that are against our cause, are controlled by mindflayers, get them to rise up a crucify them.

Mask: That would be a witch hunt.

Oliveryn: Yes, a witch hunt that can work in our favor.

Oliveryn: A least for a little while.

Legeand: Or against if someone else other then us uses it.

Sparta: As long as you're not a witch.

Oliveryn: Like I said, it is a fine edge. It could go either way.

Mask shakes a finger at Sparta.

Ozimius grins.

Ozimius: But in Chaos there is Profit...

Oliveryn: But the idea of leading an uprising against the mindflayers to get some street cred from the populaton might be a good thing, when it comes to be trying to do a coup.

Legeand: It will help you, not your Council though.

Mask: Let the resistance know and they can look good too.

Sparta: A battle with the Mindflayers might give us reason to welcome the White Blades into town.

Legeand: Ha, that will be interesting.

Oliveryn: True, but I doubt my grandfather will be...willing to do that.

Mask: And thus giving you ammunition against him for his interference.

Oliveryn: We would have to possibly sway more of the old council to try to pressure him to enlist the White Blades to come, but I believe he already knows that Eregard is leading them as a rebellion force.

Oliveryn: But then again, they are "mercenaries" working for the highest bidder.

Wintersky: That might just work.

Oliveryn: I wonder if dragons hate mindflayers?

Oliveryn smiles.

Mask: They probably love them...for dinner.

Oliveryn laughs.

Oliveryn: Possibly.

Sparta: Can a dragon be dominated?

Mask: Not the one Oli has enlisted.

Legeand: An orb of dragonkind counts, so I would say yes.

Oliveryn: From a mindflayers abilities...no.

Wintersky: We already know that will cause more harm than good.

Mask: With Wintersky, I agree.

Oliveryn: What, having Cedarcleaver blowup half the city?

Legeand: It is not like we do not have enough sides to fight with as is.

Mask: There are also the Hell Cults.

Sparta looks surprised.

Mask: They will not like their territory intruded upon either.

Legeand: By us or them?

Mask: Yes.

Oliveryn: Well, I still think we should think about using this mindflayer business to try to see if we can topple some of these houses that are lined up against the resistance.

Mask: Like House Elan who are least likely to be dominated by them, but we could make it look like they are.

Legeand: Well, at least we have a sembilance of a plan going.

Oliveryn: Yes, then it will give us an excuse to diminish this power against the resistance by making it look like we are trying to stop the spread of these mindflayers controls.

Oliveryn: I bet even I can get my grandfather to approve of this, if he believes one of the houses are being maniplulated.

Sparta: Accuse them of being puppets, destroy their house and free the slaves

Nyza: That would take care of Ozi's problem at the same time, at least.

Mask: And who knows, one or more may already be dominated.

Oliveryn: Yes. And then we can go after them.

Mask: And use the leverage of saving them to bring them to you.

Sparta: How do we "prove" they're dominated?

Oliveryn: But if one that is for the resistance, we need to try to save the lives of the ones being dominated, as much as possible.

Mask: Strengthen alliances and forge new ones if possible.

Oliveryn: With the edict of the Mayor.

Sparta: Will he turn against House Elan?

Mask: Besides Elan being "dominated," the Sajenese may be very helpful in determining which other houses are, Ozi?

Ozimius: I am sure. The Sajenese are everywhere.

Oliveryn: I believe if he thinks that a house is being controlled by an unseen force, then that house needs to be dealt with. And the way my grandfather deals with things...is always with force.

Sparta: The Sajenese could spread rumors of their odd behavior.

Ozimius: Easily.

Mask: You could play nice with Thieves' Thought temporarily too and build some trust with the underworld.

Ozimius: That would not go over well, but if we must. But I must warn you, I have already gotten off to a rocky start with them.

Ozimius grins.

Wintersky: Maybe your friend Balis can help mend the bridge for awhile.

Sparta (whispers to Ozi): How did you ever make friends with us? You seem to find enemies wherever you go.

Ozimius (chuckles): I do not know that myself, Sparta.

Sparta looks at Ozimius cockeyed.

Sparta: I hope you are right.

Mask: It is be cause you are as loyal as a bull dog, Ozi.

Ozimius (grins): Who, me?

Wintersky: Yes, that is an obvious merit among your flaws.

Ozimius: I am a man of my environment, Wintersky.

Ozimius chuckles.

Mask: So, we need to discuss particulars.

Mask: I am guessing House Elan would be the first on the list.

Sparta talks with his mouth full, "Mmph-hmph."

Oliveryn: Yes, sounds like the best starting point.

Wintersky: That is the estate next door, is it not?

Mask: It is.

Legeand: So, who is doing what and where?

Oliveryn: First off we need to get approval from my grandfather. We can start searching for house members that might be controlled by these mindflayers.

Mask: I have had a couple duels with them and they tend to use enchatments and necromancy.

Oliveryn: We will give him knowledge that we suspect that House Elan is showing signs of mind control, etc.

Sparta: I can plant a rumor at the Smoking Pipe.

Nyza: While you diploma-cize, Nyza try to contact Grez. Me see if the githyanki can help us.

Ozimius: The Sajenese will begin to spread the rumors as well.

Mask: I do not know how plausible we can make that sound. Elan is the house least likely to fall under mind-control.

Oliveryn: What we need to do is not to make a panic though, too many people too fast might cause a public problem.

Legeand: Thus, would make good reason for them to, would it not?

T'Krosh: Mask, will you be contacting The Grotesque? If we are asking for divine assistance, perhaps I can give prayer to Kurtulmak for aid.

Sparta: We don't need to mention mindflayers.

Mask: Kurtulmak has unique skills that could come in handy, T'Krosh. Certainly.

Oliveryn: Just that something odd is happening inside House Elan.

Sparta: Just mention they were acting oddly at the ball.

Sparta: The more subtle the rumor, the better chance it has to work.

Sparta: Nobody would believe us if we came out and said, "Hey, did you hear House Elan is in league with the mindflayers?"

Oliveryn: Agreed.

Mask: Wait. If these mindflayers are from Grayholm and they have been able to subjugate elves who have resistance to their power and still managed, House Elan is susceptible.

Mask: Subtlety is probably best, but to inform Hardun, that argument may fly.

Sparta: Yes, Oli talks to his gaffer.

Mask: You should speak personally with your grandfather, Oli, to impart this information.

The dagger at Sparta's belt "ahems."

Oliveryn: I sent off a message to him this morning to see if I can visit him. No word back yet.

Sparta: Grandpa?

Manitowoc: A very interesting conversation you have been having.

Oliveryn looks around.

Legeand: You have some noisey relatives there Sparta.

Sparta: Grandpa, have you fought mindflayers?

Manitowoc: Yes, back in the day. In Walton, in fact.

Nyza: Erm...have you "successfully" fought any then?

Manitowoc: Sure, I lived over 160 years. My problem is with vampires.

Manitowoc: If you get into battle with mindflayers, I can protect you if you are within a few feet of me.

Legeand: That will not help too many of us.

Oliveryn: I wonder if the mindflayers know how important I am and if they would try to come after me to try to make me do things.

Sparta: Some protection is better than none at all.

Manitowoc: Formation fighting against works well if protected in the way I can protect you.

Mask: It is not out of the realm of possiblity, Oli.

Sparta: How can you protect us? I didn't know you could do that.

Legeand: Not fully, but when only three of us ever run up to smack someone.

Nyza: If it means not getting my mind erased by some tentacle-monster, Nyza stay very close to Sparta.

Mask: As with most power, they have limited range.

Manitowoc: That is correct.

Manitowoc: Sparta is in the middle of the melee with you, Legeand, and Ozimius.

Manitowoc: The rest use range for protection.

T'Krosh: Wintersky, you must be able to ask for similiar protective magic.

Wintersky: Yes, certainly.

Legeand: Well, how much do you weight, Nyza. I could always just carry you on my back.

Sparta: That might make swinging a sword difficult.

Mask: Many spellcasters develop the necessary wards.

Nyza: You are certainly strong enough to do so, Leggy.

Legeand: I could just stick her in my backpack. Kind of like those mothers with their babys.

Sparta: Well, that would be a sight to see.

Manitowoc: You are all aware of the necessary protections. This is good.

Legeand: Old man, do you know if any metal hurts them more then another?

Manitowoc: They are susceptible to any weaponry.

Nyza: And fire?

Manitowoc: Yes, fire is effective as well.

Manitowoc: Enchantments are often a waste, but just about any evocation will do.

Legeand: Any weaknesses other than being frail or something?

Mask: There is magic that can disrupt their powers.

Mask: I have seen books on it in the library of The Floating Tower.

Manitowoc: That would be handy.

Nyza: Can we get in safely to have a look?

Mask: I will have to speak with Isildul.

Mask: He might be agreeable to a short visit.

Ozimius: It is worth a try.

Legeand: Well the second thing we need to talk about is what is it you wish us to do to take down House Elan, Ozi.

Legeand: I understand go there and kill, but specifics might help.

Ozimius: I was hoping Mask could disgrace them with magic and the rumors would also go far. Once they are no longer have a power base, we can handle the rest.

Oliveryn: I would say we start with The Lady of House Elan, basically given her options. Support the rebellion or else we kill her house.

Ozimius: At the moment, they are too powerful to move against. It would attract attention among the other Houses.

Mask: She will retaliate to any kind of threat like that.

Legeand: So the plan to help the slaves is...there is no plan?

Ozimius: The plan is for Mask to humiliate her with magic and turn the other houses against her.

Mask: Sorry, I have had only a night to ponder it.

Nyza: What about something like, the um, what is the word.

Mask: The general idea is to show the other houses that their power is a fraud and always has been.

Legeand: Explosion of fire?

Nyza: Agent... We disguise as a member of House Elan, act controlled.

Legeand: Oh, that too.

Mask: That is good, Nyza.

Nyza: Me happen to have two working disguise-hats too.

Mask: We would need to get a disguise to work, however.

Nyza grins at Legeand.

Nyza (whispers): Me do that if plan A doesn't work!

Legeand: Kidnapping and subterfuse sounds likes Ozi's game to me.

Mask: They have wards against magical disquises. We would need something more physical.

Legeand grins at Nyza.

Sparta: Do the inns and taverns have such wards?

Mask: Probably not. Cuts into the profits.

Oliveryn: I can try inflitrating House Elan.

Mask: You are too public of a figure, Oli.

Oliveryn: I would know more about what needs to be done and I can change my appearance to look like someone.

Sparta: You and Ozi could use the hats acting as Lord & Lady Elan in public settings.

Ozimius: Balis is gifted in disguise. She may be able to help.

Oliveryn: Plus, I can bluff my way past most of the guards.

Legeand: Something to help them lash out would also help a bit too.

Wintersky: Starting externally with rumors may be more effective at first.

Mask: Rumors would certainly do that, Legeand.

Sparta: Rumors first, then actors to reinforce the rumors.

Legeand: Yes.

Wintersky: Ozi and Balis could have fun doing that.

Ozimius grins.

Sparta: Does Balis know magic?

Ozimius: She is no mage.

Mask: They could get reckless or do something extremely scandalous in public.

Mask: There are stories of that happening in the past.

Sparta: Mask, could you impersonate Lady Elan and let loose with a display of magic.

Ozimius: Nessilsis is a beguiler. She may be helpful as well.

Nyza: Whoever goes in disguise should not be too outlandish at first. Otherwise, nobody will believe in the act.

Mask: I probably have seen enough of Methylpenta's spells to convincingly do something like that.

Legeand: Yes, a lady of a house doing a stripshow would not be too obvious.

Sparta: Unless they frequent Borgose's brothel.

Mask: That would have to be someone other than me.

Legeand smirks and chuckles.

Mask: On the other hand, the act is not beyond me.

Legeand looks and Mask and grins, "Willing to try as long as it is not you, huh?"

Mask (whispering): Hardun seemed to enjoy my show.

Mask: Did I say that out loud?

Oliveryn looks around, trying not to make eye contact.

Sparta: Not very.

Legeand: Loud enough.

Wintersky: I was beginning to think she was not in touch with her feminine side. I was mistaken.

Legeand: I am sure she is blushing under that mask of hers.

Sparta: I don't know what the fuss is about, nothing any red-blooded halfling lady wouldn't do for her man in the privacy of their home.

Nyza scratches her head.

Legeand: Yea, but were talking about what she was thinking half about was in public.

Legeand: Moving along. So, we have our way to deal with them and a bit of an idea to get them to lash out. We might try diplomacy, but how is this saving your slaves, Ozi?

Legeand: Political fluff and all that jazz is nice, but they could still hold them.

Sparta: We humiliate them until they lash out.

Sparta: Then we have reason to retaliate.

Sparta: Decapitating the house should give them ample reason to free the slaves.

Sparta: They might even fall in line with the revolution or at least not openly oppose it.

Mask: They are all too vindictive for that.

Mask: They would rather burn down half the city in retaliation.

Ozimius: We could have Methylpenta come to the Blood Cloth for a parley and we can steal the slaves from her. That would be humiliating as well I think. But it would require a good distraction.

Legeand: Distractions are easy. Me and someone else can hit up some of their bars and patrons.

Mask: Having her away from her estate would make it possible to enter it.

Sparta: Well, if there are any innocents in this city, we can't put them at risk.

Wintersky: Very true.

Ozimius: The Blood Cloth is well fortified now. There might be a scuffle if she realizes she is being duped, but I think it would be survivable.

Wintersky: How can we do this without splitting up too much?

Ozimius: I can occupy her at the inn. The rest of you can enter her manor.

Mask: You should be the one to free your countrymen, Ozi.

Ozimius: I would like that, but it matters little who frees them so long as they are free. And I have a knack for getting under peoples' skin.

Ozimius grins.

Wintersky: Which means she may not deal with you at Blood Cloth.

Legeand: Deal with her in public, makes it hard for her to react no?

Mask: But, she must know that you want the Sajenese freed. Doing it yourself would add to her embarrasment.

Ozimius: I will not risk any of the others taking the brunt of her wrath. That is a danger I should face.

Ozimius: I will talk to Aris. Perhaps we can come up with a plan.

Wintersky: Sure, we can be loyal to you as well, Ozi. Let us rescue your people or face Lady Elan together.

Ozimius nods.

Nyza: You should not worry for our well-being. We are strong together and we have your back.

Ozimius: We can do this together. I think she will direct her anger at me in any case. She knows I want them freed. I have made no secret of it.

T'Krosh: Would she take other slaves in trade for the Sajenese?

Ozimius: We will break into the manor and take them by force. Aris and Balis can handle the Sorceress.

Ozimius looks at T'Krosh.

Ozimius: You miss the point.

Ozimius: It must be made clear that the Sajenese can no longer be held as slaves.

Wintersky: We are trying to end slavery in Troll's Bridge altogether.

Ozimius: They tried to destroy us. They tried to destory the Elder families. This must be public and open and ruthless. It must send a message to the emperor himself if need be.

T'Krosh: So then, it is about revenge for the slaves? Not about freeing them?

Ozimius: No.

Ozimius: This is about the eradication of the Sajenese.

Ozimius: Or more to the point, the failure to eradicate them.

Ozimius: The only way the Sajenese will surive is united. All of us.

Ozimius: None can be left behind.

Mask: So, we plan to rescue the slaves from the Elan estate.

Ozimius nods.

Mask: What leverage can we create to draw Methylpenta out of her mansion?

Sparta: Ozi, your reasons may be enough for you. But, I will leave no slaves in House Elan, Sajenese or otherwise.

Ozimius: Perhaps I can have Aris convince her that he has had enough of me and wants to take over himself.

Ozimius looks at Sparta.

Ozimius: I have no objection to freeing all the slaves.

Ozimius: But I will not leave a single Sajenese in bondage.

Sparta: Agreed.

Ozimius: Oli, do you think you can discretely inquire as to Elan's willingness to support Aris in a bid for power against me?

Oliveryn: I should be able to, it should not be that hard to find out that information.

Ozimius nods.

Mask: Maybe Aris can become romantically involved with Methylpenta?

Ozimius grins.

Ozimius: That is possible Mask.

Ozimius: Then it is settled? Aris will handle Methylpenta. We will steal the slaves.

Legeand: Sounds like a plan.

Ozimius nods.

Sparta: Done.

Mask: Agreed.

Wintersky: Very well.

Nyza: What will we do with them when they are free?

Ozimius: We free them. That is the point.

Ozimius laughs.

Sparta: All this talking makes me hungry. Who wants brunch?

Nyza: But, where do they go?

Ozimius: They can stay at the inn. I will cover their expenses until they get work.

Nyza: Will Methylpenta not just try to recapture them? They need to be far away or we have to kill the house leader.

Mindflayer