[HQ Ignorance] Re : Re : Re : Scene 104: Results of the Seeker's Choice

[Lev Lafayette]

On Tue, 2010-03-16 at 20:58 +0000, Loran wrote:
> Nice to have news from you Lev. I'm still hoping to see the fight with
> the Devil at the end of the third age thanks to your work and
> imagination ;-)
> 

Oh the Devil is getting very close indeed :)

> Here is my next move :
>  
> Azhur paused to be
> sure to catch Ran Fushi’s attention.
> - “First it is already
> evening and soon it will be dark, If you want to have the shining presence of
> our dragonewt master playing its full effect without any possible doubt, I
> would propose that we would wait until tomorrow when the light of the radiant sun
> will push aside any hesitation from the iron fort people. Just imagine the
> catastrophic impact on your brilliant plan, if a dumb sentinel refused to
> recognize the true nature of Serendipitous Seeker, just because he doesn’t see
> him in the dark of the night.

"That would be .. a problem. I see your point Westener, as much as I
doubt that the even the most stupid Iron Fort ruler would employ a
short-sighted sentry. We shall ensure that the Dragonewt's presence is
clear and obvious."

>  A second point, dear to me, is that by tradition
> as my familial motto indicates ‘in plain light, in plain sight’, I tend to
> despise trickery done under the cover of the night, leaving such acts to thieves,
> murderers and cheaters. I’m pretty sure that kralori customs dedicated to solar
> virtues will recognize the value of such behavior.”

"The Sun? You take us for Elves, weak in winter, strong in summer, and
trapped within the cycle of nature? You are poorly versed in our ways.
Yes, we adore enlightenment, and reverence for the dragon-kin, our
country and our ancestors. But this is no tea party. We are here to
conquer an iron fort, something that has never been done before!"

"If we succeed, our names will be recorded through the ages."  
 
> - “Second, if I had to
> deal with the subjugation of the opposing forces, I would point out the
> advantage to keep as much possible these soldiers alive… Imagine the importance
> they could represent for you during the following negotiations, especially if
> among the officers you discover some noble families members.”

"I did not specify what you do with them Westerner", a sneer barely
hidden from his bushy moustache. "Simply remove the effect of their
rulers and the key sentries and the rest will plead for their lives like
whipped dogs."
 
> - “Third, please now consider
> the impact on your reputation, thus on the quality of the later negotiations if
> you appear to deviate too much from the honorable ways of the kralorelan
> customs. By acting at night you will appear nothing more than devious and
> traitorous, to me not the right qualities to re-enter the Empire with dignity. By
> killing loyal subjects of the Kralori Emperor, you would appear to be tainted
> by the barbarian violence of the Wastes and thus unfit for joining again the
> glorious empire. By doing both, you would probably appear nothing more than
> trollish, thus just worth to be ejected into the Ignorance Empire…”

"Our reputation? The people of Lei Tabor are known as thieves and
murderers who have been exiled for the crimes of our ancestors. If we
retake a Fort, we will not lose that reputation, but gain another, as
great tacticians. That will be dignified enough."

"Perhaps we have learned something from the barbarians of the Wastes.
And perhaps..", he pauses to ensure that no natives are present, "..
perhaps the current Emperor is weak."
 
> - “If you have any
> interest on how we might change, without violence, a full iron fort garrison
> into prisoners, I have a few stories of past battles that can enlighten you,
> but to be short I would say it is feasible only with someone like Serendipitous
> Seeker who will have a great ascendency on the local officers. For example, now
> let’s imagine that the leading figure of a tailed dragonewt requests a shared
> drink with the most important persons of the place. Who would refuse and risk
> the contrariety of the visitor? What would then happen if the beverage was
> modified with a sleeping drug like laudanum or concentrated hazzia… Imagine, what
> is a body without head? Wouldn’t the rest of the petty soldiers obey to whom
> hold the life of their commanders?”

"How you neutralise the defenses is your own concern."


> Hoping that he would
> gain some time to develop the plot he just had conceived, Azhur wondered how he
> could reach in time and negotiate some help from the Yao Fune’s sect as he was
> planning to give the iron fort to the people of Lei tabor instead to their
> selfish rulers, in charge for city dwellers to negotiate a global improvement with
> either Lord Lei Tse or the imperial authorities, if not with both.
> If not, then… he would
> have to take the risk to trust the Lord Lei Tse, even if his instinct was
> against this notion.

Of course :)

As you can see however there is some resistance. You have the
opportunity for a counter, and then we'll resolve it by dice.

At this point however, the Kralorelean thinks that an invasion by night
is best...