"I may be wrong about the traitor."
((@Ireth, the trap isn't set up yet, but I'll run with the reaction anyway.))
"Liadan, please keep your voice down. The 'food' in the boats is so Burnbright and I can make it past the mountains by sea." I show her the way the ship will be rigged, confirming of course it's not food, then lower my voice. "I've talked to the elder and we cannot survive a battle against the gnolls even with the militia. The numbers make it suicide, and these gnolls hold women and children hostage. Where's the honor in that? Where's the honor in making peace with those who murdered children in their homes?
"And before you go on about honor again, be mindful that you're not the one who made the decision to send Burnbright back to Srilkind. It was my decision, and whether the attack itself is my fault or not, my decision got a lot of innocent people killed. If you don't want any part of this plan, flee to the west and we'll regroup later, and I won't have a problem with you doing that. Just don't undermine me, and don't even think of pitying the gnolls—much less warning them. Take a walk through Srilkind as I did—while the enemy was there, and I risked my life to get your lover's horse. Think on that as you question my honor, and that I took a detour to see if I could round up survivors. But there were none that I could see. What I saw were burnt homes where families once lived—where families died. Painfully. And I'll tell you what else I saw: Father Harald's corpse. The gnolls said he 'fought valiantly.' How valiant were they ganging up on one old man while children were screaming in agony all around? Father Harald took out five, but his wounds were on all sides, both sword and crossbow.
"Trapped with no choice but to burn or die another way… it's the deaths they dealt to innocent children, and to die an equal death is too good for 'em. I'd torture them if it didn't go against the path of my Goddess."
I hand the letter to Aldar.
"It looks like one of us will need to hand off the letter. Seeing how I need to be at Burnbright's side, Aldar, maybe it's best you handle it. Remember not to lie to them under any circumstances." He can figure out what truths not to reveal. "Tell the gnolls I'll be at the meeting place at midnight and no sooner. It's only a three hour walk from here, so if they leave right away, they'll arrive at the meeting place first. That isn't a problem. I just don't want them to think they've been tricked."
Not until they're about to die, you mean.
Right, Nissa. They can think what they want when they see you. It'll be too late at that point.
"Aldar, if they ask too many stupid questions, just tell 'em all you know is as long as Arendal is safe, I'm willing to talk to them. But we're not leaving Burnbright here so she can watch people die over her. If her mother really cares about her, she should know killing people to get her daughter back's not the best way to win her over."
((@Ireth, the trap isn't set up yet, but I'll run with the reaction anyway.))
"Liadan, please keep your voice down. The 'food' in the boats is so Burnbright and I can make it past the mountains by sea." I show her the way the ship will be rigged, confirming of course it's not food, then lower my voice. "I've talked to the elder and we cannot survive a battle against the gnolls even with the militia. The numbers make it suicide, and these gnolls hold women and children hostage. Where's the honor in that? Where's the honor in making peace with those who murdered children in their homes?
"And before you go on about honor again, be mindful that you're not the one who made the decision to send Burnbright back to Srilkind. It was my decision, and whether the attack itself is my fault or not, my decision got a lot of innocent people killed. If you don't want any part of this plan, flee to the west and we'll regroup later, and I won't have a problem with you doing that. Just don't undermine me, and don't even think of pitying the gnolls—much less warning them. Take a walk through Srilkind as I did—while the enemy was there, and I risked my life to get your lover's horse. Think on that as you question my honor, and that I took a detour to see if I could round up survivors. But there were none that I could see. What I saw were burnt homes where families once lived—where families died. Painfully. And I'll tell you what else I saw: Father Harald's corpse. The gnolls said he 'fought valiantly.' How valiant were they ganging up on one old man while children were screaming in agony all around? Father Harald took out five, but his wounds were on all sides, both sword and crossbow.
"Trapped with no choice but to burn or die another way… it's the deaths they dealt to innocent children, and to die an equal death is too good for 'em. I'd torture them if it didn't go against the path of my Goddess."
I hand the letter to Aldar.
"It looks like one of us will need to hand off the letter. Seeing how I need to be at Burnbright's side, Aldar, maybe it's best you handle it. Remember not to lie to them under any circumstances." He can figure out what truths not to reveal. "Tell the gnolls I'll be at the meeting place at midnight and no sooner. It's only a three hour walk from here, so if they leave right away, they'll arrive at the meeting place first. That isn't a problem. I just don't want them to think they've been tricked."
Not until they're about to die, you mean.
Right, Nissa. They can think what they want when they see you. It'll be too late at that point.
"Aldar, if they ask too many stupid questions, just tell 'em all you know is as long as Arendal is safe, I'm willing to talk to them. But we're not leaving Burnbright here so she can watch people die over her. If her mother really cares about her, she should know killing people to get her daughter back's not the best way to win her over."
Mythic Scribe
Valar Lord
Mystagogue
