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944457 No. 944457 ID: 4075a1

Welcome
487 posts omitted. Last 100 shown. Expand all images
>>
No. 984831 ID: ce39da

This is his first time individually acknowledging us; what we need to do here is make a first impression on him.

"Cancelled? I... Yes, I'll tell them. The changing of schedules takes priority over a little broken glass; I understand now. Thank you for your wise words, your grace, and... I'm sorry that I won't get to hear your sermon this week. I'm sure at least some of the others will feel the same." Bow and make your leave.
>>
No. 988563 ID: fdd320

>lacerate yourself
Wait... sounds like Brass is covering up who actually smashed the glass? Implying he did it himself.

Hm. Stay here, tell people Bethel is off. Then return to check on Brass, to tell him you completed his task, and ask if he has any more for you. Since, you know, you’re not doing anything today anyway.
>>
No. 996038 ID: 470289
File 161835097704.jpg - (472.64KB , 1000x1000 , 156_bow.jpg )
996038

"Cancelled?” I answer. “I... Yes, I'll tell them. I'm sorry that I won't get to hear your sermon this week. I'm sure the others will feel the same."

“Ha, no need to flatter me.” He says with a small chuckle.

I bow to both of them and walk back down the stairs. I’m so high-strung I feel like their eyes are burning into my back. I need to find Mash.
>>
No. 996041 ID: 470289
File 161835100485.jpg - (457.00KB , 1000x1000 , 157_whowasphone.jpg )
996041

>Tell people Bethel is off. Then return to check on Brass, to tell him you completed his task, and ask if he has any more for you. Since, you know, you’re not doing anything today anyway.

Mash first. I search outside the building, but there’s really nothing to see. Stone walls and barred windows all around, and no signs of her on the upper floors either. I try calling out for her as quietly as I can, so the people inside don’t hear, but by my third trip around the building, ending in front of the staircase, I haven’t turned up anything.

I’m worried people will start showing up for bethel soon and Brass will find out I haven’t been following his orders. I’ve never seen him hand down a punishment before, but can I risk being the first? Especially with everything else going on. Why did I just go along with Mash’s dumb spy game?

Maybe I should rush back to the dorm and ask some lankies to help me spread the word so I can get back to searching. Asking them to help me search for Mash might make them ask questions I shouldn’t answer, but I can trade in a few favors to make it seem like I just want more off time. At the very least I should grab Junkyard. She’s working today, but she’d be the first to tell me Mash is more important. I need to decide-
>>
No. 996042 ID: 470289
File 161835105332.jpg - (375.25KB , 1000x1000 , 158_stickler.jpg )
996042

The front doors creak and luckily I was already near the light pillars and half-hidden by anyone above or my dumb lanky reflexes never would have gotten me out of sight in time. Did someone spy me from a window and come out to yell at me?

I take one quick peek before ducking back down. A stickler with a face like a statue stands at the top of the stairs, gazing over the streets. Probably shouldn’t have risked it, sticklers usually pay more attention to their surroundings than they look like they do.

I don’t hear her move for at least a minute while I rack my brain to remember if I’ve seen her before. She’s not Brass’ personal stickler, and she doesn’t look like a normal guard who might watch lankies while they work. I don’t even see a weapon on her, and I’ve rarely seen a stickler walk around without something sharp. I did notice there’s a package under her arm, maybe she’s a messenger for some other diamond? I didn’t see any armband. Finally I hear sharp steps from above getting closer, until she reaches the street and strides off. I stay quiet in my hiding spot until I can’t hear her anymore and can only see her back.

“Ah, goddammit.” A reedy voice whispers. “Is that important? It’s probably important.”
>>
No. 996043 ID: 470289
File 161835108469.jpg - (426.34KB , 1000x1000 , 159_dat_ass.jpg )
996043

The monster is watching.

The smell of wet dirt hits me and I see droplets of something black and greasy fly by me when it moves it’s hand. My eye itch gets worse. I feel it twitch, but I couldn’t move to rub it if I wanted. It keeps saying something but I don’t catch it with how loud my heart is in my ears. It growls at the stickler back before it’s wire-thin voice cuts off suddenly.

The damp smell disappears with the voice, almost as if it sucked it away with it. Only a faint bit of rotten air stays with me that I almost convince myself is my imagination. But I can’t because a second later I swear I can almost see… ripples in the earth. Barely visible, but flowing towards the stickler.
>>
No. 996059 ID: fd1757

Yell at the stickler to look at the ground before the creature makes short work of her.
>>
No. 996075 ID: 9a2966

Yelling won't do much - they won't see whatever this danger is coming - or understand it if they do!

... but you can probably see what happens to them and that's probably news someone would love to hear? Maybe the thing is just spying, too. Like you are.

You could get in trouble with the Stickler before it does, actually, if they see you following.

You're not fighting the Burrower, whatever it is. Not unless you have, like, Junkyard on your side AND the drop on it. Wait... was it hurt? Who hurt it? Did Mash...?

Quick, before both draw away - what were those droplets? Smear some on a piece of cloth, anything. It is further PROOF of something strange. Maybe.
>>
No. 996231 ID: ce39da

That cloth around its hand. That has to have been Mash's.

This... 'whatever it is' has witnessed you both to varying degrees. It currently has physical evidence on its person. Mash seems to have proven it can bleed.

For this reason, we should follow the pair and aid the stickler in whatever happens next. Don't get too close. If the ripples ever close in on the stickler, warn him. If they maintain distance, do nothing but follow. Tell anyone you encounter to spread the word that Bethel is canceled.
>>
No. 997204 ID: fd1757

We could grab that stickler and easily push her aside from danger. We might not be a match for the creature, but we can still save a life, right?
>>
No. 1008290 ID: 8fae7e
File 162935128405.jpg - (340.32KB , 1000x1000 , 160_whatisthis.jpg )
1008290

>Yell at the stickler to look at the ground before the creature makes short work of her.
That…

> Yelling won't do much - they won't see whatever this danger is coming - or understand it if they do!
Yeah. It’s better not to call attention to the Burrower. It’d just stop moving and I’d look crazy. Or worse, it would get mad and come after me next. Can it hear when it’s in the ground? If I move, will it notice me?! No, calm down. I can think this through.

It can talk so it’s not an animal. Probably. Leatherwings can talk, but they’re dumb as rocks, and they just repeat stuff. I’ve never heard one sound… worn out, like a toiler before curfew. There’s a brain in its head. And that means it wants something.

The stickler… I’m guessing it’s not her it’s interested in. The package? It had to have been in the building as long as me and Mash were. Was it searching for something, just like us?

While my thoughts race the stickler and the ripple following her get further away. Far enough away I’m pretty sure it’s safe to come out now, at least. I dip my fingers in the dark handprint it left behind. It’s sticky, smells a bit like metal, and if I rub my fingers together it starts to thicken and get flaky. It’s just blood. The only thing weird about it is the color.
>>
No. 1008291 ID: 8fae7e
File 162935133409.jpg - (364.53KB , 1000x1000 , 161.jpg )
1008291

>Maybe the thing is just spying, too. Like you are.
I mean, that makes sense to me. But maybe that’s just because it’s what we were doing and I’m assuming stuff? Should I make decisions off an assumption? But I have to decide what to do based on something. This is making my stomach hurt.


>That cloth around its hand. That has to have been Mash's.
I searched outside for Mash and couldn’t find her. If it had put her inside, he’d be risking Brass’ staff finding her. But would it care? I’ve seen it twice, so either it’s bad at hiding or it doesn’t care that much. Maybe I should try to search inside just in case? Talk my way past Brass’ somehow?

I’m just guessing and stalling, I realize. I don’t actually know anything about it. And if I don’t know about it, I can’t deal with it. The best way to get hurt or killed is to not pay attention. So, what do I know, for sure?
1.The Burrower has Mash’s bandana. She wouldn’t have taken it off, so it did… something to her. But it left her alive. It had to. So, it also knows where she is.
2.The thing can bleed. So, it’s not like a demon or something that can’t be hurt. And it wrapped up a wound and talked, so it’s as smart as a laprine.
3.It wants something and following that stickler is getting it closer to it.

…Maybe if I could get what it wants, I could trade it for Mash.

I head after them.

>You're not fighting the Burrower, whatever it is. Not unless you have, like, Junkyard on your side AND the drop on it. Wait... was it hurt? Who hurt it? Did Mash...?
I don’t fight, and no one’s dumb enough to fight Junkyard. Mash is the only one of us who does fight if you can call them that. It’s mostly Stickler teens screwing around with her, making her mad on purpose. Toilers know she’s crazy and just ignore her usually, but Sticklers don’t let her like to rile her up for fun. I could see her biting the Burrower if she got the opportunity. Hopefully she didn’t make it too angry if she was what made it bleed.


>We should follow the pair and aid the stickler in whatever happens next. Don't get too close.
The ripples are strange. Not just in the fact that there’s a monster burrowing through the ground like it’s swimming. They’re more like patches or spots scattered almost randomly along the path. Sometimes they disappear for stretches but they always show back up again eventually if I keep my eyes open.

I start lagging, following the patches of wavy, twisted textures on the ground and wall instead of the stickler. I take a moment to ask a passing toiler I don’t recognize to spread the word of Brass’ bethel being cancelled. Hopefully word spreads fast enough that no one shows up.
>>
No. 1008292 ID: 8fae7e
File 162935138722.jpg - (481.55KB , 1000x1000 , 162_3_point_perspective.jpg )
1008292

We end up in another cavern I’ve never been in, but I think I recognize it anyway because of the Nine Eyes statue. It’s an old tunnel to the Monger Estates. I’ve never been down there before, but Fingers and the others talk enough about it.

I’m on the stairs above with a very thin crowd of laprines still around when I see the stickler pick up a lightstick and heads into the tunnel with the ripples following her. Do I follow them? There’s no more crowd for me to get lost in down there. They could hear me or see me if I’m not careful, and lankies aren’t known for not being clumsy oafs.
>>
No. 1008293 ID: 8483cf

Keep following them! Just be careful.
>>
No. 1008294 ID: 96c896

You can keep following.
>>
No. 1008348 ID: e799e4

Walk in a purposeful way. People don't bother you when you move like you have actual business somewhere.
>>
No. 1013653 ID: b91194
File 163528203281.png - (1.43MB , 1000x1000 , 163.png )
1013653

This tunnel, I think I recognize it. Fingers told me about it before. It’s one of the ways into the Monger Den. I’ve never been there before, only the young toilers are assigned there, and I was lucky enough to go to the furnace as a kid. If he was here, I’d know I could find my way out later. As is, I’ll just have to rely on following the monster’s trail back.
>>
No. 1013654 ID: b91194
File 163528207281.png - (1.50MB , 1000x1000 , 164.png )
1013654

I feel watched but no one’s there.

I follow the path deeper and deeper.

It’s leading me to-
>>
No. 1013655 ID: b91194
File 163528211601.png - (1.13MB , 1000x1000 , 165.png )
1013655

Mash!
>>
No. 1013656 ID: c92a02

Hug her, slap her, then hug her again.
>>
No. 1013657 ID: 96c896

Wait. What's going on with her feet? She might be... stuck to the floor? Watch for a moment to be sure that's really her, then catch her attention from a distance.
>>
No. 1013660 ID: 815672

That thing is about to pull her under. You better act faster
>>
No. 1013728 ID: ffac61

Use your strenght to pull her away from there!

Yell at the monster "what do you have against us? leave us alone!"
>>
No. 1013736 ID: 30b9f6

>>1013657
Something is wrong here. Is that the Burrower's ripples at her feet? Where did she come from? Did it bring her here, together with it? Or... like, do a reverse of absorbing itself into the ground, and instead absorbed her? Why is it now letting her back out?

Did it see you, and are now trying to trap you, lure you in, with Mash's body? Or is it just somehow borrowing her for some fell purpose - like getting her to distract - ambush - the messenger without revealing itself?

There's no guarantee you can free her if it can just suck her back in. You don't understand how this thing works. Bide, creep closer - and if the opportunity comes, seize-lift Mash up from the ground and run, run like the dickens, to somewhere where there's too many people for the Burrower to risk exposing itself. For that matter, it will have to choose between targeting the Stickler and you and Mash.
>>
No. 1014050 ID: 8fae7e
File 163581716689.gif - (2.58MB , 1000x1000 , 166.gif )
1014050

I want to run up to her but all my instincts are screaming something is wrong. That this is a trap by the burrower or something. But I can’t risk leaving Mash in danger if this is a chance to save her.

I crouch behind some rocks and watch as Mash doesn’t move for the minute I wait, my heart pounding in my chest. Then I risk it. I creep towards her carefully as quiet as I can until she flips around, meets my eyes, and-
>>
No. 1014051 ID: 8fae7e
File 163581722838.png - (1.37MB , 1000x1000 , 167.png )
1014051

“Every Toiler is freed.”

Finally. I thought I’d overplayed my hand for a second, but she fell for it. I can keep an eye on these mercenaries properly. Now I can focus fully on this ‘Chast’. I idly wonder what labyrinthine lanky logic led to that name, as I refocus on my own vision.
>>
No. 1014052 ID: 8fae7e
File 163581726550.png - (1.57MB , 1000x1000 , 168.png )
1014052

As good as I am at multitasking it certainly helps to keep one’s mind focused on a task at a time. Hmm, that’s good advice to give Four sometime.

“We get supplies so we can leave.” He drones on. He’s surprisingly monotone. I’d expect anger or rage considering, but he hardly seems invested in his own demands.

His demands are ridiculous of course. No more toilers would completely neuter the driving force of the mountain’s economy. No one would accept a deal that would lead to their societies collapse. These toiler rebels would be better off simply attacking while they have the element of surprise then warning their rulers by trying to parley. Still, I can’t be too hard on them. This avenue gives me ample opportunity to use them myself.
>>
No. 1014053 ID: 8fae7e
File 163581730404.png - (1.70MB , 1000x1000 , 169.png )
1014053

“Or we kill all of ya’ll.” A stick and no carrot. I’m not surprised he’s bad at negotiations.

What answer should I give him? The Preceptory will obviously never agree to any of those demands, but what impression of them should I give Chast? If he thinks that they’re reasonable the Preceptory could perhaps string these rebels along for a while. That would give me time to plan. Or I could tell something close to the truth, and admit that they would never agree to freeing the toilers before their own blood is shed. Though considering my blood is closest, that’s not the best idea either. But accelerating the rebel’s reaction could allow me to play them off the mercenaries and Mongers. Decisions, decisions.

Well? Do any of you have something useful to add for once?
>>
No. 1014055 ID: e7c7d3

String them along for now. No need to make rash decisions
>>
No. 1014079 ID: c1f514

>Do any of you have anything useful to add for once?
You are clearly under duress. Take one second to relax. We know you are making an effort to be kind and we appreciate it.

Now, we should tell Chast that we don't have enough supplies to sustain a mass evacuation currently. Not to mention only the Mongers would survive the ensuing famine.

A proposal the Preceptory would be more receptive towards would be the granting of better rights and liberties to the Toilers. If Chast can convince them better living and working conditions will make Toilers more efficient, it will be an easy sell for the Diamonds.
>>
No. 1014103 ID: 094652

"... Did you really think we needed the Toilers?
Go ahead. Rally those vermin. All we need to do is pray. We pray to our god, and they will all die. Then, after we're done flensing the riches from your corpses, we sleep for two decades. Two decades for the new batch of toilers to spawn from the vita-pods. And that's all it takes for us to go back to normal, stronger than before.
Really, the only reason we're entertaining you at this point is because the purge will be... inconvenient."
>>
No. 1014147 ID: 5db6fb

>>1014053
I would not think one of chequered history would believe the lie that the Preceptory would be willing to entertain their ideas. But you can play up your sympathy towards that class and entertain grand plans - of revolt or exodus - while explaining the difficulties involved and nudging them towards the results you’re after. Supplies... you might start to assemble some, in secret. That way you should remain useful to them for some time yet.

Do you plan to make use of the too-curious toiler you just snared?
>>
No. 1014195 ID: c92a02

What do these mercenaries want? Besides money, of course.
Just poison him and be done with it. His negotiating position won't change and neither will yours.
>>
No. 1014922 ID: 0ff52e
File 163674393479.png - (1.72MB , 1000x1000 , 170.png )
1014922

>"... Did you really think we needed the Toilers? Go ahead. Rally those vermin. All we need to do is pray. We pray to our god, and they will all die. Then, after we're done flensing the riches from your corpses, we sleep for two decades. Two decades for the new batch of toilers to spawn from the vita-pods. And that's all it takes for us to go back to normal, stronger than before.
Really, the only reason we're entertaining you at this point is because the purge will be... inconvenient."
>Just poison him and be done with it. His negotiating position won't change and neither will yours.


I’m glad I keep the expectations of my delusions so low. Let’s entertain those thoughts shall we.

Praying to Nine Eyes is as useful as praying to real god. Utterly pointless.

Laprines are mammals. We’re born live, not from pods. Imbecilic.

I don’t keep poison on my person and I have no natural way to get him to ingest it if I did.

Driving laprines who can bend metal with their bare hands into rages while stuck in close quarters with them is not what I would call prudent.

And lastly, I’m all for lying, but it must be plausible. The toilers grow our food, mine the ores and treasures the Mongers use to trade with real civilizations, and keep our living standards to a bearable level in this backwater. I doubt even the stupidest of them would believe they are anything but the backbone of Silverlock, and Steel’s religious propaganda doesn’t even try to pretend otherwise. Even if the Preceptory killed them all they’d be setting Silver’s agenda back decades at least. There’s no way for them to not be harmed in this situation, and he knows it.

>I would not think one of chequered history would believe the lie that the Preceptory would be willing to entertain their ideas. But you can play up your sympathy towards that class and entertain grand plans - of revolt or exodus - while explaining the difficulties involved and nudging them towards the results you’re after. Supplies... you might start to assemble some, in secret. That way you should remain useful to them for some time yet.
>We should tell Chast that we don't have enough supplies to sustain a mass evacuation currently. Not to mention only the Mongers would survive the ensuing famine. A proposal the Preceptory would be more receptive towards would be the granting of better rights and liberties to the Toilers. If Chast can convince them better living and working conditions will make Toilers more efficient, it will be an easy sell for the Diamonds.
>String them along for now. No need to make rash decisions.
There are some ideas worth considering, however.
>>
No. 1014924 ID: 0ff52e
File 163674401430.png - (1.39MB , 1000x1000 , 171.png )
1014924

“I understand your anger. I have long disagreed with how we treat toilers. You deserve so much more than you receive. But I will not lie to you. The Preceptory will never accept those terms as they are now. For practical reasons alone, you would be leaving the rest of Silverlock to famine and disease if all toilers fled. Perhaps that doesn’t resonate with you now, but it will with your conscious once enough time passes. But better rights and liberties to you and your brethren, that’s possible. What the Preceptory would want most is a smooth continuation of operations, and that’s leverage you can use.”

He stays quiet, prompting me to say more to fill the silence. Bastard. An elementary power play. But I can play into it. Sounding intimidated and out of my depth only benefits me in this situation.

“Perhaps, over time, I could start building up supplies for those who want to leave. It would take patience how-”

He sighs and I stumble over my words. Purposefully. “We’re tools. You don’t respect tools.” He states.

He stands up out of the undersized chair lethargically, like most lankies. They always move as if struggling, despite being able to treat wood like paper. Baffling.
>>
No. 1014925 ID: 0ff52e
File 163674404795.png - (1.58MB , 1000x1000 , 172.png )
1014925

>Do you plan to make use of the too-curious toiler you just snared?
I’ve already made use of her. Oh, excellent. It looks like the loose end will be tied up. I was dreading having to manage Silver’s insipid scheme.

>What do these mercenaries want? Besides money, of course.
That’s what I hope to find out. Even with all the skimming off the top the Monger’s do and their own secret deals, I have no clue how they managed to recruit monsters of such high caliber. Everything I know about them places their kind in the inner domains exclusively.
>>
No. 1014940 ID: fb257b

That was Asher, Brass.

She only worked for Silver to get her and her friends a chance at a better life working on the fields

She remembered you and your bethels fondly. She didn't mean to harm you, she would have helped you get away from Silver's glare had offered her the chance.

And you threw to the fire because it was convinient.

.....

Chast's ominous glowing earring might be connected to his ominous glowing creatures.

Deal with that. Then we save Asher.
>>
No. 1015004 ID: 6a7eaf

That damsel needs a hero.

I wonder who it’ll be.
>>
No. 1015093 ID: e7c7d3

So what of the other delinquent that was snooping around?
>>
No. 1015106 ID: 96c896

Is there some reason you're killing Asher? You can't have possibly known what she was up to.
>>
No. 1015413 ID: 8fae7e
File 163713570107.png - (1.59MB , 1000x1000 , 173.png )
1015413

With Chast gone I can finally focus on-

“Hee! Hee! Hee!” Four hyperventilates. Dammit, she’s having another anxiety attack. She must have been holding herself together by a thread while Chast was in the room, and it snapped when he left.

If I leave her, she’ll just spiral and possibly give herself a stroke. Young diamonds are particularly fragile around her age, before the gem stabilizes.

There’s so much I need to do. What did Chast do to the Sticklers? Did my Eyes catch anything useful about him as he entered and left? Just how many mercenaries are there? All of which I won’t be able to devote my full attention to as I baby a child who will likely be dead in a year from her own crystal tumor. I could simply leave her to overcome her own weakness. This threat should take my top priority and any good Preceptor would be rushing to Silver or Steel to report what just happened, damn the problems of any ‘lesser’.
>>
No. 1015414 ID: 8fae7e
File 163713574585.png - (1.77MB , 1000x1000 , 174.png )
1015414

Unfortunately for me, Caevaexerin Brass would never allow that to happen under his watch.

“What do we do when we are confronted with problems, Four? Four? Four!” I bark, finally catching her attention. “What do we do when we are faced with new circumstances we never prepared for?”

“R-review, Keeper Brass.” She gets out between wheezes.

“Correct. Very good.” I see a smile in the faint twitch on her face, a reflexive action to my praise. “But what do we need to review to properly understand the context of this problem?”

“The… the role of the Toilers in Silverlock, sir?”

“Would that give us complete understanding of the situation?” The tone of my voice makes it clear there’s more for her to give.

“No, Keeper. We need to-“ She pauses to take a gulp of air and ruminate. “We need to examine how the Toilers interact with us, the Preceptory, as that’s who was th-threatened.”

She’s still breathing heavily, but she’s focused on me and my words instead of her own thoughts, which is a start.
>>
No. 1015417 ID: 8fae7e
File 163713601207.png - (1.77MB , 1000x1000 , 175.png )
1015417

“Closer. He threatened all of us, not just Preceptors. To examine the root causes of any problem, you must step back and examine the system which causes that problem to bloom. In this case the system must be Silverlock itself. I know, I know, you think ‘Keeper Brass, this is like reciting the history of numerology to solve a math problem’, but social problems require a much deeper examination than any others. The problem is the Toilers desire a revolt. The solution will lie in understanding ‘What do they want to revolt against?’”

“I… see.”

>Chast's ominous glowing earring might be connected to his ominous glowing creatures. Deal with that.
It’s rare that I see a hallucination take such a realistic form, but it’s happened before. What was that species called… Egos? Regardless, I have far more pressing problems than investigating you critters any more. I wasted enough of my youth doing that.

More importantly, while it obviously wasn’t on purpose Chast avoided my direct gaze for the short time he was here. I wasn’t able to hijack his vision like Asher’s. I require direct eye contact for that. Annoying. The toilers are so beat down subconsciously it’s rare they actually meet the eyes of Diamonds. It’s never really been a problem before, but being blind with these new players is detrimental. I’ll need to fix that sooner rather than later.


“Now recite to me the five pillars of Silverlock.” I continue. I could give a lecture in my sleep, so I can at least start wrapping my head around these problems myself while I calm Four down.

“The Preceptory, the Martinets, the Artisans, the Mongers, and the Toilers. One to lead, one to protect, one to build, one to trade, and one to labor. Perfectly balanced.” She says automatically.


>That was Asher, Brass.
I’m aware of her name. Mine is Xerin, as I so often tell you.

>She only worked for Silver to get her and her friends a chance at a better life working on the fields. She remembered you and your bethels fondly. She didn't mean to harm you; she would have helped you get away from Silver's glare had offered her the chance.
Can you critters read minds now? I’m sure her story is as tragic as any toilers, and I shall care about it just as much.

>And you threw to the fire because it was convenient.
Convenient? It would have been convenient if she and her friend hadn’t snuck in and forced me to step on glass. Turning their meddling in my affairs into a way to free myself of the obligation of bethel for a day and a window into the mercenaries was extremely deft manipulation on part.

>Then we save Asher.
I wouldn’t even if I could. And now I can’t. At most I could black out the vision of one person with my Damnation, and there are already three around her. There’s nothing I can do.

>Is there some reason you're killing Asher? You can't have possibly known what she was up to.
Of course, I knew what she was up to. I keep a close eye on Silver. Or rather, her eyes give me a close look at everything she does. I can see a toiler being called to meet my former Keeper and that same toiler sneaking into my home and put two and two together. And crucially, I am not killing anyone. The mercenaries will do as their kind is wont and dispose of any threats to their bottom line. My hands are clean. Metaphorically. This sauce is getting all over them.

>So what of the other delinquent that was snooping around?
One of my Eyes saw that the abomination dropped down from the ceiling and took her. I feel safe in assuming it is in league with Chast, and thus proves that the miners have access to magic of some kind. It looked complicated for hedge magic, but I can’t imagine there are any skilled practitioners in the rabble down there.

>That damsel needs a hero. I wonder who it’ll be.
Unfortunately for her, there are no heroes in Silverlock.


“Of course, there are those in Silverlock who don’t fit in these stratums. The Prophet obviously. The mutants and exiles. The slissas. But they are the basis for our society.” I say.
>>
No. 1015424 ID: 20f5d3

>>1015420
Yes. It doesn't matter how much in denial you are, uour hands are just as dirty as theirs.
>>
No. 1015425 ID: 094652

>>1015424
Same here, you asshole.
Have you looked at yourself?
You're casting volatile magical spells.
You're outwitting rebel leaders so you can purge their families.
You're hiring mercenaries to kill people solely because they know one or two of your secrets, even if they would die to save your literal ass.
Does that sound familiar? Maybe we should give you an obsidian helmet and a giant spiked dildo while we're at it.
You are clearly in control of this situation, that makes you responsible for everything your minions do to others. Or are you going to spout some honeyed feces about obediently following a structured hierarchy that is inherently flawed with its intentional appointment of a nonexistent higher power?
Shouldering your responsibilities to a god doesn't work when you fully know that god doesn't exist.
Stop pretending you're any better than we are and wipe that shit-eating anime smile off your fucking face.
>>
No. 1015437 ID: 96c896

Your hands are NOT clean. If you know someone's going to die, and you have the ability to prevent that death, but let them die anyway, then you share blame for their death.
>>
No. 1015439 ID: 607e03

>I am aware of her name. Mine is Xerin, as I so often tell you.

And I keep telling you Mr. Joyride is a much better one!

Oi, Caevexerin! Can you hear me in there, you lump? Build Mr. Brain Tumor here a vessel so he can get off your nogging and help that toiler girl.....or I'll tell Steel you are sexing an Artisan!
>>
No. 1015441 ID: b688b3

Edit: and by "Mr. Brain Tumor", I mean the real Xerin, as opposed to his public persona, which is nice and we like much more. It's not like I confused Xerin talking about his public alter-ego as him being possesed or anything...ba-baka..
>>
No. 1015480 ID: 8fae7e
File 163720983462.png - (1.53MB , 1000x1000 , 176.png )
1015480

“And our pillars themselves are not perfectly united. Looking deeper into our own Preceptory for example you can see many divisions, most starkly represented by the Silver and the Steel, our secular leader and our religious leader respectively. Unlike many leaders in Basin, the Preceptories task is to balance both our pedagogy of our Lord and the administration of Silverlock as a community. We are closest to knowledge, as the doctrine says.” I can see her hands relax on her book as she listens. She knows all this of course, but the point is the familiarity.

It’s unfortunate I have to add so much religious drivel to my teachings. So much time wasted on a fake god when I could be teaching about our real history as a species. We didn’t spring out of nothing on our pilgrimage to Silverlock, though you wouldn’t know that by our sermons.

“The Martinets protect us from threats internal and external. The Artisans make things, cook, build, and essentially do any skilled labor that’s necessary for the smooth running Silverlock. The Toilers toil, obviously. And the Mongers serve as the exclusive bulwark between us and the outside world, handling trade and negotiations with other nations. Or rather, they did.”

And how they’ve chafed at Silver’s attempts to bypass them and secure the trade routes herself. Of course, the fact that they’ve gone so far as to hire mercenaries to attempt a coup means that she was right to have so little trust in them. I’m sure she’ll take pride in that as they slaughter us all.

“However, the Mongers did keep their monopoly over the mines, where we send criminal toilers, the exiled kin, and the mutants who are born here. This is where all of our wealth is born. Rare and exotic metals, miraculous stones such as the sunstones we use for light, and other treasures naturally occur there. We export those treasures, and import the daily necessities we cannot create such as wool.”

And with that monopoly they began squeezing the supply of incoming goods, causing Steel’s overreaction by executing Redkho yesterday. We’re lucky they didn’t decide to use the mercenaries early to save him. Did that somehow set off this rebellion of toilers?

“Therefore, Silver pushes towards releasing us from the shackles of our more restrictive doctrine in order to fortify both the Preceptor position and Silverlock as a whole and Steel resists her, standing for traditional values and everyone in their place. But they both recognize the threat the Mongers pose to us.”

“I apologize if I’m misunderstanding Keeper, but are you saying the Monger’s are behind his threat somehow?” Four asks, and I remember that she’s ignorant of the actual threat to the Preceptory, which isn’t a few miners with magic. If I do have one flaw, it’s that I talk without thinking too much.

>When you hire a mercenary, and give that mercenary orders to kill people, your hands are NOT clean. Fucking dumbass rock-brained mongrel.
Thankfully I lack any such persons under my employ. Please, pay attention if you’re going to lambast me.

>You think Silver is as dumb as you? She can put 2 and 2 together too. She orders a toiler to investigate you, and then that toiler immediately dies.
Investigate? Ha! I’ll ask you not to impugn Silver’s intelligence. If she wanted me investigated, she’d assign trained Martinet spies to me, or have Luzitano give her reports. Which she does, of course. But I’m not particularly special in that regard.

>Yes. It doesn't matter how much in denial you are, your hands are just as dirty as theirs.
From what I know of tozols I’d have to spend a century doing nothing but murdering before my hands resembled theirs. I’m not even forty. I haven’t had the time.

>You are doomed. You have no morals, you deserve this rebellion and I hope you die screaming, as everything you value is taken from you in the cruelest way possible.
You’ll be ecstatic to remember that everything was taken away from me decades ago. And I prefer the terminology ‘Damned’. I went through the excruciating pain of it, I can name it as I like.

>Same here, you asshole. Have you looked at yourself? You're casting volatile magical spells.
I haven’t used any magic all day. I wouldn’t be able to do nearly as much with magic.

>You're outwitting rebel leaders so you can purge their families.
I’ve yet to outwit any rebel leaders unfortunately, despite the apparent preponderance of them.

>You're hiring mercenaries to kill people solely because they know one or two of your secrets, even if they would die to save your literal ass.
I implore you to pay attention. Your memories are short but I’d prefer not to repeat myself every few minutes.

>Does that sound familiar? Maybe we should give you an obsidian helmet and a giant spiked dildo while we're at it.
It honestly doesn’t.

>You are clearly in control of this situation, that makes you responsible for everything your minions do to others.
So, I’m responsible for nothing? Seeing as I have no ‘minions’.

> Or are you going to spout some honeyed feces about obediently following a structured hierarchy that is inherently flawed with its intentional appointment of a nonexistent higher power? Shouldering your responsibilities to a god doesn't work when you fully know that god doesn't exist.
Gods exist. Nine Eyes simply isn’t one of them. And they shoulder absolutely no responsibility, in my experience.

>Stop pretending you're any better than we are and wipe that shit-eating anime smile off your fucking face.
Fortunately, I have never needed to pretend.
>>
No. 1015481 ID: 8fae7e
File 163720986061.png - (1.50MB , 1000x1000 , 177.png )
1015481

Now how to end this impromptu lecture? What is the answer that I must lead Four to? It’s not actually important so I could drop it here, but that seems like such a wet fart of an ending. It’d annoy me for days. Whatever I do I have to make sure it reassures her enough she doesn’t stew while I focus on more important things.

>Your hands are NOT clean. If you know someone's going to die, and you have the ability to prevent that death, but let them die anyway, then you share blame for their death.
As I said, there’s nothing I can do here to help her. Thus, blameless under your morality.

>Oi, Caevexerin! Can you hear me in there, you lump? Build Mr. Brain Tumor here a vessel so he can get off your nogging and help that toiler girl.....or I'll tell Steel you are sexing an Artisan! And by "Mr. Brain Tumor", I mean the real Xerin, as opposed to his public persona, which is nice and we like much more.
Thank you for the compliment. I put in a lot of effort to be seen as unassuming and unimportant. And my ‘sexing’ of Luzitano isn’t a secret.
>>
No. 1015511 ID: dfbac0

Now that the maelstrom of morals are out of the way we should really figure out how to stop said slaughter.
In my understanding when two forces clash it's rarely the leaders getting harmed but rather the peasantry so if we're worried about toilers dying we should try to help figure out how to stop the mongrels. Who has a more just cause matters little in the face of a possible massacre, and as far as I'm aware it's the mongrels planning to fight back which despite their claims of freeing the toilers would most certainly lead to the deaths of many toilers.
I for one would like to have an inventory of what magic we have available, I got the idea we got magic but I have no idea what that magic is capable of. If we have stuff like illusions I imagine some of us can be quite creative with them.
>>
No. 1015522 ID: 4db866

Tell Four that, while the Monger and their mercenaries are different threat that these rebellious miners, they may still be made to fight each other instead of the higher ups or even, as we have just observed, cooler heads may prevail and diplomacy may win the day.
Then sing the first line of one the lullabies she heard. That will soothe.

Also, apologies are in order for the long tirade of insults, it's just...

...We "hallucinations" are not inatentive, we are impermanent. One moment a group of us is here, the next it's another bunch entirely, like some kind of work-shift not fully under our control.
That's why every new act of deceit on your part is met with the same disilussion a child gets when told fairy tales aren't real: because we ARE witnessing it for the first time in a very long time.

I get that you betrayed and ruined forever by being forced to become a Diamond, but the fact that you took a guise of kindness and compassion when you could have just achieved your ends by being a more humble version of Steel speaks volumes of you.

So please, send some Martinets to fetch Asher.....and her hand.
We can see things even your Eyes can't! Do this small thing, and we will help you with YOUR ends.

Yeah, yeah, I know "first threats, now bargain? How trite!" but hey, it is what is.
>>
No. 1015540 ID: 5a95b8

>>1015481
So the toilers think they're rebelling against Silverlock? And the mongers are a genuine problem in Silverlock? Maybe you can convince them that the mongers are what they're really rebelling against, and that things would be fine without them. Silver might also like that. You might also recall that toilers sometimes hate the mongers. Why, ask around and you might hear from even the littlest toiler their grudge over some fingers taken by a monger.

Even if you can't get these rebels to go after the mongers, you could convince all the non-rebel toilers to get whipped up in a frenzy about the mongers. No one is better suited to make them that way than a preceptor. A very loyal toiler like that poor little Asher would be suitable for an agent among the toilers to get them riled up.

Kill the mongers, assure loyalty from (some) toilers, and secure favor with Silver. A basic plan. Anyways, tell Four that mongers just make this problem more difficult, they aren't the source. Arguably, their mismanagement may be the cause of this toiler rebellion spilling from the mines. At least I think these rebels are from the mines.

Test Four, and ask her why *she* thinks the rebels didn't kill you outright? You asked that yourself, and it would be interesting to see if she has an answer.
>>
No. 1015544 ID: 96c896

The only way you can completely deny responsibility for what's happening to Asher right now is if you didn't know she was walking into a trap until she was too far away to warn her, or send someone to warn her. I expect you would not have warned her even if you could have, because "I thought I’d overplayed my hand for a second, but she fell for it" very strongly implies you were involved in her being ambushed in the first place. That statement was why many of us thought you hired the mercenaries, and why we haven't been listening to you saying otherwise.
>>
No. 1015546 ID: 96c896

In fact, I think you're lying to us. If you have no minions, then you're powerless. If you're powerless, then why are the rebels talking to you?

I think you're lying to us about quite a lot.
>>
No. 1016452 ID: 8fae7e
File 163834303957.png - (1.60MB , 1000x1000 , 178.png )
1016452

I pause and let the silence stretch, as if considering her question.

“I will say they are inextricably linked to this situation, despite their recent absence. But tell me, why do you think we were spared?” She opens her mouth but I raise my hand to stop her. “Don’t tell me what you think I believe. Speak your own thoughts.”

“I think… I think that he was concerned. Despite how little he seemed to care, he was so restrained. Not because of us, but… he wants every toiler freed. It was his first demand- his only demand if you consider his request for supplies simply follows from the first. Harming a Preceptor would ensure reprisals. Is he scared for them?”

“A strong line of logic. But you must remember to sound more confident in your ideas. Don’t be so timid, Four. Your mind is your greatest advantage.” She looks down and hesitates.

“What you told the Toiler-” She begins.

“Was necessary in the moment. I could not risk you coming to harm in such a volatile situation, after all.” I bend down and put a hand on her head to comfort her. “Now stay here for a moment. I must make sure it’s safe to leave first.”

>Then sing the first line of one the lullabies she heard. That will soothe.
I am her Keeper, not a nursemaid. She was assigned to me long after her time in a cradle.

> Now that the maelstrom of morals are out of the way we should really figure out how to stop said slaughter.
Or use it to my advantage. Though having my whole caste executed would definitely be hard to squeeze any positives out of.
>>
No. 1016453 ID: 8fae7e
File 163834307828.png - (1.66MB , 1000x1000 , 179.png )
1016453

They aren’t dead. I can see their chests move as they breathe. A relief. I don’t need the complication of corpses in my home.

They do seem well and truly unconscious though. Which might be a small blessing.

>So please, send some Martinets to fetch Asher.....and her hand. We can see things even your Eyes can't! Do this small thing, and we will help you with YOUR ends.
Regretfully all my available Martinets seem to be indisposed.

>Also, apologies are in order for the long tirade of insults, it's just... We "hallucinations" are not inattentive, we are impermanent. One moment a group of us is here, the next it's another bunch entirely, like some kind of work-shift not fully under our control. That's why every new act of deceit on your part is met with the same disillusionment a child gets when told fairy tales aren't real: because we ARE witnessing it for the first time in a very long time.
And? I am not ignorant of your nature. Make no mistake, I spar with you critters because it entertains me occasionally. I do not care how a passing thought of mine feels.

>The only way you can completely deny responsibility for what's happening to Asher right now is if you didn't know she was walking into a trap until she was too far away to warn her, or send someone to warn her. I expect you would not have warned her even if you could have, because "I thought I’d overplayed my hand for a second, but she fell for it" very strongly implies you were involved in her being ambushed in the first place. That statement was why many of us thought you hired the mercenaries, and why we haven't been listening to you saying otherwise.
I was quite involved. Why, one might say I am even the main orchestrator. And I have not denied responsibility for her predicament. Merely pointed out that your arguments for ascribing that responsibility to me were weak.
>>
No. 1016454 ID: 8fae7e
File 163834311653.png - (1.71MB , 1000x1000 , 180.png )
1016454

The two sticklers are held by a dull metal, if my touch tells true, embedded into the walls. I don’t recognize what metal it is by sight. Perhaps if I use a lever, I could get them out. But then again Diamonds aren’t famed for their strength. Annoying.

>In fact, I think you're lying to us. If you have no minions, then you're powerless. If you're powerless, then why are the rebels talking to you?
Knowledge is power, and I am by far the most knowledgeable person here.

>I think you're lying to us about quite a lot.
What point is there in lying to yourself?

>I for one would like to have an inventory of what magic we have available, I got the idea we got magic but I have no idea what that magic is capable of. If we have stuff like illusions I imagine some of us can be quite creative with them.
What magic I do know is, admittedly, rusty. Practicing it in Silverlock isn’t exactly advisable. Barely worth considering unless I am in physical danger.
But you are no doubt referring to my eyes.

To tell the truth I haven’t plumbed the full depth of their abilities. Stretching them in order to experiment is… taxing. But I have developed a few useful applications.

By making eye-contact with a living being I can slip into their sight. I can see what they see at the time whenever I want to. I’ve been pushing this ability the hardest and it’s developed the most. It was only recently I realized I could control what was seen as well. Unfortunately, it also takes active concentration. The more people I have hijacked at once, the greater the toll on myself, and while I can switch the hijacked target if they make eye contact with another, I lose any hold on the original target when I do. I restrict myself to the most valuable targets with this ability, such as Silver and Steel. Its biggest weakness is that if I am not paying attention when my targets see something, I will miss it. I can’t keep tabs on everyone all the time.
>>
No. 1016455 ID: 8fae7e
File 163834316261.png - (1.74MB , 1000x1000 , 181.png )
1016455

Which is why I developed these physical eyes. What they see, I can see, no matter how long ago it was beheld, though it’s not as clear as I’d like. I need to carve the eyes by my own hand and touch the inscription to see it, but they serve to cover the weaknesses of hijacking.

>Kill the mongers, assure loyalty from (some) toilers, and secure favor with Silver. A basic plan.
Nothing wrong with basic. But the Mongers have tozols on their side, making killing them something of a task in and of itself. The toilers that are not part of Chast’s rebels should be quite indoctrinated, so keeping their loyalty would likely just mean keeping the miners from sowing dissent and contained. Which will be difficult, from what I am seeing. Favor with Silver is already obtained to my satisfaction. I couldn’t lose it if I tried.

>Even if you can't get these rebels to go after the mongers, you could convince all the non-rebel toilers to get whipped up in a frenzy about the mongers. No one is better suited to make them that way than a preceptor. A very loyal toiler like that poor little Asher would be suitable for an agent among the toilers to get them riled up.
I doubt anyone would agree easily with whipping up the toilers into a frenzy. Keeping them sedate is half my job, to my consternation. Losing control of them would be disastrous. Perhaps setting them against the Mongers would be worth it, but once they get a taste of vengeance against their betters it will be difficult to predict how their culture may change.

>So the toilers think they're rebelling against Silverlock? And the mongers are a genuine problem in Silverlock? Maybe you can convince them that the mongers are what they're really rebelling against, and that things would be fine without them. Silver might also like that. You might also recall that toilers sometimes hate the mongers. Why, ask around and you might hear from even the littlest toiler their grudge over some fingers taken by a monger.
A scapegoat, essentially. All of Silverlock’s sins put on them in order to save our skins from the toiler rebellion. I won’t say it can’t work, but a legion of untrained toilers will be chaff in front of trained tozol mercenaries. It may buy us a bit of time though.

If I wanted to play my part as a member of the Preceptory I would go to Silver now, inform her of what just happened, and have her call all the diamonds to a meeting. Likely it would take until later today to gather them, so I’d have some flexibility until then. But it would be relinquishing a large portion of my control over this situation. Not telling them however risks an eventual leak of this information. What if I wasn’t the only person the rebels gave demands to?
>>
No. 1016456 ID: 96c896

>>1016453
Oh, so your response to "you're responsible for her death" was "no" merely in a pedantic way. Great, so we're back where we started. Fuck you! Hope you die screaming, etc.

>Knowledge is power, and I am by far the most knowledgeable person here.
People don't make demands of others when all they have is knowledge. You obviously have actionable power, which they expect you to use to free the toilers. So stop lying.

>What point is there in lying to yourself?
You've never heard of delusional behavior? Even outside of that, people lie to themselves all the time, by downplaying their sins or exulting their virtues. And like I just clearly demonstrated, you are lying to us.
>>
No. 1016470 ID: a6dc33

If you're planning, it makes sense to scout. Check relevant eyes to see how much ass you're going to need to cover to keep up appearances.

... all this focus on eyes, I noticed you haven't said if hearing was part of the package.

That might be important. If not, here's hoping you can read lips
>>
No. 1016521 ID: 6e4236

The Mongers....have tozol mercenaries now?

The armor-for-a-skeleton tozol?
The "rip out their eyes in the morning, in the afternoon they are reading a novel" tozol?

....How many?
And how come they are not the world's rulers by now? What could the Mongers possibly pay them, that they could not by force take?

.....
Maybe ensuring an alliance between the rebel miners and the Mongers could earn you some leniency if they take over.
That is, if you want to stay Silverlock.

What do you want, Xerin? What are your short and long term goals?
>>
No. 1016545 ID: e19f16

Can the mercenaries be outbid? Cutting off the supply to their usual clients, combined with offering a new contract in the stead of a fight, can make for a compelling offer.
With the mercenaries against them, rather than aligned? The suddenly disempowered can make for easy negotiations...
>>
No. 1016547 ID: dfbac0

I believe he meant he doesn't have DIRECT manpower. Knowledge is very powerful if you know how to use it. He probably has connections and blackmail, things like that. If anything given his abilities I wouldn't be surprised if he was privy to almost every dirty secret the ruling class has.
Speaking of which, if they are negotiating with others perhaps we can use that to our advantage. Gather evidence of other negotiations and be the first person to let them know, we can then say they weren't doing their job in bringing this information to their superiors, this will make you seem more trustworthy and possible contenders less so.
Also, can we make these inscriptions on any piece of wood? Would it be possible to fashion amulets with these eyes for everyone who goes to your sermons and then "bless" them every time you have one and get information from it?
>>
No. 1016557 ID: 96c896

Of course he has direct manpower. He orchestrated a murder. You can't do that without being able to tell people what to do. Actually I'm fairly interested in how he managed to do that at all.

How DID you get Asher killed, you scheming amoral asswipe?
>>
No. 1016566 ID: 9a2966

>>1016557
Asher is not dead (yet), as she appears to have been taken captive. All he did was convince Asher's eyes (over whom he has power) that she saw her friend and not, you know, a mercenary guard who'd react upon an intruder sneaking up on them with predictable violence.

It seems logical it was he, given the effect. So, not a murderer. But he conspired to have her hand amputated, certainly.

Shame those mercenaries will now get to hear of Silver's suspicions of him, assuming Asher spills it all. One wonders whether they'd listen.

>What to do next
Play your part. One would almost think the way they acted - they'd expect you to.

Although perhaps that means you shouldn't. You could argue you did not want to escalate things fast. That you were suspicious of their real motives and wanted to investigate further.
>>
No. 1016722 ID: 7c8da3

>Maybe we should give an obsidian helmet and a giant spiked dildo while we are at it.

Um, Caevexerin? Sir? What's a dildo? Is it some sort of reptile?
>>
No. 1016959 ID: 623c32
File 163907272989.gif - (6.71MB , 1000x1000 , 182.gif )
1016959

>You obviously have actionable power, which they expect you to use to free the toilers. So stop lying.
It is difficult to stop what I have not begun. As to your actual point however, my actionable power in this situation is purely in my station. The rebels want me to approach the other preceptors and ‘make their case’, since they correctly predict their demands coming from my mouth will be heard better than their own. As to why they picked me, I expect it’s because I’m the only one they recognize. I believe I am the only diamond who has gone to the mines to talk to the miners in the last decade. Thus, I was most likely to be sympathetic to them.

>The Mongers....have tozol mercenaries now? How many?
I have confirmed at least three. The ones who took away the toiler and the one Haddik, the most influential monger I have hijacked, met with before. I suspect there’s more however.

>How come they are not the world's rulers by now?
Tozols are a servile race by nature and to my knowledge they are not allowed this far into the boondocks. My knowledge is obviously flawed on this point, however.

>What could the Mongers possibly pay them, that they could not by force take?
>Can the mercenaries be outbid? Cutting off the supply to their usual clients, combined with offering a new contract in the stead of a fight, can make for a compelling offer. With the mercenaries against them, rather than aligned? The suddenly disempowered can make for easy negotiations...
That is one of the things I hope to find out through the mercenary I’ve hijacked. However, I believe I have a book on them somewhere that I once skimmed. It might take some time to find however. Maybe it would be a good use of Four, if I can provide a strong excuse for her to search for it. I wouldn’t want to tip my hand to anyone that I know things I shouldn’t, and the presence of tozols is one of those facts.

>I noticed you haven't said if hearing was part of the package. If not, here's hoping you can read lips
Sounds are not transmitted. I have practiced reading lips but it is unreliable, allowing me to glean one word out of every three or four. That’s under perfect circumstances of course. You’d be surprised how often people talk when not face to face.

>Also, can we make these inscriptions on any piece of wood? Would it be possible to fashion amulets with these eyes for everyone who goes to your sermons and then "bless" them every time you have one and get information from it?
Technically I can carve eyes into any material. Wood, stone, even paper if it’s thick enough. The medium effects how it ‘sees’, however. I find wood a decent middle ground, though it tends to wash out details.

I’ve considered the amulet idea before but the problem is that enhanced I may be, there is only so much information I can sort through, and useful information is rare. Going through what the eyes see in detail requires just as much time as it would have if I was watching in person, and skimming makes it easy to miss things. Finding Chast’s attacks was simple as I knew exactly when to look already. I deemed the strangeness of the action not worth the potential rewards.

>Shame those mercenaries will now get to hear of Silver's suspicions of him, assuming Asher spills it all. One wonders whether they'd listen.
Doubtful. Anyone who knows our relationship would discount it. Anyone who doesn’t, such as the mercenaries, have no real reason to care. I suppose they could pass the information on to the mongers, but they have clearly abandoned political maneuvering at this point.

>Maybe ensuring an alliance between the rebel miners and the Mongers could earn you some leniency if they take over. That is, if you want to stay Silverlock.
I have confidence in my ability to manipulate people given time and opportunity, but convincing the miners to not hate mongers would be nigh impossible. They were quite… depraved in spurring on the miner’s labor.

>Play your part. One would almost think the way they acted - they'd expect you to. Although perhaps that means you shouldn't. You could argue you did not want to escalate things fast. That you were suspicious of their real motives and wanted to investigate further.
>Speaking of which, if they are negotiating with others perhaps we can use that to our advantage. Gather evidence of other negotiations and be the first person to let them know, we can then say they weren't doing their job in bringing this information to their superiors, this will make you seem more trustworthy and possible contenders less so.
Silver will be judicious and subtle in her reactions. I could steer her reaction to the miners perhaps, but she would take the matter largely out of my hands. Which could be a benefit, as it would let me focus on the Mongers with less distraction. Alternatively, I could break with what would be expected of me and go to Steel. He would try to meet the miners directly with a force of sticklers. And mobilizing them might scare the mongers, though scaring them into what I’m not sure. Would they call off the coup and delay, or try to delay it. Either way mobilizing the sticklers we have on hand and perhaps calling back the ones who are away would put us in a much stronger postion.

As for gathering evidence I can see the wisdom is that. However, it’s paramount I have a story to go with that evidence that doesn’t implicate me in anything unsavory.

Regardless, I should check my current roster of hijacked people, to ensure I don’t miss anything.

>IIllariopalin Silver
Talking with the Ambassador again. I doubt Riksen will realize only his drink is alcoholic. Silver can be a good actor and Macie is skilled at her sleight of hand.
I catch the words ‘Trade’, ‘Politics’, and ‘Pleased’.

>Braddiosium Steel
Talking at a toiler. Surprising, but unlikely to be important. I am able to get a view of the papers on his desk, luckily. It’s a letter claiming a bounty for Moon Fon? I’m surprised such a slight artisan could have anyone after her in the outside world. I suppose she was hiding here and was caught by the sticklers she is accused of murdering.

>Haddik the Greatest
My package only reached just now? It’s been hours. Then again, I shouldn’t be surprised if they’ve made it difficult for sticklers affiliated with diamonds to make it through their den.

>The Valkin Mercenary
This is my first look at their forces and I am troubled. At a guess I wouldn’t put their numbers at more than fifty, assuming this is the sole cavern they are occupying. But their technology looks to be rather… advanced. Still if they believe they can overcome our garrison of sticklers with just these numbers, they may be underestimating us.

I should keep focus on one of them while I work on other things. Which one would be most useful though?

>What do you want, Xerin? What are your short and long term goals?
I want revenge. To string up every diamond and stickler to the rafters and make them watch as I tear down their works. To collapse this mountain to rubble with everyone in it and use it to mark my father’s grave. To finally pay them back a tenth of what they have done to me.

But that was the dream of a child. I’ve grown past it. Now I simply desire to no longer have to answer to any of them. To put on this simpering personality and pretend to get along with them. I will lead them instead. I plan to become the next Prophet and change this society to one in my image, one where I can thrive instead of be stifled.
>>
No. 1016963 ID: 235cf2

Haddik the Greatest is the currently most prominent Monger, I take it?

Finding out more about him or the mercenary troops will be really useful.

In the meantime, we can tell Four to fetch books about tozols, green glowing phantasms, and foreign technology.

Speaking of, the Ambassador talking to Silver is from one of those tribes that didn't make it to Silverlock, right? What were those called again?

And are laprines....foreign technology?
>>
No. 1017000 ID: dfbac0

Hey, I've seen that toiler before, that's Asher's friend, Fingers.
Also, that technology is way too advanced, by the looks of it they're hundreds of years ahead just by the fact they're using wireless technology. You've got your work cut out for you. Even if you win against them the technology recovered could possibly ruin your entire society. Imagine if any toiler could message anyone outside instantaneously.
>>
No. 1017003 ID: 094652

... You're screwed.

Their tech level is at the Victorian Age or higher. You're still in the Pre-Renaissance. You're like two ages away from them. And they have mecha.

At this point, it doesn't matter if they don't have guns. They have a murder-machine that can kill your armies without getting scratched. Your strongest magics might have a slight chance of subverting the mechanics, but they can just build another one.

I'm going to recommend you defect. Now. It's clear that their Plan B is to just bomb the mountain until it caves and kills you all, so they can repurpose their murder-machines into mining-machines. More expensive but oh so effective.
>>
No. 1017014 ID: 0aff21

>>1017003
More than that, they have electric floodlights and radio comunicators to talk across different cave complexes with each other.

We might really need those books now!

Oh, and um, for what it's worth:
I'm sorry that your life and the life of your loved ones got destroyed by the Preceptors.
I hope that, when you reach the station of Prophet, you will choose to become the hero to the downtrodden you were denied in your youth.
>>
No. 1017027 ID: 03228c

Haddik is probably your best bet to catch something.

And you're probably going to need something that isn't violence. Those tech differences are stark.

If you can't pull out combat ready explosives or some serious magic equivalent, well...

"whatever happens, (they) have got, the Maxim gun, and (you) have not."
>>
No. 1018822 ID: 127cd7
File 164089616557.png - (1.75MB , 1000x1000 , 183.png )
1018822

>Speaking of, the Ambassador talking to Silver is from one of those tribes that didn't make it to Silverlock, right? What were those called again?
‘Minkin’ is the old term.

>Are laprines.... foreign technology?
No.

>Haddik the Greatest is the currently most prominent Monger, I take it?
Currently. Mongers enjoy jockeying for positions so change happens often, but Haddik has been their ‘leader’ for the last couple of years.

>... You're screwed. Their tech level is at the Victorian Age or higher. You're still in the Pre-Renaissance. You're like two ages away from them. And they have mecha.
We are not ‘screwed’, despite the-

>Also, that technology is way too advanced, by the looks of it they're hundreds of years ahead just by the fact they're using wireless technology. You've got your work cut out for you. Even if you win against them the technology recovered could possibly ruin your entire society. Imagine if any toiler could message anyone outside instantaneously.
>And you're probably going to need something that isn't violence. Those tech differences are stark. If you can't pull out combat ready explosives or some serious magic equivalent, well...
Like I’ve said-

>At this point, it doesn't matter if they don't have guns. They have a murder-machine that can kill your armies without getting scratched. Your strongest magics might have a slight chance of subverting the mechanics, but they can just build another one.
>More than that, they have electric floodlights and radio communicators to talk across different cave complexes with each other.
>I'm going to recommend you defect.
Shut up! Your panic is-

Immaterial. It doesn’t matter. I can be decisive without your input when you are like this. I…

I’ve wandered back into the room with Four? No, I meant to.

>In the meantime, we can tell Four to fetch books about tozols, green glowing phantasms, and foreign technology.
“Four!” I bark. Too loud. Must moderate my voice.

“Yes?”

“Go to my private study and look for books on t- foreigners.” Better.

“Foreigners? Why Preceptor?”

“I… I will inform you later. I must go and, and get help for Stazi and Kati. Yes.” I rush out with little of my usual decorum, but that’s fine. That makes sense in these circumstances.
>>
No. 1018823 ID: 127cd7
File 164089623689.png - (1.78MB , 1000x1000 , 184.png )
1018823

I remember to grab a book to put my nose into as I leave. Ideally it will serve to rebuff anyone who may attempt to approach. I can’t- do not feel like conversing right now. I take the most direct path to the Silver’s office, following back paths. I feel strangely naked to be walking without even one martinet guard. I would like to go past their barracks to get help for Stazi and Kati, but they are likely to waylay me with a guard and try to keep me ‘safe’. It would take too much time. I’ll find them help once I have talked to Silver.

Silver was in her private offices lower in the city. They are also, thankfully, closest to my own domain so checking there first for her will not be strange. Like… randomly asking my ward to look up ‘foreigners’. Blind me, another thing to fix later.

>I'm sorry that your life and the life of your loved ones got destroyed by the Preceptors. I hope that, when you reach the station of Prophet, you will choose to become the hero to the downtrodden you were denied in your youth.
Heroism leads to an early death. I would like to fully enjoy my centuries, thank you.
>>
No. 1018825 ID: 127cd7
File 164089638675.png - (1.84MB , 1000x1000 , 185.png )
1018825

Ah, the so-called war hero Silver has taken under wing is serving as her outer guard today. He doesn’t like me despite my persona. Or perhaps because of it. He’s smart enough not to show it too obviously at least, and he’s not important enough to devote any real effort to convincing otherwise.

“Preceptor Brass.” He says as I approach. He doesn’t even grace me with a bow. “Preceptor Silver has ordered that she isn’t to be disturbed.”

“I just need to speak to her for a moment. I’m afraid it’s quite urgent.” He doesn’t move a muscle.

“She said she isn’t to be disturbed.” He repeats, slower.

How best to get past him? I can barge in, I’m sure. He wouldn’t be stupid enough to physically bar me, but if I interrupt Silver while she’s spinning a web around Riksen I could ruin or set back her plans. She’d forgive me eventually, but it would cast a certain pallor on our following conversation. Or if I wait, she may find it strange considering the circumstances. I do not think we are in immediate danger, but it is far more important than any foreign ambassador.

Whatever I do it must be under the guise of I’ve cultivated, of course. Genial, soft, and non-confrontational.
>>
No. 1018829 ID: 12b116

Ask how long she will be, if this is unacceptable stress that this is an important matter that needs to be seen to.
>>
No. 1019082 ID: e7c7d3

I say barge in
>>
No. 1019089 ID: dbd72b

"How long will this be, and how many lives will my interruption cost?

... as I said, this is important."

Helps that this statement is true, and if Silver is really up to some shit, it gives leeway for her to push back. Use your own judgement on how fanatical her guards are and how little common lives matter, though this group of miscreants seems like it can slash a bit higher up on the ladder, if you don't handle it.

... and on that note, you seemed less concerned than us about their military prowess. Can you elaborate on your own? With things like your Damnation in the picture (FM (fukkin magic) to us, buddy) we don't actually know what your faction can do. Some elaboration could be very reassuring. Come the Apocalypse, what could you do you do to wipe these fuckers out, if you really had to?

oF cOuRsE, wE mIgHt KnOw SoMeThInG yOu DoN't~

Not panicking, of course. Just a friendly threat/warning, like you're used to~
>>
No. 1019401 ID: 3328c7

If you absolutely must talk Silver, then entering right away would be the best choice.

If not, we can just rely the message about the rebels to this Martinet and let him inform her for us. Then we can focus on other things.
>>
No. 1024629 ID: eb049f
File 164581051892.png - (1.89MB , 1000x1000 , 186.png )
1024629

“Do you know how long she’ll be?”

“As long as she wants, Preceptor.”

“Well, I’m afraid I cannot wait. People’s lives are in the balance. So, sorry but-“ I put my hand out in front of me and walk past him, trying my best to look apologetic. For a second he tenses and I can see the debate in him mind of what he wants to do versus what he should do. His good sense wins out and he backs away.

“Just… let me announce you. Please.”

“Of course. Thank you.”

>You seemed less concerned than us about their military prowess. Can you elaborate on your own?
I am less worried about a protracted conflict because we outnumber them militarily by at least ten to one, without counting those martinets currently on campaign. Who I have no doubt would be called swiftly back and be here within a week. The problem is the damage they could do quickly, particularly to the preceptors.

>Come the Apocalypse, what could you do you do to wipe these fuckers out, if you really had to?
A single martinet, barring exceptional ones such as Gatezi or Karta would only serve as grist to the mill to slow down the mercenaries, but we have a lot of grist. I admit I am no scholar of war, but numbers do matter. Of course in the unlikely case that they don’t, the martinets do have *some*… contraband to help even the playing field.
>>
No. 1024630 ID: eb049f
File 164581062796.png - (1.72MB , 1000x1000 , 187.png )
1024630

“Preceptor Silver. Preceptor Brass is here to speak to you. He insisted.” He announces me to the small room.

“Ah, another madkin, good. Come on in!” The Ambassador says slightly too loud. Silver looks miserable.

“Tell me, because the wonderful Ms. Silver claims ignorance.” He slurs slightly, and hangs off of Martinet Gatezi like an oversized vine. “How do you resist the Descent? I was convinced Madkin couldn’t by your very nature.”
>>
No. 1024631 ID: eb049f
File 164581072711.png - (1.91MB , 1000x1000 , 188.png )
1024631

I didn’t resist. My father watched over me as I ‘plunged’. That’s what he called it. Every mage must do it to touch magic for the first time. It’s quite harrowing and I try not to bring it to mind. Regardless, answering that question truthfully would mean execution. The practice of magic is the greatest taboo we have in Silverlock. I have no idea why he would have the belief preceptors would be unable to resist doing it, though. Every creature has a self-preservation instinct and we are no exception. Even with our afflictions.

“We have managed-“ Silver tries to interject.

“No, no, I must hear it from his own mouth. Everyone can Descend, but your kin are so close to the edge already. Your legs dangle into the majesty of sorcery. The gravity, the pull of it must be unbearable for you.” He starts to chuckle. “At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

I recognize that look on Silver’s face. It's a fermented mix of annoyance at being interrupted and yet gratitude for same. It frequently falls over Silver as meetings with intolerable boozed-up buffoons drag on. I needn't have been so cautious. If I can think of some way to get him to leave, she’ll no doubt accept it and back me up on it.

“Of course,” He continues. “I should be thankful none of you are mages. As many preceptors as there are here, I would be afraid to be within 100 leagues of this mountain.”

Hmm. Something interesting seems to finally be happening with Monger Haddick. After she let the martinet I sent leave unmolested there wasn’t much I could glean from her behavior. She didn’t even peruse the book. I didn’t think she was so dim she’d miss that obvious an overture.
>>
No. 1024632 ID: eb049f
File 164581080413.png - (1.95MB , 1000x1000 , 189.png )
1024632

My first good look at a tozol. Underwhelming, to be honest. Haddik is yelling at it I expect. Not that the tozol seems to care. It’s just studying that paper, which Haddik, unhelpfully, has not yet glanced at. If only-
>>
No. 1024634 ID: eb049f
File 164581108628.png - (1.99MB , 1000x1000 , 190.png )
1024634

“Tell me boy! Why haven’t you taken your power?”
>>
No. 1024636 ID: da466a

Because shortcuts blind you to the path's sights.
Power kills the journey if it's not at its end.
A preceptor's vocation is knowledge.
>>
No. 1024637 ID: 426e9e

"Our religion forbids the use of magic, plus we have medicaments to keep its call.
Are you sorcerer yourself?"
>>
No. 1024638 ID: f91a54

The placatives above are a good start, delivered in good nature. Don't want to appear worried at those accusations.

Afterwards it seems a good time to remark on how much the Ambassador has had to drink, and suggest a break
>>
No. 1024641 ID: 561ce2

Are you alright ambassador? You seem like you might have had one too many drinks.
As for the madness, we are holy men, to lose ourselves to such a thing would undermine our very role and existence, we are known for our chastity, ambassador.
Basically, don't go into ANY specifics on how you might fight it back and just quote scripture.
>>
No. 1024650 ID: 12b116

>>1024636
yeah hit him with philosophical stuff, refuse to elaborate further.
>>
No. 1024666 ID: 094652

"Because whenever my sinful mind even thinks about it, the power screams at me with the cacophonous rage of a thousand demons.
I wouldn't touch it if you stabbed me in the eye."
>>
No. 1024864 ID: e51896

>>1024636
sounds good
>>1024637
this too
>>
No. 1034747 ID: c1b6b2

>I need a plan to get this guy to leave.
How about a plan to get this guy to leave AND make a Martinet's life miserable for a couple hours?

Once he is done fuming about how, in Silverlock, witches get stitches, tell the ambassador:
"Say, I see you have made good friends with Martinet Macie, here. Would you like her to show you the market square? The way our Mongers and Artisans combine their trades there is nothing short of divine."

I mean, sure, Macie will not forgive you for putting her under the spotlight, but she also won't forgive Silver for letting you do it.

And besides, she messed with Riksen's drinks.
She made her bed. Now she can sleep with him in it.
>>
No. 1048377 ID: 987e99
File 166749738164.png - (1.76MB , 1000x1000 , 191.png )
1048377

>Don't go into ANY specifics on how you might fight it back.
That’s quite easy, as I have no specifics. Or even vagaries as I’ve never had to resist this ‘call’. I don’t know what he’s talking about.

“A preceptor’s calling is to collect knowledge and use that to guide our fellows. Pursuit of power would be a dereliction from that duty. Power such as that blinds its wielders to other, more important sights along our journey.” I give him a placating smile. “It’s forbidden for the good of us all, Ambassador.”

“Bah!” He says and lets go of my shoulder. “Almost word for word what she said! That and discipline and responsibility. As if you do not reject the power to shake mountains and reach beyond the veil of death.”

“Are you sorcerer yourself, sir?"

“No, no. Your request for a mundane representative was quite clear. You need not have specified, of course. I would have been sent regardless.” He sighs. “Taking the Descent would always be a mistake for me. I am not exactly a fount of self-control and like as not to burn myself out in a couple of months.” An opportunity, and I can be blunter here than Silver can, considering her position.

“I can imagine,” I give an obvious glance at the table of glasses and pitchers. “Forgive me for saying so, but you seem to have overindulged here as well.” His eyes narrow for a moment before he sighs and Silver clicks her tongue at me in recrimination.

“Preceptor Brass.” She replies in a clipped tone. “Apologize to the ambassador immediately.”

“No, no. Belay that.” He interjects. “I am the one who should apologize for getting away from myself. I am not here for fun, in the end.” He runs his hands across his silver badge. “I may be in need of a small break. If one of your nykin could take me to my room so I can freshen up, we can continue our talks a bit later.”

“Of course. Martinet Narko outside will escort you.” Silver states. He extricates himself from Gatezi and shambles to the door. I’m surprised Silver doesn’t let out a sigh herself once he is gone, but her self-control has always been impeccable.

Still. I am finally, alone with Silver. Well, Gatezi is here as well I suppose, but barely counts. I can say anything I could tell Silver in front of them. But what should I tell her, exactly? And almost as important, how?
>>
No. 1048469 ID: 56869c

You should probably keep a literal eye on Haddik again, or when you think about it...

I'm not sure why those mercenaries haven't done her in yet, but since Asher's head still attached, I suggest we use her to see what other caves and forces the Mongers have in store on the way to whatever impromptu prison cell they are taking her to.

As for what to say, who to rat out.... the miners look like they could be most easily duped into hurting someone we don't like at a critical moment, since you are the only person in power who has ever shown them a modicum of sympathy.
Of course, Four and your Martinets already saw Chast doing his mumbo jumbo and offering his terms. We will have to convince them that he and the miners are being used by the Mongers if we don't want to have their rebellion stamped out immedeatedly.

It would probably be best to present our evidence that the Mongers are up to no good, as they have enough forces that Silver will probably decide to employ caution rather than an all out assault.
That is, if you are ABSOLUTELY sure they won't parley with you in exchange for becoming a turncoat. Admitedly, they'll probably just reward your betrayal with safe passage to the nearest frontier town. Life outside would be harsh, it would require actual work, and may even be cut a couple centuries too short.... but at least you won't have to live the rest of your days pretending to be the best friend of the people who ruined your life. Up to you whether ousting the Monger now is a better idea than pleading your case to them later today.

Since we are at it, what makes Martinet Gatezi so special and dangerous? And how does someone as weaselly as Narko become a war hero, anyway?
>>
No. 1072624 ID: a1a7f4
File 169507412934.jpg - (417.80KB , 1000x1000 , 192.jpg )
1072624

First, I must let my walls down. Losing composure in front of the Ambassador would not have been acceptable of course, but now we are alone. Acting as my ‘unguarded’ self in front of Silver is something I’ve had a lot of practice doing. Now, should I go with a slightly quivering lip or-

“Amazing. I’m being blessed with a social call.” Oh god, she’s starting already. “Did Martinet Gatezi go behind my back to do the requisite cajoling into visiting your mentor? Gatezi, remind me to give you a commendation for taking on such an onerous extra duty in your free time.”

“What? No- I mean, I am afraid not, Palin, I-” Mistake. I haven’t attuned the right mindset yet.

“Oh, are we back to a first name basis, Keeper Brass.” She gives a light snort. “So, what brings you from your cavern of tomes and dust, Caevaexerin?”

“It’s not dusty, it’s cleaned… nevermind.” Recalibrate. Get back on topic. “I have distressing news to inform you of, but first my martinets need assistance. They’ve been, well, affixed to the walls of my dwelling.”

“Injuries?” Gatezi asks in a clipped tone from behind me as Silver’s eyes narrow.

“I don’t think so, but they were still unconscious when I left. I came here immediately.”

“Were you followed?”

“No. The perpetrator left quickly so I-” Gatezi begins striding through the room before I finish my sentence and Silver lets out a long, deep sigh.
>>
No. 1072627 ID: a1a7f4
File 169507430996.png - (1.22MB , 1000x1000 , 193.png )
1072627

“Who did it? What were they after?” Gatezi asks as they pull a step stool and a dampened rag from a small closet and quickly use them to wet the etched eye above the door lintel. I can hear the swivel of the eyeball as their hand passes over it.

“Oh, I believe it was a toiler from… the mines.” I suppress a wince and Silver clicks her tongue. I continue regardless. “They had a message from the Mongers and… I don’t believe that is necessary, Martinet!”

Gatezi doesn’t even deign to glance in my direction as they bar the door.

“You’re wasting your breath. We are at Gatezi’s mercy until we are secure, I’m afraid.” Silver takes another sip from her glass. “Ward Four?”

“I sent her to my study. She knows where the panic room is inside, so she can hide there. However, I was hoping to return with your martinets now and help-“ I begin.

“Preceptor safety is paramount.” Gatezi interjects already next to the bookshelf. They tap their knuckles against it in a staccato pattern. Aonaz or some other guard must be behind it as a second later a grinding sound comes from it and the shelf begins sliding out of the way. “Once you’re properly defended, we will go recover your ward and guards.”

Silver stands up and gestures to me. “Help me straighten up before she finishes. If they have their way the office will still be a complete mess when we leave. You can explain the message while we clean.”

I personally wouldn’t call a table of glassware in an otherwise pristine office a mess, but I learned as a child that Silver’s aesthetic standards are the only ones that matter when she’s in the room. The snippiness I receive during her rare visits to my library are-
Nevermind. While I help move to help her put things away, I check on Haddik. She is looking at a cavern map. I vaguely recognize the shape… yes, it is of the mines. Or more specifically their entrances. The notations imply that most… no, all of the tunnels to the mines have been blocked off. Cave-ins happen of course, but for all of them to collapse and those of us higher in the mountain not to have experienced a similar series of collapses means it must have been done deliberately. The toilers, no doubt.

>I'm not sure why those mercenaries haven't done her in yet, but since Asher's head still attached, I suggest we use her to see what other caves and forces the Mongers have in store on the way to whatever impromptu prison cell they are taking her to.
Her head may still be attached, but my eye doesn’t reside in it anymore. I traded up for the mercenary, who is not observing anything I find useful at the moment and is not in the toilers vicinity for now.

>What makes Martinet Gatezi so special and dangerous? And how does someone as weaselly as Narko become a war hero, anyway?
Martinet Gatezi is the most skilled martial artist I’m aware of in Silverlock. I believe it’s been years since they’ve been defeated, and most of their spars with other martinets are handicapped to be at least a dozen against them at a time. As for Narko, I haven’t looked into the specifics of his heroics. I assume he conducted himself favorably during some border skirmishes, though I don’t know whether it was with the neumono living on the peak or the valley barbarians hubward.
>>
No. 1072628 ID: a1a7f4
File 169507434635.png - (482.65KB , 670x670 , 194.png )
1072628

>As for what to say, who to rat out.... the miners look like they could be most easily duped into hurting someone we don't like at a critical moment, since you are the only person in power who has ever shown them a modicum of sympathy. Of course, Four and your Martinets already saw Chast doing his mumbo jumbo and offering his terms. We will have to convince them that he and the miners are being used by the Mongers if we don't want to have their rebellion stamped out immediately. It would probably be best to present our evidence that the Mongers are up to no good, as they have enough forces that Silver will probably decide to employ caution rather than an all out assault.
I don’t have any evidence, but it’ll be trivial to lead Silver to think they were behind it. There’s more than enough bad blood that she’ll take it for granted. I explain the situation, that the Mongers have duped the toilers into delivering threats and I fear infected them with magic.

I might have attempted to keep the magic a secret, but my martinets would inform everyone once they are rescued regardless. Silver stays quiet as I lay it out, along with my insistence we find a peaceful solution before life is lost.

Behind the bookshelf a tunnel stretches into the bowels of the mountain. Once it’s open Gatezi wastes no time hurrying us along into it. However, at the last second Silver stops on the threshold.

“Caevaexerin. Do you think I am a fool?”
>>
No. 1072643 ID: 918cdb

Use a preocuppied but understanding tone: "You... think armed conflict can't be avoided?"

If she means something else, something aimed at you, well... get angry. You are just a young little preceptor trying to help and she blames you instead. Play that up.

And uh... did you cast an Eye on Gazeti at some point? Casting a distracting illussion on our present company may be warranted soon, I feel.
>>
No. 1072649 ID: 8f9bc4

Does she know you were dreading having to manage her insipid scheme? That's about the only thing related to Silver which you totally didn't act on, while some random monster conveniently removed your loose end's entire hand.

Does she know it's you who uh... totally didn't do any of that stuff?

Otherwise you've been nothing but genuine to her. Does she not believe your Martinets have been fused to the wall? That's what you wanted her help with, right? Does she think you're hiding the fact that the toilers are revolting, due to overzealous labor extraction on part of the mongers? Because I think she can see that from all the collapsed mines. She doesn't know you have an eye on her, does she?
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