"My name is Lucien, but my friends" he gestures, taking in Gift and the others "tend to call me Blue. I specialize in ranged combat and the use of technology."
The Elders politely acknowledge Arlo, Rollo, and Blue as they introduce themselves and one mentions that maybe Blue can answer some questions concerning current machinery malfunctions.
When Terex "speaks", the guards seem taken aback but Elders signal them to calm. The Bishop responds, "Our guidance devices communicated in the same fashion. Few of us felt experienced it, of course. It was reserved to those who understood the ways of the church."
And once Terex makes his statement, "We understood the New Land as a miracle provided by Naranar. It was our mission to secure a colony and only then provide the word of Naranar. It boggles the mind to think there are many such lands but with the will of God all things are possible."
Thinking a second, "Well, no, we know little of the history of this land if it has one. That may be an error. All of this was easier with the Guidance Devices."
Armaund then stands and introduces himself, "I am trader and explorer by trade but apologies if I cannot tell you everything, for part of our mission we are sworn to silence. Certainly, there is more to us than meets the eyes and as my comrades have said, we are here to protect all people and sentient being in this world. We have significant resources and we can help you - if you wish to live in peace with others in this world. That said, we may be able to help understand what is happening with your device if you willing to show us."
As the others talked Gift took in what Nina had sead.
::"Nina, help me scan for these guidance devices"::
And she sends her drones out around the village.
Once she had pinpointed them she study them.
[ooc[Kn Psionics takes 10 for 30[/ooc]
Then try and see what is wrong with them, then see if she can fix them.
Skills will take 10, 22 to 30.
She has a number of powers that can also help with this, from dumping an AI into them to rebuilding/mending them to redesigning them.
Gift has, well a Gift, she had not really understood it as she was growing up over the last few months. AI matured faster than organics and as she had experienced more. Most of all living each and every life with the souls trapped in the well. She had left behind the organic need to move and fight, for a more Cerable way of things. Rollo had helped her with this, the long talks they had had about so many things. He was the cleverest mind she had yet met and she valued his insights. Once had need simple and yet profound. In one of their talks, he has simply asked.
"Why are you trying too hard to be like us, organics, when you could be trying to be more yourself Mecha. No not in form but in mind."
That had resonated with her and had been the reason for altering her foundations as she had Eexqills. The collective was also a means to be more like her kind. Also within herself was another collective cluster of lesser AIs two were inside the robot dogs, others in the wrongs. Her ninite blood is another, all linked and all as one. Her mind was able to split itself as each part worked. She felt like she needed a new pronoun. Hexqill came done and hovered in her hand.
Her voice came from her, her drone, and the two robot dogs at the same time.
"We are Gift, She/they said to the elder and others. We seem like one but we are more than one. And we have been thinking. We ask this before you came to this place. Was it your home plane's guidance devices that encouraged or showed your kind the way to come here? If so, once here it was your guidance devices that informed you of Narsod and the course of action to take."
Fit sent to the others
::"We/I believe that Narsod also had a working guidance device as these have here. And that all guidance devices here stopped working when we destroyed what we believe to be the controller. The Psionic plant creature. The Evil traders were taken out were, we said we do not know how or why, but I believe we now know why. We have a new player in the great game. The Psi-Plats I/we believe set this up and set out to link the religious cult world with e cult leader here. And two enslaved worlds would be come one, controlling the greatest of planes gates into who they could expand. "::
::"We/I believe that Narsod also had a working guidance device as these have here. And that all guidance devices here stopped working when we destroyed what we believe to be the controller. The Psionic plant creature. The Evil traders were taken out were, we said we do not know how or why, but I believe we now know why. We have a new player in the great game. The Psi-Plats I/we believe set this up and set out to link the religious cult world with e cult leader here. And two enslaved worlds would be come one, controlling the greatest of planes gates into who they could expand. "::
Terex mulls over Gift's hypothesis, then speaks to the party. It's possible... it seems unlikely they would have risked such a vital piece to grab the Fendarions, though. It seems more likely to me that the plant creature we slew was merely one of many, and that they've withdrawn from the 'guidance devices' because they've interpreted our killing of one of the crystalits as the first move in attacking them. But I do think you're likely right that Narsod--if there even is an individual by that name rather than a collective masquerading as an individual--may well be connected with whatever has been manipulating the Fendarions, whether that means it *is* what's been manipulating them or merely allied with it.
Widening his telepathic broadcast to the entire group, he says, This world was once under the control of a group of vile oppressors who the natives only call the 'Dark Ones'. They were recently deposed, and we came in part to make certain that something worse did not fill the void left behind. That is part of why we have been wary of Narsod. Now it seems likely that Narsod's forces view you as a threat to their ambitions, and they have proven willing to use force. We should prepare for the possibility of an assault.
::"In your comments, you echoed and also make some of my points. But Terex I want to make it clear what I am outlining so we all understand its implications fully. To make clear, when I/we talk of the 'controller', I mean the single being local to the area of what I/we believe to be local control of the spices faction. I/we suggest that it was following the elder to it could bind the two groups. We meet it because it came to stop us from the Federation had planned. I did make it clear after we had destroyed it, to expect that this psionic-faction would know to be aware of what we did. Which you have just echoed. When I talk of 'guidance Device, what I mean is also 'Controlling Device' Like the ones used by the Narsod faction to control its populous. This new faction planned all this. From the fall of the 'dark ones' to getting the feds and Narsod linked up, so they could use Narsod control of the wall. What all political puppeteers fear they would fear more than is exposure. They went for the feds to hide what they had done, and they will be going after Narsod the same. Then us. We need to see this guidance device, when we 1st came here I felt a very powerful mind in this village, way beyond an AI, I/we think it was this Psionic plant. O and one more thing, anything that psionic would be more than able to shunt its mind to a new body or place. We may have killed its body here, but it could be we are doing with a hive-like-being. We need more evidence for all of this but we must also report our suspicions"::
She lets all that sink in.
The village is small enough that Gift can easily scan for psionics - there is nothing psionic in the area now.
Once the Elders finish their discussion, they return to the party. They will allow the party to analyze all of the data of the Guidance Device and then discuss further action.
Gift, Minna and Blue are the ones competent to analyze the logs that they first bring out in the form of an optical drive. The Elders sit nervously as the party analyzes...
This device was transported from the Fendarions' home plane and psionically hacked soon after. During the entire time the Fendarions have been here, some entity has been sending them dubious information - among other things, the device called on the group to engage in a witch-hunt for heretics among them with some number of people still in a gaol. Whatever hacked the thing covered it's very well and it is extremely difficult to determine who or what it was.
As this is happening, Armaund puts out to the hive-mind:
::Whatever we find, I believe we should propose the group make peace with the Giesel Riders and the Guardians, help the process along and then go quickly to the city of Narsod and investigate the situation first hand. Still, this making peace might take a day or two and time is of the essence I think. What to do...
She works with the others going over the logs and analyzing the hack.
::"Well this device seems to have been transported from the Fendarions' home plane and then soon as they get here it was psionically hacked. From that point on some entity has been sending them dubious information - like the call to the city and among other things, the device ordered them to have a witch-hunt for heretics among them. Seems voices that ask questions and did not do as told are now in jail. I think we should ask for them to be realised. Whatever/who ever hacked this thing went to a LOT of trouble to cover its hack up. going to be extremely difficult to determine who or what it was. BUT not impossible. Hacks always leave some kind of fingerprint."::
She shows the elder and co the hacked code, then says.
"These logs here, you can see that some outside communication, overwrote the security and then started to send their own commands to you. Like locking up anyone who asked questions about why the guidance device was acting so odd. We suggest you set those members of your congregation free. Whoever did this was good."
Then to undo what was done to it, she placed one of her own AIs within it. Downloading all the Data banks into it. She kept it just below full sentience. limiting it to script retrieval and comparing functions so that interpretation would be left to the humans. Then she added in some of her own knowledge on farming, basic tech, comms, and other technology and colony seeking to help others rebuild their world would need.
She stood went to the elder and his group.
"We have been able to undo the damage done to your device, some outside force took it over and used it to control you. That outside force then sort to control you thought it. Like locking up anyone who it felt was not under its control. We would set them free by the way."
She brought up and project of the data core.
"We were able to receive all your original scripture, but We are sorry to say the 'interpretation' function was totally lost. What it can do is present to you cross-referenced parts of your scriptures related to any question you give it. But the interpretation of what is presented will be up to your elders and the wise of your number."
She says to the guidance device.
"What forms should marriage take within the faith."
Text shows, listing the parts of scripture pertaining to marriage.
"We have also added a none scripture database. This holds information relating to none faith practical matters. Like farming, medical, home crafts, and other things we think you will need to become self-sufficient to a point. But you will need to make contact with the locals and set up a trade for that which you do not have. We suggest you trade medical care and basic tech tools for what outside materials you need."
She looks to her father.
"Arlo is a good dwarf, one of the best and a hero on more than one world. We suggest you trust him. We know he would be more than happy to get in contact with the locals so you can make a peace with them."
Then she says to the elder.
"Elder, a Civilization and culture are made of many voices, you and your people are from another world. But that matters not, your voice is just as valid as any other here. We read your scriptures, in them, we learned your god seeks to help no matter the place or time. So we ask you, could it be that your god sent you here. Testing you in this way because your god wants you and year people here and now. Because this is where you can do good?"
She looks at her father.
::"Over to you pops"::
Then to Terex
::"You where right and I was wrong, seems who ever did this did not come with them, and its till hidden"::
"Arlo is a good dwarf, one of the best and a hero on more than one world. We suggest you trust him. We know he would be more than happy to get in contact with the locals so you can make a peace with them."
Then she says to the elder.
"Elder, a Civilization and culture are made of many voices, you and your people are from another world. But that matters not, your voice is just as valid as any other here. We read your scriptures, in them, we learned your god seeks to help no matter the place or time. So we ask you, could it be that your god sent you here. Testing you in this way because your god wants you and year people here and now. Because this is where you can do good?"
She looks at her father.
::"Over to you pops"::
The dwarf smiled inwardly at the praise GIFT gave him, but that quickly turned to irritation an uncertainty as his android daughter suggested Arlo be in charge of first introductions between both desperate groups.
"Eh..uh..yes. I can assure you I'd deescalate any hostility should it arrise." Arlo fumbled.
Rollo looks over at Arlo.
Do you want a special envoy outfit? I have just the look.
The Sage smiles.
"You 'just so happens' to have said outfit at the ready?" The dwarf looked up questioningly.
Blue works with Gift on the drive, concurring with most of her points. In fact he lets her do most of the talking. "As the fair lady says, whoever did this was highly skilled, and covered their tracks well. But we're also skilled, and were able to recover most of it. I'm sorry we couldn't recover it completely."
The Elders are astounded at Gift's "repair" of the device and, after a period of prayer to decide their course of action, accept the revised device.
The revived device formulates a message for the village offered renewed hope through peace and good relations with the various peoples of the area and welcomes Arlo as Envoy at large. Envoys of Giesal Riders are expected shortly but Guardians arrive first and state that they welcome peace and knowledge-exchange (and they warn the party that Narsod's people seem to be drilling for war - but no yet moving towards an invasion).
Once things are moving forward, Armaund, looking somewhat impatient, broadcast. ::We are close to finishing this loose end but now the Narsod question looms larger. We must make haste to find up what he is up to. I propose quick flight to some mesa near their city and then we discover their plans through infiltration
As she finished up she looked at blue, he had been amazing and way more skilled at parts of this than she was. Then Gift had done her thing, for the next tasks she knew that it would be all down to Blue and Terex.
She felt worried for them both, Blue most of all.
"I'm no good at this sneaking stuff, I guess I'm too much like Dad. Hit it with a big pointy stick. Blue you look after yourself ok. Your heading into a city that has been working with Devils and they can see, you know what I mean. "
Then she hugs him, After she stands and walks over to Terex.
::"Terex, I want you to promise me something, look after Blue ok, I know he is a big boy and can look after himself. But you know when things are not right, you're the most sneaky cunning, and downright smartest Dragon I know. And if anyone is going to spot a trap its going to be you."::
We definitely need to figure out what's going on there, Terex agrees. Are we sure we can leave here just now, though? We might want someone to stay behind and keep an eye on things, though I hate splitting up when we're likely going into danger.
That said, Blue and I probably are the best choices to go look around. The one thing I'd worry about is psionic detection. Do we have any way to protect ourselves from that?
Gift can sense that this question is in part his answer to her request... and also a thread of gratitude for her praise.
So it's decided that an advanced scouting party will leave immediately to scout the city, Unit 7, that Narsod uses as a headquarters.
Getting appropriate directions from the Guardians, Armaund will fly Terex, Blue and appropriate scouts while the others continue to negotiate peace between Fendarion and your other contacts.
Armaund is able to make the trip, flying low through open desert, in five and a half hours. And after another half hour sneaking, the scouts are able to observe the city from a seclude hill overlooking it. It's small than Valash/Unit 3 but has similar design; an older area has had grim barracks haphazardly added on to it and then a wall around everything. Unlike Valash, no process of renewal and beautification seems to have happened. Indeed, it looks the wall built by the Traders has been strengthened and new sections added to it.
It's not hard to guess the headquarters building - they are the central castle areas and these buildings seem to be guarded by a squadron of white-winged humanoids vaguely resembling stereotypical angels.
::"We can do this one of two ways, one, we just give you some psionic protection, two HexQil will go with you, if it gets hookey Hex can come in and try and protect you v the local hive-mind."::
Hex joins them and heads off to the city.
The local hivemind in the village is down but Gift can keep every link by her own telepathy if you need messages sent.
That will help, Gift! Terex says before departing.
The little dragon looks over the city warily. I'll bet those creatures are what the big crystal we found would have summoned, he comments on seeing the white-winged humanoids. We'd better be careful around them. Planar beings often have unusual ways of sensing other creatures, so we can't trust that invisibility and small size will hide us from them.
That said, Terex leads a cautious course towards the walls of the city. He checks around them for any kind of unusual watchers or wards before picking a portion that seems unobserved to try quickly flying over to get into the city proper. He aims to enter fairly far from the barracks and the castle area, thinking those more likely to be watched more heavily.
Arlo we could go along as emergency pieces in Terex' library?
The dwarf nods up at Rollo. "Sure."
Armaund and Minna will stay at the Mesa as a support team. Terex and others in the library, enter the city and investigate the situation.
View of Narsod vary a bit within the city. He's apparently brought relative prosperity to some and an imposed an order that's less draconian than the Dark Traders but some similarities in this late-medieval level society. There are a number of Zealots of his new religion, which is indeed rigidly monotheistic and promises that those who accept it's creeds are beyond judgement. Some of the zealots talk of Narsod bringing visions of his heaven, where believers fight an endless, righteous war against unbelievers and the Zealots are excited by the coming of the winged-men, which happened only in the last few days, it seems.
Looking at the winged humanoid from a distance but still closer, your guess is they're some kind of strange air-oriented spirit - of a sort more mercenary than enlightened.
Further, Terex is able to locate a herder who's agreed to sell six goats to the central temple (as the central fort is called, apparently) and will delivery them tomorrow morning. This seems like a perfect opportunity to sneak into the complex - if a small creature hides under the goats, life sense, tremor and similar things would at least somewhat confused if no useless.
As an alternative, Armaund and Minna offer to create a subtle or obvious distraction of some sort while the group sneaks in - perhaps set off a store of ammunition.
As soon as they are somewhere safe Gift comes out from hiding within Terex's library. She takes care to shift form to look local.
Exiting the library, stretching a bit, and cracking his back, the tall dhampir smiles at Terex.
You may want to get a few adult-sized chairs. Perhaps with cushions.
The Sage takes a look around. He watches the people, the structures and the going-ons happening.
Seems they are a busy hive. Our time may be short before he initiates his offensive.
The dhampir studies the central temple.
I could conjure a few Ice Storms on the far side so we can slip through and into the temple.
Gift deploys her drones.
::"Let see what my drones spot for us."::
::"Yes seats would be nice and you need a terminal in there. All those books and no terminal for data forms. It's not natural. I can make one for you if you like, nice AI to process all that data. Help your clone out no end. I could even take an imprint of your mind, then it would be you helping out."::
As her drones set off into the city she linked to them and then linked them to the Hivemind as it came back online.
::"LINKING... The Hive mind is now online, I have linked my drone to me, and also us, if you want my Drones to look at something just send the request."::
Terex broadcasts bubbling excitement at the discussion about additions to his library. I know, I keep thinking of things I want to add! I didn't want to go and ask for tons of resources for it at first, since I was kind of thinking of it more as my own little personal spot, but since it's turned out so useful for all of us I think I could justify asking for more... I did think about adding some computing power to it, but then I'd need to get a good power source in there, and I figured that would be pretty expensive if I wanted a long-lasting one I wouldn't have to constantly recharge. When we're done here and get back to Sigil I'll have to shop around... though you must know some good power sources like that, Gift. What would you suggest?
With a palpable exercise of will, the little dragon reins in his enthusiasm and focuses on the issue at claw. Right, we're going to want to get into the HQ sooner or later. We could spend the day exploring the outer city to see what more we can learn, then tomorrow the rest of you could hide in my library again and I could cling to the belly of one of these goats as they're herded in. That would get us inside. Then I can find a spot for all of you to come out... and we could decide if we're going for a decapitation strike.
There's a sense of anger and violence attached to his last words.
With the party established in Unit 7 and any schemes for entry seemingly needing to wait until the next day, you investigate the city.
Looking below the surface, Narsod is actually less popular than he seems. There is pretty of quiet grumbling that things have changed little since the time of the Dark Ones. And while the city has been a hub of trade but now, few merchants arrive and the city's supplies are now limited things the soldiers return with and it's unknown what will happen in the future.
Also, looking more, you discover there once was a sewer/storm-drain system that was closed by the Dark Traders but which could be investigated as a way into the Temple/Fort.
And there are some small windows that might be obscure enough the guards wouldn't notice entrance.
Rollo grins at the excited dragon.
If only we had The Tesseract. That would be quite useful.
The Sage considers for a moment.
Shimmer. Shimmer is a tesseract
The dhampir smiles.
[b]But yes let us do get some comfortable chairs firstly.
The Sage returns to said library sans comfy chairs to await the continuation of surveying the city.
It's <Shimmer>, Terex corrects Rollo, though a thread of humor hints that he knows the difference is impossible to speak aloud. But anyway, it seems to me we need to decide if we're just gathering information right now or if we're going straight to trying to overthrow Narsod. If we're going for the second we should start making contacts here in the city, trying to find people who we can work with to do it. I think conflict is inevitable, it's just a question of if we want to keep quiet for a little while longer first while we gather information.
Even later in the day, you scout the area around the official temple, spying on several monasteries of Narsod's quickly assembled religion (seemingly only having existed for months). The initiates serve with the army providing guidance while the regular officers dictate tactics. The monestaries were once more ornate buildings but their decorations and many inside walls have been removed to suite the religions' austere aesthetic. There are maybe 350 initiates present, most on levels 1-3 (though there are reputed to be 20 or more levels).
One thing you notice is that while the religion preaches a simplistic good versus evil theology to outsiders, initiates go through a series of circles of initiation, in which each level brings new "insights", doctrines that seem to contradict the previous ideas (on the second level of initiation, initiates learn that since the one of light has abandoned the world to the one of darkness, only by serving the one of darkness can one get an understanding of the one of light. And it seems to go from there, though you naturally don't learn the entire system). You can recognize this sort of manipulative effect, though, as the earmark of a powerful lawful evil mind (followers of Mephistopheles come to mind but there are many similar entities in the multiverse).
Also by eaves dropping on the monk-priests of these outside-the-temple monasteries, you learn that Narod often only appears for a short time to his chief lieutenants or the winged-being to give orders and then vanishes agaomst (dimension dooring in and out or the equivalent, it seems). His lieutenants are mostly in the temple but a few are elsewhere.
Upon the Rollo mentioning the tesseract, <Shimmer> offers to make a demi-plane duplicating the Temple which the party could use to enter the Temple as well as monitoring anything happening there.
Rollo nods in gratitude to Shimmer.
Remind me to buy you a drink, my friend.
The dhampir then awaits for the others to enter the Shimmer Temple.
This is a bit easier to scout and decide how best to ruin Narsod's plans. Plus we may learn who is behind the curtain.
She sets off into the city and picks up intel passing it onto the others.
::"Yep looks like a decapitation strike is the way to go, then I will make myself look like him and start undoing things.":;
We should also look into where they make the psi-crystal things. Given how shallow this theology seems I'll bet it would just about fall apart on its own without them, Terex suggests.
He broadcasts a sense of mirth at Rollo's choice of thanks to <Shimmer>... along with the image of Rollo dunking <Shimmer> in a glass of wine. More seriously he says, Thank you, <Shimmer>, that does seem like a good idea. We might be able to peak around and see where they make the crystals this way.
I do still think we should try to make some contacts, but if we're going to infiltrate the headquarters tomorrow and see a chance to kill Narsod, we shouldn't wait.
::Be careful, Gift. Even if you look like him, his cronies might notice if you aren't acting like him. It might be better to claim to be an angel, sent from Heaven. Tell them he has gone to a higher plane, but that you have been sent in his place to offer guidance. You should have an easy time impersonating an angel. You already look the part, after all.:: He says, winking at her.
So, drawing on the energy of the party, <Shimmer> creates a demiplane duplicate of the Narsod's castle/temple , which the party enters. From here, all of the activity in the true castle is visible as ghostly images and soft but understandable speech.
Now, the simplest thing is to wait.
At first, you notice only the ordinary goings one of this headquarters, training and defense is being organized but not much else.
Then, around 4:30 pm, two figures appear suddenly in one of the many unused conference rooms around the main ball room of the top level.
One fits the description of Narsod - stocky, robed, a beautific expression on his face, a staff with the symbol of the God Of Good (Similar to an Ank) in his. The other seems to an elf but of unusual feature - more stocky as well, dark hair, a slightly wild-eyed expression, wearing a robe covered with symbols, some mystical, some just mundane gambling symbols. They begin a conversation.
Narsod: "Elon, is all this dimension jumping really needed?"
Elon: "I believe so, I sense we face great danger, one of the factions trying to restore the balance or something ridiculous like that"
(hops to another, empty room)
Narsod: "What happened to the crystalit?"
Elon: "Unknown. It became overconfident, the thing are neigh on indestructible but nasty things exist in the world."
(hops to another, empty room)
Narsod: "It's loss puts a wrench in our plans"
Elon: "Yes but that's the game. We merely have to find another patron, quickly. But can be done. A day at the Pillars Of Time. Or perhaps at the Market of Almery. No, the Pillar. Gamble the soul essence wisely and offer the prospect of controlling this section of the Wall. Plus the other things we've discovered."
(hops to another, empty room)
Narsod: "It's loss puts a wrench in our plans"
Elon: "Yes but that's the game. We merely have to find another patron, quickly. But can be done. A day at the Pillars Of Time. Or perhaps at the Market of Almery. No, the Pillar. Gamble the soul essence we have wisely and offer the prospect of controlling this section of the Wall. Plus the other things we've discovered."
(hops to another, empty room)
Narsod: "Very well, then we leave soon"
Elon: "Tomorrow. Make sure the palace is secure."
(no longer in the temple)
Narsod appears briefly to issue orders after that.
Rollo winks.
Anyone have a Dimensional Anchor?
The Sage looks to Terex.
I am thinking that with me directing the energy; Shimmer and I may duplicate a Dimensional Lock around him once we are ready to strike.
Terex broadcasts a dark, almost predatory feeling as he watches Narsod... the sense of a dragon patiently watching his prey, waiting for the right moment to strike.
He's quiet for a moment after Rollo speaks. We'll need to do that, yes. The question is, when to strike? If we aim for before they leave, we have a very narrow window to attack in. If we plan on when they return, we risk them returning with a powerful ally.
The little dragon pauses again to think. Do you think we could set a trap in a few of the empty rooms they were switching between? Something that would activate the dimensional lock if they pop into the room? Rollo, <Shimmer>, would that be possible?
If we are in the Shimmer dimensional temple we should have eyes on every room through Shimmers senses. So, yes we theoretically could pick our poison as it were.
Arlo grimaced mentally within the hivemind. Terex makes several good points. An unexpected trapped room sounds ideal, if possible. Otherwise, hit them hard and fast!
Sold! I really must stop underestimating you, Shimmer!
Terexaltherin ruminates over the situation for a few moments, the little dragon's gaze distant as he thinks.
How about this? We find a room that's conveniently located but no one comes into. We'll have to watch for a bit to figure out where is good. All but one of us will hide in it, while the one left here in the planar duplicate keeps an eye on things. Maybe it should be Minna, after she sets up some alarms on likely-seeming rooms. She can notify us when Elon or Narsod shows up, so we can immediately have <Shimmer> activate the forbiddance effect and then move in on where they are as quickly as possible. Does that sound good?
She seems a little glum, as she expects this yet again to end in a fight.
::"It's a shame you feel mind hacking is wrong, once we have him, I could just control him and get him to undo a lot of the damage while looking like Elon"::
"My brave young woman. Damnation happens by degrees", Arlo explains. "It is a slippery slope for even the most dedicated paladins to enforce our will on others, even for their own good. If we become dominators, we are no better than the Dark Traders."
You can feel she understands her dad's words at a very deep level. He was after all one of the wiseest beings she knew.
::"I hear what your says Dad::
As I said earlier, I also think killing is wrong, but sometimes it has to be done. I wasn't saying we should *never* do it, just use it as carefully as other kinds of violence, because as Arlo says, it's easy to slide down that slope... and that applies to killing people, too, Terexaltherin says. That said, what do you think of my suggestion?
So, the party has scouted a room that's deserted and about as central as possible. Minna is stationed on the alternate plane and can spend a round to send word to the rest of the party in the room in the ordinary plane. There are maybe twenty wing-humanoids around and another ten to twenty disciples around the area in different rooms. From the discussion earlier, you expect Narsod to return to talk with people (and maybe without Elon).
::"That was my response Terex, what you set out is the forming of a trap. I just looked ahead and could see that once we have the trapped there would be a DKM event. I could see a way out from that, but Dad thinks it's unwise for me, and you have an Ironic view that 'killing' a mind is somehow more moral than tampering with one. I have to be honest I did odd, seeing how you gave just said killing is wrong. I am an Andriod sometimes I miss the nuances of emotions so I admit I may have that wrong. and I am missing something in your logic"::
She then helps set up the trap.
Terexaltherin broadcasts a sense of annoyance. Gift, for an emotionless android you're doing an awfully good job of putting words in my communications. Check your memory. I said from the beginning that I view mind manipulation without consent as another type of violence. Not worse than killing a mind, but not always better than doing so either. And I do view violence as wrong, but I view standing by and not preventing people like the Dark Traders or Narsod from oppressing and killing as they wish a worse wrong.
He pauses a moment, then adds, And it's probably true that I've gotten too jaded about killing. I am a predator by nature--killing cute bunnies comes perfectly natural to me--but I still reacted with revulsion the first time I had to participate in killing a sapient being. Long exposure to doing it in for what I believe are justifiable reasons has probably desensitized me too much to it. I need to do better at compensating for that.
That said, we do need to think about what we're going to do with Narsod--and Elon when they get involved. They seem dangerous, but we don't know how dangerous. And to your point, Gift, if I were working with that crystalit the very first thing I'd do would be to apply every psychic defense I could to myself, so we may or may not have the option of tampering with their minds.
Dark anger creeps into Terex's thoughts. That said... given that Narsod is willing to sell people to devils to get his way, I'd like to say that any level of violence it takes, physical or mental, is justified to stop him. But given how little information we have and the fact that Elon may well be the worse threat here, we may need to take him alive and able to answer our questions. But again, we don't know how dangerous he is personally and how strong his defenses are, so we may not be able to afford to hold back. Likely we'll have to judge the situation as it unfolds.