Mike Holmes Agnes feels a presence now, one that has been the hinderance to her mental penetration of Ohidnar. It is the dwarven gem. The High King has bent it's protective abilities so that it now also works as a barrier to as much magic as he can prevent. He apparently fears the sort of long-range pervasive magic that he, himself, projects.

Mike Holmes But now the gem seems to recognize Agnes' mind. It is not intelligent like a human, however, and it does not have the intuition to immediately make the leap that this is not a foe.

Mike Holmes So, now, the gem seems to be making up some sort of test for the mind of Agnes.

Mike Holmes As the Gem probes Agnes' thrusts into the caverns, it becomes aware of something. Mentally it speaks to Agnes, "You have caused one to come to Ohidnar, one who is anathema to the High King! Why have you done so?"

Agnes "Uh...Who?"

Mike Holmes "The one who is allied with a God of Charun. The Gods who would enslave the High King, and those like him, as they once did."

Agnes "Oh. I didn't know."

Agnes "I don't think she's really a threat -- or even much of an ally of Akalatan at this point."

Mike Holmes The gem seems to be considering these new data.

Mike Holmes Then it seems to figure something out, and replies, "No, not the mother... the child."

Agnes "Oh!"

Mike Holmes "The presence of the demigodling offspring of the bloody one will have to be reported to the High King when he communes with me next."

Agnes "Wow. Well, these people want to make a deal of sorts with the High King on behalf of the safety of Green Lake. Perhaps he can take into account that they have the choice of unleashing it here or taking it home when considering his options."

Agnes "When will you next speak to him?"

Mike Holmes "When he feels the need to hold me... perhaps in a few hours, or days?"

Agnes "Good! Hopefully sooner rather than later."

Mike Holmes "The weak exist to serve the strong," it replies automatically. "You must exterminate the godling, to demonstrate the power of the High King."

Agnes "Who are the weak and who are the strong?"

Mike Holmes "The High King, and those he graces, are the strong," it says, again as programmed.

Agnes "And the demigodling?"

Mike Holmes "I

t is weak now," the Gem replies, "It will serve, or it will die."

Agnes "So I have done my liege a favor, bringing it close where it can be taught to serve."

Mike Holmes "Perhaps," it replies enigmatically.,

Mike Holmes *

Mike Holmes Elsewhere, Tez becomes aware of her child writhing in her womb, in a distressing manner.

Mike Holmes Something somewhat beyond a mother's intuition tells Tez, through her blood, something about her child's disposition. It's angry. Perhaps because it's hiding some fear. Fear is not something from Akalatan, Tez realizes...

Mike Holmes It has to be one of her contributions to the child.

tez tries to commune with the child as she does Agnes. ~What's wrong, baby?~

Mike Holmes Tez's sense is that the child thinks that somebody or something is coming for it.

Agnes Hearing Tez call out mentally, Agnes focusses on her. ~~I'm OK, hon. But I just got some news about friction between the High King and Akalatan. They know about your baby.~~

tez half-draws her Tethium blade, looking around warily. "They are coming for him." she says aloud, for Cassio's benefit.

Cassio "Who, what?"

Cassio blinks

Agnes ~~..?~~

Agnes ~~For the child? I don't think so. Not yet.~~

tez "He thinks someone is coming." She projects the words as she speaks, though Agnes likely does not need her to while she's paying attention. "My baby."

Cassio "Oh, well if someone comes, well be prepared."

Cassio sounds confident

Mike Holmes Egani returns to the Cavern carrying some odd green ooze in a bucket. He seems not, for the moment, to b aware of the commotion.

Agnes ~~Apparently the gods of Charun wish to enslave the High king so they're annoyed that we broought a demigodling into Ohindar. I doubt that the High king knows yet though.~~

tez ~~Oh right I was supposed to do something to help with that.~~

tez looks over at Cassio, hesitating for a second, "Do you... need a weapon?"

Agnes ~~Huh...maybe you have. What if you're still the chosen one and this is exactly what your role was supposed to be? What if Akalatan couldn't get past the High King's wards so he set this situation up so he could be reborn on the inside? That would be so freaken cool!~~

Cassio draws the longsword of Lysander, ornate beyond simple description

Cassio "No."

tez ~~Wait, does that make me evil again?~~

tez "Oooh. Yours is fancier than mine."

Cassio "Mine is also quite stolen."

Agnes ~~Tez, you are not and have never been evil. Evil is just a word and it's based on your choices.~~

Cassio "But it was for the greater good, it was merely gather dust in a collection."

Agnes ~~Do you hurt people when it can be avoided? If so, maybe you're evil. If you try to avoid that, then probably not.~~

tez "Oh, mine's not stolen, really. I killed the last owner."

Mike Holmes Tez, looking past Cassio, notes that Kerem seems to have left Egani's cavern, without having said anything to anyone.

tez ~~Ummm. I try not to... unless someone says I should.~~ she glances a bit guiltily at her sword.

tez "Well, I helped at least."

Cassio "I bet that was an adventure."

tez "It turned out her blood wasn't useful after all... hey, where did Kerem go?"

Agnes ~~So Tez, I didn't realize you felt so attached to your 'baby.' When did that heppen?~~

tez ~~I...don't know? I guess when I felt his fear.~~

Mike Holmes Agnes senses that there is somebody in the Cavern besides Tez, Cassio, and Egani... a goblin mind, and one with... elder... sensibilities.

tez stares in the direction that Kerem had departed and jumps a little as the baby squirms disturbingly again. "Arrrgh, stop MOVING." she grumbles, poking at her stomach.

Mike Holmes Cassio sees the goblin in question, peering from behind a rock. He seems plainly to be spying upon them all.

Cassio leans in close to Tez, "We have a spy about."

tez swings to face him, startled, almost stabbing Cassio by accident. "I don't see anything!" she whispers back.

Cassio kind of nods in the direction of the goblin

Agnes ~~He's one of the old guard -- not a servant of the High King but of the ancient Murlogi religion. He hates the High King and may well be a potential ally.~~

tez continues to face Cassio and attempts to look in the direction of the goblin at the same time.

Agnes Tez is now able to see the spy as it lurches out from behind the cover and walks stiffly toward them.

tez lowers the point of her sword a little, ~~An ally?~~

Agnes In a creaky voice the grey-haired goblem speaks to Tez and Cassio, "Hello, I'm Agnes...old goblin isn't here right now but I think you'll be able to question him."

Agnes "Maybe...let me check."

tez "So uh. Hi. What's your name?"

Agnes ~~What's your name and why are you here?~~

Mike Holmes The goblin croaks mechanically, "I am Bhurrek, priest of the true goblin Gods."

tez "There are true gods?"

Mike Holmes "Of course!" the Goblin replies, almost regaining control of himself for a second, before Agnes' re-establishes control over it.

tez "tell me about them."

Mike Holmes "The Gods of the Goblins," it goes on, "ruled all goblins before the coming of the heretical ruler, the so-called High King. They are ruthless, and they give true power, and all cower before them. One day the Old Gods will rise again and smite down the demon who rules from the hall liberated by the hands of goblins!"

Agnes releases the heavy-handed control of Bhurrek, but leaves a figurative hand on his throat as a reminder -- ready to once again exert her will if needed. ~~Bhurrek, if you will treat with civility, I shall allow you some measure of freedom.~~

Mike Holmes The goblin looks around, it's wide mouth agape, as if it will find the source of the voice in it's head as it does. Then, not finding it, it says, "acceptable."

tez "Smite him huh. That sounds good."

Mike Holmes "Yes, SMITE him!" the goblin's eyes grow very wide.

Mike Holmes The goblin decides to take a chance... "We have an army."

tez "Hmm. Perhaps our gods can work together."

Agnes ~~Why did you come here to spy on us? Were you instructed by one of your gods?~~

Mike Holmes "I was instructed by our High Priest, Nabalok, he who is least despised by the Old Gods, and who is given most power," he replies, "to find out what was going on in the house of the High King. He is most deviously wise you can see, to have sent me just as you have arrived."

Mike Holmes Agnes, from what she knows of the size of the High King's armies, and what she can see in this goblin's mind, knows that this army of rebellion - while not insubstantial - is a small fraction of the size of the King's forces. Not enough to win standing in the field... but it has two potential things going for it

Mike Holmes First, it probably has a lot of fervor missing from the High King's army

Mike Holmes Second, they would make converts along the way in any attack.

Mike Holmes They could be enough to... decapitate... the leadership of the High King's regime.

Agnes ~~...a dangerous ally. This is something we should sleep on. Let him go and I'll keep track of his travels.~~