Concord of the Spheres Part Fourteen
Seventeenth Day of the Fifth Month 293 AC
"Could I count myself a true partner of yours in this war if I would shirk to bear part of the burden?" you answer her question with one of your own, though not without a certain spike of trepidation at offering such a challenge in calling forth the Brazen Throne's armies and their champions to war. Yet if you are to be an ally in this war and not merely a sellsword you must make the offer.
The Sultana gazes at you for a long while, and from what little you can seen beneath her dark veils she tilts her head in thought. "For too long has this war dragged on, spilling an ocean of blood. Mayhap the haste of mortals is precisely what we needed to finally strike the final hammer blow."
Though you can no longer be counted mortal by any reasonable measure, you take her meaning and accept the compliment in the spirit in which it was given. "There are many advantages we can draw from a frenzied response," you continue. "There is no point in bringing ruin to the Sultan if we do the same to our realms. We can dictate both the time and the place of this engagement, so we should prepare this diligently. Erect a fortress to weather his assault. Staff it with as many soldiers as we will need to break his force. Prepare other attacks to take advantage of his attention being diverted. What I would need the most for this is knowledge. Both about the army to be expected, and the methods to defend against it."
Obviously words of caution make for a far less pleasant hearing from the Lady of the Peerless Empire, though the Djinn present take comfort in them, with Hajar Rebys adding his own arguments in favor of such a course of action.
Finally the Sultana is, if not happy, then at least content to wait as long as may be needed to enact your plan of feint and ruin. Your own reasoning serves more as a conclusion than an argument: "I can leverage a great many people for this project without straining your logistics, but they would need to learn how to erect wards against translocation and other sorcerous attacks. It will also take resources, steel and coin the most of all, the latter for materials to weave those wardings. I have a few ideas for this plan already, but the more tools you are willing to give me, the greater a blow we can deal the Brazen Throne."
"I confess I know little of the magics you possess," Sultan Zafer interjects. "Where would you begin with such studies?"
Tools and payment all in one, you think in satisfaction. "It would be of great use to understand the magics woven into the Gates of the Opaline Vault, that none who seek it may be cast astray."
"By ancient custom such lore cannot be shared beyond the walls of the Vault. Should you or one greatly skilled in the arcane arts among your company wish to study it you may do so in my place under the tutelage of the Master of Thresholds under certain conditions," the Sultana offers at once.
The conditions are eminently reasonable, swearing not to use the lore so gained to subvert the wards and protections of the Opaline Vault or any other Shaitan dominion. There is not even any magic binding this oath.
"Spells are honorable things besides oaths made in good faith," the Lady of the Shaitan says, reading the surprise upon your features.
What do you do next?
[] Move on to signing an accord
[] Negotiate further
-[] Write in suggestions
OOC: The offer to learn how to make Planar Anchors is open ended in terms of when you take it, whether next turn or half a year from now.
And of course we'll do our part of the bargain and drop off Prime Material histories and whatnot.
