'Spare', I think, is the wrong word here. We're going to try to put a stopper on the cycle of revenge. Riiight after we get our own. A little hypocritical, granted, but I don't think that murder weapon knows anything beyond the cycle of revenge.
"I don't suppose anyone wants to explain what's going on here?" asked Elys, looking around at the swarm of angry spirits, Gerrod Burntree who appeared to have become a larger and more monstrous version of himself, and her parents who'd used the momentary distraction to take a quick breather behind another invisible shield.
"He and his spirit friends have killed hundreds of innocent people, including your Aunt Joyzelle," said Yslena, pointing an accusatory finger at Gerrod.
"And now he's trying to kill us," Gareth added.
"Yes, yes, let's just get on with it." Gerrod sneered. "Kill me if you can."
You intend to open a portal and blast Gerrod Burntree – and the nature spirits who are his allies – from an unexpected angle. However, there are several problems with that plan: opening a portal takes time, effort and concentration, as does using dragon breath. If Catharne was by your side, there would be no difficulty: you could open the portal while she blasted them. Jana can't help you with this – she doesn't know portal magic or dragon breath – so you must do it by yourself, which takes much longer than you would like. Unless Gerrod and the spirits are willing to wait until you're finished, they will attack first.
Fortunately, your parents are a distraction they cannot ignore. Wrapped in layers of protective shielding, with a sword that flashes like fire or lightning, she forces her way through the swarm of spirits, even as they use their magic against her, seeking to tangle her in vines or cause her flesh to rot and wither. Your father stays close to her, in her shadow, where he can rely on her shields. His sword is coated in something that enables him to cut through the spirits easily. From time to time, he throws handfuls of an explosive dust that reminds you of something you've seen Professor Kunrath use. Together, your parents move inexorably onwards, towards Gerrod Burntree.
However, he has other ideas: he seems intent on attacking you. By this time, his muscles are bulging, he has grown achingly tall, and you hear a crunching and a tearing and a cracking of bones. His appearance becomes increasingly bestial, with a growth of shaggy fur, nails lengthening into sharp claws, and fangs protruding from his mouth. It sounds like a painful transformation. You are reminded of Hrolmar the Wolf, an old friend of your parents, who became a werewolf after he was possessed by a wild animal spirit. Over time, he made peace with his unwelcome passenger and gained control over his transformations, but it doesn't seem like Gerrod has managed that. Or perhaps his inhuman masters won't allow him to believe he has any kind of control over them.
Jana rushes to your defence. "Big, strong monster. Not too agile," she says, conversationally, as if she were examining a specimen in Belle's laboratory rather than getting ready to fight for her life. "Sildar taught me how to defend myself against something like this. It can't kill what it can't hit." Then, she seems to blur into motion, becoming supernaturally fast and nimble, leaping and darting around Gerrod, much too fast for him to have a chance of catching her.
By this time, the portal you just opened up is not in a particularly useful position, but nevertheless you use it to blast the swarm of spirits from behind. Some of them are reduced to mere wisps of smoke or steam, vanishing on the breeze, but others are able to use their own magic to protect themselves, dispersing your dragon breath before it can kill more than a few of them. Actually, is 'kill' the right word? As long as their domains survive, they will eventually be reborn, with their memories intact. The only way to kill them completely is to destroy whatever tree, rock, strand of pondweed they belong to. And if you did that… Well, apart from anything else, it would take much too long.
For now, despite your best efforts, you are unable to kill them. Or even to do much damage to them. You close the portal and consider your next move. Jana won't last forever. Sooner or later, she'll tire or make a mistake, Gerrod will strike a decisive blow, and that will be the end of her.
What will Elys do next?
Because this is such a short update, I'll post the next as soon as possible. Maybe tomorrow.
Seems like a reasonable compromise of something(how to get into range) we didn't discuss (but probably should have). Eternal_0bserver did say open a portal, while i meant to run/jump/fly at him but didn't specify.
For now, despite your best efforts, you are unable to kill them. Or even to do much damage to them. You close the portal and consider your next move. Jana won't last forever. Sooner or later, she'll tire or make a mistake, Gerrod will strike a decisive blow, and that will be the end of her.
Quickly fly to join that fight and spew dragonbreath at him.
If she can partially dragon-transform: Transform her hands into dragon claws as melee weapons.
(@Chandagnac is Elys able to transform parts of her body into a dragon, or would that be a new magic she has to learn?)
Quickly fly to join that fight and spew dragonbreath at him.
If he changes his focus from Jana to Elys:
Good.
Change to main focus evasion, secondary focus getting out dragon breaths that distract and hurt him. Be annoying and distracting!
Order Jana to take sinew-cutter duties. She is to attack his hindlegs from angles where he can't easily hit her with his claws.
Cold iron should be able to do wounds to him, hopefully ones that need enough time to heal to slow him down.
If he is immobilized, fly around the reach of his head and pepper his neck (if he didn't turn his head)/his face (if he did) with dragonbreaths.
If he focuses Jana:
Dragonbreath him hard. We have to kill him before he hurts Jana.
If his fur protects him from Dragonbreath:
Use Illusion magic to create Jana Illusions for Gerrod to snap at. Order Jana to disengage and join the illusioncasting.
Use the illusion Janas to trick Gerrod into biting somewhere where he needs a few seconds to remove his head (like getting teeth stuck in a tree) while flying just out of his reach, when he does: Dragonbreath acid into his eyes.
If we can't blast him from an unexpected angle, let's blast him from an expected angle. If were flying an dragonbreathing, we're a threat he can't ignore, which will help keep Jana safe.
Hey, just trying to think of something simple - he gave himself sensitive doggy ears, why not use mastery of sound to do a really loud dogwhistle? And that's out of the human spectrum, so we can make it as loud as we please. And while he's reeling, Jana can cut him, or we breathe on him, or what have you.
Also, for illusion plans, I would be wary of his sensitive doggy nose.
Time is passing, so I wanted to show how things have developed. In Jana's case, she's been taking lessons from Sildar when she can, so now she can use magic to enhance herself like he can. Obviously, she's not as skilled as he is, but if she had a few centuries to learn and practice...
If she can partially dragon-transform: Transform her hands into dragon claws as melee weapons.
(@Chandagnac is Elys able to transform parts of her body into a dragon, or would that be a new magic she has to learn?)
So far, turning into a dragon is something Elys has only done when she has called upon Mishrak's power. It's not something she can do easily and she hasn't had much practice.
If we can't blast him from an unexpected angle, let's blast him from an expected angle. If were flying an dragonbreathing, we're a threat he can't ignore, which will help keep Jana safe.
Hey, just trying to think of something simple - he gave himself sensitive doggy ears, why not use mastery of sound to do a really loud dogwhistle? And that's out of the human spectrum, so we can make it as loud as we please. And while he's reeling, Jana can cut him, or we breathe on him, or what have you.
Clever. And I've been lamenting the fact that Elys doesn't make better use of her Mastery of Sound, so I'd quite like to see that.
However, I should point out that Elys can't quite see what animal Gerrod has partially transformed into, at least not yet. It could be a dog, a wolf, or a hodgepodge of several different animals. Still, there are a lot of animals that have sensitive hearing, so there's a good chance your plan might work.
Hey, just trying to think of something simple - he gave himself sensitive doggy ears, why not use mastery of sound to do a really loud dogwhistle? And that's out of the human spectrum, so we can make it as loud as we please. And while he's reeling, Jana can cut him, or we breathe on him, or what have you.
If we can do that, that has my vote. Maybe we ask for Gareth to throw a Kunrath powder at his nose, and then blast his hearing? Or the other way around.
However, I should point out that Elys can't quite see what animal Gerrod has partially transformed into, at least not yet. It could be a dog, a wolf, or a hodgepodge of several different animals. Still, there are a lot of animals that have sensitive hearing, so there's a good chance your plan might work.
You close the portal and consider your next move. Jana won't last forever. Sooner or later, she'll tire or make a mistake, Gerrod will strike a decisive blow, and that will be the end of her.
Taking to the air, you stare down at where Gerrod Burntree is getting increasingly frustrated with his inability to hit Jana. She is amazingly agile and evading his every move. But such magic always comes with a cost. How long can she keep it up?
Again, you intend to blast Gerrod with your dragon breath. However, a large mass of spirits has evidently decided that you are their most dangerous opponent. They swarm you, all at once, and you are forced to defend yourself.
Your dragon breath is ineffective against them. It would appear that they have found a way to protect themselves from it, at least to an extent. You will have to try something else.
As I recall, in The Tinpot Princess and Her Many Travels, Elys's Dragon Breath did massive amounts of damage, but only if it got past the enemies' defences. If it failed to do that, it would have no effect.
Fortunately, you have other tricks available to you. One is your mastery of sound magic, which you rarely use despite the fact that it has proven its worth on multiple occasions and your enemies rarely have an effective defence against it.
Sure enough, the spirits are frightened and disoriented by the noises that come out of nowhere, like miniature explosions that have no real force behind them, and you are able to telekinetically push them aside. For the first time, you have a clear shot at Gerrod Burntree. It occurs to you that he might be just as vulnerable to sound magic as his spirit allies were. After all, since he has transformed, his ears have lengthened, which suggests he has an acute sense of hearing, just like some of the animal predators whose characteristics he seems to have borrowed.
You put this theory to the test using an intense burst of sound that should be beyond the range of human hearing. An agonized roar issues from his snarling mouth. He comes to an abrupt halt and clamps his hands over his ears.
Panting for breath and looking faintly nauseous, Jana still manages to take advantage of his distraction: she slashes the back of his legs with her cold iron blades, doing her best to hamstring him. He topples forward, screaming in pain. And then your mother comes along and – rather unsportingly, you think – cuts his head off.
When they see that their puppet is dead, most of the nature spirits decide to flee immediately. The rest of them disperse when they realise the extent to which their numbers have dwindled. None of them have the courage to fight on when they don't vastly outnumber their enemies. In a few moments, they have all gone. You, your parents and Jana are left behind, at the edge of the woods, with Gerrod's corpse lying decapitated in the mud.
"We'll need proof that he's dead," says your mother, picking up his misshapen head. His demise doesn't seem to have ended his transformation, at least not completely.
"What's that supposed to prove?" you ask, gazing at the ghastly trophy. "It's hideous. And it looks nothing like him."
"Maybe the transformation will wear off before long," your mother replies, though she doesn't seem entirely convinced by her own words.
Your father heaves a sigh of relief. "We won. Hurrah."
"Say that like you mean it." Jana smirks amusedly. "Hurrah!"
"I don't think you two should go back to school now," says your mother, glancing critically at you and Jana. "Why not take the rest of the day off?"
You are dusty and windswept while Jana is covered in blood and muck. Both of you would benefit from a chance to wash yourselves and change your clothes. You wouldn't want to go back to school looking like this. And your mother seems intent on making sure you don't have to.
"That would be nice," you say. "But what should we do instead?"
"I don't know if you've studied Quellonia's geography in detail," says your mother, striking a thoughtful pose. "How well do you know this area?" She gestures all around, at the city behind her, at the farmlands and at the woods that seem to stretch far beyond the horizon.
"Not at all," you admit.
"Well, that's the city of Perganot. My father's estate is near here. Your grandfather, Lord Lymond Sayce, the Count of Norrange. I think you should meet him."
"No doubt he'll want to reward you for avenging his daughter," says your father, with a chuckle. "Joyzelle, I mean."
"Uncle Elward will be there, won't he?" you say, trying to show that you've been paying attention.
"Actually, it's more likely he'll be in the city, busy with legal and financial matters. The tedious business of ruling wisely and well," says your mother. "Your grandfather is an old man and has been handing more and more of his responsibilities over to Elward; even so, he is still the Count of Norrange."
Your father raises a knowing eyebrow at you. "An enormously wealthy and powerful nobleman. An acquaintance worth cultivating, I'm sure."
"Do you think we could persuade him to help with the war effort?" you ask.
He nods. "Oh, I'm sure of it."
Jana looks sceptical. "In which case, why hasn't he done it already?"
"Maybe he was waiting for Izzy or Elys to ask him," says your father, with a mischievous smirk.
Folding her arms and frowning, your mother says, "I would think less of him if that were the case."
I originally planned that Gerrod Burntree would be a villain/boss fight in The Tinpot Princess and Her Many Travels. But Elys has come a long way since then. By now, he's too low-level to be a serious threat to her.
Anyway, I'll give you this opportunity to react and make any suggestions you think might be helpful. Otherwise, I'll try to update fairly soon.
Fortunately, you have other tricks available to you. One is your mastery of sound magic, which you rarely use despite the fact that it has proven its worth on multiple occasions and your enemies rarely have an effective defence against it.
Yeah - more specifically, it would deal triple damage - exchanging versatility for overwhelming firepower. Earnestly, if we wish to use it against more serious opponents and not mooks, we'd be wise to get someone we hang out with a very short term buffing spell - buff up, blast them once, then ride that injury all the way to their downfall.
Indeed. Perhaps we have grown too reliant on brute force. It's a powerful weapon, but we have other means at our disposal.
And, we should definitely mention making peace with the forest spirits, because they can't meaningfully be killed. This incident will happen again if nothing is done.
Yeah - more specifically, it would deal triple damage - exchanging versatility for overwhelming firepower. Earnestly, if we wish to use it against more serious opponents and not mooks, we'd be wise to get someone we hang out with a very short term buffing spell - buff up, blast them once, then ride that injury all the way to their downfall.
"Well, that's the city of Perganot. My father's estate is near here. Your grandfather, Lord Lymond Sayce, the Count of Norrange. I think you should meet him."
"No doubt he'll want to reward you for avenging his daughter," says your father, with a chuckle. "Joyzelle, I mean."
The Sayce family manor is a couple of miles away. It would take you over an hour to walk there, if you didn't use your portal magic to shorten the journey. No one objects to your doing so, presumably because they're all tired after the battle with Gerrod Burntree and the idea of continuing to exert themselves – even with a leisurely stroll – doesn't appeal to them. Not when you're offering them such a convenient alternative.
As you pass quickly through the intervening landscape, you notice orchards where the trees are heavy with fruit that seems to glisten with ripeness, where sweet and sharp scents come wafting on the breeze, and a driveway wide enough for a dozen carriages to pass side-by-side, before you come to a palatial manor house built out of white marble.
You are accosted by several house guards and servants, who are appalled to be visited by such a dirty, scruffy and disreputable group of adventurers, especially since your mother is still holding Gerrod's severed head. However, when the name 'Yslena' is mentioned, their attitude completely changes. Putting on fawning, ingratiating smiles, they welcome you into the manor house, where you are offered food, hot baths and clean clothes. You take the opportunity to luxuriate in warm, soapy water for longer than you probably should.
Afterwards, when you are drying yourself off, Jana comes in, wearing practical clothes emblazoned with the livery of the Sayce family, and helps you get dressed. You are astonished by the gown you are expected to wear: olive green and pale gold, made of silk, which may never have been worn before.
"This must have cost more than most ordinary people earn in their entire lives," you say, picking at it.
"Your family is absurdly rich, princess," says Jana, with a slight quirk of her lips that might yet blossom into a smile. "Didn't you know?"
"My mother's family," you remind her. "My father's parents were poor farmers."
"I wonder what the Sayces thought about that. They probably expected their daughter to marry a high nobleman, maybe even a king, but instead she chose to marry a penniless vagabond."
"My father is a king. King of Ismar and Windskil."
"I wonder if they see it that way."
"Her dowry… They gave it to her. She used it to buy a horse, weapons and armour," you remember.
"Seems to me they could have given her all that without any need for her to spend her dowry on it," says Jana, with an affronted sniff.
"My point is: they wouldn't have allowed her to spend her dowry if they expected her to marry well. From what I've heard, she was a boisterous little ruffian, so…"
"Maybe they were just trying to get her out of the way so her sweet and ladylike younger sister could take her place," Jana suggests.
"Aunt Joyzelle. But now she's dead," you say. "And we just avenged her."
There is a thoughtful silence after that. Finally, you take a deep breath, just to make sure your new gown isn't too tight, and say, "I suppose I'd better meet my grandfather for the first time. Who knows what we'll have to say to each other?"
"Be very careful," Jana warns you. "Burntree may be dead, but that doesn't mean there aren't plenty of intrigues going on around here."
A short while later, when you come out of your room – the room that has been set aside for you – a servant leads you to where your parents are waiting. Your mother looks as young and lovely as you have ever seen her, in a dress that has clearly been cut to show off her muscular form, like a warrior queen from a fairytale. Tall, handsome and urbane, with only a light dusting of grey about his temples hinting at his true age, your father is bedecked in martial finery, as regal as any king who was born into the role.
"Wow! You look amazing!" you gush at them both.
"Thank you, Elys." Your mother gives you a beaming smile. "I'm flattered."
"It wasn't just flattery. I've never seen you looking so… um…" Unable to think of the right word, you look at Jana for help.
"Exquisite," she mutters, fanning herself and trying not to look at your mother.
You give her a hard and unfriendly stare. "Yes, exactly."
Trying to suppress his mirth, your father says, "Very flattering indeed."
Your mother swiftly changes the subject: "My father is out on the veranda. We've been invited to meet him there. Shall we go now?"
"Yes, let's," you say, with a nod.
Out on the veranda, in the golden light of late afternoon, you see your grandfather sitting on a comfortable chair, gazing out over the picturesque landscape of rolling hills, fields and trees, all of which belongs to him. He is a portly old man with a white beard, dressed in a military uniform, with a walking stick propped up next to his chair. Although he is not bald – or even balding – his hair is much thinner than it would have been when he was a younger man. As you approach, he turns to look at you with rheumy eyes, peering over his thick spectacles.
"So you have come," he murmurs. "My daughter. I wasn't sure if I'd see you again before I died."
At that, your mother can't seem to restrain herself from rushing over to him and tenderly, gingerly, carefully embracing him. "Father," she says, on the verge of tears.
"How is it you look so young?" he asks. "It's as if you haven't aged a day since the last time I saw you."
"Mishrak the dragon-god healed Gareth when he was on the verge of death, which made him look younger," she explains, indicating your father. "And he offered to do the same for me. I accepted, of course."
"Ah. As a student of the Nine Mysteries, I should have moved beyond human flaws such as jealousy and vanity," says Lord Lymond Sayce, with a faint snort of laughter. "Nevertheless…"
"My daughter is Mishrak's Chosen, which is why he gave us special treatment."
"Yes, my granddaughter. The only grandchild I have left," he says, looking at you. "I… ah, I'm not sure what to say. Should I compliment you on your beauty? Do you care about such things? Or do you have martial ambitions like your mother? Or…" He pauses, lost in thought. "What does the Chosen of Mishrak want out of life?"
And her Uncle is (most likely) the richest being in the world.
And compared to the money she asked Mishrak to spend... fancy silk gown may be expensive, but mercenary troops and materials for a space-gonne is probably more expensive.
But her spending of Mishraks money is also a lot more practical, not fancy like the gown.
Like spending money on modern farming equipment vs on a luxury car.
Jana, that is your best friends mother, who is almost like a second mother to you, you are crushing on.
Also: Calm down Elys. Its not her fault how she feels, only how she acts on it.
"Yes, my granddaughter. The only grandchild I have left," he says, looking at you. "I… ah, I'm not sure what to say. Should I compliment you on your beauty? Do you care about such things? Or do you have martial ambitions like your mother? Or…" He pauses, lost in thought. "What does the Chosen of Mishrak want out of life?"
Good Question: What does Elys want out of life?
Has she even got a plan of what she even wants out of life? Or has she just found a good trot, always having a right next thing to do without really thinking what she'd like her role to be formally.
Jana, that is your best friends mother, who is almost like a second mother to you, you are crushing on.
Also: Calm down Elys. Its not her fault how she feels, only how she acts on it.
"Yes, my granddaughter. The only grandchild I have left," he says, looking at you. "I… ah, I'm not sure what to say. Should I compliment you on your beauty? Do you care about such things? Or do you have martial ambitions like your mother? Or…" He pauses, lost in thought. "What does the Chosen of Mishrak want out of life?"
In order, I think our answers are:
"Only if you think so"
"Some, but not too much"
"Some, but not as much"
"I want use the power I have to make the world a better place. For people I know and like especially, but for everyone else, too."
Or, alternatively:
"I'm dragging the world into the fourth age."
And her Uncle is (most likely) the richest being in the world.
And compared to the money she asked Mishrak to spend... fancy silk gown may be expensive, but mercenary troops and materials for a space-gonne is probably more expensive.
But her spending of Mishraks money is also a lot more practical, not fancy like the gown.
Like spending money on modern farming equipment vs on a luxury car.
Mishrak is the richest being in the world, so money doesn't really matter to him. He can afford to spend it like water. And he is very close to Elys, who is his beloved niece, so she is fine with asking him to spend money on worthwhile causes.
On the other hand, the Sayce family aren't nearly as rich, but they just gave a very expensive dress to a girl they've never seen before and may never see again. Elys thinks that's kinda wasteful.
Jana, that is your best friends mother, who is almost like a second mother to you, you are crushing on.
Also: Calm down Elys. Its not her fault how she feels, only how she acts on it.
Yslena's rejuvenation has been very confusing for Jana. The woman she's come to think of as her second mother has disappeared and been replaced by an incredibly hot amazon who looks no older than 30. Intellectually, Jana knows who Yslena is, but on a more subconscious level... Well, she can't help it.
Good Question: What does Elys want out of life?
Has she even got a plan of what she even wants out of life? Or has she just found a good trot, always having a right next thing to do without really thinking what she'd like her role to be formally.
In order, I think our answers are:
"Only if you think so"
"Some, but not too much"
"Some, but not as much"
"I want use the power I have to make the world a better place. For people I know and like especially, but for everyone else, too."
Yeah, something like "I want to make the world a better place. Right now, I'm working on the Aspiti Empire." And then we can, depending on how receptive he is, launch into it.
Yeah, something like "I want to make the world a better place. Right now, I'm working on the Aspiti Empire." And then we can, depending on how receptive he is, launch into it.
I'm still unwell. I've been off work for the past few days, but I've felt so ill that I haven't been able to do anything other than rest. I can only hope I'll be feeling better over the Christmas holiday.
"Yes, my granddaughter. The only grandchild I have left," he says, looking at you. "I… ah, I'm not sure what to say. Should I compliment you on your beauty? Do you care about such things? Or do you have martial ambitions like your mother? Or…" He pauses, lost in thought. "What does the Chosen of Mishrak want out of life?"
"I want to make the world a better place. Not just for me and the people I know, but for everyone," you reply. "Right now, I'm trying to put an end to the Aspiti Empire's dreams of conquering and enslaving the rest of the world."
"Hence the war," he murmurs. "And how can I help with that?"
"Well, Norrange is one of Rivayne's richest and most populous counties, so I was hoping you could send some of your troops to fight in the war."
"I already have." He takes a deep breath. "When my king asked for soldiers, money and supplies with which to fight against Aspitolm, I gave them to him. I've always done my duty. Even now, Norrange continues to send food and other essentials southwards to where they are needed for the war effort." There is a creak as he leans back in his chair and closes his eyes for a moment. "Rivayne's military might is – and always has been – much greater than that of Aspitolm. The Kingdom of Rivayne stretches across more than three hundred thousand square miles. It has multiple great cities whereas Aspitolm has only one. In fact, the 'Aspiti Empire' now consists of a single city and an island covered in slave plantations." Opening his eyes again, he fixes you with a hawklike stare. "What Rivayne lacks – and Aspitolm has always excelled at – is a way of using its strength effectively. Power to a point. Imagine, if you will, that Rivayne is a huge stone club whereas Aspitolm is a rapier. In a duel, the man with the rapier would most likely have stabbed the man with the club several times before he could even lift it."
You pause, unsure of how to answer.
"I don't think throwing more men or money at a problem is the best way to solve it. Your patron, Mishrak, is supposed to be vastly wealthy, so if that was all it took you wouldn't need my help. Besides, Norrange is Rivayne's breadbasket and – at this time of year, certainly – its men and women are needed to gather in the harvest. We won't win the war if our people starve."
"So, what do you suggest?" you ask.
He gives a helpless shrug. "I don't know. I'm too old to fight and it's not like I've researched the war in any detail. Hmm…"
"Rivayne's navy isn't worth much. Admiral Moggsley seems more concerned with correcting other people's grammar and word choices than doing his job effectively," says your mother, scowling. "And yes, it's true that Rivayne has a strong army, but it's no use if it's just standing around waiting to be transported across the ocean. I'm surprised King Marc didn't send at least some of them home for the harvest."
"Oh, he did. But that doesn't change the fact that most of them have done nothing but wait, train their skills and perform garrison duties for a number of years."
It occurs to you that maybe Lord Lymond Sayce, the Count of Norrange, would have enough political clout to remove Admiral Moggsley from his current position and replace him with someone competent. Or at least someone who knows when to stay quiet, follow instructions and listen to good advice.
"I'm surprised you haven't hired mercenaries. The Varzi of the Avanni Empire are always eager for a good fight," says your grandfather. "And their God-Empress would probably approve. The Avanni and the Aspitis have gone to war several times in the past. There's bad blood between them."
"Mercenaries." You frown. "How can we trust them not to betray us if they get a better offer?"
"If Mishrak lives up to his reputation, I doubt there's any chance the Aspitis will be able to outbid him." Your grandfather puts on a thoughtful frown that makes his wrinkled face look even older. "It's all about reputation. No one would hire a mercenary they didn't think could be trusted not to stab them in the back at the first opportunity, which is why most mercenaries deliberately cultivate a reputation for being reliable and do their best to live up to it."
"So, they'd either have to be desperate or the Aspitis would have to offer them an enormous sum of money for a one-time job," you surmise. "Which is exactly what I was afraid of."
"Let it be known that Mishrak will pay handsomely for information leading to the capture of Aspiti spies," your father suggests. "They'll find it difficult to turn any of our allies against us if the people they talk to are more interested in turning them in for the bounty than listening to what they have to say."
"Also, the Varzi like to think of themselves as honourable warriors, so they would harshly punish any of their fellows who tried to betray us," your mother adds. "Even if they were tempted by the money, I think it's unlikely any of them would take the risk of being exiled or executed."
"Jorantul is a Varzi, even if he was exiled hundreds of years ago," Jana murmurs. "I wonder why that was. And how would they react to him if they saw him now?"
While the conversation has been continuing around you, you've been considering something else: over the years, the Sayce family has intermarried with a great many powerful families, not just in Rivayne but in the other nations of Greater Quellonia, as well as a few Wranni clans and various others. Is there a way you could exploit those familial bonds for the sake of getting more support for the war against Aspitolm? Maybe not for the sake of getting more soldiers and supplies – like your grandfather said, you probably don't need any more than you already have – but it might help you to deprive the Aspitis of some of the resources and trade partners they have, or to get some advisors with the skills and expertise the Rivayni navy sorely needs. Maybe you should ask your grandfather about that?
What should Elys do and say next?
So yeah. I hope all of this makes sense. If not, I blame the medication.
