"Don't tell me," Max says. "You're over a thousand years old? You've already met, I'm sure."
"No," Xun says. "But our people have long memories. Come with me."
Heh. Figures.
"Such miracles as my clan has never considered…" the leader responds.
"Eh, I wouldn't get too excited," the witch-girl notes. "I asked if we could maybe bring back John Keats too, Doof said Khan was kinda a one-time thing."
"He couldn't clone me a new body either," Felldrake grumbles.
Because, why not? Honestly, I should have expected them to ask something like that.
"The first Xun called your reign a harsh rule, but a fair one. All were fair under your laws. For better or worse, you encouraged our continued interaction with the outside world."
"That fits the history books," Arizona Goof says. "Temujin's biggest goal was making everyone get along." You look at him strangely for phrasing it as such, but do not disagree. In your time, traitors and violators of your laws would be punished severely. Whether that meant a swift beheading or being smashed to dust during the day, it made no difference.
I sense a "but" coming...
"At first, they did not understand the cause for the hostility in your children. The laws became more strict, increasingly hostile to our kind. We lost much in this time. Family. Culture. Records from before the occupation have been lost to the winds."
Your allies take on more somber expressions as Xun recounts his clan's history. By extension, the legacy you left behind.
"We did not take kindly to this invasion upon our very way of life, but we did not truly rebel until your descendants tried to seize our rookery."
A cold breeze blows into the decrepit temple. The old lanterns flicker, casting shadows upon your image along the walls.
"The rookery is the heart of the clan. When it became clear what the Khans had in mind for future generations of our people, we could bear them no longer. Your children were banished from Xanadu as their own empire crumbled around them, and we have had our gates closed to interference from outsiders ever since."
You grunt. If it is as they say, the actions of the gargoyles were just. You spent decades forging unity and trying to cement honor among your people. Always, you had feared your death would herald its end.
Yeah, that figures. Power corrupts. It's an inevitable fact of humanity, as much as we would want to deny it. After all, "revolution" means to go full circle. One corrupt regime may get replaced by a fairer one, but eventually, greedy people will come into power and ruin it, requiring another fair one.
Diplomacy Check - Avoided due to Crit!
"We are not thieves. Long ago, you entrusted us with your treasures, Khan, and never did you break our pact. These items we kept from your unworthy successors, we will return to you."
Ha ha! Magic items! Yay!! Bet all those pro-martial guys are glad we did diplomacy, huh?
"I told you, I never actually visited Xanadu! I just knew it was significant somehow and had some cool monsters!"
The gargoyles escorting you look annoyed. One of the beasts, a shaggy black and white lion, growls in aggrevation.
"Relax guys," Janna says. "We're taking 'monster' back."
Damn straight! You do that, Janna!
"Anyway yeah, I was just planning on rounding up some good minions. Before we showed up I just assumed we'd be facing down a bunch of rogue meteorbeasts."
"What's a meteorbeast?" Max questions nervously.
"I'll tell you when we go to Norway."
Ooo, guess we're going to Norway next!
Piles of dusty scrolls rest on wooden tables, surrounded by carvings of bone and wood, pieces of pottery, masks made from obsidian… all cultural items of some note you had accumulated over the years.
Okay, not magic
items, but still magic knowledge! A bit disappointing, but still a plus!
"What?!?" Max asks furiously. "Where's the gold? The jewels?! The Crown of Genghis Khan?!"
Max looks furious by this sudden declaration. "No! Treasure is the greatest treasure of all! That's why it's called treasure!"
Oh, Max, you naive, simple fool. There's more to life than wealth and power. How you live with Goofy and
not know this, I will never understand.
"I couldn't agree more," an oily voice from behind you speaks. "But I think I can still squeeze some use out of the gargoyles."
Dr. Kranz grins wickedly as he holds up an octagonal stone emblazoned with a symbol of a rooster. He squeezes it, causing the talisman to glow with red light!
Seriously?!
This dumb cliche? I- I- I can't even-!
...In the words of the Abridged Alexander Anderson?
In this case, knife=Khan
