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He is protecting 400 square miles of land. Capturing spies for all 3 kingdoms. Now, this teleporter circle."
Eldar groaned, "Like I need the headache of court politics."
Charlemagne came out, "According to the lady it is a small crevice next to a 'T' intersection and the way to Lord Barimus is largely unguarded in that section most of the time. Support could come from either neck of the 'T.'
The bottom of the 'T' is a winding passage with only a couple of wards that we have the codes for. She says she was involved in his transformation and knows where the other bodies are located for his spirit to re-inhabit. He has 12 of them. She does not have the ward information on that area or the location of the phylactery.
It is one long spiral tunnel with dragon corpses sitting waiting to be possessed if he should fall. The second to him is a half-ogre." She pauses and sighed, "Half red dragon. A son of his."
He asked Jarron, "What are the rules on half-dragons? Have not heard of them since the treaties were signed."
Jarron murmured in the back for several minutes, he finally returned. "Half-dragons are not specifically called out in the treaties. Where to draw the line between them and dragon blooded sorcerers becomes a slippery slope. Given his involvement with a dragon conspiracy, the answer is simple. If he shows he will be destroyed. He must be destroyed, finding him will be the challenge."
Eldar looked at Charlemagne, "Find out about where this son is located."
She left and returned, "If he is in the den, then he will be on the crevice side of the 'T.' He has 8-10 ogre captain bodyguards, sometimes his father burns them to death if he gets pissed off. That is why the number fluctuates. They will come when alarms sound. The other section of the T leads to the outside."
Eldar sighed, "Jarron you are going to have to bring this entire unit and the blade holders, Knights, into the Order. It is one thing to guard a corridor with ogres coming at you, but a half-dragon is another matter. Then there is how to find the phylactery to keep him from coming back."
Charlemagne responded, "The phylactery is about half the size of a fist, egg-shaped and an emerald. It has to be set into something, buried, or locked away in the room or all three. It can only access bodies within 90 feet of the bodies are they are laid out in a circle with the heads and front legs being 80 feet from the center of the room."
Eldar sighed, "I wish I had a Dwarven sapper; they could take down the tunnel leading to the outside and cut off reinforcements."
He heard more muffled talking, then a few seconds later, "We can get two of them and bring them with us. They like your idea as it will take time to find and destroy the bodies and phylactery. They also said there is something blocking teleportation in the main area. That would have to be located to speed things up. Having a body count helps as they can bring disintegration scrolls."
He thought for a second, "I would recommend some wall of force scrolls as well; if it gets to a new body it buys the group time to destroy the others and locate the phylactery."
The link went quiet then a voice that was not Jarron spoke to me, "That is a good and strong suggestion we will look to bring some of those as well. Already, you are impressing even from that far away. We will question them more when we arrive, get your team together.
You are right we would have to bring them in if we have a half-dragon possibility. The only way we can ensure that this remains contained. Your father will talk with the Queen. You need to gather your team."
He looked over at his father, "I will go with my father things are kind of in chaos at House Silvertree so we should travel together for that. I will send a messenger to House Silver Moon. Request Dame Silver Moon of the Gray Blades to get to House Silvertree or the palace as soon as possible. I want to talk with the ladies to get the treasure caches that our assassins have set up. The gear could come in handy for my troops."
Jarron responded, "Good thinking, get Charlemagne and Annette on that right away. We do not want to go to any enchanter shops and start any speculation."
Eldar smiled, "Let me go down and talk with the ladies you have fun drinking your tea."
Jarron asked, "How do you know I am drinking tea?"
Eldar did not answer him as he walked in to find Charlemagne and Annette still writing things down. He looked at Charlemagne, "Give me a hand."
He pulled out a set of the manacles and attached them to one wrist. He undid her restraints on the hand and held her fingers together and he got the second one attached.
He removed the gag from the lady, "Annette, make her answer any questions the three of us put forward and to obey our commands. As long as it will not trigger a gease or kill them."
He went over to the man and repeated the steps and nodded to Annette. He looked at them, "The first question is all your stuff cached together or do you have private stashes?
The man spoke, "We share some, and we have some that are private."
The lady nodded.
He smiled, "We are looking for weapons, armor, and jewelry that is magical. I also want a count of how many Blade Singers you have killed and where we can find those non-magical rings."
The lady laughed, "The last count I think it was 81 Blade Singers; their rings are in one stash along with some of the magical jewelry I have."
He looked at the man. He frowned, "I have another 11 they are in my private cache."
He looked at Charlemagne, "Get the details of what they have in each stash. Annette, you do the same with the other we have to equip all of the forces we have in town for a covert mission. I want all the money turned over to the Royal Palace to help expedite some of our requests. Can you give us a rough gold piece amount of what you each have?"
The guy looks over, "A little over 5 billion gold pieces."
He looked at the lady, "72 billion gold pieces."
Eldar looked at the ladies, "Gear first, down to what has been identified."
He looked at the two assassins, "Have you tagged your items for easy cataloging?"
They both nodded, "Give the location to the catalogs as well. List all traps, wards, and guardians we would encounter for each cache. Those in the city first. Working your way out. I got to go see the Queen, King, and our men. Annette, find time to pull the funds for the farmers."
She nodded. He sighed as he walked away, "Long day ladies, I will get the guards to bring in food and drink for all of you."
He walked out to his father and the guards, "I need food and drink brought in for everyone. The good stuff, not prison food. Also, for you. The Queen is about to be very happy with us."
He walked to the main chamber and walked up next to the people that would be going next to speak with the Queen. She finishes and he smiled at her.
She stood and everyone bowed, "I have an urgent matter to attend to. I will be back shortly. Sir Silvertree please follow me."
He walked in behind her and he waved his father forward and he shook his head. Eldar walked into a side room. She looks at him and seemed upset, "I assume this is important?"
He nodded, "Is this room secure?"
She walked over and had diplomatic crystals and looked at him, He sighed, "We need you to have the palace send requests to Sir Moon Blade, Sir Moon Bow, and Dame Silver Moon to be here this evening for a 4-day conference. It is a ruse; it is for a covert mission. I will be bringing in my entire group in town.
Jarron's friends are putting together a strike force. We will go behind enemy lines with the same people who took your first two spies. We learned there is a permanent teleportation circle to Lord Barimus's lair. Probably the only spot in the lair where teleportation works. We have been asked to guard the exit.
They will arrive tomorrow to go over the details, we will either go in tomorrow night or the day after. I have the ladies getting these two assassins to spill everything on their treasure troves. I want the gear for my men and this mission. I told them I wanted the coin to go to the kingdom. That is roughly 77 billion gold pieces."
Her eyes go big at that number as he continued, "We are going to have to indoctrinate my entire detail into the Knights. The second in command of the enemy forces is a half-ogre and half red dragon. A son of the Ancient. Your friends are going after him. They will be bringing in a couple of dwarven sappers—explosives, to cut off reinforcements.
Our group will likely have to take on this half-dragon and his bodyguards if we are lucky, maybe more. That is why we want so many Moon Blades on this mission. We will cut the head off of this snake and buy 20-30 years just off of this action. We are looking at killing those who hired assassins against the crown, and myself. The bad news. These assassins say they have 92 Blade Singer rings."
She started to fall backward and he grabbed her, "I know it is a lot, I wanted to run them through but we need the information out of them so I ordered good food to be sent in; they have my maniacal on which prevents spell casting. My ladies are in there and have them compliant as puppies in a box, Your Majesty."
She nodded, "Yes very important. I was going to give you a talk about court etiquette and interrupting but you seem to have a handle on when to interrupt. Thank you for the update. Once this is complete, I will be talking with you again about your future."
He nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty." He opened the door for her and she returns to her throne and he left the way he came.
His father looked at me, "She looked pissed going in."
He nodded, "The whole court etiquette thing but when I told her what I found out she agreed it was right for me to interrupt."
He looked at Eldar, "What did you tell her?"
He sighed, "We can talk about that while we ride, we need to find Master Trainer Yetto and Apprentice Silvertree. Then head to the Silvertree Estate."
He walked out to the groom, "I want you to show me to your stables. Our stay has been extended a few days. Get knighted, stop a couple of assassins and suddenly you are the prisoner at the palace."
Heliar chuckled, the groom tried not to. Eldar smiled at the groom, "If I say something funny it is ok to laugh. I am an impure bastard elf a year ago that few knew. I was not raised with money. In fact, I give a lot of it away. What, billions of gold just today."
The groom looked at me, "Who did you give it to?"
He smiled, "The palace, we have a war coming and anything they can do to get troops ready will cost money."
He looked at his Father, "How hard did they hit house Silverbar for?" Heliar sighed, "About half their assets, two billion gold pieces."
Eldar nodded, "Well that is a lot of field rations for the soldiers."
The groom snickered and Eldar smiled, "They would have given me all of House Silverbar assets if I wanted. It was not what I wanted. It just got pruned deeply. They told me I had to decide on something to do with part of that money. I have them building an Arcane Academy for the wood-elves, elf-blooded, all elves really, and the humans in the town I am building.
That way they do not have to leave their homes to attend. People like myself and my wives who would and did have a hard time at the Academy in the Capital. I had some money set aside to have orphans in the city tested for abilities that would put them into an Academy.
I have found some raw talent since I left the Academy. I have tried to find them all trainers and places to be. Your archery training is progressing nicely but if you plan on being an Arcane archer you need to work on your magic more."
The groom stares at Eldar and Heliar looked at the groom while Eldar saddled up T'suras. They went without the barding today. Heliar, whispers to the kid, "He does that to a lot of people but his advice has always been sound."
He looked down at the boy, "Speak with your Aunt she does not practice anymore but she is an Academy trained battlemage, a lot of the lower-level spells overlap. When I see you again tomorrow you can let me know how the conversation went. Make sure she has books you can borrow and recommendations on spells to put into your book."
Eldar looked at his father, "I am ready you got your horse?"
He looked at the groom, "Would you have them feed and water the other two I will bring this one back to this stall tonight. When my wives come out, tell them I said to take the wagon. They will think about it then agree."
He laughed as he walked over and got his father's horse. They started heading out at a slow pace and his father caught up, "That groom is in shock after talking with you."
Eldar nodded, "They will deny his admission claiming they are full, I will tell him to attend our Academy. He will be a good trick rider Arcane Archer if not one of the best. The Academy looks at family name first, skill second. I will fix that when we start outperforming them. I am starting to see some of my future after the war.
It will be bittersweet; I will be down to one wife before the war begins. I will lose the second sometime after the youngest children become adults. So less than 40 and around 80 years between the two of them. I know I cannot prevent those deaths. I just have to live on when they come."
Heliar looked at him, "I wish I had prevented your mother's death. I wasted a lot of time away from my children searching for her."
Eldar nodded, "This is a good start."
He smiled, "Off to the Academy."
They rode quickly but quietly through the city. They got to the Academy and Heliar and Eldar knew right where they would be training. Master Trainer Yetto nodded, "Good to see you again."
Eldar nodded and dismounted and held out a hand to him with a ring. He looked over at his brother, "Here brother."
He held out one to him as well. He looked at the two of them, "I took leadership of the house. I disowned 8 branches of the family yesterday. I am inviting back 5 previously disowned branches because of who they married. Your status will reflect being claimed Master Trainer, even though I know you will keep your Mother's name.
I will have them form a governing council and while the blade holder will hold a position on the council, they will never rule the council in 100 years. I warned them about assassination attempts; they failed to take notice. These rings have the house insignia, and they are powerful rings of resistance.
Master Trainer Yetto looked at him, "If you are leading the family for the next 100 years that is beyond my lifetime. I will send this back to you when I die. I thank you for thinking of me in this."
Eldar nodded, "I wanted them in worthy hands. Not to scare you brother or you Master, but you were both on the kill list as one of them wanted to wipe out fathers whole branch, and one just seemed to hate you training both of my father's sons."
His brother turned white, "Where is this person?"
Eldar smiled, "In the Royal dungeon, they also put a contract out on the King and Queen. We can prove it. We caught the assassin and their journal going back 142 years. I asked the question, Grand Master. They assassinated 92 Blade Singers. I am working on reclaiming the rings. Our work is more important than ever."
He bowed his head, "Let me know when you have them, I will set up a meeting with the new Head of the Council to take the rings, that is too much for me to bear dealing with."
Eldar nodded," I will send a messenger, I will meet them at the judging ground when I come. Let them know I am not the harbinger of death. I am the reminder of why this next generation is so important, and the generations following. Higher standards must be achieved. I need an enchanter and a couple of apprentices, poke around and see what you can find. I can employ them for the next 50 years steady. From an influx of mundane to exotic items needing enchantment."
Eldar mounted up and rode off in a hurry for House Silvertree. He had to slow to keep pace with his father, he looks at Eldar, "In a hurry?"
Eldar nodded, "Yes, but your nag cannot keep pace. We need to get you a new horse. Speaking of new, did you find out what that sword does?"
He smiled, "Yes it has some interesting enchantments, things to improve my diplomacy and persuasion. It is able to read any language and a warning on danger. Which is handy. It also gives some good bonuses in combat if I must."
Eldar nodded, "Sounds like the sword of a diplomat alright. Will come in handy when we get to the house and have to deal with all the firstborn offspring who are waiting."
Heliar shook his head as they approached the house. They had a mob out front with his sergeants working to hold them at bay with a few other soldiers and house guards.
Eldar looked at the group then at the Sergeant, "Gather your squad and escort them into the conference room. You want answers I will give them to you!"
He got off his horse and they looked at him. He gave them his sternest look, "Move sergeant, they are going nowhere. We will talk at the conference table and we will show you the paperwork that was signed."
He headed inside as his guards arrived, "Give me two minutes with my father, then bring them in."
They got around the corner, "They all signed the deal to keep us out of their mind and dealings?"
He nodded, "Effective demonstration. I did not know you had more than one. The other two were picked up today and they signed the documents as well."
Eldar chuckled, "Not until my son is born."
Heliar chuckled at that. Eldar nodded, "I will give them the same option I gave their Elders; none will take it and they will leave."
He turned to see the sergeant approaching, Eldar pushed the doors open and flipped up on the table and sheathed his sword into the table. Heliar had blockers going all over the estate.
He looked at his father, "Have them sit where their Elders sat yesterday."
He walked the length of the table not bothering to get off in order to look down on them like they had at him for years. He looked at the woman in Ellirona seat, "Your elder ordered the assassinations of my pregnant wives, my brother, my father, and myself. She also ordered the assassination of my Grandfather. To make it worse she even tried to order regicide!
The pregnant Queen and King. Your family branch has no standing with the Royal court or this house. It is disowned and all assets seized. That is the law when treason is involved. He turned to the man sitting across from her, "He just ordered the assassination of me and being held on suspicion of attempted regicide; let alone attempting the killing the head of the house as they hired the same assassin!
When the coup failed, and one of your relatives sacrificed himself by grabbing that blade, I warned them all. Any attempt on me or my family by any of them would result in them all being disowned. They signed documents acknowledging that fact. Their entire family line. You will be lucky to escape with your lives as the King and Queen could demand them. Leave all of the magical items on you and all armor or armor bracers.
Anything with a Silvertree insignia on it as there is no redemption for your two-family lines. BLADES!" His soldiers all drew weapons. "We will continue this discussion when these two have left in the shame of their elders. Your two elders walked out of here wearing nondescript cloaks. Manacles tied to a rope and following Royal Guards as they walked to the dungeon barefoot but otherwise naked.
Be glad I am letting you keep the non-magical clothes on your back. You will be inspected for magic items before leaving the compound. You will have your family out of Silvertree property today; all assets are forfeited. Personal accounts are frozen until we audit your business books to ensure no embezzling has been going on."
