It turns out that not just dinner but also breakfast has to come out of me. With a second helping in the latter case. I cannot help myself. I have to ask. „You seem to be very good at reading people. And very eager to get me.“ She asks back „So soon after I took half a village you mean. It is better if I establish a certain claim on you right away. And you are able to understand such considerations.“ She bops my nose before she continues „But there are some things you do not understand. I am not purely a demon of lust, like some nymph, who think themselves something better because in theory they have a smattering of a divine nature. Sure, they can make you mad with lust to the point you forget your own name. So can I if I am ready to spend that much mana. But we go deeper. We are more sophisticated or insidious, depending on your view point. A man is not just a walking sex organ. You do have deeper feelings. In addition to pretty shallow feelings, but you do have them. In particular you want to be understood and appreciated. Hence we are good at understanding. We do not prey upon men by breaking their mind. We get them to care so much for us that they are willing to sacrifice for us.“ She makes a pause in her explanation. „And you personally find that fascinating.“
I think it is wise from me to stop asking question in that area after such a reply. But I can still ask related questions „So you understand me better than I understand myself?“. She is clearly amused „Yes, but in the case you are thinking about, you understand yourself very well; you just don’t want to admit it. The unease you are feeling results from being driven by events to do things that seem necessary right now, foregoing a systematic approach. You feel you wouldn’t get the support from your companions you think you should get. Well, you are wrong. You do not need additional incentives to take a systematic approach. You are just asking me that because you see that we need to make fundamental decisions now, which absolutely need to be approached in a systematic manner.“
I draw a very deep breath „Well, you did warn me.“ She chuckles „Make your case to them.“
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We are a bit late for my breakfast, but not outrageously so. Branislava informs us that she has cooked the last potatoes. Well, it was bound to eventually happen. I request that she use even more of the stored supplies in cooking, because I may need to do more other magic in the upcoming days and it is in doubt whether we’ll be able to take the supplies with us. She does not look happy, but she does understand the issue.
Zewrepa remarks „You want to do a council of war.“ I reply „Essentially yes. We’ll have a specially structured council of war. I need to make an announcement.“
Everybody who has a proposal how we proceed please write them down on a tablet, or if longer a piece of paper and give them to Branislava. And if your proposal has parts that can be done independently of each other, please write them down separately from each other. I have to give you an important piece of information. The strange rod among Marental’s stuff Leuma has identified as a Dark Elf calling rod. We can use it to tell a clan of Dark Elves Marental had business with that we want to have a trade meeting.
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We have gathered in the ritual chamber, whose magical blackboard I consider extremely useful for a council of this kind. I need to make another announcement.
Branislava will write proposals and what we say about them on the blackboard. But she will not tell us who made a proposal, so that we judge only the proposal, not who made it. Branislavo, please begin.
She does not like it, but her first proposal is sensibly the first proposal.
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1. We stay here and switch the whole mana supply to sacrificial spikes
Zewrepa makes a cord progression in a classic minor key and says „By the same logic that means that you should not try to fix the source, converting the mana supply to another source should also be guarded against in the other components.“
I can see several among us wanting to make an objection, but after thinking it through keeping their mouthes closed. Hildegard asks the obvious question „What is the worst that could happen?“. Anjali replies „The wards could have very nasty effects if sabotaged. And even if Peregrinus learns in time how to replace them, I have to tell you that his replacements would be hastily made and inferior. Thus they would announce to everybody who knows of this place, that an Atlantean’s wealth and secrets are no longer guarded by an Atlantean. And that includes Dark Elves.“ Apparently they have a certain reputation, as I can sense that the idea is dead after that. So can Branislava. She makes the next proposal.
2. We take over a small village close by, maybe even the one whose men we slaughtered
That one surprises me. It would not have occured to me.
Anjali says the obvious „We would have to install wards, even if those mammuti don’t come here. There may be a next herd. We would also call attention to us.“ To that Melo replies „All true, but it has the advantage that it is a simple option that we can be sure we could undertake on our own with the means we have currently available, albeit perhaps badly.“ They look at me. This is not supposed to be decided by authority at this time. I ask „Branislava, may I ask why you put it in that order?“ She replies „Those two proposals have had something in common, which the next proposals reject, namely that we stay more or less here. In fact, I would like to split up the next proposals into two parts, because nobody has made a proposal that shifts the man-shaped people of us and Melo’s tree.“. Anjali asks „Do they include destinations or only methods?“. „They can be seperated by some methods would work only for certain goals, that is for the man-shaped people.“ replies Branislava. Perhaps setting an agenda by authority also has advantages. I use them „Then we will hear the options for Melo’s tree first, then the methods for moving the man shaped people, in order of those best suited to the closest destination first and finally the destinations as one list.
Branislava nods and says „You will recognise the original proposal Peregrinus made“
3. We switch only the mana supply of the room Melo’s tree stands in to spikes and leave the tree here.
Zewrepa states the obvious „Her tree would stand alone, unguarded.“ Hildegard asks „Once the mana supply shuts down, the wards against teleportation will go away and you can teleport into her room, Peregrine, can’t you?“. „Yes, but so can everybody else. Well, if they can teleport. And if they cannot teleport, they can walk in. That gate is not going to stop anybody with a bit of determination.“ I answer her. „Yes, but how would they know where to look for? If you can teleport to her, we don’t need the tunnel leading to her room. Collapse it and hide the entrance.“ she proposes.
A moment of stunned silence follows. That is genius. Zewrepa does a sequence of monotonous beeps. I think that is her version of being speechless.
Hildegard graciously continues „We should hear the alternate proposal.“ Branislava writes it on the blackboard.
4. We buy a spell or service to move Melo’s tree from the Dark Elves
Melo almost jumps of the chest she is sitting on and states forcefully „Marental knows that spell. We would have to explain why I am no longer Marental’s familiar. And why he would not just have his assistant perform the spell.“
Branislava notes drily „I guess that is not an option then.“
I take the opportunity to again sabotage my own concept. „I would then preliminarily propose that Zewrepa, Melo and Leuma form of a group to look into how to seal off Melo’s room and alter her mana supply. I am going to cook tea now and we can have a break.“
While I am leaving I can hear a discussion beginning.
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Melo tells Zewrepa „Perhaps his methods do have their strengths.“ Zewrepa agrees „He is more like a mother councilor back in the nest than a field mistress. You have to have them both.“