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Tumunzahar makes Menegroth look like a contract project. Which, the Dwarves assure her, it was. The stonework is astonishingly careful and beautiful, silky to the touch up close while from a distance it gives the impression of stretching on forever above, a sky of stone with crystals for stars. Vast natural cave systems are connected by dozens of perfectly smooth, gently sloped broad stone pathways from which the fall, if she fell, would be several miles down. There are handrails. "We use those to move materials carts," someone explains to her, "we're not going to be reckless."
There's an amphitheater, a place where a hundred of the stone walkways twine around to create space for a hundred thousand people to sit in close proximity, and someone is giving a lecture or a demonstration at the base of it, the seats closest to him filled with eager, tiny, bearded Dwarf-children.
And they spiral down, and down, and down, past waterfalls and egg-sized gemstones left half in the rock and halls of crystal. Everything grows gradually more ornate and more perfectly maintained and the clang of hammers fades behind them. "People say," her guide says, "that we only have a council instead of a single King because there were nine winners of the competition to design the throne so we couldn't just select one person to sit it." And they push open the doors to reveal, indeed, nine thrones so elaborate it would be hard to choose between them, and nine squat bearded people sitting them.
purposeful_glory
"So here's the deal," she says. "Thauron's in a bad way. He's been manipulating you towards ends which through no particular fault of your own you knew nothing about, so he has to go; but you didn't know any better so I have no quarrel with you unless you go around biting people who don't in full knowledge of the results want to be bitten. I have some errands to take care of but I will be back in a couple of days. I'm at least as good a healer as Thauron, probably better, haven't made a direct comparison, and I can teach you stuff, and while it sounds like he didn't make that much of a nuisance of himself directly to you I can guarantee you wouldn't be thrilled to hear how most people working for his faction are treated. I think this is a step up for you. Do any of you have any questions, comments, or complaints about this change of management?"
"People don't know what being a werewolf is like," someone complains, "but they also don't know what being a person who shrivels and dies is like. They don't get a choice with full knowledge either way. And being a werewolf is safer."
purposeful_glory
"If my guess about how quickly you shrivel is correct, I will be able to fetch you all a solution to that before any of you outright dies of old age," she says. "I'm from a place of incredible marvels well beyond anything Thauron may have shown you, and I'm well on my way to figure out how to get back there and fetch whatever's required and whatever experts can make it work for you. Failing that I will invent a way to do it myself. You should definitely worry more about other sources of death in the near term."
purposeful_glory
"Anything else before I go notify some of the non-werewolf Men and the people in the forest of this eventuality?"
purposeful_glory
"It's not a matter of how obedient you are, or the tower - frankly I am not sure I want a tower - but it takes me awhile to develop new magical powers. But resurrection's on my list. Tell me your dead friends' names. I will remember them."
purposeful_glory
She transliterates into Asgardian because the Men don't have writing yet. She takes them all down. "Thank you. I'm sorry. I will be back in a few days. Behave while I'm away."
And she departs.
Would you like to go tell the Nandor what's going on while I talk to the Men? Faster that way.
And she departs.
Would you like to go tell the Nandor what's going on while I talk to the Men? Faster that way.
purposeful_glory
Oh, right, that. I'll do it, then.
She heads for the Nandor first; she'd like to give the Men an up to date report on what the forest demons are going to do.
"Hey," she says to the forest demons. "Thauron, or Gorthaur, whichever, was building up a base of operations very near here, turning the Men into shock troops. Did you know that?"
She heads for the Nandor first; she'd like to give the Men an up to date report on what the forest demons are going to do.
"Hey," she says to the forest demons. "Thauron, or Gorthaur, whichever, was building up a base of operations very near here, turning the Men into shock troops. Did you know that?"
purposeful_glory
"Thauron is currently having a very bad day. He is likely to be absentee from here for at least a while. I am planning to move in, educate the Men so they're less vulnerable targets. I could use local help."
"The Men are very new, we don't meddle in the affairs of Powers, you are very strange. We will consider what to do."
purposeful_glory
"I'll be back in a few days to see how your consideration's going," she says. And she steps out.
Where are those Men she visited earlier, how are they doing?
Where are those Men she visited earlier, how are they doing?
They're mostly the same; gathering things, wandering. They recognize her, and wave, and demonstrate that they remember many of the numbers.
purposeful_glory
Good for them! She is delighted. She will be moving into the area in a few days to teach them more things. Also, they should definitely let her know when she's back if there are any werewolf attacks. She is trying to make those stop.
Huan catches up with her while she's doing this, and they make dismayed sounds about wolves, and attacks. He looks terrifying. There's - something, not blood, but shreds of something that looks like it should not be shredded - in his claws.
purposeful_glory
"This isn't a werewolf and he won't hurt you," Loki says. "He was in a fight with the person who was making the werewolves attack." ... she is tempted to scratch Huan behind the ears but just because he chooses to present himself as a dog does not mean she can suggest such familiarity.