Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:33 pm  
Omnipotent view - How does one interogate a dragon?

How does one interrogate a dragon?
Oerth year Coldeven 21st, 596.

The Suel sat sipping some fine Keoish wine while pondering his fate. Maybe Hassan’s people had a point in worshipping Istus as their greatest deity. So far, nothing has turned out like he thought it would. Maybe Fate has taken a special interest in torturing him. When he was a young boy he never thought he would ever be asked to interrogate a capture dragon. No scratch that, he was never a young boy. That was Uncle. MannMarzoon didn’t exist back then. At least today he was in his own lavish apartment in the keep at Hollow Haven instead of facing down some slavering, raging monster looking to have his extremely valuable brain for dinner.

I really don’t spend enough time enjoying the fruits of my labor, thought Mann. Maybe I’ll go and see if Gnorman can make me a permanent magical fire or something for the room to chase away the winter chill. A nice cheery fire would offset this wine just beautifully. I could probably find a pleasant lass among the villagers to pass the night as well. No, that won’t help. The problems will still be there tomorrow and his friends are counting on him. Strange to have friends that know about his abilities and don’t treat him any different. Even what few memories Uncle allows him to get access to rarely included anyone like that. Now Mann has over a dozen BorderWatch members willing to lay their lives down for him in friendship and him for them. Now that is the kind of joke the gods love to torture us mortals with.

“You look like you need something stronger than wine Mann.” Said Yeremis as he walked into the room. “Do you want me to ask one of the dwarves what foul brew they have available?”

<Sigh> “No that’s fine Yeremis. I’m just thinking deep thoughts.”

“That’s a pretty dangerous statement coming from someone in your Order.” Said Yeremis with a sarcastic smile only an elf can pull off.

Mann almost spits out his wine as he bursts out laughing. When he gets control of himself, he looks up at Yeremis. “Come sit with me and share some of this fine wine and I can give you a status of where I am.”

“Are my thoughts that obvious?”

“It doesn’t take a mentat to know that everyone in the keep is curious to know how I will extract information from the dragon.”

“Are you going to enlighten us or leave us in suspense?”

“As you know we made off with a substantial amount of information from the Sea of Dust and I was able to find some memory crystals with quite a few new spells and mention of others that exist. There is one spell in there that could help us out quite a bit called Mind Scan. It is quite powerful but I can probably manage it.”

“So it sounds like you have everything sorted out then. But if that were the case, you wouldn’t be in here drinking wine and pondering heavy thoughts.”

“You are correct my esteemed colleague. That is why you are the council member and I but a mere soldier in this rabble.”

“Spare me your acts of humility Mann, we both know you are one of the smartest guys in BorderWatch. So quit trying to divert the conversation and tell me what you are thinking.”

“One of the smartest guys? I beg to differ, I always viewed myself as without peer!” exclaimed Mann.

“I remember Orin beating you quite handily in the last Shah match. If I recall you had to carry his books for him for a full day after that loss.”

“He cheated. I think he channelled Boccob during the match.” Stated Mann.

“No he didn’t, and quit digressing. I will ask you again, what do you need to be able to get this Mind Scan spell to work?”

“It is not so much a question of it not working as it is of me not having it handy.”

“Mann, you are trying my patience. What. Do. You. Need.”

“Well, Uncle closed off access to certain areas and one of those is that spell. I just don’t know it. So I need to get it on a memory crystal and learn how to cast it.”

“Ok, so what is the problem then? I have plenty of funds, go to Greyhawk and buy it.”

“It’s not that simple. You can’t buy that spell in the reputable mage shops of Greyhawk. This spell allows you to read people’s minds and delve into their deepest thoughts. Nobody will admit to having access to that spell.”

“So where do you go to get that kind of spell?”

“The Tilvanot Peninsula – where the Scarlet Brotherhood resides.”

“Tough mission but your squad the Azure Band have handled worse. Why haven’t you left then?”

“It will be risky and I haven’t asked them to put their lives in jeopardy to get me a new spell.”

“Ah, so it would be better if a Council member asked them to do it for the good of BorderWatch instead of the evil and manipulative Suel for him to gain a spell for himself?”

“You read my mind boss.” Said Mann with a smile on his face.
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Richard Di Ioia (aka Longetalos)