Illusions And Introductions

Hehrakkess knew his next play intimately, he reached out one clawed hand and grasped his Palentier, an immense sphere of Obsidian, the size of a humans' head, and focused on the Inner Library.

Hehrakkess didn't keep much in the way of conventional treasure, his hoard was something more precious by far: KNOWLEDGE. He had books on every subject, parsed and thinned over seven moves in 100 years till only the most worthy and accurate, (or entertaining and expensive,) information remaind. Hehrakkess was a scholar, and fancied himself a gentleman, which was why he treasured this scrying device, for it let him approach visitors without the risk of panicking them.

Through his Palentier he cast two minor spells, both illusions, that were his to command at will by virtue of his having reached adulthood. One created the image of a human-half-blue-dragon dressed in the much patched robes of a librarian from the high temple of Baccob in the Land of Spirits, and the other gave him the power to speak through it. Through the Palentier he walked the illusion out into the library and greeted his 'Guests'...

"Excuse me ladies, may I help you?" He asked, then stopped for a moment in shock.

The Elven trio were not the Sun Elves he was expecting, but a trio of white haired Drow their skin like midnight and dressed in yellow silk, and the human women bore shocks of flame red hair like the barbarians from beyond the Northern Seas behind their masks of office...

"Greetings Master Dragon," the Drow Sorceress said, breaking into the moment of silence, "We thank you for your courtesy in appearing to us in this seeming. We have traveled far at the behest of our religious compatriots to put before you a proposal. You are a Blue Dragon by breed, one of the merest handful that remains in Vineland, and our band has been asked to halt your depredations of the livestock and foodstuffs of the surrounding area. Now most would see this as a quest to slay you, and no doubt be cut to ribbons then dried for jerky, but Obad-hai has sent our Druid a dream of a different road..." Their leader began but Hehrakkess moved the illusion to hold up a hand for silence and tried to throw them off the scent.

"Laidies, you flatter me, but I think you speak of my vanished father, I am only half-" he said before in a single swift motion the Warrior Drow crossed the distance and put her hand through the Illusions shoulder.

"No more games. We know you for what you are," She explained in Draconic, and Hehrakkess shivered.

"Very well, no more games," he said, dismissing the illusion of the librarian. "Speak your proposal and if I find it acceptable I will let you live."

"We know you do not wish to fight, especially not when each of us is wearing a Handy Haversack containing enough alchemist's fire to set this whole library ablaze."

Hehrakkess hissed through clenched teeth.

"That is not a threat, it is a note of caution. We would burn the books only as a last resort if you attack in deathly earnest, thus covering our retreat. Our proposal is entirely more pleasant: what say you to the idea of never having to find a new lair again?" Their diplomat asked.

"I would say you have my attention," Hehrakkess replied.

"It is a known fact that Blue Dragons can empty the land of water when angry. What is less well known is they can also flood it better than the deepest rains if they chose. The locals blame you for their well running dry, but we know the truth. A year with no rain and tending to the needs of 50 people to survive in this arid land have done that, not you. The water is too deep for your power to make it vanish, and you would have to have landed in the village square to even try. At the moment they bay for your blood like dogs after a gazelle: but..."

"But," Hehrakkess began to finish the thought, "were I to appear in thier square, Guarded by You and my elite troops, then fill their well to overflowing, their opinion of me would turn on its heel and I would be hailed as their savior. Do that for each village in the vicinity, and no further groups of adventurers will be called for, while any who approach unbidden will be turned back or killed," he chuckled, but there was no mirth in it. "Ladies, I would rarely speak ill of a god but Obad-Hai must be more than a common fool if he thinks this plan will work. Twice already I have attempted that plan, it merely leads to a group of Buhamet's Crusaders storming into my home, Destroyed Books, and another relocation leaving embittered villagers in my wake," Hehrakkess sighed.

Finally one of the two human women spoke, not the Inquisitor as he would have expected but the Druid. "That was then, without other gods blessings, and you merely didn't take the plan FAR enough. We do not propose to tackle each village piecemeal, rather you will obey an ancient maximum of Abadar, 'If you build it; they will come.' Instead of filling the wells of each village repeatedly, you will do it once as peace offerings, but tell them the location of this massif in which your Kobold minions have dug this Dungeon, and promise that any who venture to it in one month's time will find a well greater, deeper, and grander than any in thiers or any other village in these parts. Tell them that they must post a patroll to keep away vandals for that month and no one is to approach. If they do this their children's children's children will have a font of pure water which never runs dry for as long as you live, and will live in a great Stone city of plenty and prosperity. During that month have the Kobolds clear away the sand from the base of the massif, then dig a great shaft deep into the stone at a place I shall divine. A smaler team then digs a cramped water chanel up into some part of your lair. All you need do then is spend between fifteen minutes and an hour each morning pouring out pure water into the shaft. Meanwhile the Kobolds take the stone they remove and build a set of structures around the wellshaft, houses, a watchtower, a Shrine to Obad-Hai and Abadar, and an enormous pen for their cattle." The Druid explained, then her sister the Inquisitor took up the tale.

"The city once thus begun will grow, so long as you keep the waters flowing. Make sure the Kobolds mingle with the herdsmen, aid them in their building of new structures, ensure some sense of civic planing is obeyed, and remind those who come to join the city that the day the Dragon dies is the day The Great Well begins to dry up. Periodically go out of your lair, hold court in the central square beside The Great Well. Sit in judgment on thier disputes and discordant lives: prove you are wiser than they, one of your stature should find THAT little challenge. (Though you must also practice humility when they occasionally throw up a random sport who is wiser than yourself.) They will come to see you as their rightful Lord, perhaps even a demi-god of water and plenty, but most importantly they will not only defend you to the **** against any of Buhamet's Crusaders but more importantly be close at hand to do so." She explained with broad gestures of her hands.

Hehrakkess re-manifested the Illusion of the librarian, but changed him to be a miniature version of himself in the librarians robes, and made the robes pristine. "I understand what I get out of this bargain, but what do YOU receive? Whatever these dessert herdsmen have offered you pales in comparison to my hoard should you slay me," he chuckled menacingly, making plain the implications of them making the attempt.

It was the last woman who had not spoken, the Rogue, who replied...

"We get YOU."

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