>>5342536You look up at the Drow who spoke and meet his eyes—pale eyes, hollow.
“He sang a dirge. It was… Sad, but defiant. He defied Death, to the end.”
But still… The lord of Endings took him, ended his tale. The Degenerate had been seemingly troubled for many days now but, preoccupied with diplomacy, with war-preparations, with the Novice, you had never gotten the chance to ask after him. Now, you never will.
As for the Thief… Well, some small mercy is found there. He is battered, bruised, lacerated in several places, but the Drow staunched the bleeding, and his Cloak of protection spared him lethal injury. He might yet die—unconsciousness for this long, blood-loss such as he has suffered, they are no small thing… But thanks to your gift, he lived.
“He guided us well,” speaks the other Drow now. “This… ‘Thief’. He is a worthy assassin in his own right. We slipped in a passage, up through the mines… Found their blasting-powder and their alcohol… Set their charges in their own home, and set their fortifications ablaze”
“We saw,” you nod.
“We targeted the leadership next, slew many of them before the defenders could move from the outside to the inside… But they outnumbered us, outfought us.”
The last words are spoken with dejection, bitterness… But, well, it is twenty-four or more dead dwarves, at least, to eleven of your own allies.
What do you do?
>Fetch the Novice immediately, to save the Thief if she can>Grab what loot you can, before the damned bugbears get the best of it>Lead your forces in seeking out and rounding up any survivors or support-staff within the fort>Write-inWhat do you say to the survivors of your assassination squad?
>Commend—they performed admirably, acquitting themselves well>Condemn—they made several tactical errors that have cost you some of your best warriors>Apologize—you should have done better, been here sooner>Comfort—they have suffered for your cause, and you will not let it be in vain>Say nothing—the results speak for themselves, and what is done is done 