>>5373687The Novice hesitates, then steps closer to you. She narrows her eyes slightly, looking at you. Then, creepingly, as if testing a volatile new reactive compound, she reaches out… And touches your hand.
“Stay focused on our future,” she instructs you, as teacher-to-pupil. “Do not live in the past.”
You are startled by her insight, and by her unusual tenderness… But the moment passes. She withdraws her hand, and demands:
“Are you back with the living, Distracting-and-Distracted One?”
You nod the affirmative.
“Good. Now, if you are going to waste my time and energy with your pointless presence here, at LEAST answer my question about the amulets.”
“What?” you ask. “Oh, yes. Yes, I recall. The elves, right?”
Should you grant the Drow access to Amulets of Disguise, to hide their identity from dwarves and others? It will better allow you to disguise what has occurred in these mountains, until you can properly assert your dominion… But it would also reduce their dependency on you, and potentially enable them to skirt your trade agreement if they were so inclined at some future point…
DO you grant the Drow amulets of Disguise?
>Yes>No>Yes, but only inferior ones, with a deliberate defect require regular maintenance>No, but you will station the North-Merchant and Translator here to enable trade and diplomacy if required>Write-in“See?” the Novice scoffs, once you have answered. “Was that really so difficult? It is merely a matter of focus! A focused mind is like a well-sharpened knife, you know. It can split the tissue and reveal the secrets within and below. A distracted mind is like a dull blade—it punctures, rips and tears, destroys but cannot expose and explore. My instructors taught me that.”
“It seems you had wise tutelage,” you acknowledge, “as, it seems, do I.”
+Bio. Manipulation
The Novice’s tail flits irritably and she looks away, as if… Flustered.
“Shut up,” she snaps. “What are you even here to learn, anyway?”
You wish to learn…
>To strengthen and extend the Dragonshape yet further—if you could have maintained it, things would have been different>To heal wounds—never again will you be forced to choose between yourself and one you… Care for>To disguise yourself as the others do, so you might better understand your subjects and neighbours>To inflict painful injury and illness—it can circumvent defences, both physical and mental>Write-in [within reason] 