>>5324139“Madness,” your childhood tormentor whispers, though not without a trace of admiration for your ambition.
“Do we have any reason to believe they are interested?” asks the Translator, more diplomatically.
“We should pound them into submission, as with the kobolds,” the bastard notes.
Ivno flinches, and shuffles, saying: “Kobolds not happy to give winnings, even winnings won together, to monsters who kill-kill them in big Dragon-battle.”
You look at him questioningly, and he immediately relents.
“Kobolds will do as Dragonborn commands,” he murmurs. “Will make sure.”
“The Drow will be stalwart allies, at least!” the North-Merchant says cheerily.
“Jazkarmel’s forces will, maybe,” his Southern equivalent corrects. “We do not yet know what the dark elves’ higher offices think of us, if they have heard tell of us at all.”
You smiles slightly, remembering fondly your time spent speaking, with the Drow leader Jazkarmel, learning the dark elf military leader’s language, and engaging on friendly—even flirtatious—terms. You sent some of your men back—those injured in the defeat of the so-called Devourer. You can only imagine what the Drow must have thought, to see your men parading the head of the eons-old great beast who had terrorized their people.
“And they’ve not even seen my sword yet,” you boast, holding aloft the (still-mysterious) moon-sword. “They will join us.”
“So certain that waggling around your weapon will win the elf-maids to your side,” the Novice quietly mocks, swatting you with her tail so that the others will not notice. “Put it away.”
You shoot her a look, but she does not relent. You do instead, wrapping up the sword and placing it in your belt.
“We understand the goal, Dragonborn,” the Translator acknowledges. “We will prepare to depart, to rally these allies… But there are matters to consider, yet.”
Who will you leave to monitor and marshal the kobolds in your absence?
>The Bastard>Ivno>Someone else [who?]>Nobody—let them manage themselves, knowing you will return and rain retribution on any pretender to your throneWhich of your would-be allies will you recruit first?
>The Drow—you have an existing rapport with them, and you wish to check in on your injured allies>The spiky-men, or barbed devils, or dark creepers—whatever you would call them, they are more imminent and dangerous, and must be won over before they attempt another assault on your holdings 