Editing The Plan For The Promise (section)

==The Sleepless Overseer==

"...and a mere three hundred and sixty years after the defeat of Khlul-hloo, the same blade was in fact shattered in combat against his former lover, (Ahret Trespian, who you may recall would go on to push back the dread Fae warleader, Pancrator Lifereft, in that unforgetable wardance on the glass-sea-theater of the floating islands of the West), a tragic accident which has since been attriuted  to an unfortunate proportion of moonsilver and crystalized triple-steel..."

The little god was tottering about the table on three thin steel legs shaped like bird talons, its body a six-inch high stylized face  formed from whirring gears, springs, and armatures.  Spread between it and Rivers was a maze of notes, models, diagrams and quills, covering a table eight paces and long and a third as wide.  It stopped short when the lumbering steps of a jokun entered the room.

"Secret Avalanche, have we been successful?"  Rivers whispered between the fingers cupping his chin.

The elemental responded by clearing a space on the table with a sweep of his arm and placing there two immense tablets of stone, each  as thick as a man's leg and over two paces long.  The stone was black and did not reflect light; only its outline reflected its coarse grain.

[[Seven Thousand Wonders Unfolding]] piped up, "Ah, it seems we've met with greater success that we could have possibly hoped.  Fortunately in this dim age, the true worth of this artifact is probably shrouded by absentminded antiquarians.  Behold, the very mold used by Autochthon himself to forge the third of the Godfangs, Appointed Blasphemy, for Eottra Dyclasm, general of the star-dragon legion.  Rather worse for wear I'm afraid."

"We knew already that we would have to modify it, Seven Thousand.  Tell me, Secret, how was Berren?  Not too shaken up by my little request?"

"Ask him yourself."  A grin of mishapen stones was sprawled improbably beneath the wide-brimmed hat it affected.

"What?"  Rivers set down his pen.

"He asked to come with me."  He rubbed his face with one leather-gauntleted hand.  "Should I have refused him, master?"

"He's probably Lookshy spy... ah, I was afraid of this.   A little to easy."

"Should I kill him?"

"Oh, goodness, no.  No."  Rivers rubbed his chin.  "He's an excellent technician..."  He leaned out over the papers.  "A Grand Daiklave... how far is the beastman army now?"

"Three weeks away, maybe longer if Master Leaf Shakes the Wind and Master Nameless Ravine are successful in their work."

Rivers shook his head.  "Impossible... um... well... maybe..."  He grabbed a scrap of parchment and began computing.  "If I sleep only every other night... and I pour essence into the work... with the perfected tools... no... I can't... but it must be done.  I promised I'd prepare him... I still need more assistants..."

Secret Avalanche shifted his weight, producing a sound like crackling obsidian.  "Say the word, master, and I will bring as many chattel as you need."

"No... no, thank you though, it will require assistants suitable to the task... Serrakeen, for instance... perhaps Berren, and Seven Thousand... we'll need an auspicious number in sum..."

Rivers returned to his calculations, pausing only to request weak tea, fresh quills, and lamp oil.


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1. [[The Promise]]

2. [[Heaven's Mandate]]