You break out the alchemy toolset and set to work on investigating the nature of this strange essence in the hopes of reproducing it through more conventional means. Not a lot in there, but hopefully you can work something out eventually.
259 S.I., Well Into The New Year
6
This alchemy thing turns out to not be very difficult at all. After procuring a consignment of mice and diluting the deathly essence to a more manageable concentration, you make good progress on figuring out most of its effects, especially when you start matching them with appropriate poisons that you as a Spymaster happen to be well-informed about. You manage to get the mixture nearly completely down, and manage to obtain some cannibalistic undead mice that last up to a day!
All in all, a very productive month or so of work. You think you will need something a little more extraordinary to ensure longevity, which means you probably need to-
Your secretary knocks on your office door as you peruse your experiment notes - apparently Assante has returned from his mineral investigation, and would like to speak with you on some matter. Ah, you say, let him in! You were rather hoping to ask him a few questions yourself!
The Vizier arrives moments later, garbed in very practical and dusty field gear, his eyes gleaming and his smile nearly twinkling.
Kalja, he says, you're looking wonderful this evening! Very good to be back in the city, you know, it's been quite a busy few months out there in the caves. Many strides have been made.
You nod, that's excellent news, how has it been-
Brilliant, Assante responds, the Lithics have proven most receptive to negotiation and various kinds of dealmaking, and an understanding of sorts has been reached with them. It is unfortunate that they could not be found before they had awakened, but this seems like a perfectly good secondary option - they've got quite a lot of material down there and a great deal of ability to extract it in large amounts, not to mention their natural aptitude with certain gnomic arts and- yes, quite right, telling you these things isn't entirely necessary at this point, you being a reasonably busy woman and everything, so he'll get right to the point! The Lithics would like a goodwill ambassador to oversee at least the first few months of the arrangement!
A goodwill ambassador, you say skeptically. What makes him think you'd be interested in such an arrangement? Your presence in the capital is in many ways quite indispensable for the duties that you're expected to perform.
Well, Assante says, where to begin? For one, you seem quite comfortable in darkness and in fact have a strong aversion to sunlight, which is as far as he understands entirely absent from Utterdark Cave. Hence the name. Secondly, there is a large number of fairly healthy peasantry in the nearby lands that he is fairly sure would be overlooked if they went missing. Thirdly, they have access to many things a Spymistress would be keen to bring to the Queen's attention - technologies to be adapted, resources to be watched out for, advantages to exploit! And finally, it'd be only for a few months - just long enough for him to train a proper ambassador with the, er, necessary enhancement he'd like a permanent liaison to have.
You think on this, and reply that:
A) Seems that things in the capital are slow enough that you need not fret much over national security. You have a deal, Assante!
B) You'd certainly need recompense for this, how about kicking some extra funding your way for the favor?
C) You'll help, but in return he'll need to provide assistance on a project of your own, one involving the essence of life within death!
D) You don't think you want to go to Utterdark Cave at all, but are flattered by his consideration.
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Topic: SPAMMASTER: Spymistress Kalja the Bewitched (Read 36831 times)