I Read What?!

So last time, Regis got sent on a mission. He's probably going to be okay because he's one of the named characters, but I admit that I'm curious to see what will happen. So far, Regis has been primarily treated as comic relief, and his legitimate victories (like when he killed that southern dude that was helping the barbarians at the beginning) have been mostly downplayed.

I could see this going either way: with success, or with failure resulting in Regis needing to be rescued. Either seems possible. This could be Regis's time to shine.



So we rejoin Regis as he finds himself in Kessell's throne room. Kessell apparently is a refugee of the sofa meme that won't exist for another thirty years after this book was written: he's lounged on his throne, leaning back over one arm with his legs casually thrown over the other.

That's not really a casual position. A comfortable one, sure, but you don't just casually end up in that position thank you. Also, sit up and act your age.

Regis looks around, noting all of the mirrors, and realizes that there's something odd about one: there are flames within its reflection that are nowhere else. I don't know if this will be significant, but it feels like it might.

Unfortunately, Kessell no longer seems susceptible to the ruby. Regis theorizes that it's because of the power he senses in the throne room. He realizes that he's in trouble, his insidious hints won't help now and he worries they'll reveal too much about Cassius's strategies.

Now see, this is actually really good. Regis isn't jumping to conclusions based on knowledge that we're suddenly told he has from his storied upbringing. We're watching him observe and analyze and conjecture as he goes. It feels very organic. And for the first time, I actually feel like Regis is as clever as he's supposed to be.

Kessell loses patience and commands him to speak. Regis can feel him trying to compel him, and realizes that the dominating force isn't coming from Kessell directly. He notices that Kessell is clutching an object in the pocket of his robes. Now fortunately, halflings are resistant to mind control. (I'm not criticizing this as tacked on, because the halfling resistance was established in the AD&D source material.) And because Regis works with his own little trinket, he's got some extra experience with the phenomenon. Regis has an idea: he fakes being put under mind control.

So Regis thinks fast and answers Kessell's questions with a mixture of the truth and lies. He admits, for example, that he had been sent to make him suspect his allies. But he states that Cassius isn't trying to defeat Kessell, but is merely trying to escape. When Kessell says it's impossible, Regis plants his seed: he claims that Cassius has allies in Kessell's ranks. He claims that the Orcs have lived among the people of Ten Towns for months and one tribe actually opened trade. He claims that the Orcs secretly are loyal to Cassius.

Regis continues to talk and it's really quite lovely. The plan makes no sense when you think about it, and Regis contradicts himself here and there. But Kessell is arrogant and an idiot and Regis has read him well. It helps that Errtu is no longer able to answer his summons (thank you Drizzt), so Kessell is without a much smarter ally. And well, the tribe Regis ultimately named is actually the tribe identified as Kessell's strongest and most fanatical supporters. Nice.

We skip over to Kemp, who is talking with Muldoon of Lonelywood. Muldoon admits to being confused and notes that Kessell is either a genius, whose abilities are beyond Muldoon, or he's making glaring tactical errors. I kind of like Muldoon, he's willing to admit that he might be wrong.

Kemp has the same notion as Cassius earlier: he decides that they should assume that Kessell is making mistakes because if the first idea is true, then they're pretty much SOL anyway. They might as well try.

On the wall, Cassius recognizes what's happening with Kessell's forces and he and Glensather start readying to fight.

Drizzt, on Kelvin Cairn, also notices. He's apparently preparing for his "courageous assault on Cryshal-Tirith", and really Mr. Salvatore, couldn't we wait until Drizzt actually does it before we start singing his praises? He can't really figure out what's happening there, but decides to focus on the attack. We get a nice little inventory of what he has (weapons basically), the only really notable thing is that he has a small sack of flour from the raid on the giant's lair with Wulfgar as a keepsake. He leaves his normal survival gear back in the cave.

So he and Guen sneak their way inside the camp. Drizzt notes that he probably could have killed dozens of sleeping orcs and goblins, but that would slow him down, and he's got very limited time: or more specifically Guen does, before she has to go back to the Astral Plane. He finally gets into the Tower and finds himself in the chamber of the trolls.

Here, the chapter ends. A quick glance further shows me that the next chapter will involve Bruenor and Catti-brie, which should be pretty good. I am particularly looking forward to seeing Catti-brie do anything in the plot.