I Read What?!

So last time, we met the love interest. And well, it seems like there's no need to build up there. Those kids are a-banging!

So let's see what the villains are up to?



So we rejoin our villains at Castle Trinity. Apparently the more religious villains have taken to full on worship of the "Most Fatal Horror" and are even singing to it, much to the bafflement of our more academic villains like Druzil and Aballister.

Apparently, Aballister's ploy in naming his curse the way he did has backfired, and the Cleric Barjin has been able to spin it to his own advantage. In fact, his followers are all very sure of his sincerity. (Aballister seems more skeptical.)

Aballister thinks this is useful though, since if the followers believe the curse is divine, they're more likely to give their lives. Aballister himself, of course, does NOT believe the magical concoction is "an agent of Talona".

Personally, I wonder. After all, Druzil came with the recipe on behalf of Talona. But I suppose we'll see who's right. Anyway, Druzil points out that Barjin's very powerful now and basically has the whole castle behind him.

I like Aballister as a villain, I have to admit. Because he really doesn't seem to care about outward glory or power. He points out that the chaos curse is going to be used, and Barjin will have his part.

I wonder if Druzil is sincere or trying to make trouble here:

“At what price?” the imp demanded. “I gave the recipe for the chaos curse to you, my master, not the priest. Yet it is the priest who controls its fate and uses you and the other wizards to serve his own designs.”

“We are a brotherhood, sworn to loyalty.”

“You are a gathering of thieves,” Druzil retorted. “Be not so swift in presuming the existence of honor. If Ragnor did not fear you, and did not see profit in keeping you, he would cut you down. Barjin—” Druzil rolled his bulbous eyes “—Barjin cares for nothing except Barjin. Where are his scars? His tattoos? He does not deserve his title, nor the leadership of the priests. He falls to his knees for the goddess only because doing so makes those around him praise him for his holiness. There is nothing religious—”

On the other hand, Druzil came here on behalf of Talona, so perhaps the existence of a false priest is genuinely offensive to him. He asserts that Barjin controls the curse now, and questions whether Barjin would show any loyalty to Aballister if he didn't need him.

I mean, probably not. But would Druzil? This is what happens in evil alliances, dudes.

Aballister can't argue with Druzil, but notes that even if he admits to miscalculating, there's not much to do about it now. Trying to assert control at this point might cause a war within the triumverate.

It does sound like Barjin is an idiot though. He's put rituals and conditions on the flask, including a requirement that it be opened by an innocent.

That is genuinely the stupidest thing I've ever heard. Why would you make it HARDER to use your super weapon?

Aballister is clever though, while he disagrees with Barjin's actions, he's not letting Druzil get to him. Druzil insults him again in that other language. Aballister just notes that Druzil shouldn't underestimate the advantages of using religion against people.

We switch scenes to Cadderly. He's talking with a "square-shouldered dwarf with a yellow beard" named Ivan Bouldershoulder.

They're examining a tapestry together - the theme seems to be when the elves were split into surface elves and drow. It's not clear entirely what they're DOING with the tapestry. It seems like they're using it as a means to measure a crossbow? Anyway, they're clearly planning some kind of alterations.

Ivan's not here alone. He's got an older brother, Pikel. Pikel seems interesting actually:

Engrossed in his play, Pikel didn’t even hear him. He was older than Ivan by several years, but he was by far the less serious of the two. They were about the same size, though Pikel was a bit more round-shouldered, an attribute exaggerated by his loose-fitting, drooping robes. His beard was green that tenday, for he had dyed it in honor of the visiting druids.

Pikel liked druids, a fact that made his brother roll his eyes and blush. It wasn’t usual that a dwarf would get on well with woodland folk, but Pikel was far from usual. Rather than let his beard hang loose to his toes, as did Ivan, he parted it in the middle and pulled it back over his huge ears, braiding it together with his hair to hang halfway down his back. It looked rather silly to Ivan, but Pikel, the library’s cook, thought it practical for keeping his beard out of the soup. Besides, Pikel didn’t wear the boots common to his race; he wore sandals—a gift from the druids—and his long beard tickled his free-wiggling, gnarly toes.

Definitely not the stereotypical dwarf!

I'm not sure if Pikel is actually verbal. So far, he seems to only make noises like "oo oi!" He's more intrigued by some of Cadderly's models, particularly a two foot tall wall and pillar structure.

Apparently Cadderly's got some ambitions for expanding the library. He gives us some backstory of the place: the library was originally much smaller, but the north and east wings, as well as the third and fourth stories were added much later. Unfortunately, there are issues with expanding any further - the ground slopes too steeply in parts, and the mountain stone is too tough to be cleared.

Pikel seems less sure about that statement, but decides not to interrupt.

Anyway, Cadderly wants to expand upward. Ivan, less intrigued, thinks that it wouldn't hold, but Cadderly has ideas about that too. (Apparently Cadderly loves doubters when it comes to his inventions.) He's got an idea for an aerial buttress. He waxes eloquently:

“Look at it, Ivan,” Cadderly said reverently. “ ‘One for the faeries,’ indeed, if that phrase implies grace. The strength of the design cannot be underestimated. The bridges displace stress so that the walls, with minimal stonework, can hold much more than you might believe, leaving incredible possibilities for window designs.”

He's definitely passionate about the project.

Ivan is more practical, pointing out the dangers of the wind or taking a giant's ram to the side. Cadderly though really likes the idea of open light and windows. Cadderly puts lie to that statement about doubters:

“It was just the beginnings of an idea,” mumbled Cadderly defensively, suddenly agreeing with Ivan that they should get back to the crossbow. Cadderly did not doubt his design’s potential, but he realized he would have a hard time convincing a dwarf, who had lived a century in tight tunnels, of the value of sunlight.

Ever sympathetic, Pikel put a hand on Cadderly’s shoulder.

Pikel still hasn't really said anything, I notice. That supports my theory. Anyway, they go back to talking about the crossbow. Apparently Cadderly translated some scroll in exchange for the work. He's already done with it, but is pretending that he has more to go because he thinks Ivan will work faster that way.

That seems like a dick move, but okay.

OH, NOW I understand. The tapestry is a reference for the crossbow. The real thing doesn't exist yet: Ivan's making it, based on that design. I should have figured that out earlier.

The problem is, though, that Ivan will need the visual references. Cadderly is fine with Ivan borrowing it, but Ivan points out that the Headmaster (Pertelope) probably won't be. But Cadderly has a plan: right before midday, there'll be a midday canticle and all host priests will be required to attend. The coast should be clear.

And in fact, Cadderly should go as well. And he does, though he arrives a bit late. His classmate, Kierkan Rufo, smiles at him. Cadderly realizes that the guy waited for him so he could tattle, but decides not to give him the satisfaction of being concerned. Instead, he toys with something called "spindle-disks" which were an ancient weapon.

Here's the description:

The device consisted of two circular rock crystal disks, each a finger’s breadth wide and a finger’s length in diameter, joined in their centers by a small bar on which was wrapped a string. Cadderly had discovered the weapon in an obscure tome and had actually improved on the design, using a metal connecting bar with a small hole through which the string could be threaded and knotted rather than tied.

Cadderly slipped his finger through the loop on the string’s loose end. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the spindle-disks rolling down the length of the string then brought them spinning back to his hand with a slight jerk of his finger.

OH, it's a yoyo. He starts doing tricks, catching Rufo's attention. One, in which he sends the yoyo straight at Rufo's face, causes Rufo to stumble backward and cause a disruption right at the most dramatic pause in the song. The chapter ends with Cadderly having the satisfaction of knowing TWO students will be disciplined instead of one.

Hah, fair enough man.