No Spill Blood

[Brian]

Leaving the library, Bjorn briefly wonders where he's supposed to meet with Lindsey, slowly coming to the realization that a meeting place was supposed to be specified ... and wasn't.

[Bjorn]

Shrugging mentally, Bjorn clears his mind to bring up the mindboard, and then reaches out to the Lindsey-smudge.

[Brian]

Lindsey doesn't let you in -- at least, not right away.  After a few seconds she seems to recognize you, and you've got a connection to her.  She's walking through a corridor somewhere in the castle you don't recognize.  Yes? she sends tenatively.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn scrawls out the single word, Meeting?

[Brian]

Yes, she sends back.  Library?

[Bjorn]

Yes, Bjorn sends back, and then lets the mindboard vanish.  Glancing around, he checks to see if Durant is still within hailing range, before heading back to the library.

[Brian]

He's just headed down a hallway -- you could get his attention if you were to yell.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn shrugs.  Made enough noise that it isn't worth worrying about, he thinks to himself with grim humour.  So let's be quiet in another way.

Bringing the mindboard back, he touches the Durant-smudge.  I'll need that book back, Paul -- or I'll need your help with Fletcher.  Probably both, really.

[Brian]

He jumps like someone shoved a spider made of ice-cubes down his back, and spins around, looking around frantically for a long minute before replying, Damn.  I'm am NEVER going to get used to that.  How come you got the mind-fucking with, and I got the brain-punch, anyway?

Acting like he just noticed you, he nods, and starts walking towards you.  "Hey!" he calls, once he's in conversational range.  "How you doing?"

Yeah, well....  I get the idea that whoever I was before myself kind of fucked things up here.  Getting back at this 'Fletcher' guy sounds kind of mean ... but hell, he's a traitor, right?  I just hope I'm not some evil baby-eating sadist or something, underneath it all.

[Bjorn]

"All right, Master Durant," Bjorn replies gravely.  "I was wondering what legends you knew about Dwarves -- and if the stories tell of a way that they can be killed."

On the mindboard, he sketches out, Fletcher can and will kill us all.  This isn't about vengeance or sadism.  Come to think of it, though, hold on to the book.  Check inside it; you'll find a map of a place in the Keep.  There's an alcove there, with a statue behind it.  Check behind it.  I left a coin there, a signal for Fletcher for a meeting.  If the coin is still there, don't touch it, it's trapped.  If it's not there, let me know.  And if you run into Fletcher, get a good look.

[Brian]

He shifts uncomfortably.  "Well, yeah, I know about that.  I asked Ekim for some legends of his people, and he told me," Durant says, shuddering.  "'Boneforge' indeed.  Anyway, Dwarves are more durable than us, so it takes a real significant beating to wound them significantly.  But that's about it."

Oh, I see, Durant says, an accompanying image to his words reminding you -- for some reason -- of Tyr putting his hand in Fenrir's mouth.  You suspect it's subconscious on his part.  Ekim said his kind was vulnerable to the cold.  If the fire inside themselves is quenched, then their lives end.  I think it'd take an awful lot of cold to pull that off, though.  Failing that, probably just using military picks.  I saw a whole stack of them on the side of the yard.

[Bjorn]

"Good news and bad news all in one," Bjorn sighs.  "Thank you, Master Durant."

On the mindboard, Depending on how fast things start moving, I might not get a chance to meet up with you before the siege.  Any questions?

[Brian]

"Could be worse.  I mean, we've got Ekim on our side, right?"

Not really.  No, wait.  Two questions.  Do you think whoever created Radagast was from our world, and what should I do if I get jumped by someone when I'm visiting that alcove?

[Bjorn]

"Lord Ekim is on our side," Bjorn agrees.  "But Estin Stonewright is not."

I don't know.  I think Alan was, but frankly, I'm not entirely up to date on the current state of post-Ezmereth cosmology.  I'd like to find out, though.

As for the second: scream.  Both out loud and through this.  I'll leave it up for you while you check.  Do it quickly, though.  I can't keep the mindboard when I'm fighting.

[Brian]

"Well.  That ... could suck, I guess.  Estin, huh?  I wonder if Ekim knows him...."

Got it.  I'll keep in touch.

"I probably shouldn't ask; he's busy enough," Durant says.  "Anyway, keep in touch, alright?"