In Too Deep

[Bjorn]

Bjorn grunts sourly.  "The way things have been going, I'll have a whole new set of problems to deal with after tonight.

"Now, before I forget..." Bjorn rapidly repeats what he's found out about Dorian and Durant to Parthipan.

[Dracos]

"Hum...Bjorn, who else knows that Markham was the general?"

Dracos

[Bjorn]

"Probably no one," Bjorn says, raising an eyebrow.  "I saw him through Lindsey's eyes when she went out on her scouting mission, and I'm not sure she made the connection."

[Dracos]

"Okay... I want it to stay that way.  I don't care a whit about the fellow either way, but it's unpredictable how it'd effect the rest of the storm-riders and specifically his clansmen.  Sure, could push them further into realizing what doom they escaped, but just as likely would leave me either with a clan striving to pull itself out of the shame of markham and being crazy while doing so or any other number of negatives.  Right now they are winning.  I want to keep that in their mind."

Dracos pondered.  "there was something else I almost forgot.  I was experimenting earlier and well... we can pull more than just our powers across.  Physical abilities, and even becoming our real selves here, is possible."

Dracos

[Bjorn]

Bjorn frowns, scratching at his beard.  "That's good to know," he says slowly.  "If nothing else, it's a reliable disguise."

Dropping his hand back to the table, he looks around.  "That's pretty much everything I've found out," he says.  "So, what are we missing?"

[Rezantis]

"Can one make a someone unwilling into a dreadmarch general, or do they have to be willing?" Rez queries.

[Bjorn]

"I don't know," Bjorn says, thoughtfully.  "Not sure we can find out, either, if you really want to keep this quiet."

[Rezantis]

"I might ask Radagast," Rez hums . . . "But Drac, watch out on the whole 'keeping secrets' thing, because if they find out another way you're for the high jump.  Would anyone else know of this?"

[Dracos]

"No, I'm not.  Because I never heard it.  Neither did you.  I never saw the general.  If I find out about it from some public source later, I will be about as surprised as I am having heard it the first time and act accordingly then."  Dracos shrugged.

Dracos

[Rezantis]

Rez looks vaguely annoyed at this, but nods.

[Bjorn]

"Ah, yes," Bjorn says ironically.  "Plausible deniability.  The last refuge of all great politicians."  

Looking around, he adds, in a more serious tone, "Anything else?"

[Ginrai]

"Hmm... speaking of Markham, whatever happened to the traitor?"

[Dracos]

"Markham had him run off before I challenged Markham for his title."

Dracos

[Ginrai]

"And it's possible that he later on he helped capture Markham, meaning the cause of his death was likely his own fault.  And even if it wasn't, from the sound of it, Markham might have also been a traitor.  Just why do you want to prevent this from being known to the other storm-riders?"

[Dracos]

Dracos sighed.  "Look, the guy was a traitor through and through.  But he is dead now, and that's not important.  We have to keep aware of doing the actions that result in the most good for those around us.  He was a traitor, but a traitor who was at one point king of thirty thousand of the men out there who are fighting and clan head of about five thousand of them.  I can't see anything good coming from going around and sharing that he was a traitor.  At best it might drive a few people to greater berserkerdom against the enemy.  At worst, well...I can't even see which would be the worst outcome.  At the least it's poking at an open wound for those of his clan.  They've already had it revealed that one of their leaders was a traitor.  They've had their previous 'star' nearly killed and thrown out of the storm-riders.  I don't see anything good about having it get passed around that there was even more crimes than they knew about comitted by those they trusted in.  So whether Markham went off and hid in the wilderness or betrayed us to the enemy isn't that important.  He's not important anymore and should just fade into the background rather than having his actions do any more damage to those here."

Dracos