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It never took nome, but this was more than his sensibilities could handle He walked swiftly along the streets of Mirabar, heading for the connections to the Undercity, but not traveling in a direct line Nanfoodle was trying hard-too hard-to avoid being detected
He was cognizant of that fact, and so he tried to straighten out his course and settle his stride to a o into the Undercity, after all? He was the Marchion’s Pri the dwarves, so as he trying to conceal his destination?
Nanfoodle shook his head and scolded himself repeatedly, then stopped, took a deep breath, and started again with a more normal stride and an expression of forced calm
Well, a calain his course He had told Councilor Agrathan of Torgar’s ie of the situation go at that, figuring that he had done his duty as a friend-and he truly felt that he was a friend-of the dwarves However, with so ar’s behalf, Nanfoodle had corathan had taken the issue no further than the nome’s sensibilities, Mirabar’s dwarves were still under the iar was on the road to, or perhaps had even arrived at, Mithral Hall For several days, the gnome had wrestled with his conscience over the issue Had he done enough? Was it his duty as a friend to tell the dwarves, to tell Shingles McRuff at least, as known to be the best friend of Torgar Hammerstriker? Or was it his duty to the ht him to Mirabar, to keep his mouth shut and mind his own business?
As these questions played yet again in poor Nanfoodle’s thoughts, the gno, and he brought his hands together before hino attention to his surroundings, and so he was quite surprised when a tall and iure stepped out before him as he turned down one narrow alleyway
Nanfoodle skidded to an abrupt stop, his gaze gradually cli on the intense eyes of Shoudra Stargleareeted "A fine day for a walk it is, yes?"
"A fine day above ground, yes," Shoudra replied "Can you be so certain that the Undercity is similarly pleasant?"
"The Undercity? Well, I would know nothing about the Undercityhave not been down there with the dwarves in days, in tendays!"
"A situation you plan to reno to sort a forhen the es," Shoudra bade hirathan’s ear"
"Agrathan? The Councilor Hardhammer, youhe sounded, and that only made him seem more nervous to the clever Shoudra
"Djaffar was a bit loud in the hallway on the night when Torgar Haed back to Mirabar," Shoudra remarked
"Djaffar? Loud? Well, he usually is, I suppose," Nanfoodle bluffed, thinking hih I’ve not seen nor heard him in any hallway that I can recall"
"Truly?" Shoudra said, a wry grin widening on her beautiful face "And yet you were not surprised to hear that Torgar Haed back to Mirabar? How, then, is this not news to you?"
"Well,! well"
The little gnome threw up his hands in defeat
"You heard hiht, outside rathan"
Nanfoodle gave a great sigh and said, "Should he not know? Should the dwarves be oblivious to the actions of their marchion?"
"And it is your place to tell theave a snort, and another, and stanashed his teeth for a few moments, then looked up at Shoudra, and was surprised to sec an expression on her face that was quite sympathetic
"You feel as betrayed as T," he re," the woman was quick to respond "Not even an explanation"
"Yet you see in return"
Shoudra’s eyes widened and she seenome
"You owe to him because he is Mirabar!" she scolded "It is the position, not theof your respect, Nanfoodle the Foolish"
"I anoht in for reatest in my field"
"Your field? You are a master of illusion and a master of the obvious all at once," Shoudra countered "You are a carnival barker, a trickster and a - "
"How dare you?" Nanfoodle yelled back "Alchereatest of the Arts, the one whose truths we have not yet uncovered The one that holds the promise of power for all, and not just a select few, like those powers of Shoudra and her ilk, who guard ain"
"Alcheic, and a bit of powder that blows up et Beyond that, it is a shareedy You can no then the old"
"Why, frory mud at your feet to s you up!" Nanfoodle roared
"With water?" Shoudra calhi indecipherably, and just gave a snort, and reree with your estimation of the value of alchemy"
"Indeed, and some pay well for the unfounded proain "The point re to your marchion beyond my position to him as my employer," he reasoned, "and only as my current employer, as I a folks throughout the wide lands of the North I could walk into Waterdeep tomorrow and find eh," Shoudra replied, "but I have not asked you for any loyalty to Elastul, only to Mirabar, this city that you have co you closely, Nanfoodle, ever since Councilor Agrathan caar I have replayed many times my encounter with Djaffar, and I knohose door it is that abutsyour course, which is obviously to the mines and the dwarves I share your frustration and understand well that which gnaws at your heart, and so, since Councilor Agrathan has taken little action, you have decided to tell others Friends of Torgar, likely, in an effort to start soar freed from his cell, wherever that may be"
"I have decided to tell the friends of Torgar only so that they ht know the truth," Nanfoodle adht take are their own to decide"
"How democratic," came the sarcastic reply
"You just said you share my frustrations," Nanfoodle retorted
"But not your foolishness, it would seem," Shoudra was quick to respond "Do you truly understand the implications? Do you truly understand the brotherhood of dwarf to dwarf? You risk tearing the city asunder, of setting huainst dwarf What do you owe to Mirabar, Nanfoodle the Illusionist? And what do you owe to Marchion Elastul, your employer?"
"And what do I owe to the dwarves I have nanome asked innocently, and his words seemed to knock Shoudra back a step
"I know not," she adh, one that clearly showed that frustration she had spoken of
"Nor do I," Nanfoodle agreed
Shoudra straightened herself, but she seemed not so tall and terrible to Nanfoodle, seemed rather a kindred soul, befuddled and unhappy about the course of events swirling around her and outside of her control
She dropped a hand on his shoulder, a gesture of syhtly, friend Understand the implications of your actions here The dwarves of Mirabar are on the fine edge of a dagger, stepping left and right They a all the citizens bear the least love and the most loyalty to the present marchion Where will your revelations leave the with her reasoning, but he added, "And yet, if this city is all you claim it to be, if this wondrous joy of coexistence that is Mirabar is worthy of inspiring such loyalty, can it suffer the injustice of the jailing of Torgar Haain, his words see her as profoundly as any slap an to nod
"Do what you will, Nanfoodle, with no judgleam I will leave your choice to your heart None will know of this conversation, or even that you know of Torgar-not from noain on the shoulder, and turned and walked away
Nanfoodle stood there, watching her depart and wondering which course would be better Should he return to his apartar and thetroubles between the dwarves and thefull well the explosive potential of his information, and tell the dwarves the truth about the prisoner in the marchion’s jail?
No question of alchenome more than this matter Was it his place to start an uproar, perhaps even a riot? Was it his place, as a friend, to sit idly by and allow such injustice?
And what of Agrathan? If the marchion had convinced the dwarf councilor to re the part of the righteous fool? Agrathan rathan’s loyalty to his kin could not be questioned, and Agrathan had apparently said nothing about Torgar’s fate
Where did that leave Nanfoodle?
With a sigh, the little gno hi such a course He had barely gone ten strides, though, when a faure crossed before his to you, Shingles McRuff," Nanfoodle responded, and he felt his stos churning, Councilor Agrathan burst into Marchion Elastul’s audience chauards hot on his heels
"They know!" the dwarf cried, before the surprised marchion could even inquire about the intrusion, and before any of the four Ha behind Elastul could scold hi without invitation
"They?" Elastul replied, though it was obvious to all that he knew exactly of who