Captives

[ThePaganKing]

*Balthasar and Tamryn both receive gold chased Vellum scrolls from a courier*

Dear Balthasar/Tamryn,

You by now know that you will never be able to find Hano, Nulinus, or Sehron. You also know our power from last night. Yes, Karthus fell, but I did not, and you Balthasar, fled, with Tamryn over your shoulder.

But this is neither here nor there. I have one request and one request only, free Neradnal.

If you do not free Neradnal in three days, not only will we feed the souls of your friends to Bane, but we will unleash such a terror and slaughter amongst the populace that has never been seen before in history.

This is your first and final warning. Free Neradnal.

Elric Gallow

[Raksha]

Tamryn writes a reply to her message and sends it to a likely address, knowing it will probably get where it's bound.

Elric,

If your wish is to have Neradnal freed, you have gone about it the wrong way. I tell you that we will not free him, and this is why we have no reason to do so.

1.) You have already proven yourselves untrustworthy. First, you deceive or kidnap both of them, hardly an honorable act. Next, you lie about their location. And the followers of the Black Hand have in the past shown their amazing ability to lie, deceive, cheat and steal, almost as though they were Cyricists. Who would have thought? Even you, a snake close to Sundren's heart, have long deceived those around you, have done so through deception and misdirection.

Therefore: You have given us no reason to trust your word.

2.) Given this, and given the refusal to disclose the location of the captives, there is no reason to believe that once Neradnal is yours, you will not sacrifice them anyhow and inflict this "eeeevil terror" upon Sundren -- which you have conveniently forgotten to mention up until this point.

There is every reason, then, to believe that if we comply, you'll still carry through with your despicable plans.

3.) Even if we complied, and even in the -very- far-fetched instance that you decided to surrender the captives, it would set a precedent. Any time you wanted something, all you'd have to do is kidnap someone important and hold them for ransom. That is a precedent that cannot be set if the land is to be stable. That is a precedent that would encourage the likes of the Cartel to perform similar acts of terrorism for gold and other ransom. Where, I wonder, are all your teachings of order on this, when you actively encourage chaos with your activities? The Lord of Lies would be proud of you!

Therefore: complying with your request would itself also unleash a terror on the land.

4.) Oh. A nameless terror. How very original. I find it telling that you have not mentioned this supposed point up until now, even when logic should have told you that threatening a million was more effective at swaying us than threatening three. Why, I wonder, did you hold it back? Perhaps the conversation went something like this:

"They didn't fall for the paladin bit!"

"Oh, no! Quick! Make up something even scarier!"

There is no reason to believe that you are telling the truth. If you are, you certainly went about it in a stupid way.

5.) Does the Black Hand coddle its failures so gently? Why, I wonder, would you be willing to go to all this length to free Neradnal? Is one creature so important to you that you would reveal yourselves and make it so that you will never set foot in civilized lands again? If he is, and if you are willing to lie and deceive and act your opposites to gain him, I find that yet another reason to withhold him from you.

Now, I have this to say to you in closing.

Death is one thing, but the sacrifice of souls is another. It is a violation of the covenant of the Planes, upon which all belief is built -- man and god. Undermining the covenant weakens both. Gods will not give up the souls of their followers lightly, and they will not forget those who engage in such despicable crimes.

Do you really want to have to go before Kelemvor and explain your actions to him?

Do you want to have to tell him how you managed to undercut everything that keeps the universe in proper running order?

Do you want to tell him that you circumvented the proper process of death?

Think of your own eternity, Elric. There is still time to turn back from this lunacy.

I call upon you to release the captives and disown this path upon which you've set yourself. It can lead to no good -- for you, or anyone.

Any reply to this message is a waste of ink.

Tamryn

[ThePaganKing]

*A letter is delivered to Tamryn and Balthasar, it is on gold chased vellum with Elric Gallow's seal.*

My Dear Tamryn/Balthasar,

It seems you did not predict my true intent. I merely captured your precious friends as a diversion. While you were expending your efforts to release the captives, I and a friend stole into the Sundren jail and freed Neradnal.

Thank you for helping in this endeavor.

Yours always,

Elric Gallow