This still leaves the question of why Argrath sent her as his representative to Ingilli. Either he figured his proposal was so strong that Scharman would accept it even if it came from Elusu, or he actually wants Scharman to refuse her for some reason…
Why have the Giants chosen to inform Zola Fel via an Orlanthi bandit’s Trickster? And via the human priesthood in New Pavis rather than via the intelligent fish (obviously higher in ZF’s esteem/hierarchy) who informs the PCs in the Cradle scenario? And why doesn’t Scharman respond to Garrath’s kind notification via a note clenched in the severed head of G’s trickster (an act no more hostile than killing someone’s vicious pit bull or rotweiller after it attacks, i.e., not very, all in all)(seriously, Elusu’s speech must be blasphemy to ZF’s priesthood, if not to the god himself)?
*goes into the Usual Irresponsible Speculation Mode*
Elusu mentioned how not being able to protect the cradles must have made Zola Fel look to the gods. Unmentioned but implicitly hanging in those words to Scharman must have been the little question of “And how do you think it made your god look to the giants *whose babies he failed to protect*?”.
Argrath knows about this because he made friends with the old giants well enough to “riddle with them” as Elusu pointed out early in the conversation. It’s possible Zola Fel priests get to find out about this through Argrath because the giants feel Zola Fel fell down on the job and is no longer worth talking to and have decided that Argrath could do a better job of providing security. And the only reason that Zola Fel is hearing any of this is that Argrath is offering them a subcontractor’s role with a payoff of being able to get back in the giants’ good graces. In that circumstance sending back the head of the nice Trickster who was sent partly because she has a history with you, partly because she’s both good at spelling things out and expendable and partly because having her be the emissary counts as a gentle hint as to just how far down in esteem you and your river cult have fallen would hardly be a good first step in getting along with the nice Orlanthi whose help you now desperately need in relationship repair. >_>
Or it could simply mean that since Argrath is persona non grata in Pavis, it makes sense to send his stealthiest companion to sneak into the city. Someone intimately familiar with the Ingilli’s and who can take care of herself. Never at any moment can those street thugs possibly hope to deal with Elusu. She’d make mincemeat of them.
Maybe the Trickster already duped the River in mythology, and it’s a RW Heroquest. Due to mythic resonance, Elusu has +20 to convince the ZF High Priest ? Or maybe nobody else was available.
Hook, line and sinker! Having caught the Scharman fish on her narrative hook, Elusu let him thrash around while on the line and has now successfully pulled him in and landed him. Well played, Miss Elusu! 😀
So are those an Axe Maiden and a Yelmallion Hoplite standing behind Agrath at the bottom?
The Axe-maiden has horns (look “Bison-ish”) and a male “appendage”….
I love this. The whole series has been outstanding. Maybe I’m biased due to my Glorantha obsession.
Finally she gets to the point! 🙂
This still leaves the question of why Argrath sent her as his representative to Ingilli. Either he figured his proposal was so strong that Scharman would accept it even if it came from Elusu, or he actually wants Scharman to refuse her for some reason…
Why have the Giants chosen to inform Zola Fel via an Orlanthi bandit’s Trickster? And via the human priesthood in New Pavis rather than via the intelligent fish (obviously higher in ZF’s esteem/hierarchy) who informs the PCs in the Cradle scenario? And why doesn’t Scharman respond to Garrath’s kind notification via a note clenched in the severed head of G’s trickster (an act no more hostile than killing someone’s vicious pit bull or rotweiller after it attacks, i.e., not very, all in all)(seriously, Elusu’s speech must be blasphemy to ZF’s priesthood, if not to the god himself)?
*goes into the Usual Irresponsible Speculation Mode*
Elusu mentioned how not being able to protect the cradles must have made Zola Fel look to the gods. Unmentioned but implicitly hanging in those words to Scharman must have been the little question of “And how do you think it made your god look to the giants *whose babies he failed to protect*?”.
Argrath knows about this because he made friends with the old giants well enough to “riddle with them” as Elusu pointed out early in the conversation. It’s possible Zola Fel priests get to find out about this through Argrath because the giants feel Zola Fel fell down on the job and is no longer worth talking to and have decided that Argrath could do a better job of providing security. And the only reason that Zola Fel is hearing any of this is that Argrath is offering them a subcontractor’s role with a payoff of being able to get back in the giants’ good graces. In that circumstance sending back the head of the nice Trickster who was sent partly because she has a history with you, partly because she’s both good at spelling things out and expendable and partly because having her be the emissary counts as a gentle hint as to just how far down in esteem you and your river cult have fallen would hardly be a good first step in getting along with the nice Orlanthi whose help you now desperately need in relationship repair. >_>
Sending your trickster can mean that you want to insult the recipient of the message, or that you want to entertain him. Or, as this turns out, both.
Or it could simply mean that since Argrath is persona non grata in Pavis, it makes sense to send his stealthiest companion to sneak into the city. Someone intimately familiar with the Ingilli’s and who can take care of herself. Never at any moment can those street thugs possibly hope to deal with Elusu. She’d make mincemeat of them.
Maybe the Trickster already duped the River in mythology, and it’s a RW Heroquest. Due to mythic resonance, Elusu has +20 to convince the ZF High Priest ? Or maybe nobody else was available.
(cues up The Lonely Island)
Hook, line and sinker! Having caught the Scharman fish on her narrative hook, Elusu let him thrash around while on the line and has now successfully pulled him in and landed him. Well played, Miss Elusu! 😀
Another great installment!