Sue It's best to do as much of the work in void, right? I'll build in a simple device to generate a baseline noise. Then the instrument will nullify all of that noise by default, and cease nullification when a note has to be played.

Dionysus So... basically, something to clean up the audio from distractions?

Sue Yeah. The net effect is to make music without an external sound source.

Dionysus Nice.

Dionysus Any other modifications to it?

Sue If the tech is available, we'll use void-based systems to record and play back note sequences, like midi. Also it should be possible to program it to play arbitrary sounds by specifying pitch, etc, numerically.

Sue Like something between midi and a player piano, really.

Sue Finally, it should be possible to target and alter the output of specific sound sources, sort of like an equalizer, I think?

Dionysus Explain these in void-terms

Sue Instead of recording the sound, it records the nullification parameters.

Sue So if you change the sound source, it completely changes what a listener will hear.

Dionysus Okay, so it warps the sound it records with void?

Sue It doesn't record any sounds. It records the void. So you can apply the same nullification repeatedly.

Dionysus So it records the nulls. Gotchya.

Dionysus You can roll void engineering for that. You get help doing this, though, right?

Sue Yeah. The first attempt is with the Sodzulian engineers, and after that, with the Bearer's followers.

Dionysus +3 for the former, +5 for the latter.

Dionysus I rolled shit there. You didn't even need the bonuses. Anyway, yes, your antivox mk2 is intensely upgraded

Dionysus The island bridge outpost: Damon sends an expedition to meet you there, so this takes place a two months into things. You, presumably, just key in.

Dionysus ?

Sue Sure.

Dionysus What do you bring, if anything?

Dionysus And do you discuss ideas to make it safer?

Sue A couple units of Sodzulian soldiers, a negotiator, a couple scientists. We key in, establish a perimeter, and set up a camp.

Sue Oh, right. And a couple engineers to work on securing the portal.

Dionysus You find the Maraddonians there when you arrive, having a rudimentary camp themselves. Two mages are with them, a scholar, and two dozen warrior marines.

Sue Does the portal give the camp enough void to see by?

Dionysus Yes. Easily.

Dionysus The fear is evident on all the non-voidkin's faces.

Sue Okay. So the soldiers guard the portal and the rest of the camp, the scientists study area, and the negotiator can work out the conditions and goals of this enterprise.

Sue study the area, rather. the soil, the air, the water, flora/fauna, weather, etc.

Dionysus The scholar studies the portal, the mages put up magical wards around the island that will hurt any voidkin that crosses them without warning the mages to turn them off first.

Dionysus The soldiers stand guard with your soldiers

Dionysus And a sergent sets up a customs table.

Sue Are we on Maraddonian soil?

Dionysus As far as Sue knows.

Sue Okay, then.

Dionysus Unles he made a point of finding out.

Sue It doesn't really matter. My people can always fall back into the void and pop out anywhere on the planet if they push us.

Dionysus And kill the wards with formless ones, who vastly outpower the runes and aren't easily detected

Dionysus What messages do you leave for the gith?

Sue Requests to meet in person and requests for general information about their culture - what are their laws, where are the boundaries of their territory, what goods would they like to trade for.

Dionysus You get no responses during the 26 weeks.

Sue Watching the mountains, does anyone report seeing the gith picking up the messages?

Dionysus They report that no one visits there but them and the occassional wild animal

• Sue gets reports every two weeks, suspects that the gith lied to him after the second round of reports.

Dionysus Indeed they did

Dionysus The pilgrims send word intermittently.

Sue Have there been any reports of major problems? Mugging, imprisonment, enslavement, murder?

Dionysus Some have found some cultists of Never in some odd places. Some have found some students. Some have been chased out of towns. One got impressed into the Kren'atanic navy.

Dionysus One saved some folks from bandits and earned their respect. He talked with them of void.

Sue Magic-based bandits?

Sue Are any of the cultists causing problems?

Dionysus The bandits were just normal, but notknowing anything about athaks, they were terrified of the pilgrim and his crafty lies

Dionysus And yes, they are. They've become openly hostile.

Sue Hah.

Sue Are local authorities having trouble dealing with them?

Dionysus They seem to not have their former potency, actually.

Dionysus They're resorting to mundane physical violence & disturbances.

Sue Hmm. Then I won't intervene.

Dionysus Any orders, etc. for them?

Sue If the pilgrims run into the cultists, keep your distance and keep a record of their actions. If any pilgrim writes a letter asking for help, I'll visit them.

Sue s/keep your distance/they are to keep their distance/

Dionysus One doesn't outright ask for help, but the letter is about his finding an old void temple controlled now by cultists in the mountains of Ansulym. He has tried without much success to infiltrate it, and he worries at what they are doing. He says he can't do it alone.

Sue I'll key into the area before putting the letter down.

Dionysus You come out in a narrow mountain pass, near a small tent. You can see the temple looming high up above, overhanging a cliff.

• Sue peeks into the tent. "Hello?"

Dionysus The pilgrim is inside. He gasps, <Avatar!>

• Sue goes in and sits down. He hands the pilgrim his own letter. <What have you learned?>

Dionysus <Oh my. Well, there's a cave that leads into the temple's lower areas, where I steal food from their larders. They haev the rest of the place sealed up tight. They capture people from the valleys and sacrifice them to their god. It's quite... unpleasant."

Dionysus >

Sue <All athaks? Ogres, dopplegangers?>

Dionysus <They're all athaks up there. I think they sacrifice humans, and goblins.>

Sue <They're probably trying to revive their power. Sacrifice, relics, and prayer to saints can all substitute when direct prayer fails.>

Sue <Are the valley authorities looking for the missing humans and goblins?>

Dionysus <I don't know. I've not been down there. I just see them go in & come back out with prisoners. They might be buying them.>

• Sue goes down to the valley where the sacrifices come from, to find a slaver pen.

Dionysus Keying there?

Sue Keying a bit closer, trying not to let anyone see the portals.

Dionysus Roll rogue?

Dionysus You're fairly close to town when you see the slave pens, and also when you think you hear something alarm-like sounding up at the temple, far off.

• Sue goes back to his entry point and closes the portal.

Sue Actually, leave it open.

• Sue closes the exit portal, leaves the entry portal open.

Dionysus And then?

Sue Can I hear the alarm more clearly?

• Sue speaks to the pilgrim. <What's that noise?>

Dionysus A bit, yes.

Dionysus <I think one of their lookouts saw your gates from above.>

Dionysus <They sent a patrol out.>

• Sue gestures to the portal. <Get inside. Take your gear.>
• Sue steps inside the portal after the pilgrim and waits.

Dionysus He doesn't hesitate to do so.

• Sue turns the portal around so that it opens away from the pilgrim and his things, but comes out at the same place on Shem.

Dionysus Ha! A cautious lesser athak head pokes through the other side of it, then

Sue I have about 10 minutes.

Sue Is that my pilgrim, or the patrol?

Dionysus The patrol.

• Sue watches them carefully. "Do you know who I am?"

Quothar Presumably, that was in athak speak: <The Heretic.>

Sue Yes, lesser athakish. What's he speaking?

Quothar Same

Sue "That's a matter of perspective. Who are you?"

Sue Are they armed?

Sue Or carrying anything in their hands?

Quothar He steps fully into the Void, and you see he is carrying an athak-sized polearm, <Silence, Heretic.> He levels the polearm toward you threateningly.

Sue Can I use void manipulation to force-push him back several meters?

Quothar In the realm of Void, all matter is imbued with void, including the air. So yes.

Sue Okay. I'm actually more concerned with the weapon, so I'll just nullify it.

Quothar Don't really bother rolling: it ceases to be in the manner of your description.

• Sue glances toward the polearm, then back to the athak's face. The polearm ceases to exist in the interval, leaving the neverite miming his previous action.
• Sue without emotion, "The Voice of the Void can not be silenced by brute force."

Quothar He stops in mid gesture, then gapes a moment. He looks to you & says, <The others will come through soon if I do not return. They will overwhelm even you, Heretic.>

Quothar <Do with me what you will. I welcome Oblvion.>

Sue "Why?"

• Sue , curious, thoughtful.

Quothar <It is the first step toward re-creation.>

Sue "How old are you?"

Quothar <What?>

• Sue stands at ease, hands folded behind his back around the key. "How old are you? How many years? Do you have any children?"

Quothar <You seek to corrupt me, Heretic. I will not heed your words.>

Sue "How will I corrupt you?"

• Sue shakes his head. "Come. There is something I want you to see."

Sue Is he completely inside the portal?

Quothar He hesitates, then crosses his arms. <I will not be swayed.> Oh yes.

• Sue passes him and closes it.

Sue As the portal shuts, the pilgrim and his camp become visible.

Quothar The athak glares, <So you make me a prisoner.>

Sue If the cultist doesn't act, Sue will step a couple meters away and begin opening a new portal. "Don't whine. I don't wish to be followed. If you still want to return to the world when I am done with you, I will send you there."

Quothar <What do you intend to do with me?>

Sue The new portal opens into the lobby of Quaigor's palace. "Only to show you some of the wonders you are so eager to destroy." He gestures to the pilgrim, "You may come along, if you wish."

Quothar The pilgrim bows & follows.

Quothar The Neverite hesitates, then decides to follow.

Sue As they walk, "You are lucky. You became a heretic now, and not during the reign of the Bearer. She would have razed your compound to ash and tortured all of you to death."

Quothar <The Bearer will fall, in time.>

Sue "Perhaps. Even the gods can fall."

Quothar <Do not threaten me.>

Sue Does anyone in heaven take notice of us?

Quothar Quaigor is missing from his throne room, but the throngs of void-folk are there.

Quothar Six black angels stand near the Throne, their leader a full head taller than them. Roll void lore if you wish, to see if you know about them

Sue I don't have it listed.

Quothar Probably equal to your original void faith, but I rolled v. awareness, so that works, too.

Quothar You don't know for sure who or what they are.

Quothar Void-based angels or winged void-men is the best you can figure.

• Sue notes the empty throne and bows to the angels. "Hello."

Quothar <Greetings, Avatar. You bring one with you we would normally lay low. Why is this?> His voice is seductive, the leader's, haunting, and chilling all at once.

Sue "To understand him. He will not answer my questions. He is hostile, but compliant, as he understands the futility of lashing out here."

Quothar <His is an affront to the Void-Father, but we will accede to your will, for now. I am Nafiel, Angel of the Void, Captain of the Host of the Damned, and Steward of the Void while our master is away and I am not.>

Sue How is the heretic responding to all this?

Quothar He is clearly nervous, but trying to hide it behind bravado. He's glaring at the world around him, almost refusing to accept it. When Nafiel speaks, he stops short of cowering in terror.

• Sue bows his head and attempts to contact Quaigor. . o O ( Void-father, is anything wrong? )

Quothar Nothing new is wrong. I simply am expending my duties in facing the Wrongness. The Webweaver has called a council of the Black, and I attend in whole.

Sue . o O ( Is the Never with You? )

Quothar He is not. The Lost Gods are not welcome at this council, and he has been outcast even from their camp for his actions. Were there no war, I would seek the Arbiter's judgment upon him. For now, he is a rogue deity.

• Sue raises his head and addresses his followers. "Is there anything here you would like to see before we move on to the white moon?"

Quothar The pilgrim bows, <I am unworthy, Avatar.> And the Neverite just shudders and does not respond.

• Sue bows again to Nafiel, and opens a portal to Uur Sodzul, just outside the city of the core. He leads them through the portal and closes it behind him.

Quothar Nafiel bows shallowly in return. The others follow you. The city of the core is as you left it, a city on the walls and ceiliing of a cave.

• Sue begins walking toward the nearest pod station. "What were your professions, before the schism?"

Quothar "I have always been a temple guard," the Neverite says. The pilgrim says, "I was a factory worker."

Sue "A temple guard? What temple?"

Quothar "The one in Uodzopaarum," a city in your home region.

Sue "On what side did it fall during the schism?"

Sue "The name is familiar to me. I think I may have performed there as a child."

Quothar "Both. I left when our side was forced to leave."

Sue "Why did you decide to follow the Never?"

Quothar "My friends brought me to a meeting," he is growing more talkative, "and the words of the priests moved me."

Sue "Will you tell us what they said?"

Quothar He hesitates, realizing he has been talking, then says, "They spoke of the Oblivion that will wipe the scourge of the untrue from this realm, and the re-creating of the realm into the perfect existence of unmaking."

• Sue is quiet for a moment. "It sounds as if you don't much like this world."

Quothar "It is tainted."

Sue "What is the nature of the taint?"

Quothar He holds up his hand and void energy bubbles up, "That which this destroys, and that which this corrupts. All should be as this, and this should be the destroyer of that which isn't it."

Sue "Void? The priests claimed that void should be supreme?"

Quothar "Void is tainted! It does not unmake! It is... weak here."

Sue "Years ago, I learned the method of converting void into anti-sound. More recently, I have learned to convert it into anti-thought, anti-gravity, anti-pressure, and anti-matter."

Sue "The latter I demonstrated on your spear when we met."

Quothar "But you have sold your soul to the false god for such powers. It should be like that naturally."

Sue "I learned the method of anti-sound on my own, through study and experimentation. The lunar athaks, here, learned many other methods in their own ways." He stops in front of the pod stop and presses the call button. "Take this device, for example. Like all the white moon's wonders, it is powered by void, but the technique is not based on faith or magic."

Quothar "The technocrats use the tainted ways of unvoid sciences to manipulate the power into what it should be naturally."

Sue "Oh? Can your power do what a train does?"

Quothar "The high priests can nullify distance."

Sue "So your power is limited to a few. That is the way of magic and faith. But anyone can press a button and call the void-car. That is the advantage of technology."

Quothar "That is the /taint/ of magic and faith and your foul sciences. In the realm of the true power, all would be able to partake in it freely."

Sue "The Void exists. Uur Sodzul exists. Void technology exists."

Quothar "Much to my disappointment."

Sue "Your promised-land does not exist. And to achieve it, you would have to face and defeat much stronger enemies than myself."

Quothar "I might not have the strength to do it, nor the life to see it, but the cause will live on. One day, the Webweaver, the Flower Witch, and Death Itself will be swept away by the tides of Oblivion. Magic, faith, void, science, all these things will cease to be."

• Sue shrugs. "We'll see. Get in the car."
• Sue opens the door and gestures to the seat.

Quothar He does.

• Sue sits down and directs the pod to the surface.

Quothar The pilgrim follows, if you let him, but says quietly to you, "He is a dark idealist. He will never change his mind. We should end him, Avatar."

Sue Once they've gotten over the shock of being moved by the pod, Sue continues. "I believe that you are wrong, but it is logically impossible to prove a negative. If the proof of the wonders I have shown you is not enough, if you continue to cling to the unproven promise of an ideal world, then I must admit defeat."

Quothar He looks at you with cynicism etched on his face in voidsight, "You will give yourself to the Never?"

• Sue laughs. "Of course not. I only admit that I cannot change your mind."

Quothar "You see wonders here. I see ostentation."

Sue "How could you not? You compare everything to a fantasy."

Quothar "I compare them to an ideal."

Sue "An ideal may or may not exist. Your realm of true power does not."

Quothar "You cannot prove that."

Sue "As I said, a negative cannot be proven. That is why the burden of proof is yours."

Quothar "And to prove it, you would have to let me attain it. Which you will not."

Sue "You wouldn't guess it to meet me, but I have never been a practical person. I left my scholarship at the musical academy behind to become a wandering bard. I uttered the Void-Father's name on ... on a dare! But this ideal of yours ... to wipe out all the art and history and blood that he come before us ... it is beyond the pale, even to me."

Sue s/he come/has come/

Quothar "It is all unworthy of existence."

Sue "What can you compare it to?"

Sue "You are literally dismissing everything."

Quothar "I have seen the powers of Oblivion. I know what they are, know how they feel. And I know how this feels."

• Sue shakes his head slowly and waits for the car to reach the surface.

Quothar It arrives.

• Sue steps outside. "I'll be returning you to the planet now. Are you ready?"

Sue Is Shem visible in the sky?

Quothar Yes.

Quothar He nods.

Sue Sue opens a portal to the void, steps inside, turns around, and void-throws the neverite toward the planet.

• Sue turns to the pilgrim. "If you ever get into an argument over which of two groups to commit genocide on, never use 'I know how it feels' as one of your arguments."

Quothar Did you just hurl him through space?

Quothar To the planet?

Sue Yes.

Quothar Benjesus, I love you. He screams

• Sue gates back to Maraddon, to the special forces compound.

Quothar The pilgrim bows, "I understand, Avatar."

Quothar Do you take the pilgrim with?

Sue Yes, if he makes any effort to keep pace.

Quothar He does. He has no interest in being left on Uur Sodzul, no matter how wondrous it is.

Quothar You come out in the special forces compound. Some men are at practice.

Sue At the SFC, Sue finds Varhail, or whoever is in charge, and asks, "I need to perform a military action against a building in Mwyr Aeld. Who in their government should I contact?"

Quothar Varhail frowns, "How big an action?"

• Sue turns to the pilgrim. <How many heretics would you say there were?>

Quothar <I counted about thirty distinct individuals, not counting slaves.>

• Sue nods approvingly. <Well done.> To Varhail, "I'll probably take about a hundred of my soldiers. I intend to be in and out within a day."

Quothar He blinks, "Talk to Damon, inky. He handles the delicate stuff."

• Sue goes to Damon's office and asks him the same question.

Quothar "The Vendales are still nominally our allies."

Quothar "But they might not have influence if this stronghold is in a place where they do not rule."

Sue "Do we have a map of all the provinces?"

Quothar He calls a page to bring one, and it is brought

Sue http://merukis.net/wiki/index.php/Shem/TamarnthekMap that one?

Quothar Shit, I never posted a Mwyr Aeld map

Quothar That one will do for now.

• Sue indicates on the map the approximate location of the cult temple.

Quothar It would be in what the map calls Thorath

Quothar Damon considers, then says, "They might be able to help us. Are you certain a hundred men is necessary?"

Sue "There. In Thorath. Who rules there?"

Sue "They've been performing sentient sacrifices. They may have some power."

Quothar "Vera Brace rules there. A doppleganger duchess."

Sue "Does she have any religious affiliation?"

Quothar "She's a follower of envy."

• Sue nods. "Thank you, Chancellor." If Damon doesn't have anything else, Sue gates to Uur Sodzul and informs the appropriate military official that I want to attack a temple of nothingness on the planet. Ton is to assist the commander.

Quothar The Brethren prepare a force. Ton joins in the preparations.

Sue While they prepare, Sue goes to see Vera Brace.

Quothar Her capital city is Baradin. Do you just show up in her bedroom, or?

Sue Outside the city. I'll try walking inside.

Sue The pilgrim is left behind to help Ton.

Quothar The city is a bit tense, but no one actually pays you much heed. Ogres, humans, drow elves mostly dwell here, but you don't seem to bother them. Some are probably dopplegangers, but unless you stare into their eyes, you don't spot them

• Sue walks to the biggest, most opulent building in the city. At the gates, Sue says, "I wish to speak to Vera Brace."

Quothar <And you are?>

Sue <Subiquim Ixioj, First Brethren of Uur Sodzul, and Avatar of Void.>

Quothar The guardsman is a drow elf. He looks bored, "Prove it."

• Sue tilts his head slightly. <Very well. Take hold of that gate. Make sure you have a firm grip.>

Sue Actually, that's a silly idea. Never mind.

Quothar What's he do instead?

• Sue opens a portal to Uur Sodzul, outside the city of the core, then gestures toward it. <My empire is in there.>

Quothar So you open two, one to the Void, one to Uur Sodzul?

Sue Right.

Sue If the drow approaches the portal, Sue says, "You'll die." And then when he has his attention, adds, "If you try to touch it. That is the Void."

Quothar He stares a moment, then tells the other guard to send word to her Grace.

Sue Okay then.

• Sue closes the portal again.

Sue Portals, really.

Quothar A moment later, a few soldiers come out and ask you to follow them inside.

• Sue follows them.

Sue Also, Manny has been with me the whole time, unless he ran off at some point.

Quothar No, he's there, being silently intimidating.

Quothar You are lead inside, into a sumptuous palace, to a small office, where a bull necked human with startling green eyes sits poring over a scroll. "Brethren Ixioj? Is that the proper address?"

Sue "It suffices."

Quothar "I am Duchess Vera Brace," she says in a deep, manly voice. "Why are you here?"

• Sue bows. "Your Grace, are you aware that there is a cabal of followers of a rogue god in your territory?"

Quothar She looks at you a moment, then says, "A 'rogue' god?"

Sue "Yes. Are you familiar with the Never?"

Quothar She frowns, "No. Is that some time monster?"

• Sue pulls in a breath and explains. "The Never, god of nothingness, was once one of the lost gods, but now even they will not accept him. His followers seek to nullify all that exists. Because most of his followers are athaks, the church of void takes special interest in dealing with the threat they pose."

Quothar "So you are saying you wish to route out some heretics, and they are here in my realm?"

Sue "Correct." He steps over to her map, and indicates. "Roughly here, in this range of mountains."

Quothar "/Can/ they wipe out existence?"

Sue "Small parts of it, certainly. So far we have been successful at preventing them from acquiring a stable base of power."

Quothar "So you mean 'no.' They are not my concern."

Sue "I can accept that. They remain mine. I would like your permission to assault their base."

Quothar She considers, "What do I get in return?"

Sue "Aside from the good will of a technologically advanced empire? What would you like in return?"

Quothar She smiles, "Tell me of your technology."

Sue "It has many applications. Transport, communication, defense, industry. It is void-based, of course."

Quothar "Weapons?"

Sue "Naturally. Would you accept a sample of our weapons technology in exchange for your cooperation?"

Quothar "Bring me this technology. Enough for... ten men to use."

• Sue nods. "Where would you like them delivered?"

Quothar "My courtyard will suffice."

• Sue goes there, opens a gate to Uur Sodzul, and goes inside. <Are the soldiers ready?>

Quothar They indicate that they are.

• Sue gets 10 rifles delivered to the courtyard, a more primitive model than the one shown to Maraddon, then announces that the assault will begin at once.

Quothar 100 vs. 30? Wanna narrate the scene to me? The temple is atop a cliff, with doors opening to a narrow mountain pass. The Neverites are holed up with about two dozen living slaves.

Sue An enormous gate opens, high in the air above the cult temple. Two void dragons rush out of it and begin circling. One lands on the roof, hard, destroying part of it, and muffling a few screams. General clamor begins inside, and a few athaks make a break for it, while others begin to resist, firing bullets or bolts of power. The second dragon dives, making a snack of one of the fleeing heretics. One by one,

Sue man-sized gates open all around the temple, and units of Sodzulian soldiers flood out, overwhelming the remaining heretics. About halfway through the execution of the slaves, portals start to open inside the building, which rapidly fills with the remaining soldiers. Within twenty minutes, every one of the heretics has been killed or handcuffed. The dragons fall back and the portals close in the order they

Sue were opened, except for the last. Sue steps through it to speak to the survivors.

Sue Cutoff?

Dionysus No, it all came through

Dionysus The surviving slaves stare, horrified. The heretics stand defiantly in chains and cuffs.

• Sue speaks to the heretics first. <Who is first among you?>

Dionysus A moment of shuffling, then one speaks up, <I am, Heretic.>

Sue <Choose. Nothingness or life.>

Dionysus <Nothingness.>

• Sue nullifies him. Then he turns to the rest. <Does anyone choose their life?>

Dionysus About a fourth of them do.

Sue <You who choose to exist are now citizens of Uur Sodzul. Pass through the portal.> <Soldiers, these men have repented. Take them to our empire, they are refugees.>

Sue First is in lesser athak, second is greater.

Dionysus Noted, They comply, all of them

Sue <The rest are heretics. Take them to prison.>

Dionysus They do so.

Dionysus Ton walks up to you, bearing a book. <Avatar.>

• Sue turns to him. <Yes, Ton?>

Dionysus <This is their holy book. What do we do with it?>

• Sue smiles. <We read it, of course.>

Dionysus He bows and hands it to you.

• Sue accepts it, but turns to the slaves. "Name. Race. Home. You first, then the rest of you in order."
• Sue gets something to write on.

Sue I don't actually care about their names, but I have to get them all home.

Sue Or to whatever destination they choose.

Dionysus They give them, and they tell you their home is the city in the valley

Sue "Were you bought there as slaves?"

Dionysus All of them are human or goblin

Dionysus They indicate that they were. If they realize you mean their original homes, they tell you places all over the Empire of Mwyr Aeld.

• Sue frowns. "I have no intention of returning you to slavery. I have friends in Maraddon. Would you prefer to go there?"

Dionysus All but a few of the goblins would.

Sue To the few, "You prefer to stay in Mwyr Aeld?"

Sue When the athaks are taken to the moon and the slaves have all given their names, the slaves are untied.

Sue Or released. As appropriate.

Sue If they were restrained somehow.

Dionysus They do--their homes are the wild mountains, anyway

Dionysus They were shackled by their former masters, and your athaks didn't release them til you sai dto.

Dionysus They are now released.

Sue "Then you are free to go where you will."

Dionysus They slowly scatter.

Dionysus Now what?

Sue "The rest of you will have to stay here for now." Sue arranges passage to Maraddon, hiring a ship and using voidcars to bring the slaves to the port. The building is searched for religious paraphernalia and then abandoned.

Sue How many slaves were there?

Dionysus 23

Sue Not knowing where else to go, Sue asks Arsul what to do with 23 refugees.