2nd Day of Growfest, 565 CY
Headquarters of The Emerald Serpent, Willip, Furyondy
"Please… kill me."
The Emerald Serpent glanced over at Tadoa.
The yuan-ti, still in his elf guise, had been going over numerous sheets of parchment on his lap as he sat in his chair by the black stone slab on which Tad lay. The Serpent reached over and placed the papers on the nearby worktable, then stood up and bent over the young elf.
The brief flicker of intelligence and pleading that had been in the boy's eyes faded. The Serpent had been surprised that any of it still lingered. He smiled benignly at the youth, holding a thin finger in front of the elf's eyes.
"Perhaps, my dear boy… if you are good."
Tadoa snarled and lunged his head forward, trying to bite the finger. The Serpent yanked his hand away just in time but did not seem to take offense. He merely stood there, observing as Tad writhed his limbless trunk around, trying to move. His teeth chomped constantly, and he bit his lip. A small trickle of blood mixed with a few bubbles of foam about his mouth. Feral sounds came from within Tadoa's throat as the child glared at his captor with a burning insanity.
The door opened and a middle-aged human male entered. He was of average height, and well built, although not so much as to be exceptional. His hair, worn almost to his shoulders, was a very light brown, starting to fade to salt-and-pepper. His pale blue eyes paid wordless tribute to the Serpent, although they did glance momentarily over to the elf child growling and squirming on the black slab. He was dressed simply, in a gray shirt and trousers, and carried a sheet of parchment and a feathered quill in one hand.
The Emerald Serpent rose from his chair and took a step towards the center of the chamber. "Ah, greetings! You are 'Olec' today, are you not?"
The man nodded, a smile crossing his handsome features. "Olec Hardson, experienced wainwright, at your service, Master."
The Serpent acknowledged with a small nod. "And what can I do for you today, Olec?"
The man assumed a somewhat cautious demeanor. "I'm sorry to interrupt you, Master, but we did need to give you a status report and ask if there any changes needed. You've been spending a lot of time here with this one," he finished, indicating Tadoa with a nod of his head.
The Serpent gave an apologetic smile. "Yes, I have sequestered myself down here quite a bit recently, haven't I?" He gave a small, false laugh and leaned briefly over Tad again, while still smiling at Olec. "You know- elf-talk."
Tad snarled and again lunged for the Serpent, but the elder "elf" had already returned to his previous position. "Let's have it, then."
The man frowned, then glanced over at Tadoa. "Er, master, " he inquired. "Shouldn't we…?
The Serpent looked over at his captive, then withdrew the black wand from his robes.
"I don't think that will be necessary any more, Olec."
He pointed it at the young elf and hissed. The child's body arced as if a jolt of electricity had gone through him. An incomprehensible noise escaped from Tad's lips, but no dark gray liquid flowed.
The human gave his master a wry smile. "Well has run dry, then?"
The Emerald Serpent sighed. "So it would seem. Ah, well. Even the most bountiful harvest cannot last forever. I'd say we got our money's worth out of this one, though. In any case, your report, please."
Olec consulted the sheet in his hand. "Of course. Let's see… the emissary from the Horned Society arrived yesterday. We received the agreed payment, and he took the horsehair bundle and is on his way back to Molag."
He glanced up at the Serpent, perhaps hoping for some elaboration, but his master merely nodded. "Good. Proceed."
Awkwardly, the human made a scribble on the parchment with one hand, while holding it in the other. "Our plans against Chauv, while still in the early stages, proceed. The Grey Serpent is ready for Stage One, while our volunteer continues to train for Stage Two."
Another nod from the Serpent. Another scribble.
"We have received word from Dangerous Hands. He, The Runt and Sbalt have finished preparing the lair of Sandcats in Farlyow. It is ready to serve as their base of operations. Nodyath has brought the two rescued recruits there and dropped them off. " Olec looked up from the parchment to give his superior a leer. "Sbalt still thinks he runs the show, but Dangerous Hands has him well in hand."
The Emerald Serpent grimaced. "If you're ever thinking of disguising yourself as a bard, Olec, I'd advise against it. What of Sbalt's brigand band?"
"Thirty to forty strong, currently hiding out north, near the Castle Chauv. They stand ready when needed, or at least they say so."
"And the new recruits?"
Olec ran the quill down the list. "I made some notes… ah, here they are. One is Transdoor, a priest of Nerull. Nodyath freed him from an Ulekian prison. The other is Frill, a sorcerer who has been involved in a long-standing feud against a Nyrondese wizard. He wishes our aid against his rival when this task is accomplished."
The Serpent considered. "Perhaps, perhaps not. We'll attend to that when the time comes. What of Nodyath? Where is he now?"
Olec made another scribble, then frowned at his superior. "I don't know, Master. He has quite the attitude, that one. He does say that he continues to spy on the Brass Dragon Inn and has learned new information through his helm of telepathy. Apparently, Elrohir and his allies were sent by King Belvor to deal with some slavers in The Pomarj. They are now returning via ship, but it is unknown as to the date of their arrival."
The Serpent looked thoughtful.
"When they do return to their inn, have Nodyath inform us, and then have him contact Sbalt. He and the others will then make their move and destroy these people utterly."
Olec looked curious. "You think this Elrohir and the others are a threat to us?"
The Emerald Serpent raised an eyebrow. "Not yet, but why wait until they are?"
"SNAKES!" Tadoa suddenly screamed.
Olec stared at the elf.
"They're coming! Writhing, coiling, sliding, slithering! They're at your feet, and in your soul! They will swallow us whole, and we will laugh! Laugh all the way down! Down, down, down we go!"
Shrieking laughter erupted from the child's throat, but all sound suddenly ceased as the Emerald Serpent, his eyes flashing with anger, thrust his right arm downwards. He then turned to regard Olec, who was looking at him in puzzlement.
"Loud, that one. I can't hear myself think."
Olec's questioning gaze softened, but did not disappear.
The Serpent's face relaxed in an easy smile.
"Don't you humans have a saying? Children should be seen, and not heard?"
His follower relaxed, looked back at his scroll and made a last scribble. Rolling it up, he again addressed his master, a frown now on his face.
"There is one last thing. I was contacted last night while walking along the docks. The Mammal of The Lake. He says if we do not feed him again soon, he will come ashore to find his own food. It sounded like a veiled threat to me."
"Hmm," the Serpent mused. "I think that perhaps our aquatic ally has outlived his usefulness." He tapped the wand into his right palm several times, thinking. Olec waited patiently until his superior's eyes rested on him again.
"The Wizard's Guild has been preparing to move against Chic for some time now. Alert our contact there. I think perhaps we should aid these noble practitioners of magic against this fiendish menace, don't you think?" He flashed another fake smile at Olec, who returned the grin.
The Serpent gestured to Tadoa. "For now though, we'll keep him quiet. Give him this one."
Olec nodded. "I'll take care of it tonight." The Serpent however, shook his head.
"No. Give the job to someone else, and do not tell him about our plans. Chic might see your thoughts if you do it, and we don't want to tip our hand."
The man frowned. "So, it is true, then? The Mammal can read our minds, and not just speak to us in our heads?"
The Serpent nodded. "Yes. Chic is a true telepath. And they can be… most dangerous."
Olec's eyes narrowed. "Wouldn't that category include Nodyath, as well?"
The elf again flashed his mirthless smile.
"Indeed it does. Do not worry, however." He tapped his temple with the wand. "I have a plan all prepared to deal with him, should the need arise." He looked back at Tadoa, who now appeared to be crying softly, his eyes shut tight. The Serpent raised his right arm to raise the silence, and then he and Olec moved over to the child.
"I'll get a sack and wagon ready," the human said, and then glanced at the elf's limbs, still dangling from the meat hooks. Olec looked back over to the Serpent while indicating them. "Do you want me to take these, as well?"
"No," the Serpent said softly. He reached out and gently pushed one leg into the other limbs. The metal rings encircling them rebounded off one another, producing a metallic tinkling Olec found quite pleasant.
"You know I and my mate- um, my wife, have a child," he told the man, while giving the limbs another small push. "I think I will give these as a gift to my son. A set of wind chimes." The Serpent looked abashed as he turned back to Olec and shrugged. "What can I say? I'm a lover of music."
Olec shook his head and whistled. "That's pretty… cold-blooded, master. If I may say so."
This time, the Emerald Serpent's smile was genuine.
"Why, thank you, Olec."
"Down we go," giggled Tad.