Love's Labors, Part 2
Weighing the various options, you quickly reach a decision, and then explain the broad strokes of your plan to Lily and the heroines. There are still details to work out... but now that you've decided to make a hunt of it right here, the next step is to gather more information before you commit to any particular course of action.
It isn't much longer before the small council concludes. Verika and Rysanial rise to their feet. "We should get going right away," Verika says. "I can use the shadowgate we stole to get us to the Underworld, but the drow will be watching the tunnels we used last time. I know more than just that one location, of course. But the other ones aren't so... convenient. And time is of the essence."
You rise to your feet as well, then pull her in close for a demanding goodbye kiss. The gorgeous drow melts into your arms, her hands snaking up behind your head to pull you closer, crushing her shapely body against yours, the kiss turning steamier by the moment. When you finally break apart, both your gazes are smoldering. "Stay safe," you say.
Verika smirks. "Same to you."
"He'll be fine," Khaytala says. She rests her strong hand on your shoulder from behind with a firm squeeze, eager to reassure her friend. "You know how good Talavar is at seducing heroines. And I'll watch out for him and Lily too. Go help your people. And don't get distracted worrying about us."
The drow gives Khaytala an appreciative smile, and then a grateful kiss of her own, while you do the same to Rysanial. Khaytala blushes a little as she and Verika pull apart, but she returns her friend's warm smile all the same. Then Verika and Rysanial turn to go, the succubus' tail already curling playfully around Verika's leg as they leave Lily's quarters together.
You get the feeling that those two will get to know each other quite well by the end of their mission.
With your goodbyes said, you and Ceriss make your excuses as well. Lily nods. "Good luck," she says earnestly. "Let me know if you need anything, and I'll try to help if I can. For now, though... I want to try and figure out what kind of extra bonus we can send Meska and her clan. As thanks for how much she went above and beyond to help you in such a dangerous situation."
With that, you and Ceriss leave your mistress safe under the watchful care of Khaytala. In silence, the two of you make your way through the narrow corridors of the fortress, until you emerge onto one of the ramparts, looking out across the plain. From here, you can see a wide view of this section of Kovora. Melca's Wall is visible off in the distance, while the tents and other loose, ramshackle dwellings of the orcs spread out around the towering fortress in a colorful, untamed sprawl.
Further out, you can see the patches of farmland that Lily has attempted to foster with her efforts, pitting all the expertise in agriculture and irrigation she was able to buy, borrow or steal against the festering curse that afflicts this land. The results of those efforts are... not nothing, from what you can tell. There do seem to be some crops growing. But even you can tell that the yields are paltry and malnourished. Not nearly enough to make a nation the size of Kovora self-sufficient.
After the silence has stretched on for a while, Ceriss speaks up. "So. How do you intend to capture Nevati?"
You glance over at her, noting the way she's regarding you, evaluating your reply. Even after you've claimed her, she's still studying you. Taking your measure, as a fellow player in the games of pleasure and seduction. Trying to determine just how much of a difference there really is between the principles she still holds and your own demonic attitudes. Her heritage, despite her own previous rejection of it.
"First, I want to get the best picture I can of what Nevati's plan is likely to be," you say, turning back to look out across the expansive vista again. "She'll be looking for information about Lily. About what Melca might have over her. What places in Kovora do you heroines know about where she might be able to find answers?"
Ceriss ponders your question. "If it's Nevati, the first place she'll think to look is a library," the tiefling eventually says. "I've heard there's one in the crypts below this very fortress, filled with all manner of blasphemous sorceries and secrets of the Witch Queens. She might try to gain access to that."
Then she turns, pointing to her left, off to the south. "But since Melca might be involved as well, there's also the scriptorium in the main cathedral for the Church of Melca in Kovora. You can't see it from here, but it's possible she might head there first."
Her words call to mind the image of High Priest Nergan, and his opposition to Lily's policies. Her words also call to mind the offer he so recently made to you. Let yourself be turned into a hollowed-out shell—giving the sadistic goddess access to the power of a Demon Lord—in exchange for Melca renouncing her claim to Lily's soul. Or so she claims.
If Nevati goes to his domain, it will doubtless be an extra complicating factor. Your hunt will take place in the presence of another powerful actor, one who is only your ally in the most nominal of senses. It goes without saying that it would increase the chance for things to go wrong.
But on the other hand... it might also offer you the chance to act against Nergan during the course of the hunt, to whatever extent or with whatever method you feel you can get away with orchestrating during the three-way clash.
You toy with the idea. He's clearly a threat to your mistress' position, so taking this opportunity to damage—or remove—him could be useful, depending on how you want to play things. But acting too overtly might incite more of Melca's wrath, and it's unclear how much she would do in retaliation if properly motivated. Right now, the dark goddess is tempted by the opportunity for power you provide. But if you show yourself too antagonistic she might pursue other options.
"We could probably influence Nevati's choice by making it publicly known that you were in one location or the other," you muse. "Making a large enough display that Nevati could hardly fail to hear of it during her infiltration. I doubt she could resist the temptation to see for herself whether you were being mistreated or not, if you were already at one of the places she needed to go." Ceriss winces slightly at the reminder of Nevati's desperate crush, but she doesn't argue.
In fact, as you consider Nevati's desire to confirm Ceriss' safety with your newly-increased mental acuity, yet another idea presents itself. "Or... on the other hand... what do you suppose would happen if we made it known that you were in neither of those places? Somewhere safe and out of the way. Somewhere that has no connection to the mission she thinks will actually help 'free' you? Even if she couldn't go herself... might it be enough for her to send one of her familiars to check on you, to see how you were doing?"
Ceriss considers your question. "Her air elemental does often act as a scout and spy," the tiefling says at length. "Aila excels at that sort of thing. She's incredibly fast. And she can be very stealthy when she wants to be."
That could be an opportunity to divide and conquer, splitting off one of her familiars alone into a trap, and subverting an inroad to the infiltration group for yourself. Of course, it would come at the cost of giving Nevati some uncertain degree of a head start, a free hand to work at whichever location she ends up starting with. But putting one of her trusted elementals under your sway might be worth the trade, and you might be able to learn all manner of information about Nevati's plans by interrogating her, in addition to using her as your agent.
Every option has its strengths and weaknesses. Do you take the safer road, concentrating on Nevati right away, from your position of greatest strength, right here? Do you try and use this opportunity to act against High Priest Nergan as well, possibly diminishing one of Lily's opponents, at the cost of risking more complications to the hunt? Or do you start by picking off one of her supporters, and using that weakness to press your advantage among her trusted companions?
