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〃We're　not　looking　for　a　new　god；〃　Houndaer　spat。
〃I'm　sure；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Perhaps　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　tell　Master　Argith　and　me　what　your　grand　and　glorious　scheme　is　all　about。　And　why　now？〃
〃Why　now？〃　the　noble　asked。
〃Our　fellowship　has　existed　for　decades；〃　the　craftsman　cut　in；　〃though　it's　only　recently　that　we　all　eloped　and　took　up　residence　here　full　time。　Formerly　we　merely　gathered　for　an　hour　or　two　every　fortnight　or　so。〃
〃If　you're　a　male；〃　Houndaer　said；　〃and　utterly　dissatisfied　with　your　place　in　Menzoberranzan；　you　need　some　sort　of　a　refuge；　don't　you？〃
〃I　quite　agree；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Of　course；　others　have　opted　for　a　merchant　House；　the　Academy；　or　Bregan　D'aerthe。
Houndaer　made　a　spitting　sound。　〃Those　are　just　places　to　hide　from　the　matrons。　This　is　a　fortress　for　males　who　want　to　turn　Menzoberranzan　upside　down　and　put　ourselves　on　top。　Why　not？　Aren't　our　mages　and　even　our　warriors　as　powerful　as　the　clergy？
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃They　certainly　are　now　that　the　priestesses　have　mislaid　their　magic。〃
Houndaer　blinked。　〃You　know　about　that？〃
〃I've　inferred　it。　You　obviously　know　as　well。　Otherwise；　you　wouldn't　run　about　breaking　spiderwebs　simply　for　the　fun　of　it；　to　say　nothing　of　putting　your　master　plan　into　motion。　I'd　be　curious　to　hear　how　you　found　out　and　if　you　know　why。〃
〃We　don't　know　why；〃　Houndaer　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃We　started　to　figure　it　out　after　a　couple　of　us　saw　priestesses　die　fighting　gricks　out　in　the　Bauthwaf。　The　bitches　should've　used　spells　to　save　themselves；　but　they　didn't；　and　we　guessed　it　was　because　they　couldn't。　After　that；　we　kept　our　eyes　open　and　waylaid　a　few　clerics　to　see　what　they'd　do　to　defend　themselves。　Everything　we　learned　supported　our　theory。〃
Pharaun　sighed　and　said；　〃Then　you　aren't　in　touch　with　some　chatty　informant　in　the　realms　of　the　divine。　Like　me；　you　merely　observed　and　deduced。　What　a　pity。　Aren't　you；　in　your　ignorance；　apprehensive　that　Lolth　will　rekindle　the　priestesses'　magic　just　when　it's　least　convenient？〃
〃Maybe　the　goddess　turned　against　the　clergy　because　it's　our　turn　to　rule；〃　said　the　moner。　〃Who's　to　say？　In　any　case；　this　is　our　chance；　and　we're　taking　it。〃
〃Your　chance　to　do　what？〃　asked　Ryld。　〃You　talk　as　if　you　intend　to　revolt；　but　instead　you're　inciting　the　slaves　into　an　uprising。〃
Houndaer　cursed。　〃You　know　that；　too？〃
〃We　stumbled　on　it　while　looking　for　you；〃　Pharaun　explained。　He　brushed　a　stray　strand　of　his　coiffure　back　into　place。　His　white　hair　shone　like　ghost　flesh　in　the　soft　light　shining　from　the　carvings。　〃As　Master　Argith　noted；　on　first　inspection；　whipping　the　undercreatures　into　a　lather　would　seem　irrelevant　to　your　objective。〃
〃Look　deeper；〃　the　noble　said。　〃We're　canny　enough　to　know　we　can't　topple　the　matriarchy　all　at　once。　Even　without　their　spells；　our　mothers　and　sisters　are　too　powerful。　They　have　too　many　talismans；　fortresses；　and；　most　importantly；　troops　and　vassals　serving　out　of　fear。〃
〃I　begin　to　prehend；　and　I　apologize　for　not　giving　you　sufficient　credit；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃This　is　merely　the　opening　gambit　in　a　sava　game　that　will　last　a　number　of　years。〃
〃When　fighting　engulfs　Menzoberranzan；〃　Houndaer　said；　〃and　the　clerics　cast　no　spells　to　put　down　the　revolt；　their　weakness　will　bee　apparent　to　everyone。　Meanwhile；　our　brotherhood　will　take　advantage　of　the　chaos　to　assassinate　those　females　who　pose　the　greatest　obstacles　to　our　ambitions。　With　luck；　the　ores　will　account　for　a　few　more。　At　the　end　of　the　day；　our　gender's　position　in　the　scheme　of　things　will　be　considerably　stronger；　and　every　male　in　the　city　will　start　aspiring　to　supremacy。
〃In　the　years　to　e；　our　cabal　will　do　whatever　we　can　to　diminish　the　females　and　put　ourselves　in　their　place。　One　day　soon；　we'll　see　a　noble　House　manded　by　a　male　and　eventually；　a　master　in　every　House。〃
He　smiled　and　added；　〃Needless　to　say；　a　master　who　belongs　to　this　fraternity。　I'll　enjoy　ruling　over　House　Tuin'Tarl；　and　I　imagine　that　you；　Brother　of　Sorcere；　wouldn't　say　no　to　primacy　over　your　own　family。〃
Pharaun　nodded　and　said；　〃You're　far　too　canny　to　have　fotten　we've　all　gone　rogue。　。。。〃
〃Our　kin　will　wele　us　back　once　we've　weakened　them　to　the　point　where　they're　desperate　for　reinforcements。　We'll　concoct　tales　of　travels　to　the　far　ends　of　the　Underdark；　or　something。　It　won't　matter　to　them　when　they're　desperate　enough。〃
〃Indeed；　you've　plotted　everything　out　so　shrewdly　that　I　only　see　one　potential　pitfall；　Pharaun　said。　〃What　if　the　goblins　and　gnolls　should　actually　succeed　in　slaughtering　us　all；　or　at　least　inflicting　such　damage　on　our　city　that　the　devastation　breaks　our　hearts？〃
Houndaer　stared　at　the　mage　for　a　moment；　then　laughed。　〃For　a　moment；　I　almost　thought　you　serious。〃
Pharaun　grinned。　〃Five　me。　I　have　a　perverse　fondness　for　japes　at　inappropriate　moments；　as　Master　Argith　will　attest。〃
Houndaer　smiled　at　Ryld　and　said；　〃I'd　just　as　soon　hear　him　attest　that　I　mastered　all　those　lessons　on　strategy　he　pounded　into　my　skull。〃
〃You　did；〃　said　Ryld；　and　perhaps　it　was　true。　His　instincts　told　him　that　this　scheme；　outlandish　as　it　seemed；　might　work；　and　he　abruptly　realized　he　didn't　know　how　he　felt　about　the　possibility。
He　and　Pharaun　had　infiltrated　the　rogues　to　betray　them；　to　placate　the　archmage；　and　because　the　Mizzrym　wizard　had　some　vague　notion　that　they'd　achieve　greater　status　and　power　and　thus　a　permanent　cure　for　Ryld's　formless　dissatisfaction；　thereby。　Yet　now　the　conspirators　were　offering　high　rank　and　a　role　in　a　grand　adventure。　Perhaps；　then；　the　teachers　should　bee　in　truth　the　rebels　they　were　pretending　to　be。
The　warrior　glanced　over　at　Pharaun。　With　a　flick　of　his　fingers　so　subtle　that　no　one　else　would　notice；　the　wizard　signed　one　word　in　the　silent　language：　Persevere。
Ryld　took　it　to　mean　that　his　friend；　with　his　usual　acuity；　had　divined　what　he　was　thinking　and　was　urging　him　to　hold　to　their　original　intent。　He　gave　a　tiny　nod　of　assent。　He　didn't　know　if　Pharaun　was　making　a　wise　choice；　but　he　did　realize　he　wouldn't　even　be　here　listening　to　this　apocalyptic　talk　if　his　friend　hadn't　asked　for　his　aid。　When　all　was　said　and　done；　Ryld　had　descended　from　MeleeMagthere　to　help　the　wizard　achieve　his　ends；　and　that　was　what　he　was　going　to　do。
Pharaun　turned　to　Tsabrak　and　said；　〃I　assume　the　driders　have　allied　themselves　with　the　conspiracy　because　the　boys　promised　you　a　place　of　honor　in　the　splendid　Menzoberranzan　to　e。　Perhaps　they　even　pledged　to　find　a　way　to　transform　you　back　into　a　drow。〃
〃Something　like　that；〃　Tsabrak　sneered。　〃Mainly；　though；　those　of　us　who　joined　did　it　for　the　chance　to　kill　lots　and　lots　of　priestesses。〃
〃I　can't　say　I　blame　you；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Well；　gentlemen；　your　plans　are　inspiring　to　say　the　least。　I'm　glad　we　sought　you　out。〃
〃So　am　I；〃　said　Ryld。
〃The　only　things　I'm　still　hazy　on；〃　the　mage　continued；　〃are　Syrzan　and　the　Prophet。　One　and　the　same？　I　see　by　your　expressions　that　they　are。　Who　is　。。。　it　really；　and　what　power　does　it　use　to　so　enthrall　the　goblins？〃
〃I　think　you're　about　to　find　out；〃　Houndaer　said。
An　instant　later；　something　droned　through　the　air；　almost　like　a　noise；　but　not。　Actually；　the　sensation　existed　solely　within　the　mind。　Pharaun　turned；　and　Tsabrak　scuttled　aside　to　reveal　the　robed　figure　in　the　doorway。　Ryld　felt　a　jolt　of　dismay。　Afraid　it　was　already　too　late；　he　sprang　up　from　the　bench
　
Chapter
E　　I　　G　　H　　T　　E　　E　　N
Off　to　Faeryl's　left　stood　an　iron　maiden　cast　in　the　form　of　a　tubby　jester　in　cap　and　bells。　The　bells　looked　real；　and　would　evidently　jingle　while　a　victim　writhed　inside。　The　device　was　open　just　a　crack；　not　enough　to　expose　the　spikes　inside。
Straight　ahead；　a　chain　and　hook　dangled　from　their　pulley；　fishing　for　a　prisoner　to　hoist；　and　a　rack　waited　to　stretch　one。　To　the　left；　a　brazier　of　coals　threw　off　dazzling　heat；　and　a　collection　of　probes；　knives；　pincers；　and　pears　hung　on　their　pegs。　Her　nemesis；　the　small　male　with　all　the　ugly　baubles；　lounged　in　that　vicinity　in　an　iron　chair　with　shackles　attached　to　the　armrests。
That　was　about　as　much　as　the　envoy　could　see　while　roped　naked　to