Editing A New Ally

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{{TErow| 1 |day 1|My battles with Kija's Barbarians slowed me down enough that I've lost Gelu.  We know he was heading north, but he is so far ahead of me now that I'm afraid I won't catch up to him in time.<p>I have to face the possibility that Gelu might beat me to the Sword of Frost.  But would that be such a bad thing?  Yes, the Ancestors told me that if the Sword of Frost and Armageddon's Blade should ever meet, it would bring about the destruction of the world.  But can Gelu be foolish enough to allow that to happen?<p>But no matter how good his intentions, Gelu cannot stop the unpredictable.  Kija's presence here in the north is evidence of that.  What would happen if she were to obtain the Sword of Frost?  Horror!<p>So, to strengthen my own forces I've decided to enlist the help of the Azure Dragons.  Some of these pompous, but supremely powerful creatures live in the region.  I need only to find them.}}

{{TErow| 5 |day 5|A Harpy scout returned to camp today with horrible news.  Kija's Barbarians are in the north.  Somehow, they circled around me and, once again, they block my path.}}

{{TErow| 9 |day 9|My Beholder spy, Neez, has somehow learned that Kija left the Barbarians in the north to delay me long enough for her to catch up to Gelu.  I've learned that it's best not to ask Neez how he gets his information.  I'm sure it came at the cost of several dead bodies.<p>"Try to learn where Kija and Gelu are headed," I ordered.<p>Then to Kilkik, I said, "We can't be wasting our time on these Barbarians!"<p>"Yes, I will begin looking for a weakness," Kilkik said.}}

{{TErow| 12 |loc={{teal}}|Day 12|freq=14|Knowing that my resources are going to be slim up here in the northern wastes, I've arranged for the Dungeons I've left behind to step up production and ship everything they can here to me in the north.  Every two weeks I should receive a huge shipment.<p>I just hope it will be enough.|effect=+3 {{w}} [[Wood]], +10 {{m}} [[Mercury]], +3 {{o}} [[Ore]], +2 {{s}} [[Sulfur]], +5 {{c}} [[Crystal]]s, +2 {{gem}} [[Gems]], +15000 {{g}} [[Gold]]}}

{{TErow| 17 |day 17|Kilkik entered my tent and immediately held out a large, red crystal shard in one of his ropey tentacles.<p>"What's this?" I asked.<p>"That is our enemy's strength and weakness, Overlord," Kilkik said.<p>"Explain."<p>"It seems that the Barbarian, Kija, is not a brainless savage.  She has somehow gained the ability to manufacture Crystal Dragons.  These powerful Dragons are stronger than anything we have at the moment, but it requires a lot of Crystal to build them.  They will be forced to focus their entire production toward Gold and Crystal - which means if we can control all their Crystal we will keep them weak."<p>I pace back and forth, tossing the single crystal in my hand.  I've faced Crystal Dragons before.  They are capable of tearing an army to pieces.  Now, I need the Azure Dragons more than ever!}}

{{TErow| 22 |day 22|Some of my scouts have uncovered a huge cache of Gold and Mercury in the far northwest.  Unfortunately, this treasure is guarded by a group of Green Dragons.  I assume this stash belongs to Gelu, something he left behind for an emergency.  Not only could I use those resources, but I also have to keep Gelu from getting them.}}

{{TErow| 25 |day 25|A single Medusa approached between the watchful gaze of Neez and Kilkik.  She prostrated herself before me.  Ever since her kind tried to kill me, the Medusas have been getting fewer rations and a smaller share of the treasure.  They've been trying to get back on my good side.  And now, one of them practically begged to talk to me.<p>"What do you want?" I asked.<p>"Once again, Overlord, we apologize for the behaviour of some of our sisters and hope that you can forgive us.  We have brought you some news.  Many of my sisters risked their lives and died to bring you this information," the Medusa said.<p>I reached out and grabbed a handful of the Medusa's wiggling tendrils of snake hair.<p>"One more is going to die if she doesn't spit it out!" I shouted.<p>"The Azure Dragons, Overlord!  We've found them!"<p>"Where?"<p>"Beyond a magic portal, one that glows with a teal light, but my sisters ran into one of those Dragons.  All were killed, but myself," she said.}}

{{TErow| 30 |day 30|"Not only will we have to battle the arrogant Azure Dragons before they will agree to join you," says Neez, who has been researching the creatures, "but they also require massive quantities of Gold and Mercury.  You might want to consider saving for them now."<p>"I'll think about it," I said, and since it had been a while since I've had one of my 'fits', I tore the shirt off my back and threw it at the Beholder.<p>"It hurts!" I shouted, scratching at my skin.<p>I ran outside and jumped half-naked into the snow, rolling around in it as if I were on fire.  By the time I finished, I had gathered quite a crowd.  I turned on Neez.<p>"Find the one who cast that spell on me," I ordered.<p>"Uh, what spell, Overlord?"<p>"The one that set my shirt on fire, of course!  Now, go!" I said and retired to my tent again.<p>Once I was in private, I chuckled to myself.  The expression on Neez's ugly face had been priceless.  The Beholder would spend hours trying to figure out a way to handle my insane orders.  In the end, he will come to me and lie, stating that he had found and killed the culprit.<p>My chuckle turns into a laugh when I think of my answer.<p>"What culprit?  I don't know what you're talking about," I will say.}}

{{TErow| 35 |day 35|Neez reported today that although he hasn't been able to track down anyone close enough to Gelu to know where the Elf was headed, he has learned much about my enemy's troops.<p>Apparently, Gelu confides only in two of his followers.  Both are loyal Rangers who joined the Forest Guard around the same time as Gelu.  The three are inseparable, but if Gelu's mission was suitably threatened one of them might attempt to stop us.<p>"One of Gelu's friends, a Dwarf named Ufretin, is prone to acts of bravery and sacrifice.  I believe we could capture this man," Neez said.<p>"Well, first we'll have to engage Gelu's troops.  Begin putting your plans in motion.  Soon as we get the Azure Dragons on our side, that should pose enough of a threat for us to lure this Dwarf away," I said.<p>Inside, I cringed.  I knew this Dwarf, Ufretin.  He was a brave fighter and a good person.  I'm not sure if I can allow Neez and Kilkik to torture the answers I need out of him.<p>Curse the Ancestors for this!  I thought I was supposed to save lives - not destroy them!}}

{{TErow| 38 |day 38|Neez presented his plan for the capture of the Dwarf, Ufretin, to me this morning and I accepted it.  Gelu and the others will never realize what hit them.<p>And then my two Beholder advisors informed me that their interrogations of Barbarian prisoners have turned up little information.  Kija is simply following Gelu as we are.  She hopes to snatch the Sword of Frost from Gelu the moment he finds it.<p>Now, I only need to find out what Gelu knows of the Sword of Frost.  Unfortunately, it looks like that information is going to cost the life of a good man.}}