RE: The Ballad of Adler Young, Canto 2.5
12-30-2020, 12:31 PM
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Spoiler>Ash: Take a breath and compose yourself. Your jovial attitude comes back as if nothing happened. Of course you'd be happy to list off Adler's enemies. A list that Adler failed to make himself, it seems. Something that will be an absolute necessity if Adler wishes to be the man in charge. In fact, you'll do one better. You'll even tell Adler one of the possible ways you could make his life a living Hell should he spurn you. But, he has to threaten you first. A good one.
>Adler: What is he playing at?
>Ash: Merely smile in silence and wait expectantly.
>Adler: Give an unsure, weak threat. Maybe you'll have your bugs go beat him up.
>Ash: Raise your eyebrow.
>Adler: Finally lose your temper and deliver a savage, bloodthirsty threat that would make Iraneus himself proud.
>Ash: Applaud Adler's performance. Excellent, truly excellent. There's hope for him yet.
>Ash: Now then, surely Adler doesn't believe for a moment that Queen Edessa is his only enemy? What about the Duchess, Bonsai and his Shrub Knights, the Vulpitanians, the rabbit village, or the entire population of Faerie? Even Adler's former allies are turning on him. Don't forget that Adler's former mentor tried to kill him not long ago. It wasn't Adler's plea of innocence that convinced Estmere to stop, it was Adler taking his walking stick and threatening him with it as a bargaining chip. Another example, that opossum body guard Adler used to have, the last time he saw Adler he helped him even though the Duchess ordered him not to, his family was on the line, according to your contacts when she was still doing business out here, the Duchess found out. Who is he more likely to strike out against, the Duchess or Adler? Adler has been nestled in a safe harbor out here only because all the forces that worked against him believe he is now harmless. That's not entirely true anymore, is it? As minuscule and slow to build as it is, Adler's hair cult is a shuffling inch in the right direction. Would they see him as truly harmless if they realize he is slowly building influence and resources, however small? Of course they would move on Adler while he is still small and weak, if they knew. The right words to the right people, the word spreads around through Faerie and the lowfolk realm, suddenly Edessa realizes Adler's banishment isn't as restrictive as she thought, suddenly Bonsai finds out his tree guards are no longer serving their original purpose, suddenly The Duchess discovers that her originally dismissed suspicion that Adler was behind the trees attacking her really was his doing, suddenly the rabbits learn that Adler and his followers are the real culprits behind their recent troubles, suddenly the Vulpitanians learn that their spy has become a turncoat and is working for Adler now, suddenly word spreads like wildfire and every elf in all of Faerie realizes that Adler the "Mass Murdering Brother Killer" is still alive and learn exactly where he is. Militias, spies, assassins, knights, fundamentalists, and everyone who bears Adler a grudge will be marching to his doorstep. As for "holding the door open" that Adler scoffed at earlier, it doesn't matter that you can't get close to the stone circle. You are a Fuma damned master of nature lore and magicks. You can force the trees guarding Adler to go inert or even kill themselves if you so wished. Adler knows one nature word against your own books worth of knowledge. Books that you wrote. Adler will be helpless and unguarded while he is accosted from all sides, his cultists won't be able to help him as the Rabbits would focus their wrath on them. He might be able to hold off his enemies for a while, but eventually... Imagine, the Duchess succeeding this time in planting her charm, rendering Adler blind, deaf, and dumb to the outside world. Hiding in his little tower in fear for his life forevermore.
>Adler: You're speachless...
>Adler: What is he playing at?
>Ash: Merely smile in silence and wait expectantly.
>Adler: Give an unsure, weak threat. Maybe you'll have your bugs go beat him up.
>Ash: Raise your eyebrow.
>Adler: Finally lose your temper and deliver a savage, bloodthirsty threat that would make Iraneus himself proud.
>Ash: Applaud Adler's performance. Excellent, truly excellent. There's hope for him yet.
>Ash: Now then, surely Adler doesn't believe for a moment that Queen Edessa is his only enemy? What about the Duchess, Bonsai and his Shrub Knights, the Vulpitanians, the rabbit village, or the entire population of Faerie? Even Adler's former allies are turning on him. Don't forget that Adler's former mentor tried to kill him not long ago. It wasn't Adler's plea of innocence that convinced Estmere to stop, it was Adler taking his walking stick and threatening him with it as a bargaining chip. Another example, that opossum body guard Adler used to have, the last time he saw Adler he helped him even though the Duchess ordered him not to, his family was on the line, according to your contacts when she was still doing business out here, the Duchess found out. Who is he more likely to strike out against, the Duchess or Adler? Adler has been nestled in a safe harbor out here only because all the forces that worked against him believe he is now harmless. That's not entirely true anymore, is it? As minuscule and slow to build as it is, Adler's hair cult is a shuffling inch in the right direction. Would they see him as truly harmless if they realize he is slowly building influence and resources, however small? Of course they would move on Adler while he is still small and weak, if they knew. The right words to the right people, the word spreads around through Faerie and the lowfolk realm, suddenly Edessa realizes Adler's banishment isn't as restrictive as she thought, suddenly Bonsai finds out his tree guards are no longer serving their original purpose, suddenly The Duchess discovers that her originally dismissed suspicion that Adler was behind the trees attacking her really was his doing, suddenly the rabbits learn that Adler and his followers are the real culprits behind their recent troubles, suddenly the Vulpitanians learn that their spy has become a turncoat and is working for Adler now, suddenly word spreads like wildfire and every elf in all of Faerie realizes that Adler the "Mass Murdering Brother Killer" is still alive and learn exactly where he is. Militias, spies, assassins, knights, fundamentalists, and everyone who bears Adler a grudge will be marching to his doorstep. As for "holding the door open" that Adler scoffed at earlier, it doesn't matter that you can't get close to the stone circle. You are a Fuma damned master of nature lore and magicks. You can force the trees guarding Adler to go inert or even kill themselves if you so wished. Adler knows one nature word against your own books worth of knowledge. Books that you wrote. Adler will be helpless and unguarded while he is accosted from all sides, his cultists won't be able to help him as the Rabbits would focus their wrath on them. He might be able to hold off his enemies for a while, but eventually... Imagine, the Duchess succeeding this time in planting her charm, rendering Adler blind, deaf, and dumb to the outside world. Hiding in his little tower in fear for his life forevermore.
>Adler: You're speachless...