Chapter 8 Chapter VI Common Interests

Artemis Entreri was sure whose voice it was, but the tone was unfamiliar to him.In all his years with Jarlaxle, whether on the surface or in the Underdark, he had never heard a mercenary chief raise his voice in anger. Jarlaxle was shouting now.While curious, Entreri was especially amused that Jarlaxle was yelling at Riki and Kim Murray. "This will mark our victory!" Jarlaxle roared. "It just makes our enemies focus on us," objected Kim Murray. "They'll find nothing but a new guild," Jara retorted. "It's a common building," Leckie replied in a calmer, more controlled tone.

That's when Entreri entered the room and saw the three of them standing there, looking at each other.A fourth drow, Boyinyong Baenre, was leaning comfortably against the wall. "They won't know that the drow is hiding in that tower," Leckie continued after throwing a quick contemptuous glance at the human, "but they will understand that a new force has entered the Basadoni Guild. " "They already guessed," Jarlaxle surmised. "They're suspicious, like they're guessing that old Basadoni is dead," Leckie retorted. "Let's stop confirming their suspicions. Let them keep spying on us."

Jarlaxle narrowed his visible eye - today his magic patch was on his left - and stared suddenly at Entreri. "You know more about this city than any of us," he said. "What do you think? I'm going to build a tower that resembles the crystalline reflection of Cershenipon where you fought Drizzt. My The lieutenants are worried that this will attract unnecessary attention from other guilds, and even those powerful forces in Calimshan." "At least the Mages Guild," Entreri analyzed calmly. "A dangerous bunch." Jarlaxle took a step back in surprise that Entreri had not gone along with his plan. "These guilds keep building houses," argued the mercenary chief, "and they're a waste of material compared to what I'm planning to build with Cershenipon."

"But they employ the artisans directly—and wizards, if they need to use magical assistance," Entreri explained to him. Entreri stood there, thinking quickly about what to do, not a little taken aback by Jarlaxle's dangerous proposition.He didn't want to side with Lackey and Kim Murray at all, because he knew very well that such a combination would not be good for him.That said, Jarlaxle's plan to use Crishshinbon to build a crystal tower right in the middle of Calimport is downright stupid. "You hear me," Leckie put in, giggling, "even your sycophants don't think that's a viable plan."

"Go ahead, Leckie," Entreri replied quickly.He expected the unsavory mage to be there to point and poke at him, so he gave him a disgusted look. "Building towers in Calimport will only cause trouble," Entreri told Jarlaxle, "but it's not impossible. We might be able to hire a guild mage to shield our buildings. Of course, if we put It would be easier to put it on the edge of the city, maybe directly in the desert, so that the tower can enjoy more sunlight." "The point is to put up symbols of our power," Jarlaxle cautioned. "I don't want to build in an empty desert and only worship those lizards and snakes."

"The credo of the Dayet mercenary regiment is to conceal one's strength," Kim Murray interrupted. "Do you want to change this useful law in a world surrounded by potential adversaries? You forget us again Who, Jarlaxle, and where we are." "We can hide the substance of the tower's construction, for the noble prince," Entreri responded. "I may be able to find a location that meets your requirements," he said to Jarlaxle, before turning to Ricky and Kim Murray, "and allay your well-founded concerns." "Go for it," Lakey replied. "Do something useful to prove me wrong."

Entreri answered the false assent with a silent smile.He had already planned the best location, so that he could lead Jarlaxle and his Dayet mercenary group to Colin.Surez and Dalabad oases. "Do we have any information from the Pathfinder's Guild?" Jarlaxle asked, walking across the room and sitting on a chair. "Charlotta Vespa is meeting with Pasha Darkran," Entreri replied. "Will he kill her to get back at us?" Kim Murray asked. "It's no loss to us anyway," Leckie said sarcastically. "Pasha Darklan is interested in us—" Entreri began.

"I think you mean, impressive," Leckie corrected. "He's interested in us," Entreri replied firmly, "and won't do anything rashly. Obviously, he's not mad at losing a small outpost, he's more interested in finding out our strength and intentions. Perhaps he Will kill her, but only to test our reaction." "If he does, we may wipe out him and his guild," Jarlaxle said, raising his eyebrows slightly. Entreri was a little taken aback.The killer begins to suspect that Jarlaxle's near-crazy behavior has a purpose behind it.Often, Jarlaxle tries to forge a mutually beneficial relationship with someone as powerful as Pasha Dakran of the Pathfinder Guild.The dark elf mercenary leader never wastes time, energy, and precious military power-for him, the most urgent task is to establish a stronghold.Now, with his foothold in Calimport secure, Jarlaxle's desires began to swell.

Entreri didn't understand, but wasn't too worried, and began to figure out how to use this to his own advantage. "Before we do anything against Daklan, we have to weaken his foreign aid," Killer said. "Foreign aid?" Jarlaxle and Lecky asked together. "Pasha Daklan's power is vast," Entreri explained. "I suspect he has a wide-ranging defense circle, even beyond the range of Calimport." Judging by the expression on the drow's face, Entreri could be sure that he had succeeded in laying the groundwork, and that there was nothing more to say now.The truth is, he knew very well that the old Pasha Daklan would not hurt Xia Luota at all.Vespa.Such blatant revenge was simply not Darklan's way of doing things.That's right, he should invite Charlotta to keep the conversation going, because the Basadoni Guild has so blatantly destroyed an outpost that belonged to him, because according to his understanding, the Basadoni Guild must have acquired some new weapons or powerful allies.Pasha Daklan wanted to know for certain that the attack had been carried out by the guild's new leader - if Basadoni was indeed dead, as rumors suggested - or if he had suddenly become more confident .The truth must come from Charlotta herself, who must have been elevated to a high position in the guild and came herself to give him clues about Basadoni, or at least provide him with an explanation for the attack .From this point of view, Pasha Daklan did not intend to bring disaster on himself.

Charlotte will leave Daklan's house safe and sound, and she will follow Wawel Tigovis's previous prompt to go to Jarlaxle at a later date and tell the mercenary leader that she is sure that Daklan is in There are defenses on the outskirts of the city - an ally.And Entreri would tell him later on whose location would be the best place to put the tower. Yes, everything was going to be fine, and it was going to go according to the killer's plan. ＊＊＊＊＊ "With Colin Suarez eliminated, Pasha Daklan will no longer have allies on the outskirts of Calimport." Charlotta Vesper reported to Jarlaxle that night.

"He doesn't need allies outside the city at all," Jarlaxle responded. "According to the information provided by you and other lieutenants, Daklan's help in the city is enough for us to deal with in the battle." "But Pasha Daklan doesn't understand this at all." Charlotta replied without hesitation. From Jarlaxle's point of view, it was clear that this woman had already made up her mind.She looked quite relaxed and happy, and after meeting with Duckland, she must have met her subordinates' eyes and ears on the street.She must have had some definite information about Darkland, and there was no doubt that he was on the alert.He must be worrying that the smaller outlying strongholds will all fall.Ducklan didn't know the strength of Basadoni, nor who was in power in the guild—this worried him the most. Jarlaxle rested his pointed chin in his nimble black palm. "He thinks Pasha Basadoni is dead?" he asked a third time.Likewise, Charlotta replied for the third time: "Yes." "Perhaps in your society," Charlotte replied, "the matrons who believe in Lolth absolutely control the drow family. But here, the death of a chief will only bring a little chaos, other than that, there will be no more." Nothing else. Guilds seldom go to war, because war is harmful to all parties. This may be the experience of the original pashas over many years, even decades. Then they taught this to their children , or the successors they choose, just pass it on from generation to generation." Jarlaxle understood all of this, of course, but he put on an expression of bewilderment, prompting her to continue.In fact, Jarlaxle is more trying to understand the workings of Sharlotta than the underground forces in Calimport. "As a result of our attack, Pasha Ducklan believed the rumors that old Basadoni was dead," the woman continued, "in Ducklan's opinion, if Basadoni was dead—or lost Control of the guild—then we'll be harder to deal with." Charlotta flashed her ironic evil smile. "If we start eradicating his outskirts—the smaller guilds and the Dalabad Oasis first—then Dakran will start to fidget," Jarlaxle reasoned. "In this way, I can force the Explorers Guild to sign terms that are more favorable to us," said Charlotte. "Even Daklan will give us all the territory of those smaller clubs to satisfy us. Anyway, he controls those The base of the area has been eliminated by us." "Not a very generous reward," Jarlaxle commented. "Of course, but think about the prestige that Basadoni Guild will gain if other guilds find out that Pasha Daklan handed over the area we invaded to us." Charlotte chattered.She's been playing tricks and wearing high hats, all of which makes Jarlaxle more interested in her. "Dalabad Oasis?" he asked. "It itself is a reward for us," Charlotte quickly replied, "Even if we don't get any actual supplies, controlling it can compensate for the expenses we spent on the game with Pasha Daklan." Jarlaxle thought for a moment, nodded, and gave Charlotta a sly look, then nodded towards the bed.The idea of ​​making a fortune has always been his aphrodisiac. Later that night, as Jarlaxle paced his room, having just sent Charlotta away, he began to ponder in solitude the information she had brought.According to Wawel's brief narrative - Dalabad Oasis is the relay station of Pasha Daklan, through which he communicates with powerful allies far outside Calimport.A minor warlord named Surez controls Dalabad, which is a neutral fortress.It is not directly subordinate to the explorers or other guilds in the city.Suarez gets paid by delivering information, and occasionally collects tolls from caravans from the northwest, which Charlotta has explained to him. Jarlaxle continued to pace, pondering the message, connecting it to the earlier proposal from Artemis Entreri.He felt his new ally touch him telepathically, but he just adjusted the magic blindfold to reject the call. There must be some connection between these few events, there must be some plan hidden behind the facts, it must be about the strategic location of Kalabad and the benefits of taking it.Hadn't Entreri suggested that Jarlaxle take the land outside Calimport where the Crystal Tower would be built? But now it seems that this excellent occupied place is simply delivered to the door, where the Dayet mercenary group can achieve multiple goals with one stroke. The mental probing continues.It was a powerful calling, and Jarlaxle had never felt a stronger calling through his blindfold. What does he want, Crschinnibon whispered in the mercenary chief's mind. Jarlaxle began to remove the shard, thinking he could see the whole picture by his own inquiry, but Crschinnibon's second statement dissuaded him from contemplating ending the conversation. Artemis Entreri had deeper plans, the Crystal Shard emphasized.Maybe it's a vendetta, or there's some treasure. "Not vengeance," Jarlaxle said loudly, removing his goggles to communicate more easily with the Crystal Shard. "If Entreri had such a plan, he would have taken care of Suarez himself. He has always been very proud of himself." You believe that the sudden proposal to occupy Dalabad oasis, a place we have never heard of before, can meet the purpose of weakening the explorer guild and our requirement of building towers at the same time, isn't it a lucky coincidence?After the Crystal Shard asked, before Jarlaxle could answer, Crschinnibon continued to clarify his point.Artemis Entreri had deep motives for attacking the Dalabad Oasis.There is no doubt about it.Perhaps he knew that our liaison would propose to us that taking Dalabad would deter Pasha Daklan so that he could take the lead in the negotiations. "It's more likely that Artemis Entreri led our liaison to that conclusion," Jarlaxle speculated, chuckling. Perhaps he is trying to lead us to destruction, said the Crystal Shard.In this way he can be free and assume power all by himself. Jarlaxle shook his head before the deduction was all settled in his mind. "If Artemis Entreri wants to get rid of us, then he will find some excuse to leave the city." It was right, Jarlaxle had to admit.The Dayet mercenaries had been on the surface long enough to capture a single defector.Besides, Jarlaxle was also very suspicious of Crystal Shard's last deduction.First of all, Artemis Entreri knew very well that the Dayet mercenaries would not blindly attack Dalabad or other hostile forces.Likewise, in Jarlaxle's view, clearing the Dayet mercenaries from the surface is too risky a strategy - if you really plan to do so, just tell the more powerful forces in Calimshan, a group of dark forces. Wouldn't it be easier to reach now that the elves had come to Calimport? He thought over all of Crishshinbon's suggestions, and came to the same conclusion with this artifact, that there might be some treasure hidden in the oasis, as it said the second time. The drow mercenary captain closed his eyes and laughed as he realized how the Crystal Shard felt about these doubts and speculations. He knew that the artifact, like him, had accepted this conclusion and paid attention to it.They felt more amused and surprised than angry.Whatever Entreri's personal goals, and whether or not the information about Dallabad and Pasha Daklan was true, this well-paid oasis was well worth a try. Doing so is not beneficial to the dark elves, but to the artifacts.Crenshinibon had told Jarlaxle that it needed to create a crystalline reflection of itself to absorb the bright sunlight. This is one step closer to its ultimate purpose all along.