war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第131章

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s　prisoner　had　jumped　ahead　in　the　story。　〃For　a　time；　I　dwelled　therein　but　I　quarreled　with　the　eldest　alhoons；　who　connotsidered　themselves　the　leaders　of　the　rest。　I　conducted　certain　investiganottions　they　had；　in　their　ignorance　and　timidity；　forbidden。〃
The　Master　of　Sorcere　laughed　and　said；　〃If　you　can't　find　it　in　your　heart…assuming　an　illithilich　retains　the　organ…to　consider　us　equals；　you　must　at　least　concede　we're　kindred　spirits。　You　weren't　angling　for　the　Sarthos　demon；　were　you？〃
〃No；〃　said　Syrzan　curtly。　〃Suffice　it　to　say　that　if　not　for　some　bad　luck；　I　would　have　usurped　the　place　of　the　eldest　lich　of　all；　but　as　matters　fell　out；　I　had　to　flee　into　the　wilderness；　a　solitary　wanderer　once　more。〃
〃Surely　you　found　someone　to　enslave。〃
Pharaun　noticed　the　air　in　the　dream　cavern　had　grown　cooler。　Perhaps　it　was　responding　to　its　maker's　somber　reflections。
〃I　found　small　encampments；〃　Syrzan　said。　〃A　family　of　goblins　here；　a　dozen　troglodytes　there。　I　used　them；　used　them　up；　each　in　its　turn；　but　no　little　hole　infested　with　a　handful　of　brutes　could　give　me　what　I　truly　craved。　I　yearned　for　a　teeming　city；　full　of　splendors　and　luxuries；　over　which　I　would　rule；　and　from　which　I　could　conquer　an　empire。　But　the　taking　of　such　exceeded　even　my　powers。〃
〃Or　mine；〃　Pharaun　said；　〃hard　as　that　is　to　credit。　So；　lusting　for　what　you　couldn't　have；　you　spied　on　the　cities　of　the　Underdark；　didn't　you；　or　one　of　them；　anyway。　You　kept　your　eye　on　Menzoberranzan。〃
〃Yes；〃　Syrzan　said；　〃I've　watched　your　people　for　a　long　while。　I　discovnotered　the　cabal　of　renegade　males　some　forty　years　ago。　More　recently；　I　obnotserved　the　priestesses'　debility；　no　mere　dark　elves　could　hide　such　an　enormous　change　from　an　observer　with　my　talents。　I　remembered　the　would…be　rebels　and　arranged　for　them　to　make　the　same　discovery；　then　I　emerged　from　the　shadows　and　offered　them　my　services。〃
〃Why？〃　Pharaun　asked。　〃Your　collaborators　are　drow；　and　you're；　if　you'll　pardon　my　bluntness；　a　member　of　an　inferior　species。　Jumped　up　vermin；　really。　You　don't　expect　Houndaer　and　the　boys　to　honor　a　pact　with　you　once　the　prize　is　won？　Dark　elves　don't　even　keep　faith　with　one　another。〃
〃Fortunately；　the　prize　won't　be　won　for　decades；　and　during　those　years；　I'll　be　subtly　working　to　impose　my　will　on　my　associates。　Long　before　they　assume　the　rulership　of　the　city；　I'll　be　ruling　them。〃
〃I　see。　The　fools　have　given　you　your　opening；　and　now　that　which　you　could　never　conquer　from　the　outside　you'll　subjugate　from　within；　exnottending　the　web　of　pulsion　farther　and　farther；　one　assumes；　until　all　Menzoberranyr　are　mind…slaves　marching　to　your　drum。〃
〃Obviously；　you　understand　the　fundamentals　of　illithid　society；〃　said　Syrzan。　〃You　probably　also　know　that　we　prefer　to　dine　on　the　brains　of　lesser　sentients　and　that　we　share　your　own　race's　fondness　for　torture。　Still；　some　of　your　folk　will　fare　all　right。　I　can't　eat　or　flay　everyone；　can　I？〃
〃Not　unless　you　want　to　wind　up　a　king　of　ghosts　and　silence。　And　where；　may　I　ask；　do　these　stone…burning　fire　bombs　e　from？〃
〃Menzoberranzan　isn't　the　only　drow　city　possessed　of　ambitious　males；〃　the　illithi…lich　said。
Pharaun　was　momentarily　speechless。　Another　drow　city…
〃Now；　it's　your　turn　to　satisfy　my　curiosity；〃　Syrzan　said；　interrupting　the　drow's　reverie。
〃I　live　for　the　opportunity。〃
〃When　Houndaer　and　the　others　explained　our　scheme；　did　you　sinnotcerely　consider　joining　us？〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃For　about　a　quarter　of　a　second。〃
〃Why　did　you　reject　the　idea？　You're　no　more　faithful　or　less　ambitious　than　any　other　drow。〃
〃Or　illithid；　I'll　hazard。　Why　then　did　I　remain　firm　in　my　resolve　to　betray　you　to　Gromph？〃　The　slender　dark　elf　spread　his　hands。　〃So　many　reasons。　For　one；　I'm　a　notable　wizard；　if　I　do　say　so　myself；　and　in　Mennotzoberranzan　we　mages　have　our　own　tacit　hierarchy。　In　recent　years；　I've　channeled　my　aspirations　into　that。　Should　I　rise　to　the　top；　it　will　make　me　a　personage　nearly　as　exalted　as　a　high　priestess。〃
Syrzan　flipped　its　tentacles；　a　gesture　that　conveyed　impat