war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第23章

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ven　a　huge；　horned　ogre　mage　from　the　World　Above…bold　enough　to　trade　or　even　dwell　in　a　dark　elf　city。　Lowliest　of　all；　at　least　as　numerous　as　the　free　but　in　their　utter　insignificance　far　easier　to　overlook；　were　the　slaves。　Orc；　gnoll；　and　bugnotbear　warriors　guarded　their　masters　and　mistresses；　harried；　starveling　goblins　fetched　and　carried　for　the　merchants；　and　little　reptilian　kobolds　collected　litter　and　hauled　it　away。
Pharaun　knew　from　occasional　errands　there　that　if　this　hub　of　notmerce　had　existed　in　one　of　the　lands　that　saw　the　sky；　it　would　have　been　exceptionally　noisy。　But　the　Menzoberranyr；　to　keep　their　cavern　from　roaring　with　a　constant　echoing　clamor；　had　laid　subtle　enchantments　about　the　smooth　stone　floor。　Sounds　close　at　hand　were　as　audible　as　was　natural；　but　those　farther　away　faded　and　blended　to　the　faint　drone　he　and　Ryld　had　heard　while　sitting　on　the　brink　of　Tier　Breche。
In　the　Bazaar；　several　of　the　magical　buffers　operated　in　close　proximity　to　one　another。　To　newers；　the　effect　could　be　a　little　disconcerting　as　a　single　step　sufficed　to　carry　them　from　whispering　quiet　to　raucous　noise；　the　full　volume　of　an　auctioneer's　shout　or　a　piper's　skirling。
Happily；　no　such　enchantments　existed　to　suppress　the　smells　of　the　marketplace；　a　glorious　olfactory　tapestry　redolent　of　spice；　exotic　produce　imported　from　the　surface　world　and；　alas；　a　little　past　its　prime；　mulled　wine；　leather；　burned　frying　oil；　rothe　dung；　freshly　spilled　blood；　and　a　thousand　other　things。　Pharaun　closed　his　eyes　and　breathed　in　the　scent。
〃This　is　always　grand；　isn't　it？〃
〃I　suppose；〃　answered　Ryld。
For　his　excursion　away　from　Tier　Breche；　Ryld　had　tossed　a　piwafwi　around　his　burly　shoulders。　The　cloak　covered　his　dwarf…made　armor　and　short　sword；　and　its　cowl　obscured　his　features；　but　no　garment　could　have　hidden　the　enormous　weapon　sheathed　across　his　back。　Ryld　called　the　great　sword　Splitter；　and　while　Pharaun　deplored　the　name　as　ugly　and　prosaic；　he　had　to　admit　that　it　was　apt。　In　his　friend's　capable　hands；　the　enchanted　weapon　could　with　a　single　swing　cleave　almost　anything　in　two。
Ryld　looked　entirely　relaxed；　but　the　wizard　knew　the　appearance　was　in　one　sense　deceptive。　The　Master　of　Melee…Magthere　was　reflexively　scrutinizing　their　surroundings　for　signs　of　danger　with　a　facility　that　even　Pharaun；　who　regarded　himself　as　considerably　more　observant　than　most；　could　never　match。
〃You　suppose；〃　Pharaun　repeated。　〃Is　that　just　your　usual　glumness　speaking；　or　do　you　find　something　lacking？〃
〃I　do；〃　said　Ryld。　He　waved　his　hand　in　a　gesture　that　took　in　the　dinotverse　throng；　the　stalls；　and　the　maze　of　paths　snaking　among　them。　〃I　think　the　Bazaar　could　use　some　order。〃
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃Careful；　or　I'll　have　to　report　you　for　blasnotphemy。　It's　chaos　that　made　us；　and　made　us　what　we　are。〃
〃Right。　Chaos　is　life。　Chaos　is　creativity。　Chaos　makes　us　strong。　I　renotmember　the　creed；　but　as　a　practical　matter；　don't　you　see　that　all　this　confunotsion　could　serve　as　a　mask　for　the　city's　enemies？　They　could　use　it　to　smuggle　their　spies　and　assassins　in　and　to　smuggle　stolen　secrets　and　treasure　out。〃
〃I'm　sure　they　do。　That's　certainly　the　way　our　agents　operate　in　marnotketplaces　elsewhere　in　the　Underdark。〃
An　orc　female　came　scurrying　through　the　crowd　with　her　head　down　and　a　parchment　clutched　in　her　hand。　Perhaps　her　master　had　threatened　her　with　a　whipping　if　she　didn't　deliver　a　message　quickly。　She　tried　to　dodge　through　the　narrow　space　between　Pharaun　and　another　pedestrian；　misstepped；　and　bumped　into　the　wizard。
The　pig…faced　slave　looked　up　and　saw　that　she'd　just　jostled　an　elenotgantly　and　expensively　dressed　dark　elf。　Her　mouth　with　its　prominent　lower　canines　fell　open　in　terror。　With　a　flick　of　his　fingers；　Pharaun　bade　her　begone。　She　turned　and　ran。
〃Then　the　Council　should　control　the　Bazaar　properly；〃　said　Ryld。　〃Don't　just　send　the　occasional　patrol　marching　through　to　discourage　thievery。　License　the　merchants。　Conduct　routine　searches　of　their　pack　animals；　tents；　and　kiosks。〃
〃From　what　I　un