The Heralds

[Yerkan of Elish]

I meant our intention of peace towards the currently non-aggressive wolf. I prefer not to harm a sentient creature that can be observed and studied, but will not hesitate to attack a great threat to our goals.

[Great Thrash]

Certainly.

[Steepest Durin]

Th' Steep Wolves are nothin' ta trifle with, I's friends. You heroes must han'le you're own affairs, but if you plan ta do somethin' that might threaten th' rest of us, be sure ta ask fer help if you need it.

Steep Wolves are very intelligent, even as kiddos, ta I's recollection. Don't be thinkin' like they're beasts. Not even like a dragon, really, but not necessarily as strong a conscience as a man.

[Yerkan of Elish]

"Heh. According to the Mirror, all of this could either threaten us dearly or provide us with great benefit. So we are already aware that we must tread carefully."

[Great Thrash]

There are often other ways to gain benefits, but it can be harder to mitigate a threat.

[Yerkan of Elish]

"Of course. However, there is little telling how to achieve what the Mirror foretells. It could be that the only way to achieve the peace that it describes is to defeat the threat. Alternatively, it could be saying that unless we work quite hard to forge peace in this land, that threats will surround us. I suggest we work as hard as possible to achieve the benefits of this event while still remaining as cautious as possible regarding the threat.

That said, I refuse to slay the sslug without first considering its possible uses, examining its programming, and so on. For now, it is contained, has no transmitter, and is essentially harmless, if a bit caustic. The wolf, while perhaps a tad aggressive, is an interesting creature, that I also will not move against at the present time. I have few leads on the spot of darkness; I will continue to provide updates to the Council on that matter."

[Ptah]

"Firstly, I would like to thank you for accepting me into your council. I shall do all I can to aid you.

"Secondly, and speaking of aid, here is the most recent development in the Hamlet of Heroes: AIiCE has continued to perform various experiments upon the rift trying to determine its thus far indeterminable nature. She discovered that a magnet, when dropped into the rift, could be pulled back out. It would seem that fields, energies, and effects can pass through the rift unaltered.

"When asked about what the Steep Wolf Pup smelled on the rift, it replied:

"The rift? I smell burning and vast energies, and the toil of everyday life on the other side. But something...muddies the fundamental scent. It represents a dark future, that is certain. I do not think you have tasted danger yet in this plane, compared to what this flaw in the adamas represents."

Upon hearing this, I proceeded to slow down time around the rift relative to us so that, if this new Ravana or something similarly dangerous emerges, we will have more reaction time.

"This is all that has happened so far."

[Yerkan of Elish]

"I bring you a more detailed description of what I saw in the Citadel:

First, it is notably composed of winding hallways in a circular pattern. This is reminiscent of the symbolism surrounding Ravana. The Citadel most certainly belongs to him.

Many of the more crucial systems of the mechanical Citadel are shrouded in deep shadows. I did not attempt particularly to infiltrate these, but one or more of these could potentially be a weak point in the Citadel. The mechanics may even be familiar to some among our number, such as AIiCE.

The arrows are launched by a great ballista, strung with lightning and itself carved from diamond. An adamas hopper, following an unusual pattern, feeds the arrows to the weapon. This entire thing is operated by a tall individual, whether organic or mechanical. It is shrouded by, nay, exudes trilobites, as though it is the source of all the hives. Thus, nothing can be learned of it. Or else it is composed of trilobites itself, a hivemind of oracular muddying. It did seem to change and morph according to whatever it needs to do. This may have been Ravana, or else an underling (albeit a quite powerful one)."

[Great Thrash]

We experienced that ballista, right?

Trilobites do not seem co-symbolic with the Ravana of universal legend or a tiger-headed deity, to me.

I'm not sure what can be done about the Trilobites, but it would be nice to have a plan in case we need one.

[Steepest Durin]

Welcome ta th' Council an' here's your brand.

I'll work on some demos for what we could offer Ravana as peacemaking gifts. As prototypes, they'll have clearly marked remote self-destruct features an' a ton of features ta stop them from being turned against us. So he likes ballistas, does he?