war of the spider queen 1 dissolution-第124章

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〃I　admire　the　decor；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃Without　even　trying；　I　noticed　images　of　Cyric；　Orcus；　Bane；　Ghaunadaur；　and　Vhaeraun。　Quite　a　nice　selection　of　patron　powers　for　the　discriminating　worshiper。〃
〃We're　not　looking　for　a　new　god；〃　Houndaer　spat。
〃I'm　sure；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Perhaps　you'd　be　kind　enough　to　tell　Master　Argith　and　me　what　your　grand　and　glorious　scheme　is　all　about。　And　why　now？〃
〃Why　now？〃　the　noble　asked。
〃Our　fellowship　has　existed　for　decades；〃　the　craftsman　cut　in；　〃though　it's　only　recently　that　we　all　eloped　and　took　up　residence　here　full　time。　Formerly　we　merely　gathered　for　an　hour　or　two　every　fortnight　or　so。〃
〃If　you're　a　male；〃　Houndaer　said；　〃and　utterly　dissatisfied　with　your　place　in　Menzoberranzan；　you　need　some　sort　of　a　refuge；　don't　you？〃
〃I　quite　agree；〃　the　wizard　said。　〃Of　course；　others　have　opted　for　a　mernotchant　House；　the　Academy；　or　Bregan　D'aerthe。
Houndaer　made　a　spitting　sound。　〃Those　are　just　places　to　hide　from　the　matrons。　This　is　a　fortress　for　males　who　want　to　turn　Menzoberrannotzan　upside　down　and　put　ourselves　on　top。　Why　not？　Aren't　our　mages　and　even　our　warriors　as　powerful　as　the　clergy？
Pharaun　grinned　and　said；　〃They　certainly　are　now　that　the　priestesses　have　mislaid　their　magic。〃
Houndaer　blinked。　〃You　know　about　that？〃
〃I've　inferred　it。　You　obviously　know　as　well。　Otherwise；　you　wouldn't　run　about　breaking　spiderwebs　simply　for　the　fun　of　it；　to　say　nothing　of　putting　your　master　plan　into　motion。　I'd　be　curious　to　hear　how　you　found　out　and　if　you　know　why。〃
〃We　don't　know　why；〃　Houndaer　said；　shaking　his　head。　〃We　started　to　figure　it　out　after　a　couple　of　us　saw　priestesses　die　fighting　gricks　out　in　the　Bauthwaf。　The　bitches　should've　used　spells　to　save　themselves；　but　they　didn't；　and　we　guessed　it　was　because　they　couldn't。　After　that；　we　kept　our　eyes　open　and　waylaid　a　few　clerics　to　see　what　they'd　do　to　defend　themselves。　Everything　we　learned　supported　our　theory。〃
Pharaun　sighed　and　said；　〃Then　you　aren't　in　touch　with　some　chatty　informant　in　the　realms　of　the　divine。　Like　me；　you　merely　observed　and　deduced。　What　a　pity。　Aren't　you；　in　your　ignorance；　apprehensive　that　Lolth　will　rekindle　the　priestesses'　magic　just　when　it's　least　convenient？〃
〃Maybe　the　goddess　turned　against　the　clergy　because　it's　our　turn　to　rule；〃　said　the　moner。　〃Who's　to　say？　In　any　case；　this　is　our　chance；　and　we're　taking　it。〃
〃Your　chance　to　do　what？〃　asked　Ryld。　〃You　talk　as　if　you　intend　to　revolt；　but　instead　you're　inciting　the　slaves　into　an　uprising。〃
Houndaer　cursed。　〃You　know　that；　too？〃
〃We　stumbled　on　it　while　looking　for　you；〃　Pharaun　explained。　He　brushed　a　stray　strand　of　his　coiffure　back　into　place。　His　white　hair　shone　like　ghost　flesh　in　the　soft　light　shining　from　the　carvings。　〃As　Master　Argith　noted；　on　first　inspection；　whipping　the　undercreatures　into　a　lather　would　seem　irrelevant　to　your　objective。〃
〃Look　deeper；〃　the　noble　said。　〃We're　canny　enough　to　know　we　can't　topple　the　matriarchy　all　at　once。　Even　without　their　spells；　our　mothers　and　sisters　are　too　powerful。　They　have　too　many　talismans；　fortresses；　and；　most　importantly；　troops　and　vassals　serving　out　of　fear。〃
〃I　begin　to　prehend；　and　I　apologize　for　not　giving　you　sufficient　credit；〃　Pharaun　said。　〃This　is　merely　the　opening　gambit　in　a　sava　game　that　will　last　a　number　of　years。〃
〃When　fighting　engulfs　Menzoberranzan；〃　Houndaer　said；　〃and　the　clerics　cast　no　spells　to　put　down　the　revolt；　their　weakness　will　bee　apparent　to　everyone。　Meanwhile；　our　brotherhood　will　take　advantage　of　the　chaos　to　assassinate　those　females　who　pose　the　greatest　obstacles　to　our　ambitions。　With　luck；　the　ores　will　account　for　a　few　more。　At　the　end　of　the　day；　our　gender's　position　in　the　scheme　of　things　will　be　considerably　stronger；　and　every　male　in　the　city　will　start　aspiring　to　supremacy。
〃In　the　years　to　e；　our　cabal　will　do　whatever　we　can　to　diminish　the　females　and　put　ourselves　in　their　place。　One　day　soon；　we'll　see　a　noble　House　manded　by　a　male　and　eventually；　a　master　in　every　House。〃
He　smiled　and　added；