war of the spider queen 3 condemnation-第49章

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case　and　hear　judgment。
　　　Sixteen　proud　male　warriors　and　wizards　stood　in　or　around　the　hall；　two　from　each　of　the　Houses　whose　matron　mothers　sat　on　the　council。　They　were　ostensibly　designated　as　a　guard　for　the　entire　council；　but　in　truth　each　male　spent　most　of　his　time　carefully　watching　the　males　of　rival　Houses　to　make　sure　that　no　secret　attack　was　afoot　that　day。
　　　The　floor；　all　of　polished　black　marble　with　veins　of　gold；　gleamed　in　the　dim　light　of　faerie　fire　globes　set　high　in　the　ceiling；　and　great　friezes　along　the　walls　showed　the　story　of　Menzoberranzan's　founding。
　　　Several　minor　functionaries　scurried　about　the　hall；　bowing　and　scraping　to　all　who　deserved　such　obsequiousness；　and　imperiously　disregarding　any　who　did　not。　Nimor；　wearing　the　arms　of　a　minor　officer　of　House　Agrach　Dyrr；　fell　somewhere　in　between。
　　　To　Nimor's　great　surprise；　he　was　kept　waiting　only　forty　minutes　before　one　of　the　chamberlains　approached　and　gestured　toward　the　door。
　　　〃The　Council　expects　your　report；　Captain；〃　he　said。
　　　Nimor　followed　the　official　into　the　council　chamber　itself；　bowing　to　the　high　seats　of　the　eight　matron　mothers。　Each　was　attended　by　one　or　two　of　her　daughters；　nieces；　or　favorites。　A　grand　archway　to　one　side　of　the　chamber　led　off　to　a　set　of　smaller　shrines　and　halls　adjacent　to　the　council；　to　which　the　matrons'　attendants　and　secretaries　could　be　dismissed　should　the　matron　mothers　decide　to　discuss　their　business　in　private。
　　　〃Matron　Mothers；　Captain　Zhayemd　of　House　Agrach　Dyrr；〃　the　chamberlain　announced。
　　　Nimor　bowed　again；　and　held　the　pose　as　he　surreptitiously　studied　the　matron　mothers。
　　　Triel　Baenre　sat　at　the　head　of　the　Council；　of　course。　Petite　and　pretty；　she　seemed　too　young　for　the　place　of　honor；　though　she　was　of　course　hundreds　of　years　in　age。　Mez'Barris　Armgo　of　House　Del'Armgo　sat　next　to　her；　then　came　the　place　where　the　Matron　Mother　of　House　Faen　Tlabbar　formerly　sat。　Nimor　studiously　did　not　smile；　but　he　allowed　his　gaze　to　linger　a　moment　on　a　young　female　who　occupied　Ghenni's　place…Vadalma；　the　fifth　daughter　of　the　House。　Either　the　first　four　destroyed　each　other　squabbling　for　their　mother's　place；　he　reflected；　or　young　Vadalma　was　much　more　acplished　than　she　looked。
　　　Opposite　the　new　Faen　Tlabbar　matron　sat　Yasraena　Dyrr；　graceful　and　lissome；　well　at　ease　in　the　chair　she　had　occupied　since　Auro'pol's　demise。
　　　〃Ah；　I　see　my　captain　has　arrived；〃　Yasraena　said　to　her　peers。　〃Wele；　Zhayemd。　You　have　endured　much　today；　but　I　am　afraid　I　must　subject　you　to　one　more　ordeal　before　you　can　be　allowed　your　well…deserved　rest。　Tell　the　Council　the　tidings　you　brought　me　earlier。〃
　　　〃As　you　wish；　Honored　Matron；〃　Nimor　said。　He　glanced　around　at　the　highborn　females　and　affected　a　trace　of　nervousness。　〃Matron　Mothers；　I　have　e　from　the　garrison　at　Rhazzt's　Dilemma。　We　have　e　under　attack　from　a　great　force　of　duergar　and　their　allies；　including　derro；　durzagons；　giants；　and　many　slave　troops。　We　do　not　expect　to　delay　them　for　more　time　than　it　takes　the　duergar　to　bring　their　siege　engines　into　play。〃
　　　〃I　know　that　place；〃　Mez'Barris　Armgo　said。　〃It　lies　three　or　four　days'　travel　south　of　the　city。　Is　your　news　that　old？　Why　did　your　spellcasters　not　warn　us　through　magic　instead　of　sending　you　to　report　in　person？〃
　　　〃Our　wizard　was　slain　in　the　first　assault；　Matron　Del'Armgo。　He　had　the　misfortune　to　be　leading　a　patrol　outside　our　defenses　and　apparently　fell　victim　to　the　approaching　duergar。　When　Mistress　Nafyrra　Dyrr…the　mander　of　our　detachment…realized　we　had　no　means　to　signal　a　warning；　she　dispatched　me　at　once　to　carry　a　message　back　to　Menzoberranzan。　This　all　occurred　earlier　this　morning。〃
　　　〃You　have　only　answered　one　of　the　questions　I　posed；　Captain；〃　the　Matron　Mother　of　House　Barrison　Del'Armgo　observed。　〃Rhazzt's　Dilemma　came　under　attack　this　morning；　but　the　outpost　lies　more　than　thirty　miles　south　of　here；　a　journey　of　several　days。〃
　　　Nimor　affected　a　trace　of　hesitation；　and　glanced　deliberately　at　Yasraena　Dyrr　as　if　seeking　guidance。　The　Matron　Mother　of　House　Agrach　Dyrr　simply　inclined　her　head　in　assent。
　　　〃I　made　use　of　a　somewhat　unreliable　portal　to　shorten　my　journey　from　several　days　to　a　few　hours；　Matron　Del'Armgo；〃　he　said。　〃It　lies　a　mile　or　two　from　the　outpost　and　is　somewhat　difficult　to　use；　as　it　functions　only　intermittently。　The　other　side　lies　in　a　disused　cavern　in　the　Dark　Dominion。　My　House　has　known　of　it　for　some　time；　though　we　did　not　trust　the　portal's　magic　enough　to　employ　it　except　in　a　dire　emergency。〃
　　　〃I　have　no　doubt　that　Barrison　Del'Armgo　knows　of　similar　portals　in　and　around　the　city；〃　Yasraena　Dyrr　observed。　〃Forgive　us　if　we　neglected　to　mention　the　existence　of　this　one　until　today。〃
　　　〃The　portal　is　irrelevant；〃　Triel　Baenre　said；　making　a　dismissive　gesture　of　her　hand。　〃The　captain　is　here　to　make　his　report；　and　that　is　sufficient。　Tell　me　what　you　observed　of　this　duergar　army。〃
　　　〃I　would　guess　it　to　number　somewhere　around　three　to　four　thousand　gray　dwarves；　plus　a　number　of　slave　soldiers…mostly　orcs　and　ogres。　We　noted　the　banners　of　eight　panies　in　the　attack；　and　many　more　held　back　in　reserve。　There　could　be　more；　of　course；　or　the　duergar　may　have　deliberately　attempted　to　deceive　us　by　carrying　false　banners　into　battle。〃
　　　〃A　raid；〃　muttered　Prid'eesoth　Tuin　of　House　Tuin'Tarl。　〃Your　outpost　is　simply　being　tested；　Captain。〃
　　　Nimor　shifted　his　feet　and　did　his　best　to　look　determined；　serious；　and　dutifully　subservient。
　　　〃Mistress　Nafyrra　does　not　believe　so；　Matron　Tuin；〃　Nimor　said。　〃We　have　fought　off　duergar　raids　on　numerous　occasions；　but　nothing　like　the　onslaught　we　encountered　this　morning。　If　we　are　not　besieged　by　the　whole　army　of　Gracklstugh；　it's　certainly　close　enough。〃
　　　〃How　strong　is　your　garrison？〃　Yasraena　Dyrr　asked。
　　　〃Our　garrison　numbers　almost　eighty　warriors；　and　we　have　an　excellent　defensive　position；　Honored　Matron。　We　can　hold　out　for　several　days；　but　the　outpost　will　fall　when　the　duergar　bring　up　their　siege　engines；　or　employ　the　right　sort　of　magic。〃
　　　〃It　should　not　surprise　me　to　learn　that　this　duergar　onslaught　is　little　more　than　a　particularly　large　and　aggressive　raid；〃　Vadalma　of　Faen　Tlabbar　said。　〃I　am　sure　Matron　Dyrr　has　reported　what　her　males　believe　to　be　the　case；　but　perhaps　the　matter　should　be　investigated　before　we　react　in　blind　panic。　A　simple　confirmation　of　the　report；　at　the　least。　After　we　have　properly　assessed　the　scope　of　the　threat；　the　Council　can　deliberate　over　the　best　means　to　address　it。〃
　　　〃Under　most　circumstances；　our　young　sister　would　be　wise　to　suggest　a　more　thorough　assessment　of　the　situation；〃　said　Yasraena。　She　had　been　well　coached。　Nimor　lowered　his　gaze　to　keep　his　smile　from　showing。　〃However；　my　officers　tell　me　that；　if　we　wish　to　meet　the　duergar　army　outside　the　city；　the　place　to　do　it　is　at　the　Pillars　of　Woe；　between　here　and　Rhazzt's　Dilemma。　A　strong　army　dispatched　quickly　can　hold　the　pillars　against　any　conceivable　assault；　but　if　we　delay　too　long；　the　duergar　will　reach　it　before　we　do。　We　would　throw　away　a　very　significant　advantage　of　position。　We　should；　of　course；　seek　confirmation　of　the　report　with　all　due　haste；　but　while　we're　investigating；　our　soldiers　should　be　marching。〃
　　　〃Shouldn't　we　simply　stand　on　the　defensive　here；　in　the　city　cavern？〃　asked　Mez'Barris　Armgo。　〃We　can　fortify　the　approaches　easily　enough；　and　the　duergar　army　would　have　a　difficult　time　surrounding　the　city　in　its　entirety　while　the　threat　of　our　own　intact　army　remains　within。〃
　　　〃If　we　allow　the　gray　dwarves　to　infest　the　city；〃　one　of　the　other　matron　mothers　said；　〃we　shall　surely　see　illithid；　aboleth；　and　humanoid　armies　at　our　doorstep　in　no　time　at　all。　We　have　many　enemies。　Look　at　what　happened　to　Ched　Nasad。〃
　　　The　eight　high　priestesses　exchanged　somber　looks。
　　　〃Clearly；　the　Council　must　reach　some　decisions　quickly；〃　Triel　Baenre　said；　breaking　her　thoughtful　silence。　〃We　don't　have　much　time　if　we　wish　to　meet　the　duergar　ou