Just as Star begins to agree about finding the slaves, the dramatic action on the Link from group9 crowds out other conversation.
The explosion of the bridge connecting CC to BB, and the concussion when it collapses into the river at the far southwest end of the slave pens area BB, shake location10 as well.
There is a very curious juxtaposition of impressions on the Link, the slow, Dreamy shaking, spaced apart, being experienced by group9 and the rapid shockwaves, in a row, being experienced by everyone at location10, even though those impressions are all crowded together on the Link as expected.
Corresponding reports of a very minor tremor come in from the other groups, stronger for group5 and 7, very faint for all others. Group1 and 6 are too busy with combat to give much attention to yet another small, distant tremor.
Sable is rocked by both. First, the shockwave from the bridge explosion rips through the stone and races through his path, no longer very far away now, sending him tumbling. Soon after, the bridge crashes against the bottom of the riverbed, sending another shockwave, not quite as violent but still shaking him. Disorientation in the shaking world of rock around him slows him slightly before he gets back on course. (Sable himself, of course, would never be disoriented; it was the Rock of Bral that didn’t know which way was up.)
With their exceptional Spellcraft, Ror, Ptolemaeus, and Halt easily recognize the Spell Effect brought by the flying woman’s Dream at location9, moments after Star’s warning on the Link is overwhelmed by the five audials from group9 of the deep blast of sound directly from the bridge explosion at location9: {Star} A Sonic Law attack! She is pronouncing Dictum upon you!
Then she begins to warn group9 about the attacking figure with the blade of Light, but he is much faster than he should be; in moments, group9 is gone from the Link and Star leaves the area blank on the combat map for lack of information, except to note the parrots, and Sable still closing on the area from deep below.
Star grimly shakes her head. {Star} I have Contingency preparations personally for such things as Dictum and other Power Words… it would be careless not to do so… but we did not prepare the copies for them. Perhaps that was careless as well.
Then she grins at them. {Star} Perhaps we did not plan long enough? What do you say; perhaps we should have stayed in the Scarf even longer... I think not. Some of you were wishing for more action. Now we all have it.
We do not have specific preparations for this, and the copies have very few Magical resources, but those resources are very flexible and powerful. I’m sure we can improvise against these types of attacks.
First, Alignment-based attacks in combination; they attempt to defeat us by a principle of exclusion that leaves no survival alternative.
Second, Sonic based attacks.
Third, great damage from single weapon strikes… that must have been the sword of Light. I have its exact shade from the Link; it should be possible to Reflect it with Chromomancy. I’ll think on the problem from that perspective since it’s my area of expertise, though there may be other solutions that you all may realize, if it pleases you to do so.
And it may please you to decide before they attack another group, with similar means. They have tested our defenses, and found them wanting. I expect them to exploit these weaknesses, so survival may depend on adapting quickly.
Sable, it may please you not to rely on your Alignment defenses against this Spell. Its Spelltags are, in a sense, the inverse of Forbiddance. Rather than a Spelltag design damaging those who do not have a particular Aura, as Forbiddance does, Dictum’s Spelltag design slays all, except that those with the Aura of Law are protected; those without are not. Thus Forbiddance will not damage someone with no Alignment, while Dictum will not protect someone with no alignment. It would be an interesting experiment, but you may prefer to conduct the experiment in my lab with protective Contingencies in place, rather than in combat.
She shakes her head again and grimaces. She says again, {Star} Dictum.
