The Cast and Crew, it starts...

The Director sat down on a chair that rose form the floor to meet him.
"Hmm. A debate. Creative differences, as it were. Do we raise the character Galothrix from the his subplot and place him straight in the theme? Bear in mind," he pointed at the map and it shifted to The Laughing Man, "we've already got one candidate in mind. Still furthur," he leaned foreward, "they are almost comeplete opposites, a flailing necromancer with one foot out of the grave and a politician full of life. The symbolism's almost thick enough to cut with a knife."
He looked around the room. "Any thoughts?"

Yaloric stared at the map, he waved his hand and it brought itself back to the image of Dimitri, or Gallathorix as it were, then back to The Laughing Man. Yaloric was silent, he wasn't aware that the council was this serious about adding a new member, however he would gladly choose one of them.

"The Laughing Man is a rather unique candidate, he reminds me of, well me. He's almost as crazy as I am if not more so, and I did not think such a concept possible."

Yaloric chuckled to himself at his line. It was rare that he said anthing mildly humurous but he did and decided that it was worth a little laugh. He looked around at the others still in the chamber before looking back at the map.

"That is my two demonic runes worth," he said simply.

The Fallen Hero stood up. He look at Yaloric and smilled then turned back to the Director.

"You didn't think I had a plan? I think I can have Gallathorix convinced. The one who he is falling for. Cixi. She is... offering herself around if you will. But she has found something different in him. This gives us the upper hand of a threat."

"If you allow me to retreave them I will hold Cixi hostage. Of corse as only a bluff. Dimitri wont try anything stupid. He isn't as dumb as Vance. I'll tell him if he wants to have her live all I want is a good fight. I will tell him to allow Gallthorix to take controll of his body. Once this is done we will converse. Of coarse whether he likes it or not he will come with me. Dimitri isn't strong enough to take the controll back and Gallothorix won't go back until he knows he is safe. If he try's anything funny here I think that all of us together can throw him back through a rift."

"So what do you think? The only thing is what is he going to get here that he already doesn't have? What will we offer to him?"

He turned to the map.

"There also is... this Laughing Man character. Huh, I think we already have enough crazy for this council. Not saying that Gallothorix isn't but from what I have seen he is more important to the life of this council and it's plan. But if allowed why the hell not ask both, I mean you can't go wrong with more people our ranks will be impenitrable?!"

"Gallothrix seems too volatile a choice to me. I recognize the type of magics he's using with our friend Dimitri: slowly moving from the mask to Dimitri's body, switching the souls. We shouldn't risk a mental war with Gallothrix, and we cannot risk said necromancer finding out about Narath's mask. Something tells me he would be much quicker to put Narath's soul at risk."

Dae'qur frowned. He didn't trust Gallothrix at all. The necromancer's self-serving nature, and method of immortality seemed to go against the Council.

"Think about his methods. Slow posession, draining souls. One method takes far too long, one is already taken." he said, nodding towards The Fallen Hero. "The Laughing Man, however, seems perfect for this little group of ours. He already has someone who plans to follow him," The map zoomed out from The Laughing Man to encompass Kamal in the picture. "and another person inadvertantly following the Council seems to be great audience participation, no?"

Dae'qur thought for a moment. "And from what I know, no member of the council has any method of immortality even similar to his."

"As for this... Cixi. Gallothrix is not one to fall for anyone, I think. He seems too cold, even with Nyx. I think he might be the one manipulating her, old friend."

Caolin strode into the room blood coating almost his whole body, in fact the only things not red were his teeth, which he was showing off. "I personally don't think the Laughing Man would be a good choice... after all I am slaughtering most of his people". Caolin laughed at his friends blindness. "Besides we already control Gallothrix, or didn't you hear, he wears the mask of Narrath" The map zoomed into Dimitry's face showing Narrath's mask, "Even if he didn't want to he doesn't have much of a choice"

Caolin strode forward, blood dripping onto the floor. Caolin's grin faded and his eyes, took on a look of thoughtfulness to them. "There is one group of people we have not thought about, and I talk of the Brotherhood" Caolin gripped a table cracking the wood. "I'v come across one in battle... and he was only a "foot soldier".... some of this blood is mine" Caolin's face took on a look of anger "I'v heard they will join the fray... most likely for Escarr, but once they learn the truth... they will come after us" Caolin switched the view to the three leaders, Lithiun the mage, Luthur the cleric, and Helmrick the necromancer. "However take these three out and the Brotherhood will be weakned."

"The influence we could exert on Gallothrix is debatable. Gallothrix is capable of casting obliterate, and that one act of defiance is all it would take to put Narath at risk. I hesitate to risk placing an object of such importance in his control.

"I think it would be a bit too much of a risk, but we will wait and see what Crew 19 does about Gallothrix first. As for this... Brotherhood of Magi, they are still weakened from their time in the Plague Wars. Their leaders on Seleniok were reduced to a few hundred, but that still makes them a concern." Dae'qur sighed, growing increasingly frustrated with all of the guilds that seemed to be appearing.

"Remember also that Seleniok is allied with Kol, and as such, the Brotherhood would be making a big mistake to side with another nation. Powerful as they are, they wouldn't be able to deal with the hordes of soldiers Kol could send at them. But I digress. We need to take out their leaders, and then they will be vulnerable."

Caolin shook his head at Dae'Qur's answer. "If Gallothrix obliterates the mask he destroies himself, remember the mask is soul bound" Caolin looked at the map again. "The Brotherhood is prepared to move to Escarr, on a moments notice.... Kol would have a hard time killing them either way" A very tough situation we are in, by wiping out the League of Fire, the Brotherhood rises to power, and they are much more... diruptive... a tough situation indeed

"However soon they leave, the majority of their number cannot rift, and it is a long journey from Seleniok to Escarr. Their own nation has allied with Kol come hell or high water, and their numbers were reduced to a few hundred after the Plague... or have you forgotten? Should the Brotherhood throw away allegiances, their nation will forsake them.

"All we need to do is convince the world that they cannot be trusted. Place 'evidence' around the world of the risk they pose. If Escarr will not take them, and they still go against their one source of protection, they would face annihilation."

Dae'qur sighed. "As for Gallothrix, we will deal with that problem as it comes. Should Crew 19 fail to eliminate him, we will have a powerful minion. Should they succeed, we have another mole in the party."

The Fallen Hero heard of the conversing between the council.

"Alright I'm gonna head out. This convorsation is starting to get boring. Tell me when you've made your decision later."

The Fallen Hero rifted out as the dark spread from his rift.

"I'll follow him. I haven't gotten to practice lately, and I need to clear my head. I bid you all adieu for now."

Dae'qur rifted out, the sound of a battle cry following his vanishing form.

The Director rose, his head hung low.
"It was a lot easier when it was just me and Daerwyn. Good times. Good times."
He turned to Narath. "Exactly how much control do you have over this Demetri fellow, and how does Galothrix affect your horcrux?"

Narath turned and addressed the Director.

"As for Dimitri I am confident that I have complete control over him. He didn't hesitate when I commanded him to incapacitate the delegate. But Gallothrix...I'm not sure how much he could resist the mask's power. I should be able to force him to follow my commands but it will take a lot concentration to maintain that control."

He thought for a moment.

"There isn't much he can do, though. If he tries to destroy the mask it will kill him, too, and that's also an incentive for him to protect it from the rest of the crew."

Daerwyn, listening through the Whispering Sphere, heard all. He heard the Council's arguments against one another and every point his fellow members made.

Finally, his echoing, wispy voice came hissing into the antechamber.

"Seven is a fated number. It is a number of luck, magic, destiny, and victory. I am the farthest from being opposed to using pawns on our chessboard, but I am conversely very much opposed to admitting any more onto our Council, lest we break our circle. Too many cooks spoil the pot, after all."

Daerwyn paused for a moment.

"The Laughing Man is somehow intrigued by me. I would be pleased to manipulate him into doing our will. The like goes for Gallothrix and his spirit host. But as I said, and will say again, we must not let the chain break, whether by shrinking it...or stretching it to its maximum stress."

Daerwyn continued solemnly, pausing for breath only occasionally.

"Yes, the diplomatic meeting will have the Kollish chieftain certain there are hired knives beneath his bed each night. The Escarrian President will be sure of foul play after he hears his beloved diplomat was left to the machinations of hell. And Romm is so old-fashioned as to believe themselves superior to everyone. They will likely pull out before the meeting even begins."

The Director spoke loudly enough for the stone to record his voice, playing it back for Daerwyn at his convincence.
"Seven is an arbertrary number given significance by bards and fools. The only real example of its superiourity is in odds when rolling a pair of dice.
"Four is the true holy number. Points on a compass, celestial elements, riders of armageddon, they all come down to four. Eight, however, is the natural disciple of four. The duality of two combined with four's inherent force. Eight points on the chaos star. Eight letters in "immortal", not to mention "director". Even the seven demons of the Wheel were not content until they numbered eight.
"And finaly, consider the symbol of infinity. What number is turned on its side? No, old friend, the council will be finished at its eighth member."
He indicated Narath. "Find a way to seperate Galothrix from his host. I will not have your own life put at unneccessary risk. But try to leave him in existance. His part in all this is not finished."
Again, he spoke to the faceless Daerwyn. "In the meantime, I don't believe that our cast fully apreciates the extent of the last plot development. Why don't you go share a drink and your 'woes' with them?"

"I will do as you say. But know that I consider this new addition to our Council ill-conceived and poorly contrived. Eight may be a number of fate as well, but our good friend Yaloric brings up a point. This Gallothrix is traitorous by nature, and what talents would he bring to our group? Necromancy is a role we have filled with Yaloric. We need no one else to make this plan work. The monoliths have detonated. I will see that a war occurs, a great war like no other before it. The nations will be at each other's throats by the end of the Days of Stars."

There was seething rage in Daerwyn's voice. While he would never openly defy the Director, who he viewed as both his greatest friend and his wise leader, he knew in his immortal soul that the Council was complete. The circle was full, and no more members should be allowed to enter.

He clenched his teeth almost audibly, though, and continued.

"I repeat, I am the last man to oppose using Gallothrix, or the Laughing Man for that matter, as our puppet or servant. But neither should ever be given the power that comes with a Council membership. Never."

The sphere grew dim as Daerwyn cut off the magical connection and went downstairs, some thousands of miles and one plane away.