Every dread lord needs a guiding claw...
Lord Gromgard was practicing the use of his new throne, Gnarl saw. He was even working on that slouch, bless his twisted little heart. He was flipping through another of the books he’d brought home as the Minion Master approached. Gnarl wasn’t sure how to feel about that. He was still getting over the fact that someone had made a portal in the throne room without telling him. And although of course he was there to carry out the Overlord’s plans, not vice-versa, still… it was much easier when you had an idea what those plans were going to be.
That didn’t worry him as much as the Nexus being incommunicado. This young Overlord was promising, and they could hardly afford to try and find another one. No, the last thing he wanted was for his young master to get eaten by an extra-dimensional vortex. At least the boy had a cunning streak. He’d have to cultivate that. Carefully.
“Ehem.” Gnarl cleared his throat to announce his presence. “It’s good to see your trip to the Nexus was productive, master.” He peered at the titles on the number-stamped spines. “Ah, yes, the untold power and wealth of limitless otherworldly reams, all lined up for the taking… it’s all so invigorating. Takes me right back to when I was young. Now, Dark Master, I know knowledge is power, but we don’t want you getting overloaded with otherworldly trivia just yet, do we? Not when there’s so much Overlording for you to sink your teeth into at home.”
Yes, of course. Young Gromgard studied his page in 102 More Fun Things To Do With Unobtainium, then abruptly leaned forward and pointed a thorny finger so Gnarl could see. What do you suppose that means, Gnarl?
“Ah… ‘x-ray’, let me see…” He peered at the peculiarly glossy page. “Judging from all those little pictures, it looks like it’s referring to some kind of death beam. That, or a serious necromantic tool. Could be both,” he mused. “That would be handy.”
The Overlord nodded and dumped the book onto the floor beside the others. Gnarl hopped back hastily to spare his toes. You still don’t know who made the gate?
Gnarl shuffled alongside him as he walked down the length of the throne room. A couple of timber-toting Minions jumped out of their way in a jangle of toolbelts. “I have an idea, sire. I suspect the Castle Heart had something to do with it. It was supposed to be dormant while we waited for you to come of age, lord, but it must have created the portal while I was napping.” He gave a sour glare toward the archway up ahead, through which a gleam of blue-white power shone. “Temperamental old thing; you can never count on magic to just sit still for a few years. Just as well we have you to control its power now.” The wizened Minion Master scratched his chin. “We’ll have to find a way to communicate with you when you’re there. Perhaps we can even set up a waypoint gate…”
The Overlord nodded his approval. Excellent.
“And your siblings are safely preoccupied with beating the stuffing out of each other. I understand Grenville’s gardeners routed a battalion of dwarf bombers this morning with their mighty petal-blowing powers. Oooh, I can just imagine the look on Gerda’s face.”
So could the Overlord. He gave an amused snort. And our scouts?
“Even better news.” They mounted the steps and entered the circular chamber that housed the Castle Heart. It hung in the centre of the room, shining with power. The Overlord followed Gnarl to it. “Your minions have found the heart of the local Halfling infestation, a little place they like to call Briarthorn.” He passed a hand over the surface of the Heart, and the blue-white light shimmered into an image of a Halfling village. “You were right, sire. They’re still weak from that traitorous jester’s defeat. They’re sitting ducks… which is appropriate, seeing as they’ve eaten all the real ones.”
Prepare the teleport. The Overlord peered at the image with bright-eyed malevolence. It was a sight to warm the cockles of any Minion Master's shriveled heart. They tried to burn down my castle. He raised a hand and Gnarl felt the trumpet-call of the Master to his minions. Time to return the favour.
"That's the spirit, Lord!" Gnarl bowed the full inch he could manage. Poor halflings, he thought proudly. They were about to get exactly what they deserved.
That didn’t worry him as much as the Nexus being incommunicado. This young Overlord was promising, and they could hardly afford to try and find another one. No, the last thing he wanted was for his young master to get eaten by an extra-dimensional vortex. At least the boy had a cunning streak. He’d have to cultivate that. Carefully.
“Ehem.” Gnarl cleared his throat to announce his presence. “It’s good to see your trip to the Nexus was productive, master.” He peered at the titles on the number-stamped spines. “Ah, yes, the untold power and wealth of limitless otherworldly reams, all lined up for the taking… it’s all so invigorating. Takes me right back to when I was young. Now, Dark Master, I know knowledge is power, but we don’t want you getting overloaded with otherworldly trivia just yet, do we? Not when there’s so much Overlording for you to sink your teeth into at home.”
Yes, of course. Young Gromgard studied his page in 102 More Fun Things To Do With Unobtainium, then abruptly leaned forward and pointed a thorny finger so Gnarl could see. What do you suppose that means, Gnarl?
“Ah… ‘x-ray’, let me see…” He peered at the peculiarly glossy page. “Judging from all those little pictures, it looks like it’s referring to some kind of death beam. That, or a serious necromantic tool. Could be both,” he mused. “That would be handy.”
The Overlord nodded and dumped the book onto the floor beside the others. Gnarl hopped back hastily to spare his toes. You still don’t know who made the gate?
Gnarl shuffled alongside him as he walked down the length of the throne room. A couple of timber-toting Minions jumped out of their way in a jangle of toolbelts. “I have an idea, sire. I suspect the Castle Heart had something to do with it. It was supposed to be dormant while we waited for you to come of age, lord, but it must have created the portal while I was napping.” He gave a sour glare toward the archway up ahead, through which a gleam of blue-white power shone. “Temperamental old thing; you can never count on magic to just sit still for a few years. Just as well we have you to control its power now.” The wizened Minion Master scratched his chin. “We’ll have to find a way to communicate with you when you’re there. Perhaps we can even set up a waypoint gate…”
The Overlord nodded his approval. Excellent.
“And your siblings are safely preoccupied with beating the stuffing out of each other. I understand Grenville’s gardeners routed a battalion of dwarf bombers this morning with their mighty petal-blowing powers. Oooh, I can just imagine the look on Gerda’s face.”
So could the Overlord. He gave an amused snort. And our scouts?
“Even better news.” They mounted the steps and entered the circular chamber that housed the Castle Heart. It hung in the centre of the room, shining with power. The Overlord followed Gnarl to it. “Your minions have found the heart of the local Halfling infestation, a little place they like to call Briarthorn.” He passed a hand over the surface of the Heart, and the blue-white light shimmered into an image of a Halfling village. “You were right, sire. They’re still weak from that traitorous jester’s defeat. They’re sitting ducks… which is appropriate, seeing as they’ve eaten all the real ones.”
Prepare the teleport. The Overlord peered at the image with bright-eyed malevolence. It was a sight to warm the cockles of any Minion Master's shriveled heart. They tried to burn down my castle. He raised a hand and Gnarl felt the trumpet-call of the Master to his minions. Time to return the favour.
"That's the spirit, Lord!" Gnarl bowed the full inch he could manage. Poor halflings, he thought proudly. They were about to get exactly what they deserved.