nd。 After all； if I am to ask you to trust me； then I suppose I must extend you a token of trust first。
〃Indeed。 Well； I would be happy to oblige you； but I have urgent business with the Council。 Perhaps we could take up this conversation a little later？〃
Gromph glanced around the room； and his eyes fell on the crystal orb in the chamber's oriel。 The sphere swirled with pearly green opalescence。
Ah； of course； the archmage realized。 He found me here； where my screens against hostile divinations are weakened by the transparency of my scrying place。 I must investigate ways to guard against such occurrences without hampering my own efforts。
I fear I must speak with you now； Dyrr pressed。 I will not delay you for very long； and I believe you will be glad you listened to me before facing our scheming females。 May I join you there？
Gromph paused and gazed up at the unseen presence watching him； repressing an angry scowl。 Inviting a creature like Dyrr into his conjuring chambers was not something he cared to do on a whim。 Whether or not the ancient sorcerer had anything Gromph wished to hear； it was true that the matron mothers would not take kindly to waiting on his arrival。 He tapped his finger on the great wooden staff at his side； considering carefully。 He had no wish to give offense to Dyrr if it could be avoided； and after long centuries of undeath it was hard to say what the lich might or might not find offensive。 Besides； Gromph stood in his own sanctum； where many potent magical defenses lay within his reach。 。 。 。
〃Very well； Lord Dyrr。 Though I really must insist that we keep our conversation short； as my business with the Council is exceedingly urgent。〃
The air began to seethe and hum a few feet in front of the archmage； and with a sudden crack of sound； the ancient lichdrow stood before him。 The creature leaned on a staff of his own； a mighty implement made from four adamantine rods twisted around each other and bound at head and heel。 A small buckler of black metal in the shape of a demonic face twisted in an idiot's grin hovered in the air at his elbow。 Dyrr did not bother with his living guise； and stood revealed as a horrid skeleton with eyes as black as death。
〃Greetings； Archmage。 I apologize for inconveniencing you；〃 the lich said。 He fixed his blank sockets on Gromph。 〃What is it that drives you to seek an audience with the matrons today； young Gromph？〃
〃With all due respect； Lord Dyrr； I believe that is a matter for their ears； not yours。 Now； what offer do you have for me that cannot wait？〃
〃As you wish； then；〃 Dyrr said。 〃An army marches against Menzoberranzan from the south…the gray dwarves have apparently heard of our troubles and have decided to take advantage of the opportunity this offers。〃
〃Yes； I know；〃 Gromph snapped。 〃It is for this very reason that I must leave at once。 If you have nothing else 。 。 。 ？〃
He started toward the plain stone shaft leading down into his apartments。
〃I find that I am pleased that my news did not surprise you；〃 the lich said。 〃If you had not known of the duergar army； I would have had to make sure that it did not e to your attention； if you take my meaning。〃 Dyrr turned to face Gromph's back with a terrible scraping and clicking sound of bones rubbing together。 〃You may recall we spoke a few days past regarding a time when you must make a decision。 The time has e to do so。〃
Gromph stopped in his tracks and turned around carefully。 He'd hoped that wasn't the lich's motive in confronting him； but it seemed Dyrr intended to press the issue whether the archmage wished him to or not。
〃A decision； Dyrr？〃
〃Do not play at misunderstanding me。 I know you're far too intelligent for that。 All you need do is withhold your report for a few more days； and you can rush over to panic the matrons with news of a duergar army on our doorstep。 In fact； my plans will be well served if you do so at a time and in a manner convenient to me。〃
〃That would place the city in peril；〃 Gromph said。
〃It is in peril already； young Gromph。 I mean to impose some measure of order on the inevitable。 You could be of great assistance to me in the ing days； or。 。。。〃
〃I see；〃 said Gromph。
He narrowed his eyes； considering his options。 He could feign acceptance； and do as he wished anyway； but that would certainly invite the lich's wrath at the time and place of Dyrr's choosing。 He could refuse outright； which would likely result in a deadly contest on the spot to determine whose will would prevail。
Or I could agree in earnest； he thought。 Who's to say that we might not channel the forces marshalling against the city into useful chaos； valuable progress？ There will doubtless be tremendous damage； but the Menzoberranzan that emerged from such a crucible of blood and fire might be a better； stronger city in the end； a city purged of the ruthless tyranny of the sadistic priestesses and instead governed by the cold； passionless intelligence of pragmatic wizards。 Every cruelty could be made to serve a rational purpose； every excess curbed to produce a city whose strength was not spent on its own internecine strife。 Would not such a city be worthy of his loyalty？
Would such a city have any place for a Baenre？ he answered himself。
No revolution such as Dyrr dreamed of could possibly end with anything but plete annihilation for the First House of Menzoberranzan。 While Gromph despised his sisters and loathed many of the simpering relations who populated Castle Baenre； he would be damned if he would allow some lesser House to unseat his high and ancient family as the supreme power of Menzoberranzan。 There could be； really； only one response。
As quick as thought； Gromph raised his hand and unleashed a terrible； brilliant blast of colors at the lich； a spell whose energy he had prepared with such care and effort that it took only the merest act of will to unleash it。 Colors never seen in the gloom of the cavern city lanced through his conjury； each carrying with it a different doom； blight； or energy。 A quivering blue bolt of electricity passed so close to Dyrr that the lich's ancient robes crackled with tiny arcs； while a bright orange ray burned the ancient creature with acid powerful enough to melt stone。 A third ray； a beam of insidious violet； was deflected by the lich's animated buckler。 The device tittered like a wicked child as it intercepted the attack。
〃I am the Archmage of Menzoberranzan；〃 Gromph roared。 〃I am no one's errand boy！〃
Dyrr recoiled with a wailing shriek of anger as the acid splattered and hissed； gnawing at his ancient flesh。 The smell of burning bone filled the magnificent conjury with a horrid stench。 Gromph followed up his first assault by raising an abjuration he hoped would turn Dyrr's spells back at him。 The archmage fully expected that it would take every ruse； every defense； every subtle and deadly spell at his mand to defeat a thing as powerful as the Lord of Agrach Dyrr。
Gromph concluded his turning spell just in time； as Dyrr recovered with impossible speed and lashed out with a dire black ray of invidious energy that would have ripped away great portions of the archmage's very life…force had it struck home。 Instead； the ebon beam rebounded on Gromph's shield and struck Dyrr in the center of his torso。 This； however； had an unforeseen effect。 Instead of shredding the ancient lich's own life…force； the crackling black energy swelled the Lord of Agrach Dyrr with its horrible power。 The lich laughed aloud。
〃A clever move； Gromph； but I fear it miscarried。 Living creatures are grievously harmed by that spell； but the undead are invigorated by it！〃
The archmage muttered a curse and struck again； this time directing a vile green ray at the laughing lich。 It burned a perfect round hole in Dyrr's breastbone； blasting undead flesh and bone to dust。 The lich screeched again in whatever passed for pain in its undead state and leaped aside before Gromph could disintegrate him outright。
Even as the archmage menced another casting； Dyrr snarled out the words of a dark and murderous spell that clawed horribly at Gromph's flesh； sucking greedily at the very fluids of his body and bleaching his skin with a thousand needles of agony。 Gromph gasped aloud in pain and lost the spell he'd been preparing to cast； stumbling back over a marble bench and falling heavily to the floor。
Damn it all； he thought。 I need to buy a moment's respite。
Fortunately； he was in his sanctum； surrounded by a dozen weapons he might employ。
Gromph rolled to his elbow and barked out； 〃Szashune！ Destroy him！〃
In one alcove of the room； a tall statue of a four…armed swordsman carved from perfect black obsidian stirred to life； striding out into the chamber as it hefted and clashed its ebon blades like a living warrior。
Dyrr skittered away several steps and spoke a word。 The lich soared up out of the spiderstone golem's reach； but Gromph used the opportunity of the distraction to summon up the most destructive spell he knew and hurl it at the airborne lich。 From his outstretched hands eight brilliant orbs of bl