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.Gromph had not taken the time to bathe orchange his attire, so the stink of filth and smoke still oozed from him.More conscious of the smell in theclose confines of his office, he crinkled his nose, spoke the words to a cantrip, and used the minormagical power to mend his clothes and clean himself up, at least a bit.A knock sounded on the zurkhwood door that opened onto the hallway."It is Prath, Archmage," the apprentice called.With a flick of his finger, Gromph temporarily suspended the wards on his door."Enter," he commanded, and Prath did.The wards reengaged when the door shut.Prath nodded to Nauzhror, who sat in one of the two cushioned chairs opposite Gromph's desk, andcrossed the room."Sit, apprentice," Gromph said and indicated the second chair.Prath sank into it, saying nothing.Gromph studied the two wizards, thinking the apprentice overly muscular and fidgety, the Master overlyfat and ambitious.Neither yet understood exactly what Gromph proposed to do.Gromph's personal office was perhaps the most secure location in the city, the haven from which hecould begin in secret his assault on House Agrach Dyrr.A series of wardsfar more than those that simplyprevented entry through the doorwaysheathed the room to prevent not only physical intrusion but scryingand other magical surveillance.Gromph perceived the wards in the room around him as a tickle on thenewly regrown hairs of his arms, a slight charge in the air.Of all the mages in Menzoberranzan, only the lichdrow would have had a chance to penetrate Gromph'sward scheme, and only maybe.Of course, the lichdrow was no more than dust at the moment.Gromph intended to ensure that he stayedthat way.A half-full chalice of fortified mushroom wine sat on the smooth, white desktop beside the remains ofGromph's meal.Near the chalice and silver plate sat one of Gromph's two personal scrying crystals.Unlike his crystal ball, unlike the great lens in Sorcere's scrying chamber, the crystal on his desk was notsmooth surfaced, but rather was a head-sized, irregularly-shaped piece of brown, black, and red bandedchrysoberyl.Those in the World Above called it "cat's eye," and its properties as a scrying medium werehighly valued.Unfortunately, a chrysoberyl scrying crystal typically did not have the range of most other types ofcrystals.Still, for close work, there was nothing better.And Gromph's crystal had an added benefit Hecould cast certain types of spells through it.The crystal sat cradled in a triangular stand of unusually-textured gray stone.An eye motif decorated thestand.Gromph had sculpted it from the spheroid body of an eye tyrant that he had petrified in battle longago."An unusual scrying crystal," Nauzhror observed."I have never seen its like.""It is of my own making," Gromph replied."And I have never recorded the process of its creation."Nauzhror only nodded, eyeing the crystal.Gromph took a sip from the mushroom wine.The bitter taste left a pleasant tang on his tongue.The winefortified his will.He put his fingertips to the faceted surface of the crystal.It felt cool, though the magicwithin it sent a charge through his hands.He moved his fingers over its surface, tracing its edges, attuningit to his will.Nauzhror and Prath watched in expectant silence.Gromph closed his eyes and let his mind see the lines of power that flowed within the chrysoberyl.Hewaited for the connection between the stone and his mind to coalesce.There.He smiled, feeling the crystal as an extension of his own mind, his own senses.He opened his eyes, stillconnected to the crystal, and gave a satisfied nod.The bands of color in the crystal had bled together toturn the crystal black.As he watched, the black gave way to a misty gray."It is ready," he said, as much to himself as to Nauzhror and Prath."Indeed," said Nauzhror."Are we to be of assistance, Archmage?""Yes," Gromph answered."But not with this.Be patient, Nauzhror."Prath leaned forward in his chair, elbows on his knees.He eyed the swirling gray mists in the crystal, andasked, "Archmage, I presume you will scry House Agrach Dyrr.Why not use the Scrying Chamber forthis task? The crystal there is"Before Gromph could answer, Nauzhror answered in the same tone he might use with a particularlydense student, "Because only Baenre are to know of this.There may be spies other than Vorion withinSorcere's walls."Gromph cocked an eyebrow.Nauzhror's analysis impressed him; the Master wizard saw much.Soon,Gromph would have either to move him up Sorcere's ranks or, if his ambition proved too great, kill him."Master Nauzhror offers one reason among several," Gromph said, giving the Master of Sorcere a lookof reserved approval."Another is that I know my offices to be shielded from Yasraena's scrying.I cannotbe as certain regarding the wards around the scrying chamber without first performing a thorough check.We do not have time for that.Still a third reason is that I will need you both here, in my office, to furthermy deception.""Deception?" asked Prath."Need?" Nauzhror asked.Gromph regretted his word choice the moment it exited his mouth.Nauzhror's expression showed anill-concealed eagerness at Gromph's declaration of "need." Even Prath looked mildly taken aback.Gromph sealed the breach
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