The Power That Preserves: The Rescue (3) & Siege (4)

[The Ardent]

Excellent job with the summary; here's my thoughts as to why Kevin made the Krill. The Staff of Law is primarily an incarnation of Law itself and only secondarily does it serve as tool for the use of power. In fact, there are probably powers that the Staff could not use because they violate Law; trying to channel any part of the Illearth stone's might would probably shatter the Staff before anything else happened. Kevin needed a tool that was wholly devoted to channelling power and was not hampered by the necessities of Law, thus the Krill. Now, why he named it after microscopic plankton is beyond me but he's a Lord, he gets to do weird things.

[Fist and Faith]

Loric made the Krill.

I aguess I see the SoL more as a tool. Yeah, it can be used as a weapon, but it's not what the thing was made for. It's not its forte. But the Krill is specifically a weapon. It can channel more power for that specific purpose than the Staff can.

[Cord Hurn]

It's great to see Covenat move from anti-hero to hero in chapter 3. I started liking him from this point onward.




[typo edit: I had to change "her" to "hero", one of those things that spell-check doesn't catch! ]

[JIkj fjds j]

Loric made the Krill.

I must disagree with F&F. But only on a point of sophistry.
Loric made the Sword. The Krill is the Power within the heart of the Stone.

Kevin needed a tool that was wholly devoted to channelling power and was not hampered by the necessities of Law, thus the Krill. Now, why he named it after microscopic plankton is beyond me but he's a Lord, he gets to do weird things.

[Cord Hurn]

Some of my favorite moments in chapter 4 involve the Heartthralls.

In a dangerously short time, the ur-viles had cocked their machine, and were filling its cup with their black vitriol. They fired their next throw scant moments after Tohrm's rhadhamaerl reinforcements had positioned themselves to support the stone.

At Mhoram's command, the Lords struck against the arcing gout of acid before it reached the tower. Their staffs flashed as they threw up a wal of fire across the acid's path.

The fluid hit their fire with a force which shredded their Forbidding. The black acid shot through their power to slam against the tower wall. But the attack had spent much of its virulence. When it reached the stone, Tohrm and his fellow Gravelingases were able to withstand it.

It shattered against the strength which they called up in the rock, and fell flaming viciously to the ground, leaving behind dark stains on the wall but no serious damage.

Tohrm turned to meet High Lord Mhoram's gaze. Hot anger and exertion flushed the Heartthrall's face but he bared is teeth in a grin which promised much for the defense of Revelstone.

I just got this really great vibration of pride for ol' Tohrm, here!

[Cord Hurn]

And I can't forget self-effacing but likeable Borillar...

With a fierce grin, the Woodhelven woman turned to Borilar and said "The lillianrill make dour shafts, Heartthrall."

Borillar strove to appear dispassionate, as if he were accustomed to such success, but he had to swallow twice before he could find his voice to say, "So it would appear."

High Lord Mhoram placed a hand of praise on the Heartthrall's shoulder. "Hirebrand, is there more lor-liarill which may be formed into such arrows?"

Borillar nodded like a veteran. "There is more. All the Gidenlode keels and rudders which were made for the Giants--before--That wood may be reshaped."

"Ask the Hirebrands to begin at once," said Mhoram quietly.

Smiling broadly, Tohrm moved to stand beside Borillar. "Heartthrall, you have outdone me," he said in a teasing tone. "The rhadhamaerl will not rest until they have found a way to match this triumph of yours."

At this, Borillar's dispassion broke into a look of wide pleasure. Arm in arm, he and Tohrm left the tower, followed by the other Hirebrands and Gravelingases.

Heh-heh, WAY TO GO, BORILLAR! I like re-visiting moments like this.

[Cord Hurn]

Loric made the Krill.

I must disagree with F&F. But only on a point of sophistry.
Loric made the Sword. The Krill is the Power within the heart of the Stone.

Kevin needed a tool that was wholly devoted to channelling power and was not hampered by the necessities of Law, thus the Krill. Now, why he named it after microscopic plankton is beyond me but he's a Lord, he gets to do weird things.

It might be argued, Rune, that Loric came up with the perfect way to contain that power.

Spoiler

The krill seems to have a never-ending capacity for power. But I'll say no more, here.