[RPG] Re: [FEI] Lasanar - I kin nae find the thumbscrews

[Samuel Knowlton]

"By the Gods," Galiard shouted over the din. "What is all that ruckus?"

The Duke ducked into the dimly-lit storage room not far from the audience 
chamber. "I was listening to some woman complain about how the new Academy 
is somehow interrupting the route for her sheep, when all of a sudden--"

Galiard dodged a flying object of some kind.

"Dodd!"

Dodd looked over his shoulder from where he was busily throwing things out 
of a closet.

"M'lud!" Dodd saluted.

"What in the heavens' name are you doing?" Galiard demanded.

"Looking for the thumbscrews, m'lud," explained Dodd in a rather neutral 
tone of voice.

"The what?" Galiard frowned.

"Thumbscrews," repeated Dodd. "Surely m'lud is aware of..."

"--Yes," Galiard cut off his lieutenant and shook his head. "I know what 
they are. Why are you looking for them?"

Dodd looked briefly confused. "Because we don't know where they are, m'lud," 
he explained, paused, and added: "...obviously."

Galiard smacked his forehead with his palm.

'...and what do you intend to do with them, once you find them?" Galiard 
asked, very slowly.

Dodd frowned again. "Erm," he cleared his throat. "We surely don't intend to 
bake a pie out of them, m'lud. Them being thumbscrews and all."

Galiard gave Dodd The Look that usually meant Dodd had about five seconds to 
explain or else he would soon be looking for a new liege lord.

"Ah, yes," Dodd explained hastily. "Well, we have some functionaries in the 
dungeons associated with -- well, with you-know-who, and..."

Galiard privately wondered what functionaries did other than accept bribes 
and facilitate graft.

"...and why thumbscrews, particularly?" Galiard asked.

"The rack's broken," Dodd observed.

"I don't suppose it occured to you to fix it," said Galiard.

"Oh, sure," agreed Dodd, "though I probably shouldn't have just thrown that 
piece of it at you when you walked in."

Galiard stared.

"Really I just wanted to use the thumbscrews," admitted Dodd, who produced a 
large bag, helpfully labeled 'THUMBSCREWS'. "Aha!"

Galiard turned around and made to leave. "I'll be upstairs," he said, 
rubbing his temples. "Try not to enjoy yourself too much."

"Wouldn't dream of it, m'lud," said Dodd, trotting off with his bag 'o 
thumbscrews excitedly.