A - 7
B - 1
C - 4
D - 1
Chapter 4.11: Greece at War
Surprisingly enough, the guards make no real effort to stop you once you knock two of them down and send the other sprawling against a wall. They back away from you, their eyes fearful. You quicken your pace and run through the palace, moving away from Minos's presence. You soon find yourself near the outside walls, and with a bound, you leap onto a nearby cart and vault onto the wall. From there, it was a brief hop to freedom, and soon you are safely away from the palace.
***
At Amnisos, you begin seeking a way off Crete. You have regained some of your powers, but you are still nowhere as strong as you once were. The first thing you notice as you enter the port town is the abundance of military men about. You decide to spend a bit of time asking about recent events before proceeding further, and visit the nearest tavern.
"The king is attacking the other Greek cities, pal. Where've you been stuck this past year?" The innkeep was generous enough with his information, once you've officially become a customer by ordering some drinks.
"Crete, against the other Greek cities? All the other Greek cities?" You can't believe your ears. Despite Minos being a Gieloth, you are certain that two years ago, Crete would only have the military strength to tackle two or three of the Greek cities at a time. Minos did not have enough manpower to conduct a sustained campaign against all of them.
Another man in the tavern, a merchant by the looks of it, spoke up. "Aye, all of them. He'd vowed to tear Athens to the ground, and would have done it too, but apparently Zeus himself ordered the other cities to ally against Minos. At least, that's what I heard. This new king of Athens, Theseus, is much in the favour of the Skyfather. He slew the Minotaur of our own lord, y'know."
If you weren't mistaken, Zeus was a god, and the head of the Greek pantheon. You continue your inquiries.
"And why would Minos want to destroy Athens? Did the loss of the Minotaur weigh so much on him?"
"Oh no, no, it was not because of his divine pet. Theseus dishonored and abducted the princess Ariadne, then murdered the princess Phaedra! All while as an esteemed guest of our king! Where have you been, man? The entire island is still shaken over this."
"Surely Crete, strong as it may be, cannot beat the whole of Greece?" you venture.
"We would not presume to think that even though we love our island and our king so, so much." chuckled the merchant. "King Minos brokered an alliance with Egypt. They've been helping in the war for the past three months now."
It looks like Mehrune's visit had some consequences. You wonder if Sekhenun was still with Mehrune, or if she'd vanished somewhere else for her own purposes. It looks like you have few other leads at the moment.
Stepping out of the tavern, you duck into a dark alley. It may be a good idea to utilize your limited shifting abilities to nudge your features, making yourself look less Sumerian and more Grecian, if you plan on staying in the area.
***
A. You stow yourself aboard a military vessel heading to the frontlines of the war on the Greek mainland. You plan to eventually head to Athens to investigate the matter of Theseus and this Zeus. Rather than relying on hear-say, it would be more advisable to see the current condition of the region with your own eyes.
B. You take a ship back to Egypt, to look for Mehrune. Hopefully Sekhenun will still be with her; if not, it is still a safer place than staying in the war-torn Aegean for now. Before your powers fully revive, you do not plan on taking any chances with your presence.
C. You return to Minos's court to offer your services incognito. With your knowledge and powers, you could use his admittedly vast resources to find a way to restore your full strength. He will be requiring good men now that he is engaged in a war, and you know how to wage one.
We could end the whole war in an instant and save a lot of lives if we were to sneak back to the palace and end Minos reign.
