Queen Harkona spared the loudly returning gnome a look that would have fillet'd steak at a hundred paces. Solomon, ignoring the warlock, spoke through the commotion and the arguing voices, his own voice cutting through it even though he did not match the volume. "Gentlemen, if you continue to bicker and interrupt, I will begin incinerating those of you who are loudest."

Silence, or at least as close as you can get in a room filled with a hundred people.

"Thank you. Now then. Armies fail. Chief Olaff, I believe you witnessed what the Dozen does to armies that prove a threat. They slit throats. They knock out the supports and let it fall apart under its own weight. It was a tragedy when your father was killed. He would have done so much damage to those bastards." He turned his attention back to the room at large. "No, my brothers in sin, an army is not the answer, despite the fact that, if we could ever unite, we would be a force of unspeakable power. But we would never remain united. No, we need our own adventurers. People who can walk where an army could not go. People who can weild a knife in the dark, a subtle spell unseen, a sword in the bedchambers of our enemies. We need antiheroes."

Solomon allowed this idea to roll through the minds of his audience. The high priest of Juiblex stood and called out loudly enough for the room to hear. "So who would we send? You all know we cannot trust each other to honor any agreement concerning an artifact of such power." He thumped his staff, a beastly thing of melted glass that looked like it was moving, against the granite floors to emphasize his words.

Solomon inclined his head slightly. "Least of all, devotees of a creature of the Abyss. Oh, don't be insulted. Demons are by their nature liars and cheats. Take it a a compliment, that you should emulate the nature of your slime-lord so well." He shifted again to address the room. "Yes, he raises an excellent point. I am recommending several teams be formed, each consisting of members of different organizations. This will help ensure that information is sent back to everyone, and will make treachery so much harder. Thoughts, anyone? I suggest we do this the old fashioned way and draw straws. Say, six teams of six? I should think that, between all of us, we can spare thirty-six able bodies. Many more, and we risk drawing unwanted attention that could forewarn the Dozen."

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"There are three kinds of plan. The fast plan, the good plan, and the sneaky plan. The fast plan works because by the time anyone knows you're there, you're already stabbing them in the face. The good plan works because they know you're going to stab them in the face, but they can't do anything about it. The sneaky plan works because while you were listening to me explain all this, I stole your sandwich."