[b][i]"Very well then. Take what armor and weaponry you will, then,"[/i][/b] the Keeper answered Shukra. He also permitted the Darkwraith to have his chair, though it was an odd request from Kor. Perhaps the wight saw something special about the mundane object that nobody else had? Suddenly remembering that Twich had asked his leave to take a dozen slaves before the spectacle had started, he at last turned to answer the expectant kobold.

[b][i]"Your request is granted,"[/i][/b] he finally answered. It was then that he realized with the shadows over the slaves' faces, it was rather difficult to tell which ones were made defective by Narza. Not to mention that he had no clue which ones the kobold had picked out earlier. The Dungeon Keeper blessed the kobold with eyes of night, at least temporarily, so that his vision would suddenly be able to pierce the thick cocoons of shadow that cloaked the shackled slaves in the corner. With another gesture he created a dark singularity nearby, a small spot of utter darkness for all others, but to the kobold's temporarily augmented vision he would see it for what it truly was: a portal back to his own chambers. It was a rather kind gesture from the Master, who normally would have left the tiny kobold to figure out how to move the prisoners. Twich seemed both respectful and useful though, a seemingly rare combination amongst the rabble that served the Master.

[b][i]"If any survive your [color=Red]loving[/color] care for long enough for you to want rid of them, donate them to the imps. They could always use more hands, and...entertainment."[/i][/b]

The Keeper was then distracted by Athinar's compliment. Such a deliberate compliment or appeal to his ego made the Master suspicious; Athinar obviously wanted something. Fortunately he didn't have to guess what that something was, as Athinar proceeded to request a leadership position. After a moment of thought, the Dungeon Keeper smiled. His answer was, [b][i]"A bold request; you may have potential, Athinar.  Yes, you will lead one of my next attacks. Yet do not consider it permanent by any standard, for your continued rank will depend upon your success. I do not take failure lightly or kindly."[/i][/b] At that, a chuckle reverberated from deep within the warlock's chest, a low rumble that would likely sound more like a growl than a laugh. It came not from the human body, but from the demon that possessed it. The Master wondered if Athinar knew what he was getting himself into.