(Sorry for the delay! I'll have more time to post for a while now.)
@Eviledd1984@SilverPawKara took a deep breath and tried to organize her thoughts. "Smith's going through a kind of metamorphosis, as he is half-nymph. Well, more like half-fey. I know there's a distinction there, but this is something that happens in their lives. Like a butterfly or something. We weren't given a full explanation, so I was hoping that you could help us, mom. I mean, you're the sorceress around here." She put an arm around Smith, trying to comfort him. All of these changes still weren't easy either of them to handle.
Aerta nodded. "I should have suspected as much. My knowledge of the fey isn't as great as it could be, and we don't have many fey in the dracon lands to begin with. Yssil, would you happen to know about any of this? I may be a sorceress, but my formal training as a mage is somewhat limited outside of my specialties." True enough, Aerta was a mage whose strengths lay in divination, teleportation, and ritual magic spells. While she knew some combat spells, her magic was more of an intuitive endeavor, not an intellectual one.
@bloonewbKali nodded. "First, you need to understand that this isn't like a curse or something. We're not trying to use magic to manipulate anyone. This is based on words, tone, gestures, things like that. Basically harmless. Second, we're not trying to lie outright if it can be avoided. Best to present the truth in the best possible light, or the worst possible light, depending on the situation. Third, we need to control the flow of information to Rughoi. Make sure that he learns exactly what he has to, no more, no less. If he hears something that is true but enraging if taken out of context, it could make him do something stupid, and jeopardize everything we've worked for."
The female kobold sat down, cross-legged as she continued to speak. "Now, the important thing to remember is that everyone has drives. Motives. Things which make them want to do other things, if that helps. Some drives include love, lust, greed, fear, pride, and so on. I'd say that our lord is motivated by pride and a desire for security, hidden under a mask of love of nation. Or race. Or species. A love of other kobolds. I don't doubt that he has at least some honest love of kind buried deep down, but it is really a way of compensating for pains and insecurities, if what Krakas has hold us is true. So, with all this in mind, you need to appeal to what motivates him. Convince him that your ideas are his and appeal to his stated values. Suggest something and make it seem like it would be something he would do. Something like building a new well instead of sending an army to attack a dracon village. Tell him that it is for the good of all kobolds and that he doesn't want to waste his time and energy attacking something which won't bring him any significant gain anyway. And that he wanted to build a well all along. Oh, and make sure to ask him if he wants to ensure a clean water supply ahead of time. Same thing with other topics. Make it something that no one could disagree with. If he wonders when he mentioned a well, say that he wanted to improve the water supply, which would be true if he mentioned it earlier. You'd have no need to put words in his mouth, only give what he already said a more specific context of your choosing. Any questions so far?"
