89 Chapter Eighty-Nine – Measure the Marks (1/2)

”Damn, Sama,” Briggs said in the middle of that, his pale violent eyes intense. ”Instantaneous telepathic contact across any distance in real time. Can you do a sensory share?”

”There's no control over the other side, so if the other side is willing, they have to make the effort to share. Not a Caster, Briggs. Can they see out MY eyes if I want them to? Sure.”

”Right, right.” His excitement was visible to the others. ”How many people can you handle?”

”Technically, there's no limit. I can broadcast without limit. Handling multiples talking to me is another matter. From experience in Nightmare, I generally set up chatboxes and relay commands among set groups of people, and then issue orders by box, or received them from set people to other people.”

”That would take an immense amount of concentration and attention,” he pointed out, but he was still bubbling with enthusiasm.

”Not really. You get a double thought-stream at 30 Int. I just ran it out of there.” I wrinkled my nose at him. ”Oh! You want to keep me off the battlefield and just run it for others, you wanker! Sure, that's possible. I suppose I could be smithing while running the whole operation.”

Everyone except Briggs was looking at me as if I were a monster.

”What… would be involved in this communication?” To my surprise, it was Brother Shadowknife who spoke up first.

”Well, trust. Then I have to Tat a Mark on you, takes about five minutes. Plow a thousand Karma into it, and the telepathy comes on line. Another thousand, half the primary effect. Three more thousand, full effect.”

”Describe this 'primary effect',” the general stated promptly.

”Hmm,” I rolled my eyes up. ”You are familiar with strength-enhancing magic, right?” He nodded slowly. ”The effect is similar to, but stacks with such magic, and is equivalent to a Valence I version of such effects, or +2, to wit. I'd advocate the Constitution equivalent for elves, you're going to need the endurance, but you can also get an equivalent to Leatherskin, or Longstride.” For some reason, the sex appeal wasn't on the table.

He realized the implications after only a little thought. That was equal to a primary, long-lasting combat buff, or a permanent magical item… for five minutes of work and some combat experience.

Raising a troop an entire tier like that was incredible. Five minutes per person. No top limit.

But it would require trust… which was naturally the most important edge.

”We would effectively be ceding you control over our troops.” His words made it plain that such an event was not something easy to deliver.

”Including your own self.” He blinked at me. ”What, you think I don't know how to give orders to generals? You don't need to be in command, you need to be seen and killing, go everywhere the fighting requires you. To be honest, someone of your skill is completely wasted in a normal command position, as you've got other things to do. It's time for you to start getting back into the fighting and earning some real glory.”

The flash of his eyes betrayed his excitement at the scene. ”Will I be able to know and countermand any orders you give my people?” he pressed pointedly.

”Technically, yes. Realistically, no. If you sit there trying to follow everything I'm going to be doing, you're literally going to be sitting there trying to follow everything I'm doing, waiting to issue a countermanding order. I won't have time to explain my tactics or strategy to just you, because I'm going to be issuing a lot of orders very quickly.” I wrinkled my nose. ”I shouldn't have to tell you what it means for a commander to be able to instantly give orders and see them obeyed with total comprehension and clarity. You don't explain things in a battle. You give an order and see it obeyed.”

He was silent for a long moment, glancing at Skycloud, who looked both worried and thoughtful. ”It is an extraordinary thing, if it is true. May I ask how such a thing is possible?”

”It simply replicates the power of Succubus' Dark Blessing. No more, no less. The potential power of a Blessing is simply that incredible. The downside, of course, is that no one would trust a Succubus to be their general, if they are in their right mind, because such a Blessing is an enslavement tool.” I tilted my head, then blinked my eyes. ”Oh, you mean mechanically, so that you can replicate it with someone you trust, instead of me.” I rubbed my nose as both elves flushed, ignoring them as I thought.

”Well, any succubus, naturally. Good luck with that.

”If you want a mortal… you're going to have to find another Forsaken Null. Then that Null is going to have to get a Blessing carved onto them by a Succubus, feed that Succubus to the Blessing, turn it into a Mark by shoving some high-value targets into the Mark via vivic immolation, at least a CR Twelve is best, and then Tatting it at a 36 with matching Spellcraft. Then they have to personally carve QL 32 matching Marks onto the recipients via Tattoo Artist, Spellcraft, and Alchemy checks, forming a Harmonic Minor Mark, which they can then Invest Karma in and make permanent.”

I lowered my eyes back down as the two elves stared at me. ”Of course, where you're also going to find a Ten Forsaken Null Warlord with over three thousand warband engagements at this size, I don't know, but you seemed pretty confident there.”

They looked like they'd eaten something unpalatable.

”What… three thousand? In Nightmare?” Briggs asked, stunned at the number.

”Oh, yeah. I commanded a company of troops who eventually reached four thousand in number.” Briggs blinked again, doing the math, and wondering how the heck I'd reached Twenty in my Warlord Rank. ”I knew everyone's name, rank, position, strength, weakness, and mindset. We fought in so many different terrains and locations, so many different enemies… can't say the Warp was directly involved, but damn did we slaughter enough anthros, fey, Jotuns, and demons, and they aren't much different.

”At the end there, I only took up Tremble if something Big showed up. Otherwise, my lads could pretty much take care of it. My job was to tell them what to do, and theirs was to do it. You might say I got pretty good at it.”