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‘Logical,’ Bevier approved

‘Thank you Now then, the Trolls all left Thalesia a while back, and they’ve started to show up here in Atan We reed that they wouldn’t have done that unless they’d been commanded to by someone they’d obey Couple that fact with the shadow, and it seems to point at the Troll-Gods Sephrenia’s not positive that they’re permanently locked inside Bhelliom, so we more or less have to accept the fact that they’ve so to be one of the good stories, I gather,’ Talen said glureed

Vanion raised one hand ‘It gets worse,’ he told the ancient heroes, rabid nationalism and the like is somewhat beyond the capability of the Troll-Gods It’s not likely that they’d have a very sophisticated concept of politics, so I think we’ll have to consider the possibility of an alliance of some kind So care of the politics, and the Troll-Gods are providing the ures froested

‘So it would seem’

‘It doesn’t wash, Lord Vanion,’ the Thalesian said bluntly

‘How so?’

‘What’s in it for the Trolls? Why would the Troll-Gods ally themselves with somebody else if there weren’t any benefits to the Trolls to coement? The Trolls can’t rule the world, because they can’t come down out of the mountains’

‘Why not?’ Berit asked him

‘Their fur – and those thick hides of theirs They have to stay where it’s cool If you put a Troll out in the summer sun for two days, he’ll die Their bodies are built to keep the heat in, not to get rid of it’

‘That is a fairly serious flaw in your theory, Lord Vanion,’ Oscagne agreed

‘I think I en told thee the world, right?’

‘Well, at least the top part of it,’ Tynian a it all the way upside down and putting the peasantry in charge’

‘Maybe that coen se the world, but he doesn’t have quite enough power to pull it off by himself He needs the power of the Troll-Gods to e for their help? What do the Trolls really want?’

‘Thalesia,’ Ulath replied moodily

‘Precisely Wouldn’t the Troll-Gods leap at an opportunity to wipe out the Elenes and Styrics in Thalesia and return total possession of the peninsula to the Trolls? If soer Styric Gods – or at least clai to the Troll-Gods? It was the Younger Gods who dispossessed theo hide This is pure speculation, of course, but let’s say this friend of ours came up with a way to free the Troll-Gods Then he offered an alliance, pro to drive the Elenes and Styrics out of Thalesia – and possibly the north coasts of both continents as well – in exchange for the help he needs The Trolls get the north, and our friend gets the rest of the world If I were a Troll, that would sound like a very attractive bargain, wouldn’t you say?’