Spiders!

[lurkingkobold]

The scene: Miles' living room; Cordelia and the kobold sit on the couch, facing each other, with the kobold's mirror on the couch between them.

The kobold has the mirror read a thread, gives an explanation of what she found on her trip - the spiders are telepathic, she wasn't obviously a person because she's not; also, these spiders are small, but clearly capable of killing humans, she watched one take down a rat nearly that big - then has the mirror read another thread, and then a series of private messages between herself and Novelty:

---

Hi!

There's another spider here, Queen Hot, who was asking about eating humans a while ago.

Do you know them? If you do, have you told them that they might be wrong about humans not being people?

---

She's the queen of my clan. I told her about humans and she said she doesn't think they're people but if she sees any she'll ask them for me. I told her maybe they're people who can't talk. She said she'll ask them about that too. I said she wasn't taking me seriously, this is important! So I told her I can trade some alive humans on the forum and she said okay she'll bring me any alive humans she finds, I should get a good trade. If she finds humans can you trade for them?

---

That's a good idea, but I think I have a better one - I have friends who are humans and don't talk the way you do; I can bring one of them to meet her and explain. Do you think that would work? How dangerous would it be for us?

---

I can get her to listen to you. She's very patient. But she might plan to eat you after.

---

Hm. Tell her I have five goats I'll give her if she doesn't try to eat us when we visit.

---

What are goats?

---

Goats are a kind of animal; four goats is about as much meat as me and my human friend together.

---

She wants one of the goats up front to see if they are good food.

---

When the private message thread is done, the kobold says, "I'm done trying to negotiate, this kind of thing never ends well. We need to do something, though."

Comments

[spiderzone]

I do like magic. Very well. I promise to initiate no hostilities with you, or, should you send one, with your chosen animal representative. Let us see your magic.

[greatcomposure]

Cordelia finds the kobold, and says, "I'm going to go visit Queen Hot now. She thinks I might be a hoax by Novelty, but she seems willing to consider the idea that I might be a person who isn't a telepath."

[lurkingkobold]

Nod, consider.

"Did she say anything that makes it sound like a bad idea to have Novelty here? I'm not sure how she thinks Novelty would be doing a hoax."

[greatcomposure]

"I didn't get that impression from anything she said. Probably it will seem less likely that Novelty is doing a hoax if Novelty is in a different world at the time."

[lurkingkobold]

She nods, and sends a PM to Novelty:

Would you like to come try a goat, while my human friend meets with Queen Hot? They've been talking, I think it will be safe.

[spiderzone]

Ooh, that sounds fun! When can I come?

[lurkingkobold]

She looks to Cordelia, for any last minute uncertainty, then sends

In a couple minutes, we just need to get ready.

and heads to the demiplane.

[greatcomposure]

Cordelia PMs Queen Hot.

My kobold friend has invited Novelty to visit our home while I visit yours. I will arrive very soon, using a magical gate between worlds which will open near you.

Then she follows the kobold to the demiplane, and opens a gate to Queen Hot.

[lurkingkobold]

And the kobold opens a gate to Novelty.