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〃Why is that implausible？ Picture the day…a few tendays past？…when they lost the ability to draw power from their goddess。 Clerics of Lolth routinely collaborate in magical rituals； so they would have discovered fairly quickly that they were all similarly afflicted。 Apprised of the scope of the situation； Triel Baenre； possibly in hurried consultation with our esnotteemed Mistress Quenthel and the matrons of the Council； might well have decided to conceal the priesthood's debility and sent the word round in time to keep anyone from blabbing。〃
〃The word would have to pass pretty damn quickly；〃 said Ryld； examnotining Splitter's edge。 As he'd expected； despite all the bone it had just bitten through； it was as preternaturally keen and free of notches and chips as ever。
〃Oh； I don't know；〃 the wizard said。 〃If you lost the strength of your arms； would you be eager to announce it； knowing the news would find its way to everyone who'd ever taken a dislike to you？ Anyway； since this is the first we've learned of the problem； the deception obviously did ornotganize in time。〃
〃Or else everything is as it always was； and the plot exists only in your imagination。〃
〃Oh； it's real。 I'm sure Triel deemed the ruse necessary to make sure no visitor would discern Menzoberranzan's sudden weakness。〃 He grinned and added； 〃And to fix it so we poor males wouldn't swoon with terror upon learning that our betters had lost a measure of their ability to guide and protect us。〃
〃Well； it's an amusing fancy。〃
〃Fire and glare； you're a hard boy to convince； and I'll be cursed if I know why。 You've already lived through the Time of Troubles； the previnotous Matron Baenre's death； and the defeat of Menzoberranzan by a gaggle of wretched dwarves。 Why do you assume our world cannot have altered in some fundamental way when you've watched it change so many times before？ Open your mind； and you'll see my hypothesis makes sense of all that has puzzled us。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Whatever they're up to； how is it that for the past month an unusual number of males have dared to elope from their families？ Because they somehow tumbled to the fact that a priestess's wrath now constitutes less of a threat。〃
〃While the clerics；〃 said Ryld； catching the thread of the argument； 〃are eager to catch them because they want to know how the males know about the Silence； if we're going to call it that。 Hells； if all those males had the nerve to run away； maybe they even know more about the problem than the females do。〃
〃Conceivably；〃 said Pharaun。 〃The priestesses can't rule it out until they strap a few of them to torture racks； can they？ But they don't want Gromph involved with capturing the rogues because 。 。 。 ？〃
〃They don't want him to find out what the runaways know。〃
〃Very good； apprentice。 We'll make a logician of you yet。〃
〃Do you think the archmage already knows the divines have lost their magic？〃
〃I'd bet your left eye on it； but he's in the same cart as the high priestnotesses。 He posits that the fugitives might know even more。〃
Ryld nodded。 〃In a war； or any crisis； you have to cover ever