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00:00:01
The Thieves Guild,
00:00:04
by Jake Kerr
00:00:10
(dramatic music plays) . Episode 80.
00:00:17
A message in the streets.
00:00:24
With Rafe and Allard gone, and Mailer imprisoned by Polo, Raylan had
00:00:29
not felt so lonely in a long time. He stood on his balcony
00:00:33
looking out on his guild lands, an entire half of the walled city.
00:00:39
In the distance, he could see smoke, but no fires.
00:00:42
There was the suggestion of movement near the great bridge, but the distance was too great
00:00:47
for him to see more than that. It was odd.
00:00:51
He was one of the most powerful men in Ness at the moment, yet he felt like there was
00:00:56
little for him to do. He missed running through the Knight Tower to rescue
00:01:00
Allard, galloping toward Gautland to reach Karch, and even
00:01:05
the Founder's Day parade that left him gagging and covered in filth.
00:01:10
At least it was something.
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But what could he do in that moment? It was as his brother had said when he
00:01:17
first informed Raylan that he was the guild master thief, he was but a
00:01:22
figurehead.
00:01:24
Of course for Larsen, the guild master thief was a figurehead of scorn.
00:01:29
Now he was a figurehead of a real guild, with real
00:01:33
responsibilities, but he was still a figurehead.
00:01:37
Raylan wanted more. He wanted to do something.
00:01:42
Marching back into the tower, Raylan entered his quarters and put on his
00:01:47
traveling clothes: leather breeches and a black shirt with black
00:01:52
boots. Flowing behind him was a black cape made of liquid cloth,
00:01:57
the rarest of materials in Ness. There would be no mistaking
00:02:02
he was the guild master. Striding out, he approached Philos.
00:02:07
I am going to Founder's Square to meet and talk to the Harvest Guild refugees.
00:02:12
Philos was too experienced to even think of contradicting the
00:02:17
guild master. That was Allard's job.
00:02:20
He simply nodded and replied...
00:02:23
Will you require a carriage?
00:02:24
I'll be riding my horse.
00:02:27
As you wish. I shall attend to it, sir.
00:02:30
Very good. I'll meet you in the stables.
00:02:33
Raylan knew Philos would be escorting him, and while he wanted his outreach to
00:02:38
the Harvest Guild refugees to be his personal mission, he knew it was wise
00:02:43
to have his guard with him. Thinking of his guard also reminded Raylan that he
00:02:48
should arm himself. Returning to his quarters, Raylan secured the
00:02:53
long dagger that Allard had given him to his waist and thigh.
00:02:57
He doubted it would do any good against a formidable opponent, but
00:03:02
its presence made him feel better.
00:03:07
The stables had come a long way since their former unused and collapsed
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state. Raylan's horse, the majestic beast gifted to him by Lord
00:03:16
Wilhelm, stood proudly in front, Philos holding his reins.
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He is a mighty steed, Guild Master.
00:03:24
He was a gift of the Outlanders. He was raised on the plains.
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Raylan rubbed his hand along the horse's neck.
00:03:32
I've named him Calisto.
00:03:35
It was the name of a city that Rafe said was far to the west beyond the
00:03:39
Outlanders. It sounded exotic and wild to Raylan, and it seemed
00:03:44
to fit the horse.
00:03:46
Like the glittering prize, Philos replied.
00:03:49
Glittering prize?
00:03:51
Yes, the children's verse.
00:03:54
Do your work and focus your eyes, and you too can make it to Calisto, the glittering
00:03:58
prize.
00:03:59
Philos shrugged.
00:04:01
I figured it was some ancient treasure of some sort.
00:04:04
Your horse is definitely a treasure.
00:04:06
The city and treasure. "I wonder if they are the
00:04:11
same thing. More hints of our past hidden in plain sight,"
00:04:16
Raylan thought.
00:04:17
It is indeed the source of his name, a glittering prize
00:04:22
indeed.
00:04:23
Philos handed the reins to Raylan and vaulted onto his
00:04:27
horse. Philos was surprisingly nimble for a large and muscular
00:04:32
man wearing chain mail. He had been installed by Allard, and Raylan
00:04:37
was certain that Philos was one of the deadliest fighters in all of
00:04:42
Ness.
00:04:45
Raylan climbed onto Calisto, and they spurred their horses out of the
00:04:50
stables and on to the old quarter and Founder's Square.
00:04:54
Green tunics, robes, shirts and cloaks were everywhere as the flow of
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Harvest Guild members across the bridge didn't seem to be abating even a full
00:05:04
day or more after it had started.
00:05:06
They are clearing the entire quarter.
00:05:09
That they are, Guild Master.
00:05:12
Raylan hadn't truly believed that Larsen could do any such thing, so it
00:05:17
helped him focus on the scale of what he was seeing. The crowds were enormous.
00:05:22
It took a moment, but Raylan discovered that there was order to the crowds he was
00:05:27
seeing flowing through the streets.
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Thieves Guild members in black were guiding groups to various houses and down
00:05:34
various alleys. Each group was organized and escorted by a member
00:05:39
of the Thieves Guild. Despite the chaos of humanity, everything seemed
00:05:44
to be moving with an orderly flow.
00:05:48
Raylan pushed his horse forward and through the people so that he could be in the
00:05:53
center of Founder's Square, a large open area at the center of two
00:05:58
intersecting major thoroughfares in the old quarter.At the center
00:06:03
was the base of a statue with nothing upon it.
00:06:06
Relan assumed that back in the migration from the old quarter, the statue had
00:06:11
been stolen or destroyed.
00:06:14
Stopping, Relan yelled out...
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"Welcome to your new home and shelter. The Thieves Guild welcomes you.
00:06:20
We are here to help, to heal, to feed, and to shelter you.
00:06:25
We are your friends. If you have questions, I will answer them.
00:06:29
You have nothing to fear."
00:06:32
Relan crossed his arms, not expecting anyone to say anything, although he hoped
00:06:37
his words were calming.
00:06:39
A large number of Harvest Guild members had looked at him while he spoke, and one
00:06:44
of them yelled out...
00:06:45
"You are thieves. You have stolen from us.
00:06:48
Why should we trust you?"
00:06:50
Relan looked at the woman. She appeared older, and from her clothes, looked
00:06:55
like the kind of guild member who would not need the assistance of the thieves.
00:07:00
She would see them solely as just that,
00:07:02
thieves.
00:07:03
"We take so that we can give. The food and clothing we have stolen will now
00:07:08
feed and clothe you. It is as it has always been."
00:07:12
Relan looked around.
00:07:14
"Anyone else, we are here to help. But if you would like to know our
00:07:19
history or more about our guild, you can simply ask any of us.
00:07:24
We no longer have any secrets. Your well-being demands our openness."
00:07:30
While the refugees had listened to him intently, none of them seemed to have
00:07:35
any further questions. As groups made their way through the square, Relan
00:07:40
would greet them and introduce their benefactors as the Thieves Guild.
00:07:46
He was not naive, and Relan knew that his words would not change
00:07:50
anyone's opinion of thieves, but he hoped that his words would provide the
00:07:55
proper context for the kindness that the guild was showing everyone.
00:07:59
They may not believe the words, but they couldn't help but believe the
00:08:04
actions.
00:08:05
As the hours drifted by, Relan enjoyed himself.
00:08:09
He spoke to fellow thieves, asking of their health and applauding their
00:08:14
efforts. He answered questions from Harvest Guild members, wishing them
00:08:19
well and offering to listen if they had
00:08:22
any concerns or problems with their treatment.
00:08:25
He listened as many would angrily condemn Larsen or Orion or Sax
00:08:30
or all three in one expletive-filled sentence.
00:08:34
As he considered whether it was time for him to return to his tower, a middle-aged Harvest
00:08:39
Guild member approached. Relan looked down at him and smiled.
00:08:43
"You are a difficult man to approach, Guild Master,"
00:08:46
the man stated.
00:08:48
"I'm right here."
00:08:50
Relan spread his arms and smiled.
00:08:52
"You are here now, but previously, you have not left the tower in days."
00:08:58
What is this? Relan thought. Philos moved his horse
00:09:03
forward and unsheathed his sword, laying it across his saddle.
00:09:08
The man held up his hands.
00:09:10
"I mean no harm."
00:09:12
The man lowered his voice and took a step toward Relan.
00:09:16
"One more step and you die."
00:09:18
The blunt statement was delivered with the precision of an executioner's swing.
00:09:23
"I have a message for the Guild Master from the Crown of Gautland."
00:09:28
Lord Wilhelm,
00:09:30
the leader of the Outlanders. Relan looked closer at the man.
00:09:35
He had pale blond hair and striking light blue, almost white
00:09:39
eyes.
00:09:40
This is an Outlander spy in Ness.
00:09:43
"Speak your message." "You have lost control of the
00:09:48
city. You were to open the trade routes.
00:09:51
If you do not restore order soon, Lord Wilhelm will do it for you."
00:09:56
Relan stared at the man, who appeared bemused more than anything.
00:10:00
"A threat, then?"
00:10:02
The man shrugged.
00:10:04
His face was inscrutable.
00:10:06
"Alas, your message is a lie.
00:10:10
You forget that I have traveled to Gautland.
00:10:13
This horse was a gift from Lord Wilhelm himself.
00:10:17
It is a multi-day journey. There is no way that Lord Wilhelm would know of the
00:10:21
violence in Ness and respond to it via
00:10:26
messenger.
00:10:28
There is no time."
00:10:31
Relan turned to Philos. "Philos, I believe the dungeon has room for
00:10:35
another resident, a liar."
00:10:38
Looking completely unperturbed, the Outlander laughed.
00:10:42
"You are a sharp one, I will give you that. You are correct, of course.
00:10:47
I am Lord Wilhelm's hand in Ness. I have the authority to speak in his
00:10:52
name."
00:10:54
A hand, probably akin to what guild masters called captains in
00:10:59
Ness.
00:11:00
Relan wondered if he could embed a captain in Gautland without discovery.
00:11:05
He filed the thought away. "So, he doesn't know what is happening here?"
00:11:10
"Not yet, but he will soon."
00:11:12
The man spoke in a jovial tone.
00:11:16
"You have time to..."
00:11:19
The man waved an arm across the square, encompassing all the refugees.
00:11:23
"... fix this problem."
00:11:25
"What if this isn't a problem to be fixed?
00:11:29
What if this is the first step in the path to opening the trade routes?"
00:11:33
Relan peered at the man, challenging him with nothing more than his force of
00:11:38
will. The man ran his fingers through his hair.
00:11:41
"You're clever, Relan. I admit that the paths forward may not be as clear as I
00:11:46
have outlined. I will amend my message and provide you with time.
00:11:51
Let us hope that it is enough to get the job done.
00:11:54
I will await your progress."
00:11:56
The man went to turn, but stopped and looked back at
00:12:01
Relan.
00:12:01
"Do not look for me. I will contact you."
00:12:05
Relan was going to object, but the man had already blended into the crowd.
00:12:10
(dramatic music)