A New Mission

[00:00:00] The Thieves Guild by Jake Care, Episode 97, A New Mission. Vesper had filled Aladdin on everything he knew, excluding a few select facts. Such as his being assigned the job of assassinating Aladdin. Thankfully, Aladdin appeared to trust Vesper and revealed what was going on with the Thieves Guild.

[00:00:41] We are secure. The harvest guild members are well taken care of, and Captain Dirk is exceptional. So I am confident that the guild is safe from any kind of immediate attack, especially from sex. Aladdin's strides were so long that Vesper had to almost jog to keep up.

[00:00:57] Yet there are so many unknowns. Indeed, I sense that Orion will kill Larson, but I don't know who would do that with me unavailable to do the deed. A botched assassination of Larson by Orion would be a bigger disaster for him than anything.

[00:01:12] Too many unknowns, Alar had repeated, his deep voice soft and thoughtful, yet still somehow sounding loud. Well, we can't make decisions just waiting for things to become clearer. You aren't making any decisions.

[00:01:28] Alar'd growled, but your sentiment is correct. Our immediate plan of escape is sound, but escape is not helpful at this point.

[00:01:36] They walked in silence. Vesper was going to recommend any number of things, but all of them failed because Alar'd was an enemy of practically every guild in Ness. That led Vesper to a thought of at least lightening the moment. So are there any guilds that don't hate you?

[00:01:55] Alar'd glanced at Vesper, the frown visible under his brownhood. No. How did you achieve that? It must take a special talent to make everyone hate you. Vesper held up a finger.

[00:02:08] And don't tell me it's because you were a thief. Everyone loved Pietro, and he was your guildmaster for many years. Alar'd nodded. It is true. I did not deserve Guildmaster Pietro's kindness. There was another moment of silence, and then to Vesper's shock, Alar'd answered him.

[00:02:27] The Knights and Rangers hate me because I saved an outlander family from being massacred. Orion hates me because I am a thief, and he does not consider me harmless like Pietro. Of course, he didn't realise that Pietro ended up being much more formidable than I ever could be.

[00:02:44] Polo hates me for similar reasons as Orion, although Polo knows of the outlander story and hates me for that as well. Larson hates me because I protect and serve his younger brother. Well, that about sums it up. Alar'd nodded.

[00:02:59] How many people know the outlander story? I had only heard that you betrayed the Knights. They twist the story to defend their integrity, but I know the truth. There was a family of outlanders.

[00:03:10] They lived in the plains and were starving, so they moved their camp close to Ness. I'm sure they planned on raiding the out-of-fields at some point, but at the time they were just camping not far from execution as hollow.

[00:03:21] Alar'd rubbed his head through his hood, and then continued. I was a captain and sent to investigate a sighting from one of the white guards. I was with five other knights,

[00:03:32] and we found a weakened man and his wife, along with three children. I told my men to spare them, but the law of the Knights is to kill all outlanders. I fought my men and hurt two of them, although not seriously.

[00:03:45] Sacks banished me from the guild and sentenced me to die for betrayal, but Pietro stepped in and saved me. To this day I do not know what he said to Sacks, but I was free in wearing the black minutes after Pietro's visit. How many know this story?

[00:04:00] Vesper asked, amazed to hear it directly from Alar'd's own mouth. Alar'd shrunked. Very few know the real story, many know the story of my betraying the Nightgilt for the benefit of Outlander Briggins. So why did you tell me the story?

[00:04:16] Vesper felt like Alar'd had trusted him with something extremely special. Alar'd pier'd a Dressper and then replied, because he wield information like you wield a dagger, only when needed,

[00:04:29] and with great precision. When you need to wield this information, you will, but I know that when you do, it will be for a reason that I would approve. Without thinking Vesper replied incredulously, why would you think that?

[00:04:44] Because I know how you think, you will align yourself with the winning side. Smiling, Alar'd added, would you like to hear an additional secret? Vesper leaned toward Alar'd, whose voice dropped to a whisper with the previous question. Yes, what is it? We will be the winning side.

[00:05:04] The two reached the warehouse district without any problems, although they were accosted a few times by guild guards. Vesper's first big decision came when they turned down the massive road that ran among the collection of huge warehouses that hugged the eastern part of the Great Wall.

[00:05:22] Craft Tower was close enough that Vesper could see Orion's office window on the top floor. The presence of armed craft guild guards was heavy, and Vesper could easily have a large captured.

[00:05:34] He was a mighty warrior and would kill several guards, but they would eventually overwhelm him with Orion's close. Vesper could do even better than assassinate Alar'd. He could have him captured.

[00:05:48] Yet he was still uncertain, the organisation and secretive nature of the thieves made him think that they may prevail. Alar'd interrupted Vesper's thoughts by saying,

[00:06:00] There is a large sewage entrance near here. It is used by our guild to move stolen goods under the lower quarter to safe houses, where they are distributed and eventually move to the old quarter. So we will use that passage to return to the tower.

[00:06:15] At the thought of the tower, Vesper lost all interest in turning Aladin. He didn't understand its power and draw over him, but he recognized it. Perhaps it was that he finally had found a guild that was the closest to his life.

[00:06:31] One of intrigue and secrecy, and the tower, in plain view, yet hidden, represented that to him. No. Alad's voice was low and deep, and he was continually scanning the people they passed.

[00:06:48] People in large wagons pulled by draft horses and men and women that smelled like leather soap, burnt wood and iron. We will pause there. We have guild members there guarding the entrance. We will stop, gather information, and then decide on our future steps.

[00:07:05] They turned past one of the largest warehouses. It contained rough spun clothes, used by the majority of the citizens of Ness. The clothes were produced in a work building on the other side of the large street, and then died guild colours in a building next to the warehouse.

[00:07:24] The smell of the die filled the street, just like the smell of cured leather, filled the street further up, and the smell of fire and die in, filled the part of the street they had just passed.

[00:07:36] They walked along a small road that had little use beyond acting as a way to get from the front of the warehouse to the back, or to access the wall from the major road in the front.

[00:07:48] No guards. They fear to patrol here. Alad didn't elaborate, so Vesper pushed the point. Why? There is a rumor that the fumes from the die are poisonous. No one walks near the die house.

[00:08:02] If you were to enter the warehouse, you would see that most of the goods are stacked on the wall farthest from the die. No one wants to smell it. It is considered one of the lolliest jobs in the craft guild to work the die.

[00:08:16] A death sentence, in fact. The smell of the die was overwhelming as they walked between the die house and the warehouse. Vesper covered his mouth with his hand, which elicited a smile from Alad. Is it poisonous?

[00:08:32] No. The thieves guild runs the die house. We move people in and out regularly with messages left that the former workers had died. Then we move them into our service in the old quarter. This is our single, most important location for handling the things we steal.

[00:08:48] I had not heard of death in the warehouses.

[00:08:51] Of course not, the harvest captains know but are afraid a round will move the die house outside the wall if he finds out, causing many problems, so they keep it from him and the guild members who work there fear reprisal if they speak up.

[00:09:04] But what of the guards? They know. Alad shrugbed. Everyone looks out for themselves. Except the thieves. They reached the back of the die house and there was a wooden shed that was surrounded by what looked like old and rancid die.

[00:09:25] It was in open containers and stunk so badly of sharps, smelling die that Vesper's eyes started to water. With what you just told me, this may be the most well-defendant entrance to a secret passage in Ness. Vesper chuckled.

[00:09:42] They walk through a wooden door that looked like it was going to fall off its hinges. Yet moved as smoothly as a door in one of the pubs in the upper quarter. Inside were barrels although the smell of die was considerably less.

[00:09:56] Alad walked deliberately around them as if he had walked the path many times and as Vesper followed they came upon a staircase leading down. It was wide and solid. Enough for four men to walk side by side while descending, it was much longer than Vesper had anticipated.

[00:10:17] And at the bottom there were double iron doors. They opened as Alad approached. A man wearing black and the common sign of a captain, a single accent strip around his right sleeve, strode forward. He was massive, not massive like Alad who was tall and strong,

[00:10:36] but massive in that he was broad and thick at every part of his body. He wasn't necessarily tall, but he looked like the kind of man that you knew would end up bloodied, but still standing in a bar fight.

[00:10:50] Coloss my friend, Alad said, uncharacteristic warmth in his voice. I had no idea you'd be managing the thoroughfare. Is there an important shipment happening? Alad appeared toward the room behind the door. Deputies Alad.

[00:11:06] The man named Coloss strode forward and rather than shake Alad's hands through his mighty arms around him in a hug. Parting, Coloss shook his head. More like multiple shipments that idiot Orion has all his guards keeping an eye on the chaos in the lower quarter,

[00:11:22] so with the cats away. Coloss spread his arms and smiled as if he was doing something naughty, but no one could blame him. Vesper finally caught Coloss's eye. Who's this? Orion's blade.

[00:11:38] Coloss tensed, and his smile turned to a face that was intimidating in its intensity of restrained violence, but that quickly returned to a smile. I had low expectations of that rascal Raylan, but if he turned a blade to our guild, I have to hand it to him.

[00:11:56] Guildmaster Raylan. Alad said his voice serious. I apologise, Deputy. Of course. Turning to Vesper, Coloss said, so blade, what's your name? Vesper. He rather liked this character, Coloss, but there was no need to let him know that, so he kept his answer short and his voice sharp.

[00:12:20] Anything I can help you with? The question surprised Vesper. He had expected to be ignored in the presence of the deputy guildmaster. The thieves guild continued to appear very different than what he was used to. Noting to Alad, Vesper replied. I await orders. Alad spoke up.

[00:12:40] We have both been indespoosed and need updated news. My mission was to find out from Vesper what he knew. And I have done that. I was planning on both of us returning to the tower,

[00:12:52] but I will not make that decision until we are current on what is happening. So it shall be. There is a meeting room down the hall. Follow me. Coloss led the two of them through the door, which opened onto a massive room larger than the lighthouse above it.

[00:13:09] Stacked nearly floor to ceiling in the room where clothes, weapons, household items and a variety of things that were necessary for living in Nests, and yet unavailable to its poor and those in the old quarter. They entered a small spare room with a desk pushed against a wall

[00:13:29] and a few chairs facing it. Alad walked in and leaned back against the desk while Coloss pulled up a chair and motioned Vesper to sit. He proceeded to outline what Vesper considered the worst possible outcome. Larson was dead. Carth was missing, and Orion's nephew, Carus,

[00:13:50] was now running the merchant guild. If that weren't bad enough, Carus had spread the news that he was apologizing for Larson's misdeeds and welcoming back the harvest guild. He had offered to rebuild the houses that had burned and provide for those who were displaced.

[00:14:09] Orion looked to isolate the thieves. Vesper said, which he listed as solemn nod from Alad. Wait, Orion knows the existence of our guild? Caloss looked dumbfounded. It is the information Vesper has provided us. It would have been impossible with so many streaming into the old quarter,

[00:14:28] but Orion found out sooner than we had hoped. Of course, of course, Caloss replied, rubbing his chin. Will the harvest guild members return to their homes and embrace Carus? Vesper looked at Alad, but he remained silent. I don't know. Vesper finally replied, we need to know,

[00:14:48] and guild master Polo needs to know. You have your new mission, Vesper. Alad suddenly said, his deep voice filling the room like the pounding of a drum. Caloss and Vesper looked at him. I cannot approach Polo. He knows me. His guild knows me.

[00:15:04] They will imprison me on sight. You. Alad pointed at Vesper. However, they do not know. It is a lost cause. I attempted to reach Polo to assassinate him. Vesper said it casually, which he knew would shock Caloss and was a response that he liked to elicit,

[00:15:22] keeping others, friend and enemy, off guard. It is impossible. Harvest house is small but insurmountable. The walls move under your feet. The vines work to toss you off while you climb them. There is only one path to Polo

[00:15:37] and it is guarded by too many with no secret passages or shadows to reach him. I did not say you were to assassinate him. You are to reach him and inform him of what is happening. We have tried with our own blade, and she is currently missing.

[00:15:52] We don't know how well informed Polo is. We can assume he knows much, but this information is coming from the ground in the lower quarter. Polo may be missing the larger political machinations of Orion. I can get you to the harvest district.

[00:16:07] We rarely go there as there is no reason to, but there is a path, not a pleasant path, but a path under the North fork. Vesper didn't like the mission because he considered it well outside his expertise. He could kill, he could spy,

[00:16:25] he could even torture and destroy, but having a diplomatic conversation with a guild master was not something he had ever done before. He once again considered the lay of the land. Orion had made a bold move, one that in one stroke had significantly threatened the thieves.

[00:16:45] They were potentially isolated, with all of the guilds not only against them, but knowing of their existence and their base of operations. The wild card was Polo. If Polo joined with Orion and his nephew and sacks, there was no hope for the thieves. But would Polo do that?

[00:17:07] Did he see the end game? If he helped his guild members in the lower quarter in the short run, would that destroy the guild in the long run? Inew precious little about the old harvest guild master, who mostly kept to himself

[00:17:22] and was only the target of Orion's attention after Rayland ruined his and Larsen's plans. In the end, Vesper realized he didn't have to make an immediate decision. He could abandon the thieves at any time. If he did reach Polo, he could even make the decision then

[00:17:42] delivering Polo to Orion or Rayland at his will. That final thought was very appealing, and Vesper finally replied. I will contact Polo, but I need guidance on this mission. What kind of guidance do you need? The mission is unclear.

[00:18:00] In form Polo of the wider danger to his guild from Orion, and Karris is not specific enough. What is the goal of the mission? Our large stare at Vesper for a long time until he shook his head and replied. You are a formidable man, Vesper.

[00:18:16] The goal is to have Polo reject any offering from Orion or Karris. We need Polo to remain isolated so that our guild can find a plan forward without facing eradication. We need to know that we are not expect Polo to embrace the thieves.

[00:18:30] I do not expect you to convince him of the good of our mission. Our large cross-desarms. I expect you to fan the flames of hatred that Polo has toward Orion. I don't care how you do it. Lyspher stood up. That. I can do.