Prosper and Darla embark on a perilous journey to the Dragon Road, uncovering ancient magic and the devastating truth behind the Ash Fields. Back in Ness, Guildmaster Karch finds a cunning new Captain of the Guard, Jasper, whose devious plan to capture Orion sets the stage for a dramatic power struggle.
Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-thieves-guild--6141933/support.
Some secrets are worth dying for. Some are worth killing for.
Want to binge The Thieves Guild with fewer ads? Every Friday night we release a bonus episode of the week's previous five chapters, with fewer ads in between chapters and a seamless listening experience!
Perfect for a weekend binge!
---
If you would like to view a map of Ness, you can find it here.
---
Check out our other audiobook podcasts!
Artifacts of the Arcane
A historical urban fantasy set at the beginning of World War Two.
The world has abandoned magic, but magic hasn’t abandoned the world.
Thursday
A cyberpunk VR thriller.
No one can be trusted when nothing is real.
---
Find out more about writer/show runner Jake Kerr: https://www.jakekerr.com
Follow Jake on Bluesky @jakekerr.com
00:00:00
(dramatic music plays) The Thieves Guild
00:00:04
by Jake Kerr.
00:00:07
Season 4.
00:00:11
The Order of the Dragon.
00:00:15
Episode 5.
00:00:18
The Boulder and the Order.
00:00:24
Maylor was more interested in cleaning and organizing their new quarters in the
00:00:29
Thieves Tower than traveling into the mountain again.
00:00:32
So when Prosper asked them about investigating the blocked Dragon Road, Maylor
00:00:37
demurred, while Darla was excited.
00:00:39
You go. Report back, and I'll make sure to have a nice warm bed ready.
00:00:44
Darla laughed at the sincere delivery of what was certainly intended to be a
00:00:49
provocative remark.
00:00:50
Yes, please do.
00:00:53
The scale of Ness continued to surprise Darla.
00:00:56
She had spent her entire life in and around the mines, so hearing that she and
00:01:01
Prosper should take horses to cross the ash fields to the mountain seemed both
00:01:05
excessive and yet reasonable.
00:01:09
She was glad they did, for the trip was indeed long.
00:01:14
Rather than a direct path along the mountain, which took them many hours on foot
00:01:19
after they escaped the mountain, the two of them had to travel along a small
00:01:23
road through the ash fields.
00:01:25
I don't understand why there isn't a road along the mountain.
00:01:29
Darla thought back to that journey. There was no road at all,
00:01:34
nothing but broken stones, ruts, and large rocks.
00:01:38
Even walking along the mountain was challenging.
00:01:41
Perhaps there was a road, and it was destroyed at the same time as these fields.
00:01:46
Prosper waved an arm across the dirt and scrub that extended far
00:01:51
into the distance.
00:01:52
Nothing is growing despite their efforts.
00:01:55
Darla watched as to the left of the small road they traveled,
00:01:59
farmers in black tilled the dirt, which simply slid off their iron
00:02:04
tools.
00:02:05
The Dragon's Breath will do that.
00:02:07
Darla turned to Prosper, who seemed uninterested in anything
00:02:11
other than getting to the mountain.
00:02:13
The what?
00:02:15
It's a spell. A horrible, horrible spell.
00:02:18
It stops anything from growing or thriving. I was told it was permanent and...
00:02:23
He waved his arms around the dead fields.
00:02:26
It appears that is the case.
00:02:28
Before Darla could inquire further, Prosper shook his head, but Darla couldn't
00:02:33
tell if it was in wonder or sadness.
00:02:35
Whoever cast it upon these fields must have harbored great hatred for the city.
00:02:41
This damage is so vast, it must have been many wizards.
00:02:44
Could it have been a final curse before the wizards traveled through the mountain?
00:02:48
That is what I'm thinking.
00:02:51
Perhaps it was not done in anger. Perhaps it was a terrible warning or a way to stop people from entering the
00:02:56
mountain.
00:02:57
Prosper shrugged.
00:02:58
Who knows? It was long ago.
00:03:00
They continued in silence, but Darla couldn't help but peer at
00:03:04
everything, the small wall along the river that they approached, the plateau
00:03:09
that rose beyond the river, the mines beyond that.
00:03:13
To her left, the remains of old Ness,
00:03:17
the old quarter.
00:03:20
They reached the river, which was blocked by a stone wall.
00:03:24
Darla examined it from horseback as she and Prosper turned and walked
00:03:29
toward the mountain. It was taller than a man on horseback, but not by
00:03:34
much. It hid the ash fields from the river in the lower and upper quarter,
00:03:39
which she assumed was the extent of its function.
00:03:42
This is Dragon Road.
00:03:44
Darla glanced at the paved road under their horses and extending to a
00:03:49
dark cavernous opening into the mountain far in the distance.
00:03:53
The same road that goes through the mountain?
00:03:55
Yes. It extends to Drak beyond the forest.
00:03:58
There are stories of those that walked its entire length, but I find that
00:04:03
impossible to believe.
00:04:05
It would take you months just to walk from Ness to Drak along the road, let alone to Kalisto.
00:04:11
Well, with the mountain blocking the road now, such a journey is indeed impossible.
00:04:15
We shall see.
00:04:17
Prosper spurred his horse and didn't say anymore as they increased their pace
00:04:22
toward the mountain.
00:04:24
Darla, Maylor, and Prosper had not spent much time looking at the road into
00:04:29
the mountain. They rushed to the Thieves Tower after the death of Katrina,
00:04:34
and their magical descent from the waterfall.
00:04:37
Now, however, as she approached, Darla took in its glorious majesty.
00:04:42
It was enormous, more than double the width of the road, and higher than
00:04:46
even the great wall. It appeared to have been carved directly out of the side of the
00:04:51
mountain, but it seemed completely smooth, as if artisans had
00:04:56
spent many years carving the entrance and tunnel into a plain but decorative
00:05:01
welcome to travelers.
00:05:03
Prosper didn't pause to take in the work, but rather rode his horse directly
00:05:08
into the mountain. The sun was still high, so they could see well enough
00:05:12
inside to know that the blockage was near the entrance, perhaps 40 or
00:05:17
50 yards inside.
00:05:19
Dismounting, Prosper walked toward the rubble directly in front of them.
00:05:24
Darla quickly dismounted and followed, taking note of any details.
00:05:29
There were no guard rooms or buildings.
00:05:32
It was simply the road continuing into the mountain.
00:05:36
The only decoration were two enormous sconces that were made of stone.
00:05:40
As Prosper continued forward, Darla walked closer to a sconce.
00:05:46
She at first thought it was empty and was meant to hold a torch the size of a
00:05:50
tree. But as she got closer, she could see that the lattice that was to hold the tree
00:05:56
was actually closed at the top.
00:05:58
See the latticework?
00:06:00
Darla nearly jumped as Prosper spoke from directly next to her.
00:06:04
She hadn't noticed him approach.
00:06:06
Yes.
00:06:08
"It is not stone. It is a material that is extremely rare.
00:06:12
It contains magic."
00:06:13
"What do you mean?"
00:06:15
"Any spell that is cast within that frame is captured and will remain active until the caster
00:06:20
dies or another spell is cast to replace it."
00:06:23
Prosper waved a hand toward the sconce, and a bright light shot from his hand
00:06:28
toward it. The moment it reached the sconce, it flared into a brilliant
00:06:33
light. He turned and did the same thing with the other sconce.
00:06:37
When he finished, the entire entrance of the tunnel was brightly lit.
00:06:42
"Now when those go out, you'll know I'm dead." Prosper smiled at Darla
00:06:47
with a grim sincerity. "Come, let me show you something." He walked toward the
00:06:51
boulders. "See this?" Prosper pointed to an enormous boulder in
00:06:56
what was an enormous pile. He looked up and to the left and right.
00:07:01
"We should probably step back."
00:07:04
Darla wasn't entirely sure what was happening, but she followed Prosper as
00:07:09
he backed up nearly to the entrance.
00:07:11
Without looking at Darla, he spoke as he raised his hand.
00:07:15
"Did I mention that I'm a powerful magician?"
00:07:18
Darla remembered Catrina calling him a senior magician, and she had herself
00:07:23
witnessed his amazing magic.
00:07:25
"You did, but you also said you cleared manure on the road."
00:07:29
Prosper turned to Darla with a big smile.
00:07:32
"You have a wonderful memory.
00:07:35
You would make a great magician."
00:07:37
Seemingly forgetting about the boulder, he continued.
00:07:40
"Clearing the road to Drak was a punishment and intended to teach me humility."
00:07:45
He leaned closer to Darla. "Do you know why I was to be taught humility?"
00:07:50
Darla shook her head. "It was because I can do this."
00:07:55
Prosper raised his hand and aimed it toward the gigantic boulder.
00:08:00
Without even making a movement, it disappeared.
00:08:03
One moment it was there, and the next, it was completely gone.
00:08:09
In response, an avalanche of rocks and stones slid forward from behind and
00:08:13
beside it, rolling to a stop near Darla's feet.
00:08:18
Dust billowed up, but Darla could still see that a large portion of the road
00:08:23
was made clearer. It was still blocked, but by rubble, not a huge
00:08:28
boulder. She turned to Prosper.
00:08:30
"You can clear the road?"
00:08:32
Prosper nodded his head. "I can, and I will." He
00:08:37
closed his eyes. "It is gone. I don't know which one it is, but it is
00:08:42
gone."
00:08:43
Turning back to Darla, Prosper opened his eyes, his face
00:08:47
serious but not sad. "We have a saying that magic is a curse and a
00:08:52
blessing.
00:08:54
It is a curse because you forget what you love.
00:08:57
Do you know why it is a blessing?"
00:09:00
Darla couldn't bring herself to answer, even as she knew the horrible answer.
00:09:04
"It is a blessing because you forget what you have lost."
00:09:08
And without another word, Prosper raised his arm and strode
00:09:13
forward.
00:09:15
Karch sat at his desk staring at the young man, who seemed terrified.
00:09:20
Karch didn't want terrified, but he had an enormous leadership vacuum to fill.
00:09:26
Pattis was dead. Dervish was dead. Both his upper and lower
00:09:30
quarter captains had abandoned their duties.
00:09:33
All he had was the new fellow, Rogers, and he was already working to restore order
00:09:38
in the lower quarter, which is why the young man currently sat in front of him.
00:09:42
"You fought alongside Captain Rogers?"
00:09:45
"Yes, sir. He wasn't brave, but he was wise."
00:09:47
"It appears bravery without wisdom leaves you dead."
00:09:51
The young man nodded his head vigorously.
00:09:53
"Yes, sir. You are absolutely correct, sir."
00:09:56
Karch sighed. The young man was brought to his attention as having the respect of the
00:10:01
Guild guards, but he seemed like a cowardly simpleton.
00:10:06
Clearly, he was missing something. "Jasper."
00:10:09
"Yes, sir."
00:10:10
"I have need of a captain of the guard.
00:10:13
I asked for someone who could lead people, who understood the ebb and flow of not just
00:10:17
battle, but the challenge of managing citizens who are quarreling.
00:10:21
It is a job that requires wisdom, calm, and
00:10:26
yes,
00:10:27
bravery."
00:10:29
Karch waved toward Jasper. "And I would send you.
00:10:34
Do you feel you can do all those things?"
00:10:37
The young man took a moment, as if considering whether this was a job he wanted
00:10:41
to take, not whether it was a job he was qualified for.
00:10:45
"I can, sir."
00:10:47
"I'm afraid I don't believe you."
00:10:50
Karch made to stand up and dismiss the young man, but he raised a hand.
00:10:54
"If I may, sir."
00:10:56
Karch slid back down into his chair and nodded.
00:11:00
"The men respect me because when I lead them into danger, I'm the one in the lead.
00:11:04
I understand the politics, sir. Guild Master Quinto and the Knights will be reorganizing
00:11:08
themselves. I doubt they'll have time to patrol the streets, let alone pick sides in a war between the
00:11:13
Craft and Merchant Guild."
00:11:15
The last sentence surprised Karch. The young, terrified
00:11:19
man at least knew the stakes.
00:11:21
"I will follow your orders, sir, and your guards will follow me."
00:11:25
"And why do you think there will be war between the Craft and Merchant Guild?"
00:11:29
Jasper smiled.
00:11:30
"Because someone has to bear the brunt of Polo's anger, and it won't be us."
00:11:35
Karch finally smiled. This young man wasn't terrified.
00:11:40
He was devious.
00:11:42
Karch liked that.
00:11:43
"Your orders are to march on the Craft Tower and bring Orion to me, alive or
00:11:48
dead. Can you do that?"
00:11:50
"His forces are spread along the North Fork, terrified that Polo will come via boats.
00:11:55
I recommend we send a force at night through the Warehouse District to distract them with a feint.
00:12:00
As his forces are distracted, we will have time for a sustained attack on Craft Tower.
00:12:04
Orion
00:12:06
will be dropped here."
00:12:07
Jasper pointed to the floor next to Karch's desk.
00:12:10
"Alive or dead."
00:12:12
"Captain of the Guards Jasper,
00:12:15
those are indeed your orders."
00:12:17
Karch stood, and Jasper quickly followed to his feet.
00:12:20
"Thank you, sir."
00:12:22
Karch circled around his desk.
00:12:24
"And sir, don't mistake respect for fear, and a brave death may sometimes achieve more
00:12:29
than wisdom."
00:12:30
Karch hid his smile. This young man is exactly what he needed.
00:12:36
Now, if he could only find more like him to replace the rest of his leadership
00:12:41
vacuum.
00:12:41
(dramatic music)
00:13:04
A Podcast Alchemy
00:13:05
production.