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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 134.

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Three Interruptions.

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"Everyone with a

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brain had disappeared," Karch thought after he had
made the rounds of the tower.

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Patis was missing and rumored to be dead.

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The captain of the Lower Quarter quietly slipped
away some time after Larsen

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died. The best that Karch could tell, the captain
of the Upper Quarter

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abandoned the Merchant Guild to join the Harvest
Guild, and Karch

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couldn't blame him.

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About the only person of merit left was the man
sitting in front of Karch's

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desk at that moment,

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old Dervish, the captain of the tower.

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"Aye, things look bleak, sir."

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Karch had always liked the old man. He was
competent and had always stayed out

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of Karch's way, just making sure that things ran
well within the complex.

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Part of his duties were the tower defenses, but
that didn't mean much in the

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past as everything was generally peaceful.

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Now, however, it meant something. "How active is
our support?"

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Dervish had just told Karch that Trader's Bridge
had been destroyed by the

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Harvest Guild. On the one hand, Dervish was right.

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Closing the only direct path to overrun the Upper
Quarter was bleak.

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But Karch also knew that if that failed, which he
was fairly certain it would,

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then the Harvest Guild would overwhelm the entire
city by pure force of

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numbers. "We were guarding the Great Bridge and
just patrolling the Lower Quarter.

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That's pretty much all we're doing. The captain
that young Kerris put in charge is one of

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his friends, and seems more intent on looking
tough as he wanders among the deserted and

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burned down houses than providing any real
support."

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Larsen nodded. "What about the Knights and craft
guards?" "It looks like

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guild masters Sax and Orion emptied their barracks
for their assault on the Upper Quarter.

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Now they're just milling about, not sure what to
do.

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I have not heard about any new orders." "And there
is no expectation that we are to join

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them?" "I believe the intent is for us to guard
the Lower Quarter,

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although they haven't said anything specific,

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at least not that I've heard."

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Karch leaned back in his chair. This was good
news.

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The entire Merchant Guild seemed to have been
forgotten now that Larsen did all his

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damage. Karch was sure that a reckoning was coming
when this was all over

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and that Polo and Sax would use the entire guild
as the one to take the fall

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for this civil war. "What do you think, Dervish?

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We seem to have freedom to do what we want, but
the ability to do very little."

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It was at that point that the most unbelievable
and stunning moment in

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Karch's life occurred, and that was saying a lot
for someone who spent most of his

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adult life as Larsen's deputy.

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There was a loud knock on his office door, and
without him even acknowledging the

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interruption, the door was thrown open and a guard
rushed in.

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"Sir, the Rangers have joined with the Harvest
Guild.

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They have taken the Night Watch and are marching
on Night Tower."

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Karch's immediate instinct was to laugh.

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He didn't know Quinto well, but it was pretty
clear he didn't like Sax.

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Quinto was serious and competent. Sax was a
drunken idiot.

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"How far have they progressed on the wall?" "We
don't know.

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The Rangers are staying out of sight.

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We feared they would rain arrows down on us, but
they are presumably focusing on attaining the

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Night Guild Tower." "You dolt. There is no reason
for them to rain arrows

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down on normal citizens."

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Karch thought for a moment. "Quinto aims to kill
Sax and take the guild.

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He doesn't care about anything else."

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Yes, Karch thought, this is all making sense.

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The future alignment of the city was starting to
take shape.

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Quinto would lead the Knights. Karch would lead
the Merchants.

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It was the in-between steps that were unknown and
treacherous.

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It was as he was thinking this that another guard
burst through the half-open

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door to his office. He was covered in dirt and
sweat.

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"What the hell is going on?" "Sir, the Thieves and
Harvest Guild members are pouring

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over the Great Bridge. They have overwhelmed our
guards there." "By the gods."

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Karch couldn't help but smile as he turned to
Dervish.

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"You weren't lying when you said things were
bleak." He turned back to the guard who

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just arrived. "Do you have any more information?

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Are they heading toward the Knight forces at
Trader's Bridge?" Such a battle would be bloody

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and horrific. Well-armed and trained mounted
knights and guards

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against hordes of pathetic yet desperate people
coming from the Wretched Quarter.

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"No, sir. I came as soon as our guards were
overwhelmed." Karch didn't have time

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enough to think over his options when the final
interruption that made this day the

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most stunning of his life occurred. Gril, the
missing captain of

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the Lower Quarter, rushed in. He was wearing the
brown of the guildless,

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which was shocking enough, but he also was filthy
and smelled of

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manure. "Sir, I don't know who else to alert."
Gril nearly

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stumbled to Karch's desk. "The Outlanders have
breached the great gate.

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They came in fast and overwhelmed the knights
before they could close the gate." Karch

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stood up. "Did you say Outlanders?" He couldn't
believe what he was

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hearing. He also took in Gril's look.

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"My gods, Gril, what has happened to you?""And how
do you know this?"

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"I left the guild due to Larsen's villainy.

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I couldn't take it anymore."

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Grill held his chin up. He was proud, that was
clear.

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"I was just outside the gate, heading out to join
the Rangers, when I saw the Outlanders

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rushing toward the city in a great force.

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I tried to warn the Knights, but they called me
guildless and laughed."

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Pacing back and forth, Karch waved to the
bedraggled group

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in front of him. "All of you, sit. I need to
consider our options."

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The Rangers had taken the wall to attack the
Knights at their tower.

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The homeless Harvest Guild members and thieves had
crossed the Great Bridge and were

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presumably heading up the Thruway to attack the
Knights and Craft guards.

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This was all happening while the Outlanders were
storming the city.

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Meanwhile, the city's largest force of people that
could be called on to defend

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against the Outlanders were trapped behind a
felled bridge.

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It was chaos, total and utter chaos.

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"Dervish."

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"Yes, sir."

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"We know too little.

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Gather all your guards and however many Guild
members you can and retreat into the tower.

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Close and lock the gate and have your forces man
all the other doors into the tower buildings.

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Block them with heavy items. We're to hold up here
until we know more.

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You." Karch pointed to the guard that had warned
him of the Rangers.

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"Head to the warehouse district and find out what
is happening with the Rangers, if you can.

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I want to know how much progress they have made
and if they are still clashing with the Knights.

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You." Karch pointed to the guard that came from
the Great Bridge.

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"Find out where the Harvest Guild and thieves are
moving.

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The Outlanders are very close, so I would expect
them to be diverted to them, but I need to know

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for sure."

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Both guards rushed out. "And, Grill, for the gods'
sake, get cleaned up and wear the blue.

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I need you to travel to Traders' Bridge and let
the forces know that we are under attack from the

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Outlanders."

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"Yes, sir."

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Grill departed, and Dervish stood up.

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"I'll secure the tower, sir. Anything else?"

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Karch stopped his pacing and looked at the old
captain. "No, Dervish.

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Just make sure no one can get in, and that
includes anyone from the Craft Guild, including

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Orion."

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"Even Guildmaster Orion, sir?"

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"Especially Orion." Karch strapped on his
ceremonial dagger

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with the blue inlaid hilt and pulled on his blue
cloak.

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"I need to have an important meeting with his
nephew."

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At that same moment, Vilhelm stood atop his mighty
horse and smiled.

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His forces were streaming into Ness, the crown
jewel and curse of his

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people's existence. Soon, he would rule the city
and its abundant

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supplies of food and ore.

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He should perhaps not have been surprised at the
little resistance the Knights gave.

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They were fat and lazy, and the feared Rangers
were far to the north.

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By the time Ness knew what was happening, he would
have crushed them.

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A cry came from his right.

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A rider was approaching on a galloping horse.

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He was desperately holding onto the horse with one
hand while waving his other,

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pointing off to the foothills near the haunted
part of Ness.

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Vilhelm grumbled. He did not need to be dealing
with his flank guards being

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spooked by ghosts.

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(instrumental music plays)

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A Podcast Alchemy production.

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(liquid bubbling)