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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr

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(dramatic music plays) . Episode 58:

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Meeting in the Study.

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Wilhelm's horse was not only a magnificent beast,
he was fresh and

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well-fed. The result was that Raylan quickly
caught up to Karch, trotting

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along on Raylan's own exhausted horse.

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As he saw Karch in the distance, Raylan considered
talking to him, but

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he could not think of anything to be gained in it,
and there being value in just rushing

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past him, making Karch wonder what had happened.

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Wilhelm's comment about the power of the Unknown
was fresh in Raylan's mind.

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Karch would see Raylan's black cloak streak past
and know that Raylan

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rode a horse that was given to him by the
Outlanders.

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The merchant deputy would have no idea what to
make of that, and that

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uncertainty was what Raylan felt would be the most
valuable outcome.

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The fact that Karch and Lassen couldn't reveal to
others that there had been a mission to visit

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the Outlanders meant that Karch and Lassen could
do nothing more with the

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knowledge of Raylan's visit than speculate amongst
themselves as to what

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he was doing.

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As Raylan made his way through the foothills, he
knew that the Rangers were watching

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him, but none approached.

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Uh, remembering his conversations with the
Rangers, of their respect for Pietro, Raylan

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had to smile. Soon, the raids from the Outlanders
would stop, and the Rangers

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would know that Raylan had somehow helped bring it
about.

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The south gate he had exited was closed, but as he
approached, it

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swung open.

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Karich stood alongside the entrance with a smile
on her face.

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Welcome back, Guildmaster.

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Thank you, Karich. My mission went well. Do you
know where Allard can be found?

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I need to talk to him right away.

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He is in the tower, Guildmaster.

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Karich stepped forward and held out her hand.

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Would you like me to take your horse? The tower
stables aren't fully restored, but there is a
stall for your

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horse.

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Karich's eyes went wide as she finally noticed
Raylan's horse.

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"Yes, this is a new horse. It was a gift from the
Lord of the Outlanders,"

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Raylan replied as he slid off his saddle.

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The ground felt odd under his feet. He had been on
a horse for the majority of the

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past few days.

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"See that he is well cared for."

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"Of course, Guildmaster."

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Karich took the reins as Raylan stretched his legs
while he strode toward the Thieves

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Tower. Raylan had to ask a few of his guild
members where Allard was before

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he found out that his deputy was in the kitchens
checking on the progress of their

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renovation. Raylan approached Allard without him
noticing

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Raylan's presence. The dark bald pate was a
welcome sight.

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"Allard!"

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He turned. The huge smile on his face lit up the
room.

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"Raylan!"

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Allard strode over, not quite jogging, but at a
pace that underscored his enthusiasm at Raylan's

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return. "A- are you okay? Did you intercept
Karch?"

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Allard looked Raylan up and down.

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"I did not, but there is much to talk about."

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Raylan grabbed Allard's hand and pulled him in for
a hug.

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Not knowing what to expect, Raylan was surprised
at Allard's warm return embrace.

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"Let's go to your study. It is at least livable,
if not worthy of a Guildmaster's

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presence just yet."

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Allard clapped Raylan on the back. They made their
way up the stairs of the tower, which quickly

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winded Raylan.

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"I need to work on my endurance if I'm going to be
climbing these steps every day."

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They reached the top floor, and Raylan followed
Allard as he strode

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across the stone.

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"To the left is your study, which I'm afraid has
been taken over by someone you know."

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Rafe looked up from a book. He appeared exhausted.

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"Rafe."

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Raylan walked over as Rafe stood up.

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"Raylan, how did it go? Did you warn Karch?"

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"Not exactly."

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They hugged, and the three of them sat down at a
table covered with books.

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Looking around, Raylan was in awe of his study,
which was nothing like the office of his

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brother.

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It was more of a library, with shelves and shelves
of books.

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Raylan outlined his entire mission, while Rafe
explained what he had discovered.

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Rafe was excited to hear that the great river was
called the Dragon's Tear.

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"Yes, that would make sense with the mountains
named the Dragon's Teeth.

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Here, let me show you the map I discovered."

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As Raylan looked at the map Rafe had found in one
of the books, he better understood the position of

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the Outlanders. They were between a dry plain and
a desert, with the only fertile

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land conceivably near the river.

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Food had to be a challenge.

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"So, Ness was a kind of central hub for trade, but
at some point in the

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past, the city guildmasters shut down all commerce
outside the city,"

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Raylan mused.

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"That appears to be the case," Allard stated. "But
there is much we don't know.

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I've asked Rafe to be the guild historian,
researching these important gaps in our knowledge
of the

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past. Do you agree?"

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Allard looked at Raylan.

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"Of course. This is perfect for Rafe.

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I've normally pointed him in the direction of
doing things like finding the best way to annoy
Lassen, so

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this is perfect. Telling him to find some ancient
secret, he'll love that."

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Raylan shoved Rafe in the shoulder.

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"Absolutely," he replied.

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"I am glad that is resolved, but what do we do
about Lassen and Polo?"

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Allard asked.

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"Well, Karch will tell Lassen that they need to
handle Polo themselves.

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Knowing Lassen, he'll probably have his blade
sneak in to assassinate Polo."

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Raylan scratched his chin, which had a few days'
worth of stubble.

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"But wouldn't he have tried that already?"

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Rafe asked, which elicited a nod from Allard.

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"I'm sure he has tried,""But he's been
unsuccessful as of yet.

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There will be more attempts," Allard replied.

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"Have we warned Polo? Does Mayla have any
information?"

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Allard looked at Raylan and lowered his head. "She
has not returned.

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We have inquired through our Harvest Guild
channels, but we have heard nothing.

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We fear she has been captured or killed in trying
to warn Polo."

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Allard shook his head. "I am concerned."

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Raylan didn't quite know what to say as he
swallowed hard.

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He really liked Mayla; her short, curly hair, her
fearlessness, her lack of

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any regard for Raylan's position, her dark skin
and sharp features.

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"Let us continue to look for her. We will not and
must not assume she's dead until

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there is verification of that fact."

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"Understood, Guild Master."

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Raylan drummed his fingers on the table.

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"We are in dire trouble unless we can protect
Polo. With his death, Larsen will run the city.

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As we know from the guild history, I will not be
able to veto a unification vote on my own.

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Polo and I need to work together."

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"Indeed. I'm not sure what we can do to protect
Polo.

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I had considered doing the opposite, but there is
no real way to reach Larsen."

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Raylan stopped drumming his fingers and looked at
Allard.

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"Wait, what do you mean, 'I had considered doing
the opposite'?"

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"If Larsen would wake up one morning with a knife
embedded in his nightstand with a note that said,

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'If Polo dies, you die next,' I believe it would
stop him."

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Raylan's face lit up.

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"Yes, that would assuredly stop him.

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He is so confident in his power that such a thing
would shake him deeply."

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Nodding his head in excitement, Raylan continued.

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"This is a great idea. I know Larsen. He will not
do anything if he feels remotely threatened."

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"Alas, we have no way to get to him," Allard
replied.

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"We could easily assassinate him when he is active
outside the tower, but we have no way to

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easily threaten him with an assassination,
indicating we can get to him even if he

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hid."

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"What do you mean? I've snuck into his bedroom all
the time.

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There is a small food lift that goes from the
kitchens to his bedroom.

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He stopped using it when a glass of wine spilled,
ruining his food.

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After that, he demanded that his food be carried
to him, but that doesn't mean the lift doesn't

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work."

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Raylan couldn't suppress a mischievous smile.

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"I would hide inside and pull myself up to steal
money from him." "You were

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born for this guild."

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Rafe laughed. Allard nodded. "Fascinating.

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The lift sounds like a new addition and would
explain why we had no record of it in our plans of
the

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Merchant Tower."

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"This mission is simple," Raylan said excitedly.

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"Put someone small in the kitchen, have them pull
themselves up to Larsen's room, and they can leave
the

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note and escape the same way."

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Raylan felt good. He was creating plans like a
real Guild Master.

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"So, does this solve all our problems?

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We threaten Larsen, he stops worrying about Polo
and things are back to normal?"

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Rafe asked, "Rafe, we will never be back to
normal.

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There are things going on that we don't even
comprehend yet, I'm sure.

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Think of Raylan's visit with Lord Wilhelm.

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Somehow, we not only have to stop Larsen, we need
to figure out how to reopen Ness to the outside

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world."

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Allard peered at Rafe. "But to do that, we need to
better understand the guild history."

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All the air left Rafe as he exhaled in defeat.

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"But I can't find a single book about the Thieves
Guild.

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It's like we don't exist,

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and I couldn't even begin to tell you how our past
fits with our future beyond what we know already."

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Allard put his hand on Rafe's shoulder. "It's
okay. You have time.

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All we need to worry about right now is our
present, and that's threatening Larsen into
leaving Polo

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alone."

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Standing up, Allard added, "I can make the
preparations.

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In the meantime, let's continue with returning the
tower to its former glory."

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Raylan smiled. He would finally be able to focus
on the lower stress things,

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like learning who his captains were, how Pietro
had organized the guild, and

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just keeping things running without problems.

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(instrumental music plays)