The Thieves Guild
by Jake Kerr
(dramatic music plays) . Episode 83:
Greeting the Refugees.
Relan made his way over to the bridge.
The flow of refugees showed no signs of abating.
"Are they clearing the entire Lower Quarter?" Relan thought.
It seemed impossible. There were so many people that mobilizing everyone seemed
unlikely. But the real thing that seemed impossible to Relan was that the
Harvest Guild members would just blindly follow a command to leave their
homes.
Were the fires that frightening?
Hey, I know you.
Relan looked down as a boy about Relan's age stared up at him
on his horse. Filos edged forward on his horse, keeping a wary eye
on the boy, who was a bedraggled Harvest Guild member, clearly following the
masses of his guild mates to the Old Quarter.
"Do you..."
The boy didn't look at all familiar to Relan.
"You are the guildless one who always told the stories at the Four Triangles about
causing mischief with the Merchant Guild."
The boy nodded his head.
"Yes,
you are Larsen's brother."
The reminder of his past made Relan toss his head back and laugh.
It wasn't even that long ago that he lived that life, running around with
kids of various guilds and getting into trouble.
"Yes, my life is different now, but I did cause my share of trouble."
Relan leaned down. "What is your name?"
"Gil,"
the boy replied as his face scrunched up in thought.
"I heard you took over for Ol' Pietro.
Are you a thief?"
"We should go, sir,"
Filos whispered from the back of his horse.
Relan looked around, and a group of the Harvest Guild refugees were gathering around
them. They were surrounded in a pool of green, and Relan could tell why
Filos was nervous.
Although they were on large horses, there was no easy escape or
any other guild members to help.
Relan replied by holding up his hand to Filos and answering Gil.
"Yes, my rotten brother made me the guild master thief."
Relan smiled and spread his arms. "But as you can see,
it turns out that Ol' Pietro was not just a kind and gentle man.
He was the leader of a kind and gentle guild, as you will all see soon."
The boy looked unimpressed, which only made Relan like him more.
Well, I don't much like thieves, but you tell good stories.
And if you can get back at your brother for burning the flats,
I won't be too upset over all the stealing you thieves do."
It was the second time that Relan was confronted by Harvest Guild members
with the belief that thieves were evil, stealing from others.
He was tempted to explain to Gil and the crowd milling about them that thieves were not
evil and didn't steal for personal gain, but it would be like trying to
dam the great river with a pebble.
The actions behind Relan would stop the river of anger more than
anything he could say.
Changing tack, Relan smiled and asked, "How is the old Four
Triangles?"
The boy frowned.
"Burnt to the ground."
"No!" Relan considered that he finally could get some
insight into what was happening in the Lower Quarter.
"How bad are the fires?"
At the question, the boy's visage turned from curiosity to anger.
"They are bad."
An older woman shouted-
"The merchants set them. They have burned down Ironsides and the entire
Street of Inns near the river."
Another voice, even angrier.
"Yes, they have purposely destroyed our history and our
homes."
Angry murmurs turned into shouts of, "Revenge!" and
"Betrayal!" and "War!" and several other words that gave
voice to the simmering anger of the citizens whose lives had been ruined.
Filos edged his horse forward, and people fell back.
Shouts started to increase in volume when Relan stood up in his saddle and
raised his voice. "Your pleas are being heard.
Keep moving and find shelter and food.
We will prepare to make things right."
"Larsen must die!"
A voice from the distance yelled out.
Relan nodded grimly. "We will restore your homes, and justice will
be served."
He didn't specifically address Larsen, but the crowd appeared to like what he was
saying as they mumbled in agreement.
Returning his attention to Gil, Relan asked.
"And what of the Lower Triangle?"
The boy shrugged, but a woman nearby called out.
"I am from the Lower Triangle.
It is awful.
They have burned the Green Belt, and there are rumors of fires approaching Trader's
Bridge."
Relan had heard of the Green Belt fires, but fires making it to Trader's Bridge
were new to him. He wasn't sure how much was rumor and what was fact,
but the reality was that scores of people were fleeing the Lower Quarter, so
something was happening.
"Guild master, these crowds are blocking the bridge,"
Filos pointed at the great bridge. The crowd around Relan had grown large
enough in size that the refugees approaching from the bridge had to slow down
or even stop.
Nodding, Relan yelled out-
"Keep going. You will find friends here.
The thieves were never about stealing from you.
They were about stealing from them."
Relan pointed across the bridge to the burning city beyond.
Not waiting to see how his message was received, he sat down in his saddle
and slowly turned Calisto back to the center of the Old Quarter.
As he and Filos made their way, Relan considered the future.
He could see no way forward without declaring outright war on Larsen and the
Merchant Guild.
A civil war would lead to countless deaths.
The Thieves' and Harvest Guilds had strengths in numbers, and they had two bases of
operations that were strong and defensible, the
Old Quarter and the Fields and Harvests District.
Furthermore, the wealthy members of the Merchant Guild lived in the Upper
Triangle, which was within easy striking distance of the Harvest Guild.
Yet Larsen had Saxx and the Knight Guild on his side, and they manned the
wall and were more heavily armed and capable of unleashing death from a distance with the
archers of the White Guard.
It would be a horrific war.
As they cleared the large groups of refugees, Relan turned to head back to the
Thief Tower. Rather than a canter, he continued to follow a light trot
while Filos kept pace.
What do you know of Saxx?
Relan assumed that Filos, like Allard, was a former knight.
Peering at Relan for an oddly long time, Filos finally replied-
Enough.
Why do you think he is supporting Larsen? What drives him?
Do you think we could convince him to join our side?
Filos's reaction surprised Relan. He laughed.
You assume Saxx has joined any side. He is a cruel man who cares about
nothing more than battle. With whom the battle rages doesn't matter.
The outlanders, thieves, renegade guilds, he doesn't care.
He just wants to prove his might over everyone.
Relan thought over Filos's comments.
So are you saying he would be happy if we had a civil war?
Only if he got to see his men leave a trail of dead behind them.
He wants to operate from a position of power, but beyond that, I think all he
wants is victory defined by the field of battle.
This makes no sense.
Relan replied-
So all he wants is violence with no end?
Otherwise, he serves no purpose.
But he defends the walls and protects the streets.
Meaningless to him. The Rangers are the true defenders of Ness.
Filos shook his head.
What do you know of Executioner's Hollow?
Relan had heard Allard speak of it, and perhaps others.
It was where the knights executed thieves.
But beyond that, he had no idea of what it meant.
Not much more than that is where the knights execute the thieves.
No.
It is where Saxx lives out his fantasies.
Filos said no more, and Relan could tell from the tone of his voice
that Filos considered it the final comment needed for the conversation.
Yet Relan had thought of something, and it began with Filos's comment about
Saxx needing to prove his might.
If given the choice between fighting the outlanders and killing Harvest
Guild members as they are swept into the Old Quarter, which do you think he would
embrace?
Filos replied with a wide smile.
Guild master, are you asking me that if the outlanders had somehow decided
now was a good time to invade, would Saxx no longer concern himself with Larsen
as an ally?
The thought is indeed crossing my mind.
Well, the only thing Saxx enjoys more than killing thieves is killing
outlanders.
Relan was going to thank his guard for his insight, but before he
could, Filos added-
But you can ask Allard about that.
Allard, outlanders, Saxx.
Just when Relan felt like he had a sliver of an opportunity, it got
complicated again. He kicked Calisto to a canter and continued to his
tower, wondering if the key to saving Ness was inviting Wilhelm to
invade it.
(dramatic music)