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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 95:

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Ten Families.

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Relan considered how to present the news.

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It was possibly the most important message he
would ever speak in his life.

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The 10 men and women in the room were a subset of
the families of those

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dislocated from the Lower Quarter, but they were
all influential.

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As they went, the Guild would go.

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He needed to somehow let the Guild members know
that Kerris was

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apologizing for Larsson's folly and welcoming back
the Harvest Guild

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while making sure that they did not believe him,
or return.

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It was an unfortunate position to be in.

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On the one hand, he was going to push for civil
war when peace was at hand.

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He never wanted nor expected to be the one to push
for that route.

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On the other hand, the Thieves Guild was exposed,
and if the Harvest

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Guild embraced peace, the entire city would unite
to

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eradicate the thieves. Despite their kindness to
the Harvest Guild,

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he was certain that Sax and Orion, as well as
Kerris and possibly

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even Polo, would push for their removal as a newly
discovered threat.

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The deciding factor for Relan was the obvious
reality: Orion

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was a real threat, and by establishing his nephew
as the guild master

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merchant, he was creating some kind of maneuver to
remove Relan or Polo,

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opening a vote that would usher in Orion as the
undisputed leader of Ness.

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He cleared his throat.

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"My new friends, the newly established guild
master merchant has offered

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your homes back.

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He apologizes for what his predecessor has done
and promises to rebuild

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the Lower Quarter."

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Blunt, to the point. Start with the edifice and
then remove its

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foundation.

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Murmurs that turned into smiles and happy
discussions followed his

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announcement. Relan waited, and then the moment
came.

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A new voice from a small and older woman spoke up.

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"We can return home. Thank the gods for Orion

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and his nephew."

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Before the chorus of agreement could come, Relan
broke in.

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"Are we so certain?"

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His voice was strong, and the question came out as
a challenge more than

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an inquiry.

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"What do you mean?"

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The woman replied, her voice already shrinking.

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"Orion sat back when you were forcibly removed
from your homes.

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Is that the behavior of someone trustworthy?"

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Relan changed the tone of his voice to thoughtful.

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He had never considered himself a born leader.

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He was the mischievous boy who was placed in a
position of authority due to a

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wayward punishment. But at that moment, all his
words,

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the tone of his voice, and the way he guided the
conversation came naturally

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and with the precision of a stiletto.

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"Orion is simple-minded. Everyone

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knows that."

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"He is jolly.

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The same was said of Pietro, a harmless old man,
universally beloved by

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everyone. Yet you sit in his stronghold surrounded
by knights in black.

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And just so, do you see any of those wearing the
yellow sitting next to you?

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If Orion stood out of the way due to his
simple-mindedness, why did his guild members

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not help you?

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They were your neighbors. They stood idly by, and
they were protected."

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There were murmurs around the room.

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"Indeed, it is clear that the command to not help
their Harvest Guild

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brothers and sisters came from Orion himself."

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"Why would Orion do such a thing?"

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Simpson said.

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Relan looked at him, and he could see that Simpson
was desperately latching onto

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Orion as his salvation.

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The idea of the thieves providing assistance was
too much.

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"Remember what occurred at the guild master
banquet.

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Two people voted to stop the merger of the Harvest
and Craft Guilds, your guild

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master (pauses)

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and me."

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More murmurs.

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"Why would Guild master Orion and guild master
Polo be on opposite

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sides of something so momentous?"

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Simpson, still looking suspicious, replied...

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"But things may be different with this Kerris
fellow."

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"True."

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Relan paused as the various family matriarchs and
patriarchs looked at each

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other, a few sharing whispered comments.

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"Yet things may be the same. We cannot be
certain."

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Relan latched onto Simpson's uncertainty and
brought his argument home.

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"You may be safe, you may not be. Perhaps it would
be best if you waited for

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guidance from your guild master."

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It was Relan's only hope. He was convinced that
Polo would know

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what was going on and would object to anything
offered by Orion or his

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nephew.

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Yet it would be impossible to get a word from Polo
while he hid in Harvest

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House.

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That wasn't a problem, however. Polo's hesitation
to move in public

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would further raise suspicions among the Harvest
Guild members as to Orion's

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and Kerris' intentions.

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All Relan had to do was have the families agree to
wait for word from Polo,

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and he would have the time necessary to assess
things with reports from Allard,

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Vesper, Rogers, the other captains, and possibly
even

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Maylor.

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I will travel to Harvest House and inquire with
Guildmaster Polo myself.

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Simpson, the man who had proven to be the most
inclined to

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doubt Relan, was now calling his bluff.

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I fear that would be impossible. You would be
unsafe with the chaos in the

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streets and the merchants guarding the bridge and
the lower quarter.

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We have been invited back. I will go alone as a
representative of our

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guild members in the wretched quarter.

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I will meet with Guildmaster Orion and Charis and
tell them that we

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will do nothing without Polo's guidance.

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Three thoughts went through Relan's

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head. The first was that he was positive that
neither Orion nor

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Charis had anticipated such a scenario.

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The second was that there was no way they would
allow one of the refugees to meet with

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Polo. The third was that Simpson had just
volunteered for his own

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imprisonment or even death.

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It is a wise decision if you believe that Orion
and Charis are acting in good

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faith,

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but if you are wrong and they have no intention of
goodwill for Guildmaster Polo,

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they will see you as a threat and your life will
be in jeopardy.

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Why a threat?

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There can only be one reason for letting you
return to the lower quarter if

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Orion and Charis have false intentions, to draw
out Guildmaster

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Polo.

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If Guildmaster Polo believes them, they will
imprison or kill him.

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If he does not, they will use his disregard for
your wellbeing as an excuse to replace

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him.

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We would never question Polo.

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Someone shouted, and a chorus of agreement
followed.

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But does Guildmaster Orion or the new Guildmaster
Merchant know that?

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There was no reply.

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It matters not. If I do not return, I am a message
that

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Guildmaster Orion is not to be trusted.

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If I return, we will know it is safe.

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Simpson laid his hands flat on the table.

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Either way, the message will be delivered.

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Relan admired Simpson's courage.

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You are not to be dissuaded?

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No.

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Turning to the room, Relan spoke out.

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Do you all agree that Simpson will be your
guidepost, and until we hear word of his

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completed mission, you shall remain our guests,
safe with the thieves?

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There was still a hesitation in admitting to being
guests of the

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thieves, but everyone either stated agreement or
murmured it.

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Very well. I will leave you to your own counsel.

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If you need anything, you can send word to Captain
Cude.

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Relan stood up, followed quickly by Cude and Dirk.

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They exited the room, leaving behind loud
discussion.

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As they walked down the steps of the building,
Cude whispered to Relan.

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That was a masterstroke, sir. They will remain
calm and await a message that will

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undoubtedly never be delivered.

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Relan frowned.

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I would have preferred not sacrificing one of our
guests to achieve the goal.

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Who do we have in the lower quarter?

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Rogers and Moss, sir.

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Rogers is still missing. Send word to Moss and
have him shadow

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Simpson.

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If we have ways to watch him in the towers and,
more importantly, rescue him,

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I want it done.

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Cude nodded.

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I will send word to Moss.

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Simpson's safety will be of paramount importance.

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Relan was still too new to know the extent of the
thieves' network and

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how far into the merchant and craft tower that
they had infiltrated, but

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he hoped that Cude was right. He didn't want to
see Simpson imprisoned,

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hurt, or killed, but he also knew a very simple
truth.

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A rescued Simpson was the most important Simpson
of all.

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(dramatic music)