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The Thieves Guild

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by Jake Kerr.

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Episode 99:

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The Guildmaster Magic.

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Philos objected constantly, but Relan had a very
specific reason

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for wandering through the streets and walking into
the pubs and inns in the old

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quarter. Philos and everyone else thought it was
to be welcoming to the Harvest

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Guild members, to explain to them one-on-one that
the thieves were not

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evil, but were actually the ones who helped the
most in Ness.

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But that was not the reason he was in the open,
walking the streets and

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being irresponsibly accessible, and it was
irresponsible in

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many ways. Philos had to intervene a few times
when an angry

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Harvest Guild member accosted Relan for causing
all the problems due to

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his interference at the Founder's Day Banquet.

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But Relan had to do it, and as he wandered through
the square in the old quarter,

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feeling more and more like Pietro of old, and yet
despairing that he would achieve

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his aim, his efforts finally bore fruit.

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As the pale man with blonde, almost white hair
approached, Relan

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smiled and said-

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I had expected you before now.

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Turning to Philos, Relan said-

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Let him close.

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Philos knew better than to object.

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The outlander shrugged.

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We have our own plans.

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Of course. I hope that you have sent Lord Wilhelm
my best.

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It is your best that worries us. It does not
appear to be good enough.

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Relan was often considered arrogant, but he didn't
feel that way.

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He simply enjoyed standing up to authority.

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This outlander, however, he WAS arrogant.

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Indeed. What if I were to admit my weakness, to
admit that I have lost

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control of Ness? The future of the trade routes is
not only in jeopardy,

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but is an impossibility.

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For the first time, the outlander looked unsure of
himself.

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They are required to be open. Our patience is at
an end.

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That is not a threat, nor is it a plan. That is a
plea,

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Relan said, turning up the intensity of the
discussion.

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It is not a plea!

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The Hand of Wilhelm appeared upset for the first
time.

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Relan shrugged.

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We will take action.

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Relan waved his hand toward the wall.

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Please, Quinto's forces continue to easily hold
you back.

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Relan knew that was a lie, as the outlanders were
getting closer and

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closer to the outer fields, but his lie served its
purpose.

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Are you mocking us? The heir of Pietro dares to
mock Lord Wilhelm?

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The Hand was visibly angry at that point.

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Raising his hands, Relan said-

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Hold, Hand. I simply point out that we should work
together.

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As you happily have pointed out, I have lost
control of Ness.

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In resolving this, I need Lord Wilhelm's help.

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Yet Lord Wilhelm has had his own difficulties.

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I propose that we work together.

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The Hand of Lord Wilhelm peered at Relan.

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What do you have in mind?

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It will require restraint.

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We are known for our restraint.

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The Hand was transfixed with Relan's unspoken

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plan.

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I propose that Lord Wilhelm launch a small but
significant attack on the

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foothills. It will draw Quinto's forces south.

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You would then launch a larger attack at the outer
fields.

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This will draw Saxe's knights from the city.

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You should not aim for victory or raiding the
stores of the outer fields.

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You are to keep Saxe occupied for as long as you
can.

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And what if we decide that we want the outer
fields?

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I will tell Quinto of our plan, and he will
reinforce Saxe if it

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goes amiss.

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Quinto would not support such a plan.

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You would also not do that, as it would reveal you
as a traitor.

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Relan shrugged.

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And then I would reveal your defenses, and the
truth of Gautland's dangerously low

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food stores, unleashing Saxe to attack you
directly.

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You would not do that,

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the Hand replied, his voice slightly strained.

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Relan shrugged yet again.

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I

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need a distraction, immediately. I need it for
days, but weeks would be

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better. Achieve that, and the future of Gautland
will be assured.

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Turning to Philos, Relan said-

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We are done.

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Philos grabbed the outlander and shoved him away
from Relan,

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nearly causing the man to stumble to the ground.

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As he returned to the tower later in the day,
Philos finally got up the courage to

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confront Relan.

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That is treason if it doesn't work.

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Relan wasn't offended. He knew that Philos was
simply reminding

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Relan of the consequences.

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It will work.

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Philos was quiet for a few moments, and then
added-

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So what are the next steps?

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I need to visit Captain Jesser of the rangers.

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Before Philos could say anything, Relan added-

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Alone.

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As Relan made his way up to his quarters, he
didn't know what

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would happen.

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He was at least happy that he had two successful
scenarios.

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One was Polo rejecting Orion and Kerris' outreach,
and

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creating a continuation of the percolating civil
war that had not

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quite arrived yet.The other was the outlanders
attacking

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Ness, splitting Saxe from Orion and giving the
thieves some breathing room

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to find a way to talk to Polo and plan a path
forward.

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Raelan didn't want to think of what would happen
if neither happened.

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As he climbed the stairs, Raelan decided to stop
in the library.

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Rafe had been acting oddly since he had returned
with Pietro's books.

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Raelan would wander in and say, "Have you
discovered anything yet?" And

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Rafe would wave Raelan off, not even replying.

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Rafe was obsessing over something, and Raelan
hoped it was something helpful

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and not a history of Guildmaster jewelry.

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He walked in, and as he expected, Rafe had his
face buried in a

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book. It was large with hundreds of pages.

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Rafe looked to be halfway through it.

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"Find out anything interesting?"

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Rafe looked up, and for the first time Raelan
truly grasped how

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obsessive Rafe must have been. He was thin and his
eyes were red

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and bloodshot. His hair was greasy, and Raelan
doubted that Rafe had even

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bathed lately.

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"By the gods, Rafe, you need to take a break. Look
at yourself.

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These books will kill you."

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"What?"

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Rafe looked down at his body and back up.

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"Oh, I was going to stop when I was done, but I
kept uncovering things."

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Rafe's eyes lit up.

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"You will not believe what I've discovered."

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Raelan walked over and sat at the large table.

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It was covered in books.

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"Well, you've been mighty secretive lately." "I
just didn't want to give

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you pieces. Tell you a tantalizing bit, and then
have you ask me questions I couldn't answer.

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But I have a good grasp of our guild's history
now." "That's wonderful.

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So

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tell me something I didn't know."

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Rafe pointed to Raelan's ring with the seal of the
Guildmaster thief.

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Then he pointed to a drawing in a book to his
side.

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"Look familiar?"

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Raelan looked at the drawing.

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"Yes. That is my seal. But why is it red?"

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Rafe smiled.

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"Because it is the seal of the magic guild."

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Raelan looked at his ring.

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"But my seal is black." "That's because you
haven't taken your rightful place

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yet. That seal has been lying dormant for
centuries." "What are you

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talking about?"

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Raelan asked, somewhat exasperated at Rafe talking
in clues.

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"It is the seal of the magic guild."

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Rafe smiled.

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"And it will blaze red when you speak the Oath of
the Guildmaster Magic." "I don't know what that

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means. I don't even know the Oath of the
Guildmaster Magic."

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Rafe grabbed an ornate book bound in red and
slowly pulled it

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over.

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"I do."

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(instrumental music plays)