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[NUKE9.13]

Repeat action:  Listen to rumours, get feeling for mood in the town regarding the rebellion.
Finish the card game, try and come out ahead - or at least with drinking money.

CG will need to roll for the precise mood of the city, but you can easily pick up on the general mood from hanging around in a bar for a night.

[3] You finish the game, and find yourself slightly poorer than when you went in. Shouldn't have let people win those hands. Well, its only a small loss.

[Ardas]

Ok, I won't have to worry about a knife in the back.. from this side at least.

Tala seemed determined and fully aware of the situation. A good sign, in that he could trust her not to interfere or do something completely stupid. All that remained was Kathos and organisation of everything.

"While queen requested to see you both, you obviously need some more time. I don't think I need to drag you there by hand. But don't keep her waiting for long."

He left quickly and returned to his office. It was time to organise what was avaiable and speak to Kathos one more time.
He ordered the captains in after the talk with the queen and gave out the orders.
"As far as the queen's orders go, belay them. That saved outr asses at Mileth, and it just might do the same now. As you may know, the countryside is much bigger and populous than the city. and there are some that might take advantage of the disorder, be it bandits or someoen outisde our borders. So I need all of you on standby there. The two regiments that have been sent there are not enough, while I can take care of the city. If we concnetrate all our efforts here, we will only antagonize the people and the country will be left devastated."

Put my regiment on alert and on police duty in the city. Close the eye on weapon holding and smuggling, try not to disarm people if not necessary. Order all royal regiments to exit the city and stand by on alert in the countryside.

[Shootandrun]

Kathos was already at work. He sent some of his men to his regiment outside the city, with some special directives. A few sneaky soldiers were sent in the city to buy new weapons and armors from the smugglers in the city and hid them inside the camp. They received the order to keep the new material hidden from official eyes. They were going to need it, soon.

As soon as the Marshal was alone, a sergeant from Kathos' regiment entered in the room. He simply asked a few useless questions about the weapon ban and the current situation of the city, and he left. He dropped a small piece of paper as he was opening the door, and of course, there was a note on it.

Meet me in the University tower

-K

[Ardas]

Nikephoros did not wait after reading the message. he got to the tower as fast as he could while remaining inconspicous.

He enterd the tower and shook his hand with Kathos.

"I got the army to leave, bar my regiment and the mob should be armed. All we need is to smuggle your people in and for you to raise the crowd."

[Shootandrun]

Kathos smiled. He was happy with the current situation.

"I got some material for my men. They will be nearly as well equipped as the Queen's guard. With good timing, our forces will easily overpower Laythe's. I can rally the crowds if you want, but it will be dangerous. It will give more time for the loyalists to react. However, with the support of the gangs, we might be able to simply raise an army of commoners. Talking about the gangs... D'you think we can send in someone at the Bloody Scales to see if we'll have help from them?"

While he was talking, he was patiently trying to get some blood off of his clothes.

That assassination really helps us. If you are wondering, yes, it really happened, but there will be no more assassins. It was a personnal matter, and the assassin's secret died with her."

He paused. Even now, he did not absolutely know if he had made the good choice.

"Do you know if we can count on anyone else's help?"

[Ardas]

I spoke with Tala and she will not interfere. She does not mind Laythe out of the way, since she "plans to have family here". Heh.

"Unless you got some contacts and can raise additional help on the spot thats all we will have. But rest assured, it will be just us and Laythe's guard, and I'm hoping that numbers will make them think twice before resisting."

[Shootandrun]

"Alright then. I'll send my best man to the Bleeding Scales, he'll have a chat there and once I'm done I'll inform you. We'll start as quickly as possible."

Later

Adrian entered in the inn nervously. Sometimes, the ideas of his boss were somewhat strange - indeed, this one was particularly dangerous and reckless, in his opinion.

He tried to look relaxed and confident, and he dramatically failed. He simply walked near the barman and quietly said a few words.

"I'm here to talk business, if you see what I mean..."

[NUKE9.13]

[6] "Business, eh? Ah, of course. We've been expecting you. I'll have someone take you through."

A server is summoned, and Adrian is led through a door into the rear of the embassy. He is led to a small room, empty but for a barrel of water. And several large burly men. Who punch Adrian in the stomach, and proceed to hold his head under water until he almost drowns, then lift him up and demand in no uncertain terms to be told

"WHO ARE YOU WORKING FOR"

[Shootandrun]

Adrian was scared shitless. He had no weapon, no armor, and no friend in the building. Of course, if he died here, Kathos would send an army inside to murder everyone in sight, but that would still leave him dead.

"Official people... I can't name names until I know the opinion of your leader about this... But let's just say that some very important men of the Kingdom think that we could make a deal... Look, I have no weapons. I just came here to talk."

[NUKE9.13]

"Official people? OFFICIAL PEOPLE? YOU SCALE-HATING BASTARDS CALL YOURSELF OFFICIAL?"

Adrian gets another dunking.

"You are in no position to name conditions. I want names. I want evidence. You will give it to me, or we will get CREATIVE."

[Shootandrun]

"W-w-w-wait! I work for Kathos Thunderblade. I was sent here because he thinks we could make a few deals."

Some part of Adrian waked up, and he spoke again, this time with some determination.

"My name is Adrian Redhand; you might have heard of me. I am his lieutenant and the captain of his personnal guard. If I'm not out of here in a few hours, one hundred steel clad soldiers will come in here and get me out, and unlike me, these people are not patient."

He paused to let that sink in.

"We all have something to win if I can atleast talk to your leader. If you wish to keep doing this" - He pointed the barrel - "Chances are none of us will get out of here alive."

[NUKE9.13]

"Thunderblade? Here, Mike, go ask about Thunderblade. As for you, I think you need one more dive to clear your head."

One of the thugs leaves the room, and Adrian is pushed under again. Afterwards he is thrown roughly into a corner, where the water trickles merrily down a drain.
A few minutes later, the thug returns. He and the head thug exchange a whispered conversation. Eventually they turn back to you.

"All right, lets say I'm in charge here. What do you have to say, and what does it have to do with all these bloody spies?"

[Shootandrun]

"It's not related to the spies. Everyone in the army and the nobility knows this building is related to gang activities... But the Queen remains inactive. She does not want to take any action against you people without evidence."

Adrian smiled. He knew the thug wanted to intimidate him, and he was very intimidated indeed; however, he tried to hide that.

"Now, however, things are going to change. You all know that the people is getting tired of the Queen's rule; however, Laythe Ralia has more enemies than she might think."

He hesitated. Things were getting dangerous here, but he had to speak.

"Soon, the Queen will loose the Throne. That's a fact, and trust me, there's nothing she can do to change that. The people who will take the power are not like her. Unlike her, they have some experience in dealing with state problems, and they all have a deep hate against corruption and your kind of business. Let's just say that most of the gangs will not survive more than a year."

His smile grew bigger. He let that sink in for a few secons.

"That's where you come in. Kathos Thunderblade thinks that having some help from the underground could be extremely useful. If you could help us doing a few things, he could... Forgive some actions. Only one gang would be spared from the purge - and trust me, there will be a purge - and it will be yours. That would leave you people with a total control over the 'unofficial' actions of the city. Well, you'll have to help us first, of course."

"And that's why I would like to speak to your leader - the real one."

[Taricus]

When Laythe heard the marshal's orders for the army, she was downright furious. The resulting message the messagers carried to the regimental commanders would never had been good news.

All troops are to disreguard Nikepheros Vandire's orders. Vandire himself is to to be considered stood down and is to be brought in before the queen to explain himself. Talvius and Alaria are to be considered marshals until a suitable replacement is available.

[NUKE9.13]

The man stares at you.

"Well well well. That is interesting."

He seems to think for a while. You can see the sweat on his brow.

"All right, tie him up, stick a hood over his head, and bring him down. I'll go get... the real leader."

Adrian is, as promised, tied up, hooded, spun in circles, and then led through a bunch of corridors, down several flights of stairs, until the air becomes cold and damp and with a faint smell of sewage. And a rather less faint smell of lavender.

"Ah, mister Redhand. Please, have a seat. I've just been reading about you. Fascinating stuff. Someone take that bag of of his head."

Adrian is de-hooded. He has been seated- still tied- in a comfortable chair by a small table, in a well lit room, tastefully decorated, although perhaps a bit heavy on the lavender bouquets. Across the table, drinking wine from a small glass, sits- uh, is that- Hugo van Vissersdorp?