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[Ardas]

Oh, forgive me. I believe you said that the payment is not money or land? As far as contacting me works, I think if you ask to be assigend to patrol and scout missions on her side, it should not be difficult to get a message to me without being too conspicous.

[thatkid]

"Very well," he replied, mentally calculating the costs of ensuring that he would be assigned to such a task. "As for my price, then...I think you will find it is rather cheap. And...interesting, besides. Any business which I start within your fair nation within the next three years will be tax exempt. Does this sound reasonable?

[Dwarmin]

But as soon as the question left his lips he was already throwing the shortbow at Matthew as a distraction, following it in with a right hook to the jaw.

[3] vs [2]

Matthew seems to blur, throwing himself to one side-a moment too late. The spinning shortbow clips him on the shoulder, it's string biting into his flesh, causing a long shallow gash. His blood begins to flow.

Turin-1 hp

Turin 2/3
Pasha 3/3

[2] vs [4]

Matthew doesn't seem to feel it. He rises to full height, and raises his crossbow calmly...

A whirring bolt flies toward Pasha-aimed at the head naturally. Pasha flinches back, and it carves a painful groove across his forehead, skipping to one side. Warm blood drops into his eyes.

Pasha grimaces, but does not stop moving forward.

Pasha -1 hp

Turin 2/3
Pasha 2/3

[4] vs [3]

Pasha drives his fist into Matthews jaw, screaming incoherently-releasing an anger that has been simmering for years. He feels something shatter. Matthew stumbles back...

Turin -1 hp

Turin 1/3
Pasha 2/3

[3] vs [4]

And Pasha advances, only to be caught off guard with a lightning fast quick to the leg-sending him to the ground. In a moment, the larger man is over him, hands reaching for Pashas throat...they lock into place, like a vice.

Pasha -1 hp

Turin 1/3
Pasha 1/3

[6] vs [1]

Pasha can't breathe. All he can see is Matthews strangely emotionless face, and the hands smothering out his life.

As his vision develops a cold black tint, he begins to remember...

Pasha remembers his first victory on the battlefield, raising a banner to the sky.

Pasha remembers the face of Angband.

Pasha remembers the first time he saw Tala.

He feels the weight of the the ring Tala gave him in his left hand. A promise made. A future together. His children to come.

And he breaks Matthews grip with a vicious shout. His old foes mask of stoicism seems to crack, as he stumbles.

And Pasha hits him again. And again. And again.

Turin -1 hp

Turin 0/3
Pasha 1/3

....

A few moments later, it's all over. Matthew remains alive...but only just. Pasha has a long, nasty wound skirting his forehead, and it's bleeding fairly badly.

The forest is utterly silent. The light snow has begun to turn heavy-the sky is growing dark.

[Ardas]

You price yourself highly my dear sir. A tad too highly. I can give you a tax exemption for 3 years from the start of your business. In addition, I have to confirm that with the Lord Chancellor, but you not need to worry about it.

[thatkid]

Terryn considered a moment, and finally gave a short bow. "Very well then, sir. I accept such an offer. I trust that you know where to find me, once the Lord Chancellor has approved such plans? If not, I will send a man to your estate shortly with directions to the tavern I am staying at. Fair well- When we meet again, it will be over the corpses of De Plume's shattered host."

Terryn finishes his meeting with Nikephoros, and tries to find any small, quick, and most importantly legal jobs in the city that might net him around .80d while he awaits word that the deal will hold.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Pasha took a step back, breathing heavily. Now was the time to make a decision. The honorable thing to do was leave Matthew alive; he had won in every respect possible between the two men, and killing him would prove nothing. The practical thing to do was kill him then and there. There would no longer be any more of these petty attempts on his life - or Tala's. There was no chance of masking it as a hunting accident. Both he and Matthew had taken too much of a beating to hide the wounds. Then again... there was that new law allowing killing in the name of self-defense. Strictly speaking, killing him right at this moment wouldn't be in self-defense, but it would mean his family's protection in the future - he didn't trust Matthew to leave any children he and Tala might have alone, let alone try to kill him again.

And who would ever know? They were the only two in the forest. It would be so easy. Just a clumsy stab, enough to kill him but with enough lack of skill that it looked like an opportunistic shot taken to preserve his own life. The problem would be gone forever. Or, at least, one problem. Turin was still Tala's connection as a spy. Killing him might not be looked upon favorably by her superiors... but on the other hand, if he was truly dumb enough to pick a fight with her husband, a tactician of some renown and an assassin, then if he was killed it was his own fault. But would killing him make him more like Dysevik?

No. He didn't think so. There would be a certain amount of pleasure taken in ending Matthew once and for all but killing him for the sole sake of his own amusement wasn't his aim. What he was about to do, he did for his wife and his future children.

Everything he did was for his family.
It was as the sun was setting that Pasha came within view of the estate, alone, wounded, heavily armed, and carrying a crossbow he hadn't left with. He stabled Topaz and headed inside... where he was greeted with a lovely vision, albeit one that he could barely see due to the swelling over his left eye where Matthew had caught him a good punch in the last few moments before Pasha knocked him out and the blood still in his right eye. "Tala," he said warmly, one hand on the wall to brace himself. "Can you send a letter to the Lords? Tell them I had to kill a man in the forest. A spy named Matthew Turin. I left him in a glade; lucky stab in the chest. Equally lucky that he didn't quite hit me with this." Pasha indicated the crossbow by carelessly tossing it onto a nearby cushion.

Although he had bandaged the wound as best as he could, the blood loss before he had done so still left him fairly woozy, and he found a seat near the fire to melt into. "Forget him. It's wonderful to have you back." It was more than that, more than he could say. He still managed to crack a smile for her. "Did you have fun on your trip? I hope so, because next time I'm going with you..."

[Ardas]

After the talk with Kathos and Terryn, study and train tactics with my officers.

[Dwarmin]

Tala was quiet for a moment, her mind quietly calculating. The full weight of his death had not hit her yet. Matthew Turin had been looming-figuratively and literally-over her for almost 6 years. He had wielded power over her...and the threat of him using it, he had never thought to relent. Now he was dead...and he wouldn't hurt anyone, ever again. If there was satisfaction to be gained from this, it was certainly bitter.

She knew there would be an investigation-both on Ligorias side...and the Dragon Empire. Both sides equally dangerous. Things would get very difficult soon. She put this all away. Pasha needed her.

"...It's over then. For now."

She turned back to Pasha. She sat down aside him, and had brought a cold washcloth, which she ran tenderly over his battered face. Tala knew the cut over the forehead would likely leave a nasty scar. Pasha probably knew as well.

And yet, her smile came back, slowly. Scars were just reminders of death avoided. She had plenty of her own.

"Oh? Wars are never fun. Even if you win them...though at least Nikophoros knows what he's doing. Less widows when he's in charge, and that's always a blessing.

Anway, I'm guessing you didn't have much fun here without me, hmm? How did the ledger delving go?"

The tone of her voice was light and jovial, and indicated that thoughts of Ledgers were as far from what she was really thinking of as could be.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Pasha closed his eyes, enjoying his wife's ministrations. "...Sorry," he said after a moment. He had known there would be repercussions when he had killed Matthew, but maybe if he was lucky he could lessen their effects. Perhaps a letter in secret to the Dragon Empire telling them what had happened and saying that the next handler they send shouldn't be such a jealous idiot. It was as much Matthew's fault as it was Pasha's that he was a corpse. Frankly it was a bit of a surprise it hadn't come to that sooner.

"No, I suppose they aren't. But at least you and he are all right." Tala asked about his time in the study and he laughed, caught off-guard by the thought of how ridiculous it was for him to have combed through those books for a few months and change. "Can't say I did. I missed you." He pulled Tala into his lap and left his arms around her waist for now. "I was worried. I know you can handle yourself out there, but..." he trailed off with a frustrated sigh. He had so rarely had anything he could call his own that, now that he had someone, he wanted to protect her no matter what. But at the same time he didn't want to lock her away from the world; the urge to do so was something inherited that he fought against daily. The last thing he wanted was to change her from who she was.

"...Anyway, I'm happy you're back. We'll figure this thing out." They both knew why he couldn't have left Matthew alive, despite the problems it would bring. He still needed to talk to Kathos and Nikephoros about it, but that could wait for in the morning. Right now he just wanted to spend some time alone with Tala.

[Dwarmin]

Tala nodded, turning toward Pasha. The cloth dotted his brow, then his chest.

"We always do, my love.

Now, I know it's been awhile...but..."

She gave a lopsided smile.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning...

Tala had dressed down-her form, concealed fashionably in warm clothes. There were people who needed to be informed what had happened-or they would draw conclusions of their own. She slipped her blade into it's leg sheath. She knew the Empire could decide the entire operation was a wash. In that case, she was a dead woman.

Tala took a minute to steady herself.

Time to do her job, she thought somberly.

Though, it had recently begun to gnaw at her. If the Dragon Empire told her to start blowing up dams or poisoning Orphanages, would she do it? Granted, such random acts of sabotage were unheard of, but she had begun to care for her Ligorian subjects. Not that it would matter, if they found out who she was...

She slipped out before Pasha was awake-or at least, before he stopped pretending to be asleep, she thought with a genuine smile. She left him a letter...her smooth looping handwriting Pasha would easily recognize.

  My amazing Husband (you were amazing last night)

   Gone to Market. Speaking to the Bosses. Should be back by lunch-much business to discuss.

   If not, please don't come looking for me.

         I love you

   Your busy Wife (very busy today)

p.s-Listen to your doctors. If the medicine is too bitter, add sweetness. Rules to live by, hmm?

With that, she hefted her shoulder bag and left the manor. No guards today.

Action: Tala arranges a meeting with her superiors in Talama.

[SeriousConcentrate]

Pasha awoke to an empty bed and wondered if perhaps he had dreamed everything about yesterday... at least until he realized he still couldn't quite open his eye all the way and there was a note on the bed from Tala. Between the fight and properly welcoming Tala home, I must have been really tired to not notice her leave, he thought ruefully, reading the note. ...I am going to look for you, though, if it becomes necessary. Right now, I have business of my own to take care of. He flipped the note over and wrote on the back of it.

My wonderful wife
Sorry for not being awake to see you off. I have business of my own to handle, I have to see the Lords today and tell them what happened.
Hopefully I'll get back at the same time as you, but if I don't, wait up for me. I shouldn't be gone too long.
Love, Pasha Alanis
Your lucky husband

PS - All right, I'll take the medicine.

He added a small caricature of his face after the last line, exaggerating the injuries and giving it a mischievous expression. He set the note on the bed and got dressed for the day in his normal outfit, although now his cloak bore the insignia of House Alanis. Taking Topaz, he rode to the castle. "Baron Alanis. I need to speak to Lord Vandire," he said to the guard.

Pasha heads to the castle to see Nikephoros.

[CyberGenesis]

[??] Several ranking members of the city have begun to question the new leadership of Ligoria. They've apparently come into possession of some very compelling evidence citing the leaders as "ruthless, cowardly traitors who care nothing of the populace and just want to exploit Ligoria for their own goals"

The information seems to be detailed accounts of incidents behind the closed doors since just prior to, and after the removal of, Queen Laythe over the last year. How they managed to get this information is unknown, as well as some of it being outright slander.

The Crimson Guard tries to follow the tracks.

William will begin searching for books upon demons and spirits- namely the ranks/classes/varieties  of them, looking specifically for demons/spirits who can cover great distances within seconds and can project images, but general info is useful as well- and for books upon Storm Coast History- Major old Empires.

[34] The tracks lead to a successful observance of [3] what looks like a decent sized ground of men in the woods. They appear to be skinning and cooking some Elk for their dinner. They don't appear to be too threatening, and [1] they totally know your men are watching. [2] They don't appear to be changing their habits or actions at all.

[236] Your attempts to find the information you're looking for are received with little humor and much horror of those that work the Polca Library. They're shocked that such information would be sought out, let alone that they would have anything so specific in the local archives. Much of the information you're able to find is theoretical and vague at best. The acceptable content is of a common sort, things most people would learn during their childhood - told as bedtime stories to scare children. The rest sounds promising, provided there's any truth to it.

Terryn finishes his meeting with Nikephoros, and tries to find any small, quick, and most importantly legal jobs in the city that might net him around .80d while he awaits word that the deal will hold.

[315] You find a few courier-esque jobs in the city. Mostly lazy businessmen too fat to walk a letter to the far end of town to tell clients to pike off. Neither pays well, probably .2d combined. But the jobs are at least something that won't occupy more than a man or two from your troupe.

Start interrogating the survivors.

[414] Your interrogations proceed with mixed results. You manage to find out that these men are from the area and that they were hired/sent to attack you. They laugh when you ask by whom, and the resulting interrogations to that effect seem to have killed most of the prisoners. Only a pair remain, [1] and they've both pissed themselves entirely. Further questions are only responded to with 'Please dont kill us" and denials of information when told it wouldn't end in their death. [2] Your men expect that they may not know anything given they were obviously not in charge of the group.

[Taricus]

Ditch the surviving Bandits, Continue onwards.

TRADE ORDERS:

Hire two more cargo holds, one defensive Light vessel (Off the existing ships though) 14.29 Ducats.

All Ships
Galam to Aching, Buy pigs in Aching.
Aching to Galam, Sell Pigs.
Galam to Shola, Buy Opiates in Shola
Shola to Galam, Sell Opiates in Galam, Buy arms in Galam

All but the Heavy Tactican ship
Galam to Ligoria, Sell Arms in Ligoria
Ligoria to Galam, No trade.

[micelus]

Retcyl arrived at Polca and immediately made for William. After some searching, he eventually found a guard of his who directed him to the Elv himself.

"What is it that you wanted, William?"

[Shootandrun]

((Seriously CG, how much money do we have in the treasury?))

[??] Several ranking members of the city have begun to question the new leadership of Ligoria. They've apparently come into possession of some very compelling evidence citing the leaders as "ruthless, cowardly traitors who care nothing of the populace and just want to exploit Ligoria for their own goals"

The information seems to be detailed accounts of incidents behind the closed doors since just prior to, and after the removal of, Queen Laythe over the last year. How they managed to get this information is unknown, as well as some of it being outright slander.

Kathos read the report with a look of disgust on his face. Slandering fools. All of them. They were either magnificient imbeciles, or they had been paid by someone who didn't like the new rulers, someone who was not that subtle. The Lord Chancellor doubted that they were honest - what kind of idiot discovered proof that their rulers were 'ruthless, cowardly traitors' and accused them in public? That would be simply asking for getting killed.

Still, sending people after them simply because they acted like they had been bribed was a bad idea. It would prove their point, and maybe they were truly honest - some scholars thought that, because they were scholars, they could say anything they wanted. Kathos decided to deal with this through legal means. If they were honest, he would humiliate them - and if they had been paid, he would find the responsible man.

Ask the people accusing the lords to meet with Kathos in the palace