Meric the Storyman: Rega and the Dragonstones
Chapter 24: The Guild of Illustrious Thieves and Assassins

The Guild of Illustrious Thieves and Assassins, commonly called GITA, was formed early in Makloran’s history. It has gone through several name changes, but it is the oldest thieves guild in both kingdoms. There have been other thieves guilds, but GITA managed to get them shut down. The leadership always make sure money is set aside to take care of local law enforcement.

The guild itself has an overall leader. There were divisions in Makloran, Lalloran and Striplind. Each division has a leader. Each division also has two branches; a thief branch and an assassin branch. Each of those branches also has a leader. This type of organization was essential to GITA’s success throughout all of these years. The guild leader doesn’t have to deal with the day-to-day mundane tasks. He is able to use his time looking into with kingdom affairs and trying to work out ways that could be profitable.

The division leaders report directly to the guild leader. They give their orders to the branch leaders. The branch leaders then assign tasks to the appropriate member or members required for the job.

As a member of the guild, the cut for a job is steep. One-half of any profits has to be paid to the guild. This ensures the leadership a steady income. It also helps keep members out of local jails, as many times bribes have to be offered for those who do get caught.

The guild is always looking at expanding. It was Luxod in Striplind that had given Rega’s and Milrop’s names as a possible expansion in Ractah. A branch in the city know for the major open markets operating year-round would be invaluable.

“We need to know why Rega is in the city,” said Brolo, the Makloran Division Leader of the Guild of Illustrious Thieves and Assassins.” We cannot allow him to infringe on our territory. He must be made aware of his error in coming into Makloran, especially after refusing to join the Guild. Your duty, Kiram, is to find out what his purpose is.”

Kiram, the Makloran Thieves Branch Leader, accepted the task. After being dismissed, she headed out into the streets of the city. She would be looking for Rega, and she would find him. She had to. Failing would mean weakness and ineffectiveness, which would eventually lead to her losing her high position in the ranks of the Guild, a position never before attained by a woman.

After dismissing Kiram, Brolo, also called “The Blade”, once more thought about the situation. There had to be some reason, some very important reason why this thief from Ractah was here. He had sent messages to Rega and even visited him on one occasion several years back, offering him a position of Division Leader of a branch to be created in Ractah, but Rega had turned him down. He would pay for the resulting embarrassment.

Sitting in the Inn, nursing a mug of beer, Rega was thinking about the next gem. Colnhe had left them and was already visiting the wizards. Hopefully, he would remain quiet about Rega’s task. Getting the first four were fairly easy, to a point, but getting this last one from the Wizard’s Guild would be hard.

Dealing with wizards is risky business. He had come too close on several occasions with other jobs. Never before had he done a job, however, where he had to deal with so many in one place. With only a novice wizard for a companion, Rega knew that he wouldn’t be able to get into the wizard’s Guildhall magically. He would have to rely on his talents. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the Inn’s main door open.

Kiram found it was easy to locate Rega. Traveling with halflings and a half-orc brought attention, even in a city such as Makloran. It only took her a few silver coins to find out that his party had went to the Issid Inn, not the best place to stay, but definitely not the worst. She had one of her favorite snoops, Desai, a young teen-age thief, go on ahead and scout the Inn. When she neared the Inn, Desai told her how many people were there as well as where they were sitting and what they were doing. She tossed him a silver piece.

She had thought about how to attract Rega’s attention. She finally decided that she should use her “Lady of the Evening” persona. This was her most effective means of getting information from men, and it was through this that she had gained the respect from Cirrick, GITA’s Guildmaster, and eventually her appointment as Branch Leader. A little country thief like Rega would stand no chance against her. So, wearing her low-cut, short-skirted outfit, Kiram walked into the Inn, searched it for the person that fit Desai’s description of Rega, and upon spotting him, strolled casually up to him and asked, “Buy me a drink, handsome?”

Dexir strolled out to the stables to check their horses, just to ensure that the stable-hands were doing their job. It was when he neared the stable that he got the message from Akrun.

* Be ready, Warrior. There is one who means harm inside the place you wish to go. *

Dexir pulled the sword from the scabbard and said, “Quiet,” invoking the silence spell. Immediately his footsteps fell quiet, and his breathing could no longer be heard. “Weapons,” he asked the Sword, telepathically.

* Two daggers, and a club. This should go quickly. *

Dexir walked up to the door. The silence spell hid the squeak of the hinges. If his luck held out, Akrun would be right. This would be easy.

Luck was with him. The man was busy looking into the party’s saddlebags when Dexir noiselessly approached him. It took a full ten seconds before the thief realized that he was being watched.

Spinning around and pulling out his daggers, he saw Dexir. This was the last thing he saw. The Sword reacted quickly once the weapons were drawn. The silence spell even prevented the thief’s dying scream from being heard.

“Silence off, Strength on.” said Dexir to the Sword. He would need the strength to dump the body elsewhere. Then he would have to report the incident to Rega. He had the feeling that this would be just the beginning of trouble.

Rega, taking a break from his planning, welcomed the lady to his table and bought her a glass of wine. He then asked her what brought her here.

“When I walked in and looked around, you caught my eye,” said Kiram. “You were just sitting there all lonely and everything, so I decided to see if such a good-looking man as you would like some company. And here we are. Oh, by the way, I am Prina.”

“Manei. Manei the Trader.” lied Rega, using one of his aliases.

“Well, glad to meet you, Manei.” said Kiram. “What brings you to our fair city?” she then asked.

Rega thought it wouldn’t hurt to tell part of the truth, so he answered, “I came in search of an item for one of my clients. I was told that anything you want could be found in Makloran.”

“Well, how about this evening?” asked Kiram, moving her chair closer to Rega. “Surely your business can wait until the morning.”

Just as Rega was about to ask about the cost of an evening with her, he was interrupted once more by the opening of the Inn’s door. This time it was Dexir entering, immediately giving him the sign that there was trouble.

“Unfortunately, Prina, it looks as if my business may need me tonight. I sadly have to decline your offer, but I would like to have an evening together one night here soon.”

Kiram watched as Rega went up to the serving lady, paid for the drinks, and then walk off with the man who had entered the Inn to the rooms upstairs. So close. If she hadn’t been interrupted by Rega’s acquaintance, she would have been able to get Rega alone in his room. Once there, she had plans to use a special serum she had made. This serum was very handy in getting information from those that imbibed it.

She slowly finished her glass of wine and then went outside to wait on the report from Trevor to see if he found anything in the stables.

“That is why I dreaded entering and staying in the city.” said Rega, explaining about his problem with the Guild to everyone after Dexir had briefed him on the incident in the stables. “If they know I’m here, and I have to assume that they now know, we’ll have not one, but two Guilds to deal with.”

Lobaki and the brownies, having been left in the room to keep watch, told Rega where Stice, Lano, and Doman could be found. The half-orc was outside behind the Inn, meditating under the light of the moon. The two halflings, after unloading the remaining supply of Redbottom leaf, were down by the docks, trying to help relieve the pay from some sailors.

Rega and Dexir would go to the docks to track down the halfling brothers. Lobaki would get Doman. With the latest development, they knew that they would have to hurry in getting the last Dragonstone.

Kiram watched Rega and the other man, possibly Rega’s bodyguard, based on his size and the sword the man carried, leave the Inn. She then sent Desai to trail them. She waited a few more minutes, partly to see if anyone else went after Rega and his companion, and partly to see if Trevor would return. She couldn’t figure out what was taking him so long in the stables. She had sent Desai to find him, but he had returned alone.

After ten minutes, with no one else following Rega and no word from Trevor, she went back to headquarters, feeling the uneasy feeling in her gut that something was wrong.

Lano and Stice were finishing up a game of cards with some of the local sailors when Stice noticed Rega enter the pub. Rega spotted the two and motioned for them that it was time to leave.

The two brothers folded their current hands and gathered their winnings and left. The sailors were disappointed about not being able to get their losses back. One in particular, named Eric Torrel, decided to follow the halflings to confront them.

His ship had pulled into port several days earlier and he was out enjoying the local establishments. He did fancy himself as a decent card-player, so he especially wanted the chance to get his money back.

When Kiram reported to headquarters, there was a message for her to report to the head office.

A meeting was in progress. Being a Division leader for Makloran, Brolo was there. The Lalloran Division leader, Nimble Nursal, was also present. At the head table sat the Guild’s leader, himself, Cirrick the Swift.

She presented what information she had to the group and was then told to wait out in the hall. A few minutes later, the door opened and Brolo and Nursal came out. Cirrick called her back in.

“Your report concerns me.” said Cirrick. “I will still need your help in this matter.”

“Anything, sir.” replied Kiram.

“Good. Keep up your disguise. Rega will be apprehended soon. You will then help him escape. This will allow you to gain his trust.”

“Once you have his trust, find out the real reason he is here in Makloran. He knew that fool, Brolo, would be out for blood. Whatever caused him to ignore the dangers of coming here, must be big! I need to know what it is!”

“This I can do, Cirrick.” answered Kiram.

“Good. If all works out, there may be a promotion in it for you.”

Kiram was shocked! A promotion would mean being advanced to Division leader. Which one would it be? She then remembered Cirrick calling Brolo a fool and knew it meant Makloran. This could only mean that Brolo was not in on these plans. She would have to be very careful.

A silver piece here and a gold piece there and plans were made. Brolo arranged for Rega and his group to be taken into custody and brought to the Guild’s headquarters for questioning. Cirrick would be very pleased once Brolo could give him some useful information.

The city guards who were on the Guild’s payroll were all set. Kiram had passed on information about the inn where they were staying, the number in the party, and even their descriptions. Two men, a woman, two halflings and a half-orc would be delivered to Brolo tonight.

Rega, Dexir and Lobaki had been out scouting the main building of the Wizard’s Guild. Lobaki’s knowledge of the Guildhall during her time spent in apprenticeship helped with the basic layout. Barg came in very handy and reported amazingly accurate descriptions of the inner halls, through Lobaki. Rega came to understand why wizards find their familiars to be so important.

Doman, the halflings and the brownies stayed in the room at the inn. The less attention focused on the group the better. Already, guards were on the lookout for a couple of halflings down near the docks. It seemed that a group of sailors had reported to the guards about some hustling going on.

When they returned, Stice asked, “How does it look?”

“Difficult.” was Rega’s first response, then he continued, “I think we found a location that is easier to enter than others, but I’m not sure. It looks like I may have to do this one alone...again. This time, I don’t think there is a dragon looking for a good laugh.”

As they were going over some more of the information gathered so far, there came a knock on the door.

Dexir had Akrun ready before Rega answered the door.

“Rega of Ractah?” asked the guard after Rega opened the door.

“Uh...yes. I am he.” answered Rega.

“I have been sent here to arrest you and your party. Will you come peacefully, or shall I call the other guards up?”

Rega shot Dexir a cautioning glare and answered “It will be peacefully.” He then asked, “May I ask what we are being arrested for?”

“That is none of your concern right now. All questions will be answered soon.” answered the guard. “Move out, now.”

Before leaving, Rega took one last look back into the room. Dexir and Lobaki were right behind him. Next, there were the halflings followed by Doman. But where were the brownies? They must have hidden, and by the looks of it, with the plans as well. At least something was going right.

As the group made it outside, ten more guards were there to escort them. All weapons were taken from them, including Akrun. Barg, however, refused to sit quietly on Lobaki’s shoulder. He took off the moment Lobaki made it outside. The guards, not knowing about Lobaki’s familiar, ignored the bird.

Soon, they were on their way.

They were led through side streets and back alleys. Eventually, a building larger than the others in the area came into view before them. It was to this building that they were taken.

The lead guard knocked on the door. The person answering the door was none other than Brolo himself.

“Welcome to Makloran, Rega.” he said.

Eric had followed the halflings to the inn, but had lost track of them once they had entered the building. He entered, ordered a mug of ale and waited. They would come back out and he would be there to get his money back.

He sat there a while, watching people come and go. At one point, he saw two men and a young woman enter the inn. The larger of the two men looked familiar, so he paid more attention to where they headed. They went upstairs to the rooms.

Not long after, a good number of city guards entered. Once went to the innkeeper and then went upstairs as well. Soon, he returned and had with him the two men and woman he had watched moments ago. He then saw a half-orc and the two halflings. All were led to the other guards and out the door.

Seeing the half-orc, Eric now remembered where he had seen the man before. It was in that seedy dive in Striplind. He waited a few seconds for them to leave, and then left himself. Since the halflings he wanted were with the man and half-orc, he would follow to see what he could learn.

Rega was led to a room away from his friends. It was a simple room with little furniture. It reminded him of an interrogation room.

Brolo entered a few minutes later. “Your friends are being kept safely...for now. I have other business to attend to at this moment, but when I return, I hope you and I can go over all the details on why you are in this fine city.”

Brolo got up to leave the room, but before leaving he added, “I haven’t forgotten about our past meeting. So, think long and hard. I know we can work it out...this time.”

Not being familiar with the city, Eric Torrel followed the guards and their captives to what looked like a private building. There were a couple men guarding the gate. He knew he wouldn’t be able to just walk in. He was about to start looking for an alternate way in when an old man appeared out of the shadows and walked up to him.

“I have a task for you.” said the old man, handing Eric a sealed note and three gold coins. “Deliver this message to the Wizard’s Guild. Oh, and I wouldn’t try to open the message. It has a special protection on it, if you know what I mean.”

The old man then turned back into the shadows and soon disappeared from view. Three gold coins more than made up what he had lost to the halflings, so he went in search of the Wizard’s Guild. He was careful to make sure the message remained unopened.

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