The Heist (Echelon, Gale, Rayes, Miro, and Ignotus)

[Wrenmae]

[Placeholder]

[Ignotus Everto]

(Placeholder)

[Echelon]

oocOk let's do this. First we are going to explain a bit about where you know where to go, during this part I'm going to just control your characters, PM me if you have any beef with how it goes. If you would like to add any connecting backstory (like when Wrenmae and Ignotus hooked up for this little Heist) feel free to mark them appropriately in spoilers and carry on within this thread. Also, if I'm moving too fast for you two feel free to back me up, insert some sneaky preparations. I realize this challenge very well might be too challenging for just the two of you, so you may pull in mercenaries to pay for or if they PM and clear it with me first even a PC or two which I would allow even with the backlogging. Keep in mind the value of these items, they will be protected accordingly every step of the way. Tracking : As Wrenmae stepped from the building along with the others an inexplicable mist of confusion passed over him, all seemed to stumble ever so slightly and more than a few patrons found themselves several blocks away as they intended, but with no recollection of what had transpired, Shroud included. The man with the bird mask appeared as started as anyone else. Pooled in the shadows came the subtle sound of clinking, armor. Calm returned to Shroud's prey as he saw the large shaped moving throughout the shadows. Shroud saw little from his hiding place, but he saw enough. Through a large ragged cloak pulled clumsily over the suited man gleamed faintly in the dimmest of moonlight the symbol of a white sun with a dreaded dark blade plunged into it. Into the shadows his prize slipped easier to stalk now which the clinking of armor. These men were not leaving through the docks, Shroud was certain of that. Clad as they were they wouldn't make it past the wave guard to save their lives, not with such valueable treasure in hand, not with such obvious attire. They found themselves sanctuary in a large shack within the new quarter, ravaged quite horribly by storm, only the faintest of candlelight licking at the cracks in the wall from the inside. Cautious as he could be Wrenmae snuck forward, observing the guard left at the door. He looked Zeltivan, poorly equipped and half drunk. Wrenmae could take him without trouble if it was just him. He sure made a good show of snapping to attention as his assumed employers passed however. With a silent arch around the grounds Wrenmae found himself to the back of the shack where he stepped gingerly through the knee high weeds to a narrow crack in a wall where water damage had displaced foundation. It smelled thickly of mold and sea as he pressed his face against the wood, peering inward. He spotted the last movements of the armored men working their way into a crudely constructed Celler. Down, into the hidden bowels of the shack. Two other Zeltivan swords returned to leisure as their command passed. This buyer was not wasting any time or expense to secure the items. Just as impatience took Shroud and he began to move from his spot, circling back around the hut steps shook the delicate foundation of the hut, and the bird masked man, appeared, face exposed for a brief moment before his heavy hood was pulled up over his head. An unattractive man, to say the least, deep uneven scars across his forehead and chin, broken nose, but meticulously trimmed beard and mustache. Shroud followed in silence as the now cloaked man worked his way, empty handed, through the darkness to the heart of the city. oocNote that if you wish to deviate from this cinematic at any time the story can be rewritten, just let me know. From a tall perch, shrouded in darkest shadow from atop a near by building, positioned behind a laddiswork thickly covered with green leaves the stalker could hear the plump drops of fountain water trickling into the the city's Fountain of Cascading Harmony. Following a short silence came the report of a coin toss and splash thrice in quick succession. Then, one more from a hidden place, revealed only by struggled Auristics, the lithe form tucked far on the opposite side of the confined area. The cloaked man spoke, and the hidden figure listened. He reported first that the packages were in their possession and then simply a number, the number of Miza's paid for the items. In response a women's voice echoed through the stone courtyard, bubbling through the fountain with a fitting harmony. "The Overlook Ruins, thee days." With that another coin dropped into the well, and both figured quickly began to work their way back to their respective camps, the lithe women moving too quickly for the stalker's Auristics to follow without revealing himself. oocI was actually going to do that scene and the actual Heist scene in this sit down, but I'm actually running out of time for today. I'll submit this and see how you feel about it. We can smooth out inconsistencies and you can explain to me when Ignotus becomes involved. Please share feelings and concerns, it will help me put the rest together. For now, you may reiterate all of the story thus far you wish to for xp, and to better explain how Wrenmae went about the task.

[Wrenmae]

1 day following the Auction.


Wrenmae stood with his three conspirators in the ruins of the meeting place. In two days time, a token force of soldiers from both sides, dealer and buyer, would be here for the trade. Strongboxes full of mizas would be exchanged for the item in question, leaving a small window of opportunity to sweep in and take the prize for themselves. For the sake of the heist, Shroud had called in his favors and produced three to work with directly, and a force of Waveguard he had cunningly hypnotized with small suggestions and hints that an illegal smuggling deal might be going on and that Wrenmae was the officer looking into the matter.

Next he'd hire a few mercenaries, wasting away in sailor taverns, drunk on seaweed grog, and finally put it all into play.

For now, however, four men stood in the center of the old temple, a statue to Laviku poised precariously above them, warped by rain and elements so that its tilt was dangerously suggestive.

"Gentlemen," Shroud began, "I have spoken with your individually on why you're here. In two days time, I will be stealing both an object and payment from a discreet deal marked to occur. We have two days to plan our strategy." Walking past them, the hypnotist put one hand on the immense leaning statue, brushing away some lichen growing across the stone, "All of you have special talents...abilities and competancies I can use in the execution of this plan. For your involvement, I can promise a share of the coin retrieved, the payment brought by the buying party, along with any items of 'insurance' either party brings to make sure the deal does not go awry." He turned on them swiftly, raising an eyebrow, transfixing Ignotus first and foremost, "The armor is mine, let that be the first rule we set here. I have faith in your abilities and can promise ample rewards for your participation, but without cohesion and teamwork we will expect nothing but possible death from our trouble here."

Rubbing his hands together, Wrenmae looked over the three men again.

"Allow me to make introductions." The first man he stepped toward was a young one with dark hair and piercing eyes. "This is Miro, an accomplished mage, as I am told. His specialty lies in Reimancy." Next he turned to the man who did not breathe, who stood so still he might have been a relic himself, a statue of some bygone era, "This is Ignotus, a nuit of some talent in various disciplines. His unique experience with immortality and subterfuge of his own will prove invaluable in these early stages." Finally he turned to the red haired man who looked so alien among the others.

"And this, gentlemen, is Gale, an artist...as I'm told, and native to Zeltiva. Why include a man of such strange talents, you may ask? Well, my friends, this man is not a mage to my knowledge. He does not wreak of magic and thus does not wreak of treachery. It will be Gale who will seek our information from the few I could identify among the buyer's party. It will also be Gale who will play a, no doubt, pivotal place in the Heist itself."

Shroud smiled at Gale, his mouth promising comfort while his eyes warning death, "I have faith we can count on him."

Turning back to survey the twisted ruins, overgrown bushes, and the cliff overlooking the small dock below, Shroud held out his hands.

"So, gentlemen, we have our stage. How best shall we set our traps?"

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus took a small bow when Wrenmae introduced him, a faint smile playing across his lips. Despite their violent meeting, he was starting to enjoy himself already. Of course, admiring himself wasn't at the top of his concerns. The moment the question of planning came up, Ignotus other talent got to work. In a matter of ticks, odds were calculated, points of view spread out, possibilities explored, numbers crunched, and plans laid.

"The cliff could provide Miro with a position to attack without risking being attacked in turn, as well as serve as an excellent position to hurl objects from. If he is capable, he could even bring large rocks or similar to blockade the carriage with. Otherwise, it will be an excellent position for him to be in should conflict start. The bushes are perfect hiding places for any of us. Wrenmae and I could easily lose ourselves in it. A wire likely won't stop them... However, I think they will pause for a corpse in the road, yes?" he said with a faint smile.

"All I would need is some blood, perhaps from a pig, and we could stage something quite convincing. My abilities with Projection should get us past any lock that can be opened from the inside, with the caveat of making it quick. Now, Wrenmae, I think, would be the most talented at keeping the guards' attention. If Gale could find out exactly what path the carriage will take, Wrenmae and I should be able to take care of the guards. The exact number, and the nature of their safeguards would also be extremely valuable information that I'm confident he can retrieve." Ignotus said, looking at Gale with a reassuring smile. Doubly reassuring, as he sent a pulse of Djed to bolster the painter's courage.

"Unfortunately, I eat up Djed extremely quickly when using Projection, so you'll need to convince them to, say, load me into the carriage and take me back, or something similar so I need only move a short distance outside of my body. Wrenmae should be able to keep the guards' attention far, far away from the carriage's entrance. Miro, in the meanwhile, would remain stationed at the cliff in case some part of the plan fails and the guards need to be dispatched. I would unlock the door for you, and Gale would take what we want, and vanish into the bushes. Once that's done, you may relieve them of the 'body,' perhaps by insisting to take me to my final resting place, and circle back to meet Gale. If all goes according to plan, by the time they realize their merchandise is missing, we'll be long gone. What say the rest of you?" the Hypnotist asked, turning to address each of them in turn.

[Miro]

Odd men called odd favors, as it seemed. A trusted friend, not really, but perhaps holding more value than others would give him credit for. To be resourceful and cunning, those were his strong suits, apparently. Oh, and perhaps his skill in djed, but that was to be seen. Nothing could interest Miro more than mischief, and that is exactly what Murdock offered. A chance, the privilege, oh yes, he would do some dirty deeds tonight. Of course mischief was its own reward, but that was not all that drew wizard's attention.

Miro snickered as he leaded back against a cold dark wall. He flicked his wrist with a loud snap, the icy bracelet that rest so idly. "Share of the coin, taking insurance, causing grief for people. Oh Ender, why must the gods tease me with such excitement?" He knew just how much the summon hated all that he loved so dearly, and of course this included teasing. How could any hate playful love in the form of a minor annoyance. It was beyond him. He only wished that Murdock had refrained from using his name, not on tonight.

Today Miro was gone. He could not risk a smear on his reputation, not within the city that adored him so. Today he would don a black cloak and the Mask of Many, and take the legend onto himself. It was made from the fallen foes of a great warrior, the craft of a master in warfare and mask making. He would gain a fragment of power from each of them, and with the trophy of slaughter, he would be someone new. The wizard created a small amount of res on his hands and used them to slick his hair back.

The boy smirked as he ran his fingers across his scalp and guided his res throughout his hair. He removed his hands and transmuted the res to ice, freezing his hair in place. He then removed the wicked looking piece known as the Mask of Many from his cloak and placed it over his face. The straps were snug, though it fit perfectly on him, all the way down to the chin piece. Now his face was gone, completely obscured, only showing a slight amount of skin around his eyes.

"Yeah, I'm Miro, and I am a reimancer alright. But for tonight, that is not my name. I am Ender from now on. I have a reputation to uphold, ya know? After all, I am known as a beloved reimancer here in the city. Would not want to be recognized and charged with crimes. Though expect no less from me. Murdock asked me here for a very specific reason, and I won't disappoint." Miro pulled the hood of his cloak up and hid his hair also from view. Until now, none had seen the mask, which left only his hands to give him away.

For a moment his head buzzed with chatter, his familiar speaking to him. "Oh yes, why of course. First you decide to ignore my advice and come here, and now, why not, you steal my name. If you are Ender, does that make me Miro? Perhaps we should trade our actions as well. For a change you can advise me on how to survive and I will go and seek our death out." But no, his summon did not even end there, he prattled on.

"Oh, and I forgot the part where I go "Hey, Ender...". Hey, Ender, have you been annoyed lately? You have? By my every word and movement? Oh, that truly is a shame. Maybe I should keep on talking and just..." But the wizard could hear no more. He clasped his hands to his ears and yelled internally. "ENOUGH! You are Ender, I am Miro. I only wish to take your name so that none will recognize me." Finishing the thought only caused him to realize how idiotic it was to explain. Already he was starting in on a headache.

For now things would remain simple however. The group around him was a bit unusual though. A Nuit, probably knew some magic, that was interesting and all. And, an artist huh? The fellow seemed nice, pretty average, but perhaps that was just what they needed. No person would respond well to seeing Miro in his current condition, not a single soul in Mizahar. Together they seemed to make a decent group, capable enough to pull something fancy of if they tried hard enough. Ignotus, the Nuit, began to speak out his plans for the group, interesting though the way he thought. After he had finished, the mage took it upon himself to chime in.

"If it comes down to distracting or taking care of any guards, I am more than capable. Just tell me, how long should it take, how much attention do I draw, that sort of thing. I should be fine enough, even on my own. Wouldn't want our beloved artist and corpse to be at risk or strain, now would we?" The mage smiled behind the black and red skull that was his face. "Really, though, I am not as gifted in the arts of subtlety as one might hope. I am best when I am left to draw in attention or to eliminate a target. Maybe even knock down a few doors while I'm at it." Miro turned his hand over to observe his nails for a moment before continuing on. "Please, do with me as you wish, I shan't be picky about it. Pleasure to meet you all, really."

[Gale Austin McCenry]

For once in his rather and mostly uninteresting life, Gale had been slapped in the face by his hypocritical views. The vow he created to never again perform such a dastardly deed, which he was following only a few sunrises ago, was now shattered like the mug that was used for the kill. Theft was never normally on Gale’s naive mind and neither was working with these types of men. All of them seemed to use the vile knowledge of magic in some way, making Gale like an itchy scab wanting to be peeled before the wound healed. The quiet man usually kept to himself on personal decisions to ruin your life, such as magic, but now having the need to rely on such works of evil had made the blonde turn into a cautious sheep looking around at the three wolves.

The stranger and his unwanted father had been given basic descriptions. They both seemed just as simple as the explanations of their strengths, but knowing what he did from Ignotus, he knew better then to think that Miro would be any different. Though young, the adjustment to his attire with his sagging hood and the placement of a mask to obstruct his facial features allowed him to assume he had either done this times before or came prepared for anything, very unlike Gale, who truthfully wasn’t ready at all and probably never would be.

His purpose to the heist had to be elaborated quite a bit more with his lack of physical participation to any type of skill set other than the sketches he had left at home on his desk. The artist’s eyes wished to roll from the hesitation which Wrenmae had made but managed to reframe from doing so, not wanting to get on any of these men’s more ruthless side anymore then he already was. That was different for each man, much like each man had given Gale a different impression, the quality of the man’s trust with each spun down more and more with how well Gale had gotten to know them.

It was to Gale’s insecurity that he was not told exactly what he would be doing in the theft itself, not even a broad explanation like his vital role to get the required information. The smile wasn’t very comforting either coming from the leader of this so called team of bandits. Frankly, neither was the fact that he could be counted on for this project. If someone was going to count on him for anything, Gale would be much more comfortable with it being something more suited to his interests and not making him backtrack on his “route to righteousness”.

The group was given their setting for the deed the first to speak for the plan was the distrusted and despised man. He gave an elaborate explanation for just a rough draft of the plan, seeming to know every detail that needed to be said to get the gears and cranks inside their heads moving. It wasn’t in Gale’s interests to show his distaste for everything they were doing at the moment, but a soft frown had turned the corner of his lips down when they were presented the idea that Gale would be the one to take and run off with the items. The regretful murderer, however, kept his lips locked about it, his arms perpendicular to one another and his right index finger curled loosely over his lips in thought.

As if some sort of cue to make Gale even more tense about his situation, the hooded man had gone to explain his proper uses, confirming the blonde’s hypothesis that it isn’t his first time doing acts similar to this. It couldn’t have possibly gotten any better at this point. His blue eyes skimmed quickly over his partners for any further replies or elaborations without willingly offering his own.

[Wrenmae]

Listening to his fellow conspirators, the Waveguard nodded solemnly. Gale offered nothing, the one oddity among his little band of would-be thieves. Of course the young man would protest to being involved in something of this calibur...even so, going to the authorities about it was immaterial. His word against that of a Waveguard, and a recognized one at that. No, it was his lot to do as was instructed him with as little danger as possible...that or leave the city.

But the coward didn't look to be the type to make it on his own out there.

"All good suggestions," Wrenmae outlined, nodding, "But we will be dealing with two parties, not one. The buyer and the seller will both likely bring hired muscle to ensure nothing untoward occurs. In order to protect our investment, none of them should be allowed to leave alive. A single one captured by the Waveguard could reveal the presence of coin and objects of power...even ferret out a way to start tracking the others. No...this must be swift, unrelenting, and complete."

Spreading his arms out, he indicated the ruins around him. "We will use this ground now and tomorrow. Familiarize yourself with nooks and niches. Miro, if you would be so kind as to hollow us out some pits in the ground and around the site. I will leave it to Ignotus and I to return to town and begin hiring mercenaries. It is vital we keep the details of their hiring secret. We cannot afford to have word traveling of a force gathering. When we're ready, some will hide in the pits Miro has provided, others in the shadows below the ledges, and still others in the ruins. Imagine them, if you will, as sacrificial strawmen. The more that get killed, the less we have to pay."

He glanced around the ruins again, sighing.

"I'll work on trap glyphs tonight and tomorrow, an aid when the parties arrive. I know little of how many we will be facing, but we'll err on the side of caution when hiring. Gale, your task is a simple one. There is a shack on East street, the fourth in the row nearest the pawn shop. It may not be obvious, but there are men guarding it. You are to go there tonight and watch them. My observations suggested they are sellswords, and sellswords are often prone to drinking when they are released from duty. You will wait till such a time, follow the man, and treat him to as many drinks as possible. You will be reimbursed. I need you to spy out the information on what they are guarding, how much they are being paid, and who the man in the armor is. If you have trouble, retreat and I'll do it myself."

He thought a moment, tapping a finger against his chin.

"I will be spying on the house myself this evening. Ignotus, scout the market for reliable sellswords...the kind with tight lips. Find their prices and...persuade them as necessary. Keep an ear to the ground on word of any big players in Zeltiva looking toward a deal. Any information on the moving of many men or forces is pertinent. The buyer is a man with a scarred face and a broken nose, thin, walks with an air of sophistication. If any of you see him, seek him out and test him with words. If he proves pliable, ply...but never too obviously. He has an assosiate, a woman, but I did not see her face. We have a short amount of time to set this up and I need everyone to be prepared.

Miro, I would like to use your reimancy as triggers. Trap this ruin, unbalance it, make pits, spikes, traps to turn any meeting here into a bloodbath. We can pick through the dead later. We reconvene twice. Once in midafternoon, once in the evening, then again the next day to walk through the next steps."

Rubbing his hands together, Wrenmae wondered if his plan would work. Luckily, he had time yet...and there were many avenues to pursue.

"Go, and remember to be careful...our plan hinges on the element of surprise, and it is our greatest strength."

ooc :

This is the preparation stage. Interactions with NPC mercenaries and guards can be handled with permission from Eche. Gale, I suggest asking Ech what information the guard would know before attempting to interrogate him. We want to move on towards the plot as quickly as possible so make your posts long and actions many. Good luck!

[Echelon]

Standing a fair two feet above the bay below can be seen the ruins of vigilant temple. Not seen from the city, however. Some distance out, and obscured by another large protrusion of land into the bay the ruins have become all but forgotten as anything but a navigation marker for local fishermen. In fact, not a soul could tell how long it has been since a single set of footprints graced the wide path heading down from the ruins themselves. The large inlet found at the end of this ancient road remains predominately obscured even from the water by a narrow mouth through trees reaching out over the inlet, scraping along any large ship wishing to enter. However, can not be seen from the city. Large and deep enough to house a large sea vessel fitting for twenty plus men, one must jump directly from the path to any boat they wish to board, for there is no sand, no recognizable beach as there may have been before the Valterian. Instead, the ground disappears into near absolute watery darkness not even a foot from the broken path, signifying a severe drop. The path itself has but one switch back three fourths of the way up, as it gradually climbs along the cliff side upward toward the ruins. Though rough all long, the road is wide, and even with half the path in areas degraded into the water below it remains functional even for large carriages. The only true danger is the occasional jagged yet structurally weak stone which plummets down from above, eventually finding itself into the thin stretch of deep dark water which following the inlet farther into land before it meets a shallow river. One would find it difficult to decern the true extent of the ruins before the Valterian, now hundreds of years later. Light stone lay in various shapes and sizes for a fair mile, haven had large portions thrown by the constant djed storms. The only portion still standing is the main building, near the cliff side, waiting for the bay to one day swallow the soil beneath it, and inevitably the ruins themselves. This area has no roof, only two dozen pillars standing in various rows, holding some large stones up toward Zulrav. Ancient statues litter the ground inside, along with fallen pillars of old. Human limbs and heads lay smashed and broken at your feet as you stand within, and a haunting howl and be heard through the last remnants of standing wall which poorly outline four rooms of various sized. Steps fall on all sides from the raised standing structure, and meet on the path down and a poorly kept road which stretched out only a few hundred yards before becoming very difficult to transverse on anything but horseback. The scale of this structure is what hints the most at its once glory. each pillar stretched at least fifty feet into the air, some even taller. Only a handful of the sculptures still stand, each starting half that height upward. It would take little more than ten minutes to travel from the peak to the inlet below, assuming you don't slip, in which case the decent, one would imagine, could be achieved at a much more expedient pace.

[Ignotus Everto]

Ignotus offered little more than a quick nod to Wrenmae after he was finished speaking before turning on his heel and striding off to do his part. He had a great deal of detective work to do, and not much time to do it. For Ignotus was not interested in simply amassing an army to challenge the auctioneer's own. There were not many mercenaries in Zeltiva, and those that were would almost certainly be hired by the men he was hoping to conquer. That, or said men had imported their help.

However, that same obstacle could become Ignotus' greatest advantage. Because of the scarceness of work, such a mass hiring would also, naturally, end with mass celebration. That wasn't to say that every sellsword in Zeltiva would decide to throw a single, huge party. That would have been silly, albeit convenient. Much more likely, the local help would be sharing a few drinks with friends for securing such a lovely and lucrative contract. As for the imports... They would stick out like a sore thumb.

Ignotus' experience as a garbage man meant he was intimately familiar with almost every building (and its respective waste) in Zeltiva, and that knowledge was used to quickly compile a list of locations to visit. The Kelp Bar for Zeltivan sellswords, the World's End Grotto and other, smaller bars for the traveling mercenaries, and the innumerable brothels of East Street for everyone else. A short chat with his colleagues told him which locations were turning out larger than average amounts of refuse, narrowing the number of brothels to visit from "dozens" to "five." The management of these five were then approached. It wasn't a great challenge to convince them not to let rowdy, violent men in. Of course, there was the occasional dissenter. Mercenaries were good business, after all! Madame Zana was one of these people. The result was a rather irritating conversation behind the bar.

"Why should I turn away perfectly good paying customers, hm?" the harlot demanded as she leaned on the wooden counter, a sour look on her face.

"Because, my dear," Ignotus said, "These aren't your typical Zeltivan customers. Haven't you heard the stories about Sunberth?" a gentle pulse of Djed at those words. A soft stirring of the xenophobia that lay at the hearts of so many. A slight crease in Zana's brow told Ignotus that his magic was working. "These men will trash your bar, set your beds alight, brutalize your women and leave your establishment in shambles for weeks! Are you really willing to close for Gods know how long for one day's profit?"

Madame Zana crossed her arms, her lips pursing slightly. She was unsure. This could be remedied. "It'll cost more money in the long run, and your girls will be hurt. Do you really want to take that chance?"

The brothel owner found herself thinking, "No, I don't..." before repeating the implanted sentiment to the Hypnotist. "All right. I'll bar the Sunberthans from entering. But no one else!"

A gracious smile, and a small bow from Ignotus. "My lady, this isn't a decision you'll regret, I promise you."
A few bribes given to the most popular harlots in those establishments meant that those that did get through would hear about a very lucrative contract when they were sleepy and content. Hopefully, it would motivate some men to turn out.

After that, it was simply a matter of waiting and watching. A snatch of Sunberthan song, an ill-phrased toast, the occasional fight between employed and unlucky. All of them told him, over the course of six bells, who he would be facing in the future. The rest was child's play.

Another half-bell of observation told him who was the informal "leader" of the clusters of mercenaries. That is, the man who held the most sway over his fellows, who had the most respect, and, if guided, the man that most would follow. After that, it was a simple matter of buying the already uninhibited lads a drink and working on that man. A slyly buried suggestion here, an appeal to greed there, a few false rumors and promises... Ignotus spoke with seven clusters of three to five men. Twenty turned coat. The rest were crippled in bar fights that, curiously, seemed to originate after a rather burly patron had a small chat with the Nuit.

Of course, twenty was not quite enough. However, Ignotus only had so much time. As such, those twenty were encouraged to speak to their friends about this wonderful opportunity. With a bit of luck, simple mathematics would net a much larger turnout. With the day winding down, and the vast majority of inn patrons going back to their families, the Hypnotist turned his attention from the bars to the brothels. It was not a great challenge to notice the migration from wine to women, though it was a great challenge to supress the grin that came to his face at the sight of the growing crowd of foreigners outside the locations he had visited.

Ignotus followed the small groups of ten or twenty that decided to try their luck elsewhere. The Wave Guard arrested those that decided to force their way in. As a result, the auctioneer's imported help would either be behind bars on the day of reckoning, or quietly working for Ignotus. Word to Wrenmae was definitely in order as well. It wouldn't be impossible for him to get those arrested released with new loyalties.

As for the clusters that decided to break off... Ignotus had long practiced his most basic tools until he had honed their use to an art. As such, convincing entire crowds to turn coat by undermining their employer's credibility and appealing to their lust for gold was, while extremely draining, ultimately easy. Six such groups were turned before Ignotus finally had to retire, or risk overgiving. After giving a letter to a courier for Wrenmae to recieve, the Nuit traveled back to the temple with his bounty to help prepare. Fifteen of the mercenaries that Ignotus judged as rather charismatic, however, were invited to go recruit more of their friends. The rest went with him.

OOCLedger: -50 GM in bribes

If more detail is required, or I overstepped my bounds, just shoot a PM.