Episode 3: A Fool And His Lotus Are Soon Parted.

Episode 3: A Fool And His Lotus Are Soon Parted.

It had been some years since Talon was last in Athkatla, he had been been tracking one of bloated sacks who had tried to have him killed. The name of the fool was gone from his memory now, such details insignificant after his vengeance was taken.

It had two, neigh three years since August Rencour was last here as a law abiding merchant. Thinking back, he recalled they had some particularly harsh rules about entering the city to trade. He still had Rencour's merchant papers, which would save him a good thousand or so goldpieces worth of bribes, but it occured to him he didn't have wares. Most other cities in the realm you could just say "I'm buying not selling" but in Athkatla, if you didn't have wares you were immediately suspect. If Talon was going to enter Athkatla discretely, he'd need merchandise.

Going through possible supply locations in the area, Talon was coming up dry. He was getting close to Nashkell, but he didn't have the resources to pass as an iron merchant, what with the iron barons strangleholding the market. There weren't many other places between here and Athkatla he could pick up a shipment of anything. The best prospect would seem to be to liberate someone elses cargo, and the easiest way to do that would be to proceed on to Athkatla's city gates and pounce on some fool just out of sight of the guards.

Traffic was light this time of year, only natural since it was raining quite heavily. This left Talon plenty of time to think, which was usually a very bad thing. He tried to keep his mind off the contract at hand, thinking too much complicated things, and the executionof his contracts went much smoother when he kept things simple. It's one thing he owed August Rencour thanks for. When he became Talon, he cast off most of the arrogant merchant's personality, but the man's shrewd business acumen had made Talon a much more efficient assasin.

Half lost in his thoughts, Talon almost stumbled right into the camp by the road without thinking. He dropped to a crouch just out of range of the campfire, adjusting his eyes to the dark as he deactivated Tooth's magic glow. Drawing Claw with his left hand, Talon readied himself to pounce.

Edging silently toward the camp, Talon saw it's lone occupant. Obviously a rogue of some discription, the man nervously paced the perimeter of his camp. Talon initially suspected that the man had seen him, but sniffing the air Talon realised why the rogue was so nervous. Lotus, Black Lotus, stupid junkie.

Talon deftly threw one his darts to the thicket on the other side of the camp when the rogue looked away.
"Who's there!" He demanded, drawing two shortswords. "Speak or face my wrath." He moved in the direction of the tree where the dart stuck. Moving silently and swiftly, Talon closed on the man from behind.
Moving swiftly he got the rogue into a hold, Tooth pointing at his throat, Claw ready to sever his manhood.
"Drop the blades moron." Talon commanded. "And I recommend you stop shaking, I'm steady handed but I can slip."
"Who the hell are you?" the rogue was finally able to stammer.
"When you gotta knife to my throat, you can ask the questions. What's your cargo?" the rogue was silent, still shaking though now from fear not from the Lotus. "I said what's your cargo?" Talon continued calmly.
"Lotus mostly, Black Lotus, with some legal spices for cover."
"What's your name, and who's your contact in Athkatla?"
"I can't tell you, they'll kill me."
"I'm going to kill you anyway idiot, right now you have nothing to fear more than me. Now who is your contact and by what name will he know you? I won't ask again."
"I'm travelling as Bandon." The rogue says, suddenly calm, as if resigned to his fate. "The contact is Lehtinan, owner of.."
"Copper Coronet, in the Slums. I know." Talon interrupted. "You've been very helpful, so I'll be nice. How do you want it?"
"If you don't mind, I have a draught of sleep potion with me, I'd like to drink it first."
"As you wish Bandon, and don't fear, I'll bury you deep."

As Talon patted down the last shovel of dirt on the smugglers grave, he found himself vaguely amused that most people, once resigned to death, have a preference for how they wish to die. As if they had, at some point in their lives made a decision about what constitutes a 'good' death.

Talon shrugged as he loaded up the mechants belongings, burning Rencour's merchant documents in favor of the more relevant papers Bandon had thoughtfully provided, and heading over the hill towards Athkatla's citygate. As he neared the gate, he thoughtfully stashed Tooth and Claw beneath one the surface, in one of the less controversial sacks of spices.

"Hold traveler, what is your business here in Athkatla?" The tinplated guard asked pompusly.
As he stopped to answer the guards hail, he noticed a equipped group of men and women enter the Gate district. Mercenaries or adventurers of some ilk, they seemed to be led by a very striking Half-elven woman, the cut of her dress suggested a mage or a cleric, and her discription fit one he'd read on a bounty notice in Beregost last year. Not my problem, he thought to himself, I work by appointment only. Beside that, Talon was in the middle of a contract, and this guard was almost finished forming a coherent thought, better to keep him distracted.
"I am a simple merchant," Talon recited the lines he'd rehearsed in his mind for the situation,"I deal in spices and silks."
"Spices? Is that a fact? Stand and deliver your papers whilst I search you." Talon wished the guards would just come out and ask for bribes, it would save so much time.
"Now really, there is no cause for that." Talon had to play the role, even if his scarred voice didn't lend itself to diplomacy.
"I think there is, Mr Bandon. Here then, is this some of your spices?" Militiary intelligence, Talon noted sarcastically.
"Why yes, yes they are... though if you were to think them suspect... would a few gold and a sample turn your eye?" Something about the guard told Talon he was a lotus junkie.
"A few gold pieces you say? Hmm... I don't know..."
"I think you would find my spices well worth it. It is especially difficult to acquire lotus petals of such a dark hue. Almost... black." Have to state the obvious or the fool will miss it.
"You've a deal. On your way then, Bandon." Done and done.
"Thankyou very much, good sir." Always leave them smiling, Talon thought to himself.

Having entered the city under this man Bandon's credentials, Talon thought to himself, I just have to establish myself as a two piece thug around town, and Mr Bandon will be identified as Madelaine Marquise's murder when I fulfill my contract.

With that thought in mind, Talon headed toward the slum district to make contact with Lehtinan. The slimy bastard would know he wasn't Bandon, but Lehtinan owed Talon some favors, and was snake enough not care for Bandon's wellbeing.