Von Richthofen Family/Markus/Markus AG/Ops
Discourses of the Assassins
Slightly after sunrise, a falcon comes rocketing into your camp. It is a strange looking bird, but of course you have seen them before out of the corner of your eyes back in the Guildhouse. Black and silver these strange predator birds are, and you note the silver rose clasp keeping the letter on it's leg.
Immediately, the knowledge of these birds floods through you... Markus' family pets. True birds of prey, trained in the war arts and those of their master's whims. Bloodhawks, taken from the Eldoret mountains and kept in training by the eldest von Richthofen. Taking the letter from it's leg, you begin to read:
Comrades in Shade,
Today is a great day for us. I have been given a Council position. Finally we may begin to see some progress in the war. Things will no longer be idle and dull. I promise. Nightshade, Continue training as best you can. I shall assist financially when I am more able. At this point in time, it will behoove all of us to keep a unit with us for raiding purposes.
In Blood,
Markus von Richthofen, Elder of Assassins Guild and High Marshal of Caligus
Message sent to everyone in your realm
After visiting the Barracks and selecting an additional thirty men to join him, Markus heads to the Arms District amongst the early morning crowd. Heading to a small shop set away from the main roads, he enters. The only denotation that this is even a shop is the Dagger in the window.
Walking in, he notices no one around to serve him but there is a bell on the counter. He rings the bell and waits patiently, surveying the random blades and other items of war that are in the small shop. Having been here before, he is surprised to see more items of gold than previously recalled. After some time, a wizened looking old man comes out of the backroom, wiping his hands on his blacked apron, and stops dead when Markus pulls out his dagger from his forearm sheath and slams it point first into the wooden countertop.
"M'lord, is it time already?"the smith asks him tentatively, his discomfort in being in the presence of the Elder Assassin of Caligus quite apparent on his wrinkled old face.
Markus nods and the old smith leads him into the backroom. He knows the old man from years past, and ever was the man loyal to the Guild. If ever Markus thought he could have been a leak to the Realm at large, he would have him killed immediately. Walking through the smithy and workshop, the old man leads Markus to a barrel, and then pushes it aside with surprising strength. A trapdoor lies on the floor, and the old man descends through it first.
The darkness envelops both of the men as they move down the straight tunnel to a quieter and more secretive workshop. The Elder draws out a pendant from under the folds of his shirt and lets it lie on his breast, exposed for the old man to see once they reach the dimly lit workshop. The old man merely nods and shuffles off to a chest set against the South wall.
He opens the chest and withdraws a medium sized bundle wrapped in heavy black cloth, longer than it is wide, and hands it to the Elder Assassin. Moving to a small bookcase the old man opens a small jewelry box and withdraws an identical pendant to the one Markus has displayed on his chest. Examining the pendant, he finds no flaws, and hands that to Markus as well.
"My thanks Olin. It's been many years. I see that they have not dulled your skills though. Your usual recompense will arrive later in this day. You may want another set prepared for another Aspirant, although I fear it shall be some time before she is ready."
Departing the way he came, Markus blends into the shadows in the tunnel and speeds back into the shop proper, leaving the old man to ponder his lot in life. Grabbing his own dagger from the countertop, he moves out into the street and moves swiftly towards the Palace Complex.
As always, ensuring he is not followed, he slips into the Shadow Labyrinth and makes his way to the guildhouse proper. Upon entering, he sets the bundle down on the long table and places the pendant on top. He moves to the sideboard and retrieves three bottles of blood red wine and places one each at the head, the right hand side, and the left hand side of the table. After he has finished item placement, he removes his cloak and drapes it over his high-backed chair.
Markus moves to the bundle and unwraps it, showing that the heavy black cloth is in fact a cloak with many pockets cunningy sewn into the garment, and the item it was holding to be a Guild Dagger. Laying them in the center of the table in proper array, Markus bellows down the barracks hallway.
"Aspirant! Nightshade! You are summoned."
Message sent to everyone in your realm
Hector removes some of the bandages that the healer had placed on him, his wounds had healed for the most part and the bandages were mainly just slowing him down. Luckily his wounds were mainly internal, thus there would be no scars from the incident. Although his ribs were still a bit sore to the touch, but that will pass soon enough.
Feeling better with the weight of the bandages gone from him, Hector strolls down the halls of the guild. He had not spent much time here, and thus with some free time Hector wanted to familiarize himself with every corner of it. Not long after beginning his stroll he hears a yell coming from the main room of the guild house.
"Aspirant! Nightshade! You are summoned!"
Recognizing the voice immediately as the voice of the Elder of the Guild, he quickly makes his way into the room he was called to. Upon entering, his eyes immediately go to the long table, and the contents that have been placed on top. At the head of the table is the Elder, the one who beckoned him to the room. Hector can sense that this is to be more than just the usual meeting.
Stopping before reaching the head of the table, Hector bows, "You summoned Elder?"
Not having much time, Markus grows impatient and sits down, opening his own bottle of wine and tossing the corkscrew onto the tabletop. Taking a healthy swig directly from the bottle, he ponders the weeks to come.
When the Aspirant walks into the room, Markus merely nods his head to indicate that he did indeed summon the man. Motioning towards the seat on his left with the wine bottle, the Elder Assassin takes a small sack from his hip, and sets it before him.
"Aspirant, today is a good day for Caligus. I am pleased with the report I got from the scouts that accompanied you to Bursa. Illacara is a blight, and deserves whatever pain befalls him. As it stands, with your mission a success, you have earned your place in the Brotherhood. Have you anything to say?"
