Midnight Tides/Chapter 12

The frog atop the stack of coins dares not jump.

Poor Umur’s Sayings
Anonymous

Letheras, Tehol's residence

Tehol and Bugg are discussing the Eternal Domicile. Bugg is meeting the Royal Engineer who is impressed with the work that's been done shoring up some old warehouses. Tehol asks Bugg to make a call on the Rat Catchers' Guild, which Bugg agrees to do on his way to the gravel quarry.

Letheras, Old Palace

Brys is astounded at the number of disappearances from the city in the last year...around seven thousand. The Rat Catchers' Guild has been assigned to look into them. He wonders what Tehol has stumbled onto.

Letheras, Warehouse and Scale House

Bugg enters an old tomb buried underneath a warehouse. He visits with Shurq and Harlest who have some requests and informs them that the tomb they are hiding in belonged to a Jaghut, and has been warded by the Forkrul Assail to keep out the T'lan Imass. After leaving the two undead arguing, Bugg heads off to the gravel quarry, and on the way calls at Scale House, home to the Rat Catchers' Guild, where he is granted an appointment for that evening.

Letheras, Old Palace

Brys is summoned to the Cedance to find the Ceda is distraught. The tile of the Dolmen has been usurped and that of the Azath Hold, the Heartstone has died. He wishes Brys to go to the Azath Tower and investigate. Brys asks the Ceda if he has any more to tell him, and the Ceda pronounces on all the changes he has witnessed to the tiles of the Hold and admits he is frightened.

Quarry outside Letheras

Bugg reaches the quarry to find a cavity has been opened. A creature inside has killed three stone cutters and a necromancer, and none will now approach the cave. Bugg proceeds towards the cave and halts as the air turns bitter cold. He sits and waits, as frost, fog and ice bloom to the left of the cave. Part of the fog is heading for the dark opening and from the other end of the spreading cold, a female Jaghut appears. They discuss the creature inside. The Jaghut then blocks the entrance to the cave with ice, trapping the Khalibaral demon then asks Bugg if he knows of another place for the creature. Bugg seems to have an idea.

Letheras, Azath Tower

'Tyranny', set by Corporal Nobbs aka Luktarig

Brys visits the Azath Tower at the behest of the Ceda and meets Kettle. Telling him of the death of the Azath, Kettle tells Brys that the one chosen by the tower, wants to talk with one of her grown-up friends. He agrees and is led to to a barrow, closes his eyes as requested, and his will is tugged away. He is witness to the calling down of the Crippled God and the destruction wrought by those who sought to overthrow Kallor. His unseen guide speaks of the poison with which the Chained One was now infecting the world, he speaks of tyranny and conformity within civilisations, of prophecy and empire. When Brys opens his eyes he is standing beside the barrow with Kettle. She asks for help for her friend, to prevent the bad things escaping their own tombs, and that he needs two swords. Brys agrees to help, even though the stranger did not asked him directly.

Letheras, Scale House

Bugg takes Tehol to the Rat Catchers' Guild, where they enter a chamber swarming with rats. Introducing themselves as Onyx, Scint, Champion Ormly, Glisten, Bubyrd, and Ruby they berate Tehol for losses on their investments, a little less than half a peak. Tehol offers them a contract for the same amount, and when they quibble he explains that he understand their primary function is that of an unofficial assassins' guild, a thieves guild, and providing an underground escape route for refugees from the border tribes. Disturbed by his knowledge, Onyx sends for Chief Investigator Rucket, and a debate ensues over whom is the more dangerous...Tehol or Bugg.

Kuru Qan's private collection by Lauren Saint-Onge (Official Image)

Tehol informs the guild that he wants all tribal refugees in the city transferred out to the islands, along with all resources and supplies, these to be purchased by himself. In addition Tehol wishes to know their findings on the disappearances the Guild are undertaking for the Crown, and finally requests some protection for himself.

Letheras, Old Palace

Brys leaves the Azath and returns to the Ceda to inform him the House is dead. They speak of Kettle and Brys talks of the stranger he spoke with at Kettle's behest and the strangers need for two swords. The Ceda takes him to his private collection and choose two swords made in the Letherii Blue Style which Brys will deliver to the stranger, omitting to tell the Ceda that Kettle was dead.