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[Isk]

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Housekeeping.
To be a guild leader was a thankless job to be sure, but it also had many benefits. Isk could not deny the luxuries of his new station, though he strove not to revel in them too greatly. He glanced down from the Magicka’s balcony in boredom and watched a small cloud of people flit about the dark streets like nervous bees carrying amphoras of wine from Yew, none of them bore the emblem of Humanis.
“Lord Magnate” said a guardsman peering into the balcony from the meeting chamber. “Stephen has turned in his resignation.”
A long moment of awkward silence came upon the scene and the two men stood as statues before Isk shattered the quiet.
“Leave me” Isk stated flatly. An emotionless porcelain mask hid Isk’s disappointment.
The guard bowed deeply and retreated from the Magnate’s sight. Pushing weak sentiment aside, Isk exited the balcony. He continued through the halls of the Magicka. Only the occasional candle lit his path but the master of subterfuge knew his abode too well to stumble even in darkness. The Magnate caught a peculiar thick smell of oil but betrayed no confusion or curiosity. He passed a narrow bookshelf and for a moment pale moonlight emanating from the balcony shone against his porcelain mask. Isk stopped, taking a deep breath as the night breeze filtered into the hall. A calm overcame him.
“Carver” Isk turned to speak to the hidden agent.
A tall man in rough armor emerged from the shadows, falling to one knee before the Magnate. Carver had not made any sound or indicated in any way that he had been there. Only the oil he covered his face in betrayed him to Isk’s senses.
“Do you know who Vaen Swiftar is?” Isk asked simply.
“He was the lord of the Legion once, master.” Carver replied.
“I know that,” Isk replied. “I would like to know more”
Carver looked up slightly but even in the darkness he did not dare to stare at eye level. “How much more my lord?”
“All that you can discover my friend” the porcelain masked Magnate answered, “without his recognizing your presence.”
“Yes my lord” said the agent.
“He is dangerous. If you fail make sure noone knows that I sent you.”
“Yes my lord” Carver answered again, a cruel smile forming on his blackened lips.
“Go” Isk commanded. Within moments the faint smell of oil was gone.
In the island alliance Tai personified honor while Rufus represented philosophical reason. Isk knew that both of these men understood the Magnate’s role in the alliance. He had to take care of dirty business, cause distractions and break up rival alliances to make the Islands stronger. But the first step towards a strong alliance was housekeeping.
“Housekeeping” Isk gave voice to his thoughts. “The friendship Vaen has built with Rufus must come to a crashing end. Should Rufus become the head of the Island Alliance Vaen must hold no sway over him.” Outside an amphora fell and shattered on the street. It was sheer coincidence that the sound of broken pottery coincide with Isk’s words “I will shatter their friendship.”
Housekeeping.