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’Mercenaries! Hood’s breath! If I’d wanted to contact a bunch of over-priced sword-hackers-’

’Sir’ Brukhalian’s voice was hard but low ’We are an ar us has chosen this path Schooled in the sacred scriptures, blessed by the Destriant’s hand in the Tusked One’s name Aye, we are a company of … sword-hackers We are also our own te well over seven thousand -- and the nuht, all right, sir, I understand now Wait -- you say you’re growing? The city’s given you leave to accept new followers?’

Brukhalian smiled ’Capustan is but half arins remain, and peculiar ones they are Women are forbidden froes no such arbitrary exclusions-’

’And you’re getting aith it?’ the hed

’Our new acolytes number but twelve hundred to date Since hters are cast out onto the city’s streets, none a the rulers have as yet noticed the dih in the way of introduction Who, sir, are you?’

’How rude of s simpler, call me Quick Ben-’

’You are from Darujhistan?’ Karnadas asked

’Hood, no, I mean, no, I am not I am with … uh, Caladan Brood’

’We have heard that na north,’ Brukhalian said ’A warlord who leads an ar e empire has withdrawn its interests In any case, we are seeking to get a h to Capustan’s rulers …’

’If only it were that simple,’ Karnadas’Then you must choose, sir The Mask Council and the city’s Prince Jelarkan are balanced upon the clai the council itself, and some discord has resulted The Grey Swords answer to the prince Our task is si of Capustan by the Pannion Domin too costly The Seer’s expansion will stop at the city’s walls and go no further Thus, you can deliver your warlord’s e to me and hence to the prince Or you can resume your attempts to contact the Mask Council’

’We suspected it’d get co of your company Or, rather, knew next to little With this contact I a to Karnadas ’Destriant In Fener’s Reve that means Arch-Priest, doesn’t it? But only in the round that is the field of battle Does Fener’s representative in the Mask Council acknowledge that you outrank hier does a cat?’