++++

Willow and Irzen finished their ales and followed the sergeant as well. While Serna made a note of the place before she joined the others.

"Talos, I have a question, where is the Thieves Guild?" Irzen asked, "In some cities, I have noticed that some of them have operated out of the Merchants Guild using it as a front for their illegal operations. In other cities, the Thieves Guild has served as front for the Assassin's Guild. Still in others, the Thieves Guild operates independently. Which is the case here in Asylum?"

Leading the party out of the Gallows Pub back onto the main street heading to the western part of Asylum where the Merchants District lay. "The Thieves is said to be under the city proper. As for the Assassins Guild, that's up to the far eastern side near air ship docks where you and friends came in, I'm guessing. There's only a few air ship captains I know of. One is the half orc, Bruno."

"We know Bruno too!" Serna chirped.

"Bruno is--or was--an airship captain?" Neven asked no one in particular.

"One of the best air ship captains of Asylum." Talos replied.

"I guess everyone has to have a hobby," Irzen quipped, "Personally, I thought his main job was being a professional jerk but I'm glad to know that I am wrong."

"Bruno owes the Bronze Man a great debt. That fact that you and your friends found him is incredible. The half orc has a talent of vanishing which unfortunately caused a lot of problems elsewhere in the Realm." The sergeant remarked glancing in the swordsman direction, "Some could say the same thing about you, Irzen. You are far from being infallible. No one is perfect."

"I never claimed to be perfect, Sergeant Talos," Irzen nodded in agreement, "But I am loyal--loyal to my friends and loyal to my cause. And for the time being that has to be enough."

Serna and Neven snickered.

"The half-orc is the least of our problems," Willow added bringing them back to the task at hand, "We still need to rob a merchant, make sure what we have taken is equal to the value needed and deliver it to a fence in under twelve hours."

"Or we need to rob a merchant's shoppe," Neven corrected Willow, "We do have options, Master Willow, just not very many of them."

"I'm curious, Talos," Irzen asked, "Where are you from? You seem to be more of a transplant to these parts than a native of Asylum."

"Born and raised here. An orphan. No parents. Studied under the tudorship of the Bronze Man at the Temple of Bahamut but alas it was not my path. I admit devoting myself to a powerful deity is a bit much. I prefer solving crimes through a more normal approach using science and alchemy as my tools. I've been in the militia for more than ten years now. I have met people from your world and others since the location of this city is set in a juxtaposition within the cosmos." The Sergeant said as they approached the Merchant District.

"So who holds sway here?" Irzen continued, "Who are the real powers that make Asylum run? The City Guard? The Temples? The Guilds? Who are the powers that sit upon the throne and the powers behind the throne?"

Talos went on to explain that there was no one ruler in Asylum. There is a council that presides over the city comprised of all the guild leaders, a mayor elected by the common folk, the militia run by Major Zil, The Bronze Man, and lastly the embassy. "The people here don't rely on a sole ruler, they know from past experience that usually ends poorly and so are allowed to govern themselves. What I do know is that the Bronze Man has been the guardian of Asylum for at least five hundred years."

"That's pretty impressive," Irzen confessed, "First, to have a functioning government that's so complicated and so divided yet it actually works. Second, for the Bronze Man to rule for nearly half a millenium without anyone to challenge his guardianship."

"Well, Irzen, you get your answer that you seek very soon," Sergeant Talos as they walked to the Merchant District.

"If you don't mind my asking," Willow interrupted Talos and Irzen's conversation, "What is the significance of the holy relic we seek? Does it grant the possessor a special boon? Is it an item of power? Or is it just a very old and very valuable relic of Bahamut's faith?"

The sergeant smiled, "Depends really on who is truly worthy of wielding such an artifact I suppose. The Bronze Man likes to test those to see if he or she is true or false. Most folks are good people and are remembered for years to come. Those who prove corrupt and selfish meet a different side of the Bronze Man."

"Now who's being cryptic," Irzen quipped, "You neither gave Willow nor I a straight answer. If you keep this up, you might earn The Dungeon Master Award."

Talos burst out laughing, "Hahahaha! Wow! Really? Honestly I have never met Dungeon Master. Although from what I was told he speaks in riddles in the brief time he chooses to appear. I'll take that as a compliment. And to answer your question, you will have to find out for yourself. After all, I am just here to observe."

"And to help us burgle some poor merchant," Serna quipped with a knowing grin, "Am I right, Sergeant Talos?"

The party now entered the Merchant District. It was full of shops varying from potions to armor to weapons far down to the left side of the sea port. While produce and clothing filled up the right side entire. There were large homes of wealthy down both sides but no more than three or four. Each had a pair of guards standing to either side of the gates. Their uniforms varied from blue/gold, blue/red, yellow/green on the left. While red/yellow, purple/silver, and indigo/black to the right.

"So, which way kid? Left or right?" Talos said quietly.

"Shhh!" Neven cautioned Talos, "Let me scan the scene, then we can case it. Okay?"

Neven scanned the area not only for Guards but also for Thieves. He knew that one of them probably knew the lay of the land better than Talos did. If he could have a talk with one of them, he too would be able to understand how the Thieves could have the run of the Merchant District.