“So what it is you have to tell us?”

The man sat down opposite DHarem and pulled down his hood, revealing a man with a mundane, simple face and short brown hair. Uninteresting face, just like the voice.

"I am a member of the Red Revolutionary Revolution - pardon the bad name - and we know An'Jantar's offer."
A pause.
"We believe that the current system of councillors is not right for the people of Tithuana. We must break free from their hold. Which is why I wish to put the following offer on the table, as you are in a perfect position to carry it out."
He pulled a small, clanking sack from his pocket, "Kill all of the councillors - there are only four of them left out of the six normal - and ten thousand electrum can be yours, with a bonus of one thousand up front. Whaddya say?"

Varis did not move. Indeed, he held his face in the careful perfect diplomatic expression of polite interest he had worked on for so long. An expression that gave away none of the considerable flare of anger that the stranger's offer evoked in every fibre of himself.

Varis was perfectly silent, holding himself still as he awaited DHarem's reply to this...treacherous offer. He trusted DHarem, but was interested to see what would come up. DHarem's views on politics was something Varis was in the dark about...

Regardless, this may be interesting to see.

DHarem was silent for a moment, he turned his head slightly to look at Varis and saw the stone face and nodded. He knew Varis probably better than the other companions and though the man remained a mask of stone he knew how the diplomat of the group would react. Varis’s silence told DHarem that he was letting the Seeker handle this one; so be it.

“Sir,” DHarem began with his anger in check as usual, “you mistake us for assassins. You insult me.” The pitch of his voice rose as he continued until he would be heard throughout the room. “I am a Seeker of the Great Library. I search for knowledge and embrace reason and logic. I am not a Killer!” The last was almost a shout though his face still showed no sign of his anger.

“If you seek killers for your dastardly plot against the Councillors of this town,” he said as he rose to his feet, his hands at his side, his legs apart in a ready stance, “you will have to seek it elsewhere.”

His voice loud enough to be clearly heard by everyone in this establishment as he paused to look at the man for a moment before continuing.

“I suggest you leave now,” DHarem said firmly looking like he would give the man some help out of the place if the man didn’t decide to move on his own.

“I suggest you leave now."

"So be it," replied the cloaked man, "The proposition is now off the table. Beware of your next acts, for the RRR is named Red for a reason. Do not get in our way."

He stood up, picking the small pouch back up and pulling it under his cloak, "Blood is Red, remember that."

A couple of strides and he was gone, out through the door.

Varis stepped aside as the figure left, before grinning at DHarem, walking over to the Seeker at the table.

"Good work. Great fun to watch, from my angle. Though... Red Revolutionary Revolution, huh? As if we needed to be sure what they were..." Varis trailed off, before seemingly suddenly changing topic.

"Well DHarem..." Varis began, grinning, "The triple-R, eh? Seems we have a fanclub already."

DHarem watched the man leave, his open threats for all to hear. He could have struck the man down right then and there, but that was not his way. It was not the way of his order. As the man left his veiled anger dissipated like dust in the wind.

"Well DHarem..." Varis began, grinning, "The triple-R, eh? Seems we have a fanclub already."
The Seeker smirked at Varis’s offhand comment and returned to his seat.

“As if we needed any more ‘fans’,” he said before picking up his glass and draining the last of his drink. He raised the glass up and looking towards the bar he called for another drink.

“So,” he asked Varis while he waited for a refill, “what now?”

He figured that Varis would want to warn the Councillors, especially An’Jantar. Suddenly he slammed his hand down on the table as something occurred to him.

“The masked figure in the alley,” he said quickly, “the Equilibrate, he gave a warning. He said, ‘The councillor you must defend. When Red attacks, aim for the right arm.’”

He looked at Varis a moment before continuing, “He knew they would come to proposition us to kill the Councillors.”

"Excuse me," a young, brown-haired man with a big bag slung around his front, "I have an important business propostion for you."

Without waiting for an answer, he continued, "I have the world-famous Luck Sticks! Fifteen El' apiece, guaranteed to bring the greatest luck ever when snapped! My stocks are limited, so buy as many as you can, and tell your friends!"

To further prove his point, he pulled a Burnwood stick from the bag and waved it around. A very ordinary Burnwood stick. That didn't seem at all special. Then again, anything could happen...

Varis practically stared at DHarem for a few seconds, before raising his eyebrows in understanding.

"You're right...I didn't recognise that. What's all this about a 'right arm', though? It seems to just be one suprise after another in this taver-"

"Excuse me, I have an important business propostion for you. I have the world-famous Luck Sticks! Fifteen El' apiece, guaranteed to bring the greatest luck ever when snapped! My stocks are limited, so buy as many as you can, and tell your friends!"

Varis stopped, frowning for a second at being interrupted, reminded once again of his recurring theme of aching ankles, and a desire to sit down...now mixed with a dryness in his throat for his ale that he had waited so long to taste.

[Ach, it's probably warm now anyway.] Varis thought in annoyance, placing yet another of his perfected smiles onto his face as he turned to look at the newcomer. More boy than man, the youth's bright eyes betrayed suprisingly little of his character...besides obvious enthusiasm, misplaced or not.

However, Varis suddenly grinned.

"Hah, I'm no stranger to good fortune...but what the hell. Throw each of my companions one." Varis shrugged, pulling out a few handful of electrum from his belt-pouch, shifting through the tiny coins to get a rough estimate of 45 out.

Not that Varis believed that the sticks held any geniune luck-giving properties about them, but the bard certainly didn't lack for funds, and it's nice making the boy's day with such a sum, even if it is a con.

Varis practically stared at DHarem for a few seconds, before raising his eyebrows in understanding.

"You're right...I didn't recognise that. What's all this about a 'right arm', though? It seems to just be one suprise after another in this taver-"

"Excuse me, I have an important business propostion for you….”
DHarem blinked at the rambling interruption of Varis’s comments on the issues they recently faced. He looked up at the man at started to frown at the talk of another proposition; then he listened and studied the young man and saw he was just a man selling his wares.

The Seeker smiled and remained silent as he glanced over at Varis leaving this one to him. He turned his attention back to the bar wondering where his refill had gotten too.

He raised an eyebrow as Varis dug out some coin and bought what appeared to be just Burnwood sticks, he smirked slightly but remained silent. The young man was trying to make a living and he had nothing against charity towards those in need.

"Hah, I'm no stranger to good fortune...but what the hell. Throw each of my companions one."

The young conman wasn't stupid, and he could tell that Varis saw right through him. It was in the eyes.

"Thank you sirs! Have a good day, and good luck!" and with that, he left, having handed his sticks to DHarem, Bon and Thomas.

But as he left the group a man stolled over from another table, arriving before Varis, and leaning on their table.
Slurring, he began, "I havs a proposushun for ya..."

DHarem took the proffered stick with a smile and nodded to the young man; he glanced at it and with a faint chuckle tucked it into his pouch then looked up again towards the bar thinking ‘Where is that refill?’

But as he left the group a man stolled over from another table, arriving before Varis, and leaning on their table. Slurring, he began, "I havs a proposushun for ya..."
The Seeker crinkled his nose at the smell emanating from the man and raised an eyebrow wondering just what this man had to proposition. He had a feeling that some trouble was coming; just an itch at the back of his neck that seemed to grow whenever something unpleasant was going to happen.

He glanced at Varis then back to the man; ok this one was his apparently, why did he seem to get the difficult ones.

“How may we help you?” DHarem asked with a faint smile yet he set the ‘still’ empty glass down on the table and rested his hands palm down on the surface; a position that Varis would recognized as one of instant combat readiness from the Seeker.

“How may we help you?”

The obviously drunk man responded, looking at Varis with a cheesy grin, "D'yu wanna be my girlfwend?"
He exploded in laughter, as did his dozen companions at their table. Three of them all gave various signs of having lost bets, and much electrum was exchanged.

The drunkard took a swig of the ale in his right hand and chuckled the chuckle of the ignorant.

Varis inwardly sighed, moving over to his seat, collapsing in relief. Nothing else was going to stop him from doing so. Reaching across for his untouched ale, he laid back, letting the drunk say whatever he thought was wise to the group of mercenaries.

[Note to self, don't come back to this tavern] Varis thought in annoyance, drinking from his tankard.

BONG! BONG!

The bell struck two. Little had the companions noticed but more and more people began to trickle in, all ordering food.
Lunchtime, it seemed.

As they had only just finished eating, it was clear they wouldn't need to order any food. Only two strikes before they needed to leave and get to the main square in town.

"-and so that's when we have to be at the main square, any questions?" Varis finished explaining to the group, having told them of his friend, Councillor Ulrick, and the proposition. Seeing no immediate queries on his companion's minds, he continued.

"I suggest in the time left we split up. I have to have a few things checked as soon as possible, and see what equipment I can bring. As long as we're being paid so well, and considering this IS for a friend of mine, I'd prefer us to be over-cautious rather than unprepared...so with that in mind, I'd prefer it if at least one of us checked out the main square well in advance. Bon, if you don't have any disagreements, you would be perfectly suited to spot anything we may miss." Varis started, offering the job to Bon. Before Bon responded, Varis moved onwards, turning to DHarem.

"Or you as well, DHarem, if you get the time, but otherwise bring anything you have that may help, or else search to see if you can find anything else about this...foreigner. Don't take any needless risks without us there, though. I'll see if I can pick up any rumours of this "Red Revolutionary Revolution", myself, and see how well known this upcoming Duel of Knowledge is, considering it concerns a councillor." Varis stopped, thinking for a second, "If you still have the time...you'd probably be better suited to finding out about these...Equilbriates. Finding secret agencies by rumours, stories and the public isn't as easy as finding revolutionaries with my talents."

Finally, Varis turned to Thomas, "And you...well, you're free to wander the taverns or stores, Thom. Make sure you're at the square well ahead of time, though." Varis shrugged as he gave the warrior free reign.

"Oh, and before I forget..." Varis placed three meticulously equal piles of electrum on the table, leading the others to suspect magic playing a hand in such fast arrangement of coin, "800 electrum for each of you for this job. Spend it or save it as you will. That works out, 800 from 2500...each of you have 32% share of the advance payment for this job, on the record. I'll take the final 4% share, not that I need it."

Varis crossed his arms, leaning back in his chair. Varis was excellent with numbers, naturally, as the son of a wealthy merchant, but his Father would have been shocked to see Varis practically giving away far greater shares of a payment that was necessary. Varis grinned at the thought, waiting to hear what the other's thought of it all.