Episode 42:
The Politics Of Persuasion
It took everything Vash had not to flinch when he laid eyes on the Inquisitor. “Captain Glauch, I wish I could say it was a pleasure.”
Glauch’s lips twitched into an unpleasant smile. “I see you remain as charming as ever.”
“I’m a delight.” Vash said, trying to keep the snarl out of his voice. “To my friends.”
“Ah yes,” Glauch said and then made a show of looking at Corwin, then past them to scan the empty room beyond. “I see your big friend, but I don’t see the dwarf, the Master Wayfarer who took responsibility for you when he pulled you out of our prison.”
Vash didn’t miss the pointed language. Glauch was speaking to Sallick more than he was verbally sparring with him. “I’m sure he’ll be up and around in no time. Though I’m confused, are you still an Inquisitor in Duke Sath’s service?” Vash pointedly looked Glauch’s new surcoat up and down. “If so, his Grace might wonder why you are wearing the colors of another organization entirely.”
Corwin shot Vash a frown.
. Vash thought. .
Glauch ran a hand over his new uniform with a pleased expression. “I’ve received a promotion, you might say. Knighted by Baron Claedes himself into the Order of the Hidden Star. The Duke has taken a shine to the Order and become its official patron in Galadon. My duties have expanded beyond simply the pursuit of the Duke’s enemies. Now I am charged to bring justice to the agents of the shadow, and those who give them aid and comfort.”
“Congratulations,” Vash said. “Doesn’t explain why the hell you’re here, though.”
“The Duke was expecting his friend Zakarias back in Sathsholm three days after you left the city.” Glauch said. “When he did not arrive on time, his Grace became concerned. As I was already heading north to join the Order in Greenstone Crossing, he asked if I would check in here to see if the Wayfarers had heard any news of your little band. What a surprise it was when you came crawling out of the depths of the Underlands just as I arrived.”
“That was why I hoped that Master Jabez had recovered enough to speak with us,” Sallick said, regarding everyone in his office with an uncomfortable glare. “To explain a few things.”
“We’d be happy to clear up any misunderstandings.” Corwin said, trying to smooth things over. “It has been a rough week, and the last thing we want is any more trouble.”
“An interesting turn of phrase.” Glauch said, turning to regard Corwin. “Any trouble. What trouble are you referring to?”
Vash thought, trying to will Corwin to keep his mouth shut. Every gang in Sathsholm knew that talking to the Inquisition was just asking for trouble. Every word you volunteered gave them another handhold to twist and rephrase into a damning statement.
Corwin’s eyes flicked to Sallick, then to Vash, before returning to Glauch. He had always been honest to a fault, and confronting authorities had never been his strong suit. “As you know, the quest that the Duke assigned us did not go as planned.”
“I did not know that,” Glauch said, voice tinged with an air of concern. “Please elaborate. What went wrong?”
Sallick looked annoyed that Glauch was taking over the conversation, but made no move to stop him or interrupt. Vash was sensing an ambush.
“The ruin was an active dungeon.” Corwin said. “The client, Zakarias, ignored Master Jabez’s concerns, insisting that the creatures we faced were merely nuisance monsters drawn to a convenient lair.”
“What kind of creatures did you find?” Sallick asked.
Vash thought.
“It was a Hollowmound Spider infestation.” Corwin said. “A complete nest. The venom of a Hollowmound Queen inflicted Master Jabez’s wound. Not only that, but the upper level had at least one Class 1 trap, and a Class 3 trap. We did not do a thorough sweep of the level because the client was insistent on pressing on to the lowest level.”
Sallick frowned at this information. “Was this in the formal quest proposal that his Grace presented to the Guild?”
“I am not sure,” Glauch said, shrugging slightly, as if this was not of any concern. “Duke Adolus and Scholar Zakarias kept the details of the formal proposal to themselves. As you know, the Duke is a collector of pre-Malconian antiquities. It was my understanding that the Scholar proposed to retrieve a few items for the Duke’s collection while studying the ruin.”
“What was Zakarias intending to study down there, anyway?” Vash asked, putting some bite into his voice.
“I’m sure he mentioned it at one point, but scholarly pursuits aren’t really my specialty.” Glauch said. Vash thought he caught a glint of excitement in the man’s eye. “Speaking of the Scholar, where is he now? No one at Mossfen Hold saw him return.”
. Vash thought. He struggled to think of a way to explain what happened in the Queen’s lair. There was no way to tell if Sallick would believe the truth. Even if he did, would anyone else? Two apprentices emerge unharmed from a delve into the Underlands after losing their client and his companions? Oh, and their Master is also in a coma with extensive damage to his spirit.
Vash wondered if they started building the gallows already.
“We lost track of him when the dungeon became unstable.” Corwin said. “The lowest level of the dungeon collapsed into the Underlands, taking myself, Vash, and Master Jabez with it. We did not see Scholar Zakarias after that.”
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“Unstable?” Sallick asked, sitting up straighter, concern on his face. “What happened?”
Corwin hesitated, weighing his words. “Master Sallick, I regret to inform you and Captain Glauch—”
“Sir Jacen.” Glauch interrupted.
Corwin glanced at him, confused.
“They knighted me.” Glauch continued. “My correct title is Sir Jacen, or Knight Captain Glauch, if you want to get truly formal.”
“I regret to inform you and Sir Jacen,” Corwin said, emphasizing Glauch’s title, “that the delve into the ruin was likely an attempt by an agent of the shadow to form a Dungeon Heart in an Alliance kingdom.”
Sallick inhaled sharply. Glauch simply stared at Corwin, face impassive. Vash looked at each man, trying to gauge what had just happened.
“That…is a serious accusation, apprentice.” Sallick said, carefully.
“Especially against a known associate of a Duke of Galadon.” Glauch said, the glint of anticipation returning to his eye. “You have proof of this, of course?”
Corwin looked defiant, but shook his head. “Only my word.”
Glauch’s smile was truly unpleasant. “Your word. Is that worth something that I’m not aware of?”
“Knight Captain!” Sallick snapped. “Corwin is a member of this Guild. I won’t have his honor impugned without cause.”
Vash thought. Subconsciously, he felt the brand on his left forearm itch, like it did every time his status as a Vagabond came up.
“You know that both of these men are branded Vagabonds, aren’t you?” Glauch asked, giving Sallick a look of theatrical confusion. “Branded for assault and murder on the King’s tax collectors. Only spared the noose because they weren’t the ringleaders, just ignorant followers.”
Sallick looked at Vash and Corwin, anger and suspicion flaring in his eyes. “I was not aware of that. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. However, when the Vagabond Law is invoked, the apprentice and the Master are not required to inform anyone else in the Guild.”
“That’s foolish.” Glauch sniffed.
“Regardless, it’s our tradition,” Sallick continued. “With that in mind, do you have any evidence that contradicts their version of events, Knight Captain?”
Vash tried hard to suppress a grin at the startled expression on Glauch’s face.
“I’m not sure what you mean, Master Sallick.”
“Do you have any evidence that this Scholar was not trying to establish a Dungeon Heart?” Sallick said.
“Of course not.” Glauch said, testily. “But the implication that a friend of his Grace would be an agent of the shadow is simply insulting. An anointed peer of Galadon should not be subjected to such baseless accusations.”
“Like when you accused all the part-elves in Ragpicker’s Hollow of colluding with demons?” Vash said, surprised at the steadiness of his own voice. “Then burned them out and shot the survivors with crossbows?”
“An overreaction.” Glauch said. “His Grace has already struggled to make amends for that, now that he has dealt with the cult that first raised his suspicions.”
A hot wave of anger flared in Vash’s chest. Corwin put a calming hand on Vash’s shoulder. His powerful grip heavily implying that he was ready to hold Vash back, should it come to that.
“No one is accusing his Grace of anything. I can’t discount the word of my Wayfarers, though, no matter their background.” Sallik said. “If Master Jabez was awake and able to verify his apprentice’s claims, that would lend more weight.”
“He isn’t, so we’re back at an impasse.” Glauch said, voice firm. “My demand still stands.”
“What demand?” Corwin asked. “What’s he talking about?”
Sallik glared at Glauch, obviously not enjoying being put in this position. “He arrived just before Vash awakened. The Knight Captain is claiming that since you lost your client and failed the quest set by Duke Adolus, that you and Jabez have not lived up to your end of the bargain. The Knight Captain made a on behalf of the Duke to have Vash removed from the Wayfarers Guild and returned to the Duke to face punishment.”
Vash glared at Glauch, fingers itching for his blades. The self-satisfied smirk on Glauch’s face told him that the man would welcome the attack.
“Oh…OH!” Corwin said, eyes suddenly brightening.
“What?” Vash asked, confused why this would be exciting.
“Master Sallik, I may owe you a drink.” Corwin said, grinning.
Sallik made an exasperated face. “And I would accept it, if the conditions were , and the request was done in the .”
“What are you talking about, Sallik?” Glauch said, irritated, trying to understand what was going on.
“Master Sallik, although he is the ranking Wayfarer here, and Master of the Lodge does not have the authority to drum anyone out of the Wayfarers.” Corwin said with a broad smile. “We’re not like a noble court. Since you’ve asked to have Vash released from the Wayfarers, then we can formally request a hearing from the Council of Masters.”
“What foolishness is this?” Glauch asked, confused that his victory seemed to crumble.
“Gods, it took you two long enough.” Sallik said, digging through the papers on his desk. “I thought I was going to have to resort to pantomime.”
“Sallik, tell me what’s going on right now!” Glauch said angrily.
“Guild law, a member in good standing, one Apprentice Level 4 Corwin Walker, requests a hearing from the Council of Masters. One ranking master from each of the five schools of the Wayfarers hears their case and votes whether to release Apprentice Level 1 Liellovash ‘Vash’ Ballard from the Guild. Simple majority rules.” Sallik scribbled something on a sheet of paper, then stamped his seal onto the bottom with a flourish. “We’ll set the hearing for mid-morning tomorrow. Even the Delvers will be awake by then.”
Sallik reached out and handed the page to Corwin, who snatched it like a royal pardon.
“Let me see if I’m understanding the situation correctly.” Glauch said, voice tight with repressed anger. “I present you with a legitimate order from the Duke, upon whose land your Lodge currently stands. Instead of complying quickly and eagerly, you are going to take a vote?”
“We are doing you the courtesy of entertaining your .” Sallik snapped. “The Wayfarers are under the jurisdiction of the Grand Alliance. Your Duke knows that. That’s why he sent a…valued courtier to speak on his behalf. It wouldn’t do to get back to the other Alliance nations that one ambitious Duke overstepped their authority for a simple grudge, would it?”
Glauch stared down at Sallik for a moment, his face stone still. Vash couldn’t tell if the man was processing this information or simply filled with too much rage to react. “This hearing? It’s binding?”
“It is.”
“And a simple majority decides?”
“That’s correct.”
“Do you get a vote, Master Sallik?”
“I am a neutral arbiter in this matter.”
Glauch’s lips twitched into a not-quite smile. “Then I shall see you all tomorrow at mid-morning.”
Vash watched as Glauch made a stiff half-bow to Master Sellick and then strode from the room, letting the heavy wooden door slam shut behind him.
“I suppose that could have gone worse.” Sallik said, after Glauch had left. “Not much worse, but I’ll take any win at the moment.”
“We’re telling the truth, Master Sallik.” Corwin said. “Something was terribly wrong with that quest. I’m not entirely sure what Duke Adolus’ involvement was, but if he knew about any of it, I don’t want to think about what it means.”
“He knew.” Vash said, still watching the door. “I’m not sure what he was planning, but he knew what Zakarias was going to do.”
Sallik rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms. “It doesn’t really matter right now. For now, you need to worry about getting at least three masters to vote in your favor.”
“Is that going to be a problem?” Corwin asked, confused.
“Let me guess, you’ve mostly been out on the Glory Road? Spend little time in Lodges?” Sallik asked Corwin.
“Master Jabez says he prefers to be on the road, doing the work.”
“Jabez hates politics.” Sallik said. “With good reason. Getting Wayfarers to do anything is like herding cats. Getting them to agree on something like this…some are going to see this as an opportunity to settle scores or make a statement, still others are going to see this as a chance to advance the standing of their own school.”
Vash suddenly had a sinking feeling deep in his gut.
Sallik caught Vash’s eye. “My advice? Promise them anything. Beg, borrow, and steal, just get those three votes. But watch your back, you’ve got a target on it now.”
