Plots and plans

Thay

As time goes by, preparing for the great retaking of the stolen province, a new batch of household slaves arrive, bringing the (living) staff up to civilized levels.

Fandamm notes that his fellow goblins seem to view him with some respect and he is occasionally brought gifts and suchlike. This is because of his lycanthropy which is seen as a boon from the goblin gods.

One day, as Nestor and Marina are out shopping for groceries the seamstress disappears. Worried and upset, Nestor hurries back and Zárisse commands Darya to lead the hunt for the missing woman. Fandamm decides to help out by tracking in wolfen for. Although somewhat successful, the werewolf goblin is not well recieved by the security forces in the area and thus returns home in a slight hurry.

Meanwhile, Darya encounters Blyknar and Radvan, twp fellow bounty hunters. The latter are in a good mood having brought in a runaway slave after quite some time and handed her back to her owner, Toptek the silk merchant.

Darya adds two and two and ask her colleagues to return to her mistress to explain the situation.

By now, Blyknar and Radvan are justifiably frightened for having stepped on the toes of a Red Wizard. After having scolded the two bounty hunters for not doing proper research on their prey and commending their skill and diligence, Zárisse orders the two offenders slain. Lothar and Nestor perform the task without the slightest hesitation. As the killing is done, Zárisse explains to the slightly surprised Darya: "They will serve me better as dead. And they will be more obedient in the future." The Red Wizard then proceeds to have a cup of tea and a biscuit before re-animating the hapless bounty hunters as wights.

Darya is sent back to re-aquire Marina and she decides to bring Tubby and Lothar along for legal and intimidation purposes. Fandamm comes along exceptionally discreetly in order to perform some reconnaissance inside Topteks manor.

Toptek whines and makes it very clear that he will tell his Benefactor of this. It turns out that he is a client of Pasternak. During his sneaking around, Fandamm pilfers some cloth and a knife before he leaves.

Pasternak does indeed make a certain amount of obstructionist fuzz and when Zárisse is fined for not keeping her werewolf goblin in check she's had enough.

A plan is set about to remove some of her enemies from the race so that efficiency can be restored and upheld without pointless, ego-fueled intervention.

The plan is as follows: Azr to be done away with. Pasternak will take the fall. How this is to be accomplished will be left to the devious Fandamm and the ruthless Lothar.

As plans are being laid so is Nestor. He is invited to Kzain for a light meal and pleasant sex. As far as Nestor can tell, the thayan knight is genuinely attracted to the handsome youth.

Fandamm proceeds to assassinate the Red Wizard Tyron by anal stabbing. The blame is then placed on a toilet goblin (a goblin tasked with emptying toilets and lavatories).

Azr is put in charge of the investigation.

Because Tyron is at odds with Pasternak the investigations caused by the murder turn suspicions in that direction to begin with.

When Azr presents his suspicions, a judicial duel is called for. Pasternak emerges victorious.

In order to reinforce the veneer of innocence, Zárisse commands her minions to poison her and ome of her entourage and use a poison they know Pasternak has access to. This will also reinforce the supicions of the annoying Pasternak and hopefully get rid of him somehow.

Varadíya vehemently opposes this plan because of her vows as a Thayan Knight and poor Nestor is severely distraught at the prospect.

Fandamm finds a proper type of poison and Varadíya is sent away along with Sinead to run some errands.

The "assassination"-attempt goes as planned and despite some severe sickness noone dies. Except for poor Angus, the chef who get's knifed by Fandamm in order to "make it look more authentic!".

The piece of cloth stolen from Toptek is placed on Angus' corpse further implication Pasternak and his client.

Pasternak is now formally accused of the murder of Tyron and attempted murder of Zárisse by his fellow Red Wizards. He is, however, saved by his Zulkir and benefactor but also is forced to accept a hasty reassignment of his duties to a far-away place.

As the sales of Tyron's estate proceeds, the household purchases Astor, a slave boy and musician who also seems to be Nestor's twin brother.