Rancorr's Tales
Comeuppance, Part 5.

At night, in the shadows, with hatred in our hearts - so it began.

We stood between buildings, on the streets of Agothodaemon, across from the Black Mace Temple. We watched the comings and goings of its villainous cult members, observing what we could of their protocols. Having infiltrated the headquarters of other organizations, I knew there may be certain observances and signals required to pass the guards and enter the building. Yet, there were none. No protocols, no observances, no signals and no guards! At least, none we could see. It seemed the Order of the Black Mace relied solely on its reputation to keep both the curious and the criminal at bay.

It almost worked on us. We 'discussed' the issue for some time, as some of my companions believed it a trap. There had to be guards or some sort of protection Vreen, the warrior, had argued. He simply couldn't imagine anyone not posting a garrison to protect against intruders. He was adamant that there were guards at or just inside the front door. Elwell disagreed.

The mage argued that the Black Mace studied dark magicks, and were more likely to erect invisible barriers to repel the unwanted. Only by knowing a certain command, could one traverse the barrier, and gain entrance. The practice is common among those who study the arcane and, he knew from first hand experience, the Black Mace were among them. Why worry about guard changes, bribery and sloth, when you can magically create permanent security. Sarvon didn't find much validity in that either.

The woodsman had little experience with magic, and the whole 'invisible barrier' idea sounded ludicrous to him. In fact, he argued, how would one bring visitors into the temple? How would the Black Mace conduct some of the simplest of business? They would have to bring down the barrier everytime something out of the ordinary took place. Such a convoluted form of protection would cause innumerable difficulties and inconveniences. Further, if the Black Mace were as powerful as a guild of wizards, then why did they need the services of a mercenary group? No, Sarvon seemed certain, there was no 'invisible barrier'. A few hidden guards and some well placed traps were far more likely in the woodsman's opinion.

Tallon thought all the previous ideas were valid in their own right. He said we should consider each of the possibilities carefully, with deference to what we knew of the Black Mace Cult and the Blood Chalice, before creating a sound plan of infiltration (perhaps Allhanan priests just all talk the same, but I had to wonder if my mother was speaking to me from beyond the grave, through this young initiate!). When they turned to me for my opinion, they knew instantly what I was thinking.

I was already across the darkened street, rushing up the steps of the Black Mace Temple...

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January 25, 2000. Copyright Angelo Barovier, 1997-2000.