The Fins have had a stranglehold on Sangrithar’s black market since Blade founded the guild a century before the God-Emperor exiled Hali.  Blade has led them all this time and many have stood at his side as guild second.  The latest, Kaizal, died recently and Blade has just named young Tomello to replace him …

“Come on, let’s chat, just you and me.”  Blade took Tomello’s elbow and half-guided, half-pushed him through the stunned crowd to the offices in the back of the warehouse.  He had just announced that Tomello would succeed Kaizal as guild second.  Blade was the Fin’s nominal leader, but the second ran the guild on a day to day basis.  Choosing Tomello had surprised everyone.  The odds makers had Alziri and Biraeus as the favorites and Tomello hadn’t even been on the board as a long shot.

The two older rogues were reasonably popular (Biraeus more so, Alziri could be condescending, especially with those who hadn’t proved themselves) and good at what they did.  Alziri moved in the shadows like a ghost and Biraeus could charm the skin off a snake, but running the guild wasn’t a popularity contest.  Alziri had reacted with the quiet gasp of someone discovering an entitlement slipping away.  The fair-skinned rogue had joined the guild at the same time as his good friend Kaizal and would have bet anything the back office would be his.  Biraeus’s outrage was more public.  He’d cursed and stormed away.

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