Outside Darkfang Hold

Jacob watched as the army formed up, it had taken over an hour but they were finally going on the march. It would take them almost 2 weeks to get to the Fortress of Baereghel, but they would have their foothold in their territory finally. A screen of Rogues and Rangers had already departed in advance of the main army. Cathrine had finally returned from her parents home with two full squads of Deathwalkers in tow, much to Jacob's surprise. She had spent a couple of hours talking to Sosa before joining him with the army, whatever they had discussed she had not shared with Jacob but she was content with whatever they had discussed.

Kingdom Quest Issued: Trade Route Trepidation

Description: Multiple trade caravans from Ineford have been pillaged by bandits, as the City of Ineford is your Client State, you must assist them in securing their trade routes. Hunt down and kill the band of bandits that have been raiding the trade route between Ineford and the town of Middlebrough.

Rewards: 5,000 Kingdom Experience, Trade Route security, Market of Middlebrough is opened up, Increased reputation with Ineford and Middlebrough

Alert...

Kingdom Quests cannot be refused or dropped, their successes or failures can result in both short and long-term consequences for your Kingdom. (See Kingdom Tab for more information)

Alert...

Jacob cursed as he read both alerts, he had never heard of such things and immediately started digging into the wiki for any information on Kingdom Quests. Cathrine immediately headed over to him, "What's wrong?"

"I got a Kingdom Quest, never heard of them and trying to find out any information I can about it," Jacob responded while looping Darren in as well. Tarren and a couple of others made their way over wondering what the hold up was considering the army was on the move now. Jacob quickly updated them on the new development causing most of the Immortals to start digging into the game wiki.

"Ok this is what is going to happen, I am taking the whole Dawn Guard with me. Tarren will be in command of the march, use Tathlyn Hune to advise you. I will take half the guild with me. Tarren, take this Portal Stone with you, when you get too Baereghel activate it and I will join you. By the time you guys get there, I should be done with hunting down the bandits. Questions?" Jacob called out as he paced thinking quickly trying to cover everything.

Cathrine looked on in amusement as Jacob called out orders and the Dawn Guard that had recently formed up with the army, now pealed away with a bunch of Immortals and their Bonded. She knew that he preferred a quiet life, but due to circumstances he had been thrust into a leadership role he had never wanted and now wielded power easily. Suddenly several portals popped open and the Dawn Guard and War Parties started marching through. Several Deathwalkers darted through to ensure the safety of Cathrine and Jacob as well. City of Ineford

City Administration Building-Reagents Office

Dudrik Goldflint sighed as the Immortal James Doncun, complained about the repeated attacks on his guilds trade caravans. Over a dozen trade caravans had been attacked over the last 3 weeks on the road between Ineford and Middlebrough. The trade route was essential for the Arathia Basin and all the little villages and town located within the basin. The mountains to the east and west, the ocean to the south left north for any trade to come through. With the route being raided constantly meant that all trade had been halted for the foreseeable future until those bandits were killed and/or captured.

"We will increase the patrols between Ineford and Middlebrough. We can also deploy additional troops to try and find the bandits and hunt them down, but it will take some time to muster our troops." High-Captain Gragerious called out. He was a human that had risen to command over 20 years ago. James Doncun looked like he was going to go on another tangent but the conference doors slammed open and a squad of soldiers marched in with a cloaked figure in the back.

Before Dudrik could talk the figure withdrew the hood revealing Jacob Longstrider. "Hello Lord Goldflint, I hear you are having problems with bandits. I am here to offer my assistance. If we could clear the room, we can hammer out the details." Jacob told him, pointedly looking at the other Immortal who was staring intently at Jacob.

"Who the fuck do.." Before James could continue a shadow detached from the wall and suddenly appeared behind the rude Immortal with a pair of daggers pointed at James's kidney and neck. A Deathwalker!!!

"Enough, James you will leave. We thank you for all the information you have given us, but this is a matter of state and you are not a part of our government. Jacob is a friend of Ineford, with his help I am sure we will deal with the bandits sooner rather than later. If you will wait outside, I will call you back in once the meeting is done." Dudrik told the Immortal trying to defuse the situation.

With that, two of the foreign guards escorted the Immortal out they closed the doors behind him. "Well, that could have gone better. Thank you, Mikeal, but being an idiot as not a killable offense." Jacob told the Deathwalker who faded back into the darkness. "Gentlemen, I received a quest stating you had some bandit problems. I brought my Dawn Guard and about half my guild including their Bonded so that gives me a little over 300 troops to assist you. Do we know where the bandits are located?"

Gragarious looked at Dudrik who nodded before he started talking. A little over 30 minutes later a plan had been hashed out and the other Immortal was allowed back in with the firm understanding not to be rude to anyone within. "So James of the Gilded Handz, why don't you tell me a little about you, the guild you are a part of, and your guilds goals and interests," Jacob told him as he sat down at the table.

James noted that Dudrik was comfortable with Jacob's presence while the High-Captain was studying him out the corner of his eye. "As you said, I am a part of the merchants guild, Gilded Handz, we control all Immortal trade within the Arathia Basin. My guild wants the threat to the trade route between Ineford and Middlebrough reopened, it is disrupting all our trade within the basin."

The other Immortal continued to study him, "How about the fact your guild once controlled all trade going in and out of Middlebrough until you got pushed out by a couple of other guilds decided they wanted it. Anything else to add?"

"Anything else is our own guild business." James retorted while sitting back in a huff and causing both Dudrik and Gragerious to stiffen.

Jacob smiled, "Things change James, it's inevitable. Consider your less then tactful impression on me, I would suggest you have one of your guilds more diplomatic members be here next time I am here. I will be back probably no later than a week, I am sure Lord Dudrik will have no problem hosting an envoy from your guild. Someone empowered to make decisions on behalf of your guild. I would highly recommend this." With that, Jacob nodded to the High-Captain and Dudrik before standing and leaving.

City of Ineford

Gilded Rose

"What are you thinking about?" Cathrine asked as she lay next to Jacob.

"I knew we were going to have to deal with other Immortals sooner or later, I just didn't expect to deal with them this soon." Jacob sighed as he cuddled up to his wife trying to forget his worries.

"Mhhm, and how was your new wife?" Cathrine asked while hugging him closer and causing him to smile and laugh.

"A complete freak, in a good way, once I cracked her shell. As June and Chalxae said, she is a screamer. As you said, she has confidence issues, it will take time for her to get used to actually being used to being accepted as for what she is." Jacob told her as he ran a hand up and down her arm.

"That could be very fun to play with, we are definitely going to have to get some alone time with her," Cathrine responded while smiling down at him.

"Well, I am sure you will have time to assert your position of the first wife soon enough, don't break her though. Ease her into it love, she is still a weary and new to sex with mutual pleasure." Jacob told her then kissed her forehead. "Rest wife, we will be leaving at sunset. I am sure we will be having a long night." Jacob scanned the road as the small army made its way further north away from Ineford. The Dawn Guard and 200 soldiers from Ineford made up the main army while another 200 light calvary screened them on either flank while Rogues and Rangers scouted ahead. Besides finding a few abandoned camps, no sign of the bandits that had been raiding the trade route had been found.

Middlebrough was 6 days north, and most of the attacks happened after 3 to 4 days travel so Jacob did not expect to encounter any bandits for another day at least. A few small farming communities were the only signs of civilization between Ineford and Middlebrough. From what Jacob had learned they usually numbered only around a 30 to 100 and had no soldiers but maybe a few peace wardens to maintain some form of law and civility overseen by a council of elders or a Mayer. Neither Ineford or Middlebrough claimed rulership over the basin so if any troubles happened that a few wardens could not take care of, they petitioned either to Ineford or Middlebrough for assistance.

Therefore it was a surprise that a request had not to be sent to Ineford for assistance from the locals, but the Immortals using the trade route had noticed the problem had requested assistance only after losing so many caravans. Jacob gazed up at the stars as he continued to walk down the road wondering how long before someone noticed that Vampires once again walked the surface.