Tomb of Eternal Night

Middle City

"I understand we have two breaches in the wall. I understand they are big enough to get my moms ass in there. I understand we are going to have to collapse those sections and rebuild them. I understand that. Understand this, I want every other inch of the wall double checked and the foundation of the wall checked as well. Eternal Night was under siege for a decade, I am sure the wall has other structural weaknesses. I want them found and I want an assessment of those damages done." Jacob told the Dwarf Engineer and Human Elementalist who were just looking to do the quick fix. Either Jacob red-eye glare or him throwing his canteen got them moving though.

"You realize they work for you and are not trying to work against you," Darren said as he strode up.

Jacob growled at him as well, "Tell them to stop trying to do a half-assed job then. This city held off a siege for a decade for a reason. One of those reasons was NOT BECAUSE THEY BUILT THESE WALLS HALF ASSED!!!.' Jacob screamed at their retreating back. 'We are finally done tearing down all the buildings that were run down and already gutted, now we got to repair the wall. However, the Engineer and Elementalist just want to work on the breaches and not check the remainder of the wall. Idiots...So what do you need?" Jacob asked the Rogue.

"Well, you see I need to run a mission into Anchorhead. We need to grab some Intel from the Slavers Union about something they are planning." Darren replied.

Jacob stared waiting for the punch line, "Why?"

Darren looked around and messaged him what he had found the other night in the wagon. "Ok...I can see where we can turn that to our advantage. If you do this though you need to grab Intel on everything though. Defenses, troop numbers, where they are located within the city, strategic points within the city, the Central Fortress, everything. Just because we would interrupt their plans would not mean he would be friendly toward us." Jacob also PMed specific information he wanted besides that which caused Darren's eyebrows to rise but then he nodded.

"Ok, we will get all of that. I will also be pulling some of the guild rouges for this so they will get some experience in espionage if they don't have it already." Darren said.

Jacob nodded as he yet again thought of releasing Ezekial from his prison... "You will be watched at all times unless you are asleep you will never be alone. Is that understood?' Jacob told Ezekial as the last of the defenses came down. He bowed deeply while all four of the Heart Guard eyed him. 'If at any time I feel your loyalty is in question you will be imprisoned again if not executed. You will not have a third chance Master of Shadows, its time to prove your loyalty to me and your value. If you fail to fulfill either expectation, you will come back here." Jacob told him as he emerged from his cell.

"Of course my king, might I ask how I may best serve you at this time?" Ezekial responded.

Jacob considered what to tell him, "Darren is about to go to Anchorhead to deal with a growing situation there. Any intelligence about the location, friends or sympathetic ears there, and everything we have on the Slavers Union." Jacob told the other Vampire who frowned.

"The Union is the epitome of everything wrong with the mortal races. They thrive on the suffering and servitude of others, yet they called us monsters. How far have they fallen that they sell their own flesh and blood? I will track down the Immortal Darren and share everything I know." Ezekial swiftly moved away, the four Heart Guards following closely behind him.

"I did a very good thing or a very bad thing, what do you two think?" Jacob asked James and Nathaniel.

The Royal Torturer considered his words before responding, "I do not believe he would knowingly betray you. He is almost a fanatic in his belief that you are the only way forward for our people. If he was anyone else I would suggest he be disposed of quickly and quietly, but he is too valuable to discard."

"My people will keep an eye on him, four of the Heart Guard will always be with him. I would say don't worry, but I worry. I agree with Nathaniel, we need him more than ever. With everything growing as rapidly as it is, we need someone like him." James responded as he walked away leaving Jacob alone in the dark contemplating choices.

Anchorhead

Lower City

The portal disgorged Darren's 10 man team rapidly, the nearby guards ignored them almost completely except for the fact that is was almost the middle of the night. If they had come in a bigger group, the guards would have stopped them and asked questions, but with Immortals they would presume it was a Dungeon or Raid that ran long. The team immediately broke up, 4 headed toward the upper city and the Fortress of the Sea Lord, two headed toward the docks, while the last four spread out toward other parts of the Lower City. Each team was made up of one Immortal with one Local so they could maintain contact between each group.

Darren was heading toward a tavern called the Bent Anchor, apparently, it was one of the Shadow Masters informants in the city. Ezekial had given him a specific coin to hand to the owner of the bar and in return, the owner would assist them in any way he could, including providing safe houses for his group while they were here. Chalxae was with him and if Darren's presence didn't keep any pickpockets away, her deadly Drow presence did as they made their way through the shadier streets of Anchorhead.

The Bent Anchor was an obvious dive nearing closing time. Most of their remaining patrons were passed out or drunkenly heading toward one exit or another. "We are here to see Sammy D," Darren told the Bartender who was wiping up a spilled drink or puke.

"He is no longer seeing anyone for the night. Come back tomorrow night." the Bartender replied without even looking up.

Darren smiled and fished out a silver piece and slid it over to the bartender, "He will want to talk to us. Where is he?"

The Bartender eyed the silver before snatching it up and making it disappear, "Up the stairs, last door on the left. You funeral mate."

Darren snorted as he made his way through the smokey room and up the stairs to the room the bartender indicated. Darren closed his eyes while touching the doorframe and let his senses stretch into the room feeling who and what lay within. "Three people inside, two of them guards. Remember, the whole point of this mission is to grab some intel, we cannot do that if we start leaving bodies." Darren told Chalxae who tried to look coy before smirking and showing her hands were empty. Darren knocked on the door lightly trying to not over alarm the occupants.

A Goblin opened the door slightly, "What do you want?"

"We are here to talk to Sammy D. May we come inside?" Darren replied.

"No, Sammy is closed for business for the night. Come back tomorrow night." The Goblin responded before slamming the door shut. Chalxae snickered behind him, Darren was beginning to understand why Jacob was frustrated a lot of the time before he knocked harder a second time. The Goblin yanked the door open a second time but before he could say anything Darren poked two fingers forward into the Goblins eyes sending him reeling back into the room. Darren and Chalxae quickly followed.

A man was sitting at a desk and a large Orc was trying to decide to laugh at what had happened to the Goblin or act intimidating toward Darren and Chalxae. "Which one of you is Sammy D?" Darren asked out of patience and running out of time. The human silently stood and grabbed a cutlass off the wall.

"I am, now you better have a good reason why you are here." Sammy said as he stood to his full height of nearly 6'5", heavily muscled and definitely intimidating. Darren slowly walked forward and removed the coin the Master of Shadows had given him and placed it on the desk in front of the man. The coin was gold for the most part with a Reaper holding a human heart that was bleeding. Darren had never seen it is like and had no idea what it stood for, but Ezekial had assured Darren it would get Sammy Ds full cooperation and assistance while they were there.

Sammy paled a little before looking at his two companions, "Get out and wait outside. If anyone else tries to get in here before this meeting is over, kill them.' Sammy waited for the Orc and Goblin to leave before he activated a crystal on his desk, 'You can say anything you want now. How can I be of service to the Blood?"

"I need a safe house and food for 10 people for 3 days. Any Intel on the Slavers Union, the defenses, guard rotations, the layout of the palace. Everything on Anchorhead you can drum up in the next 3 days in other words." Darren told him but was also measuring the man's reaction. He didn't even flinch, he just nodded and opened up a nearby safe. He pulled a lever and it opened up access to another safe that he quickly got to work opening.

He pulled out a map of the local area, a key ring and took two of them off of it before handing them to Darren, "This is the map of the gallows, what the locals call this area of the city. This is where we are,' Sammy said pointing to the map, 'this is where you and your people are going to be put up. Its called the Bloody Noose, its the home of the local Thieves and Assassins. The understand discretion and when they find out you have keys to the apartments overhead, they won't bother you any. When you decide to leave, give the keys to the locals, they will make their way back to me no problem. Each apartment is stocked with whatever you need, if you need anything else, let me know and I will see that it is delivered too you. As far as the information goes, I can have it ready and delivered to you as soon as I get it. Anything else?"

Darren shook his head and Sammy picked up the coin before handing it over to Darren who promptly left. While the rest of the team started surveillance, they had the responsibility to check out their home for the next couple days and make sure it was secure. Once they got out of hearing range and Darren was sure they were not being followed he turned toward Chalxae, "Anything about that strike you as odd?"

The Drow smiled amused, "You are part of a race of being hiding from the world while you silently gather your strength so the Council of Light cannot stomp on you before you are prepared to defend yourself...You are surprised your ancient race has an agent in a city a little over a week away from Middlebrough? I would be disappointed if the Shadow Master did not. I am very certain the Shadow Master has cultivated a network of spies and agents for the Vampire people for when they emerge from the shadows again. Come on, let's go check out the safe house and then check in with the rest of the team and home."