[center][h1]Chapter One: The Sending of Four[/h1]

[i][url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxK84pYxW_k]Hooray, Hooray for the Emperor's Benevolence! — In which friends are made — It becomes clear man and elder race aren't all that different — The Paradox of the Wasteland — On the Prudence of being a Polyglot[/url][/i][/center]

Hugo groaned, but it was a groan of pleasure. The table before him was truly a mess, yet there was method to the madness. On the right were all the finished drinks ranging from wines red, white, and sparkling of Brettonnia combined with good Gisoreux Brandy, to Bugman's ale, to a sampling of Kislevite Kvass and Vodka with a cup of Arabyan coffee and two Nipponese teas. On the left was the charred stub of a hanscha roll-up from Araby, an expended tube of Cathayan pipeweed, a sniff of mints from Khuresh. In the middle was a veritable genocide of animals surrounded by the harvest of many plantations, the man not even remembering every single thing brought to him that had by now been consumed. 

Such moments were rare, but when they could be organized they were bliss. The music played in the... [i]tavern[/i] wasn't to his liking (at least when brought before the current weather and time of day) but it was good, and as workers of the establishment cleared the table in the rather large booth the Agent of the Black Badges looked out of the window. He'd been here many times before, but the effect was still something that made his brain feel upside down. 

This Chapter-house of the Black Badges was under one of Nuln's more reputable taverns, not quite good enough for the upper nobility but good enough for the growing bourgeoisie of merchants and lesser nobles. Except looking through the window the word "under" felt disingenuous. Agents of the Black Badges would ask an elderly barmaid with red hair to speak to Agniezka Voorman, before being lead down a set of stairs. Through the stairs they would navigate a complicated passage of many turns, ramps, and for some even a ladder and staircase or two before finding themselves in a tavern with a wholly different clientele; the fact that through windows one had a good aerial view of Nuln despite having had such a long downwards journey simply demonstrated that the Black Badges had very, very good Shadow Wizards under their employ. 

Though it would almost certainly play havoc with the minds of the three invited agents, they would certainly have to be thankful for respite from the rain. It wasn't a downpour that blocked the skies, but few people liked being wet for very long. Having been given a physical description of the men that were to join him, Hugo looked at the doorframe for them to enter the scene as well as through the window to perhaps catch a glimpse of the motley assembly. Even in the streets below, a High-Elf, a dark Brettonnian, and a disciple of Morr wouldn't be hard to spot. 

[center][img]https://i.imgur.com/bxfkiLf.jpg[/img][/center]

Once they entered Hugo would wave towards them and motion for each to come over and sit at the table he was at. Though there was a great board covered in papers within the booth, Hugo would tell the arrivals for now to simply order refreshments not wishing to discuss business until all the agents were assembled.