Re: Dances With Wolves - An Egyptian AAR
Rats In The Attic
It was almost unthinkable. Had the Egyptian intelligence service been compromised? Since the earliest days of our empire, our spies have been an integral part of our success. Yet something was clearly wrong. Simple reports of an enemies strength were way off. Spies with a ninety eight percent chance of success of opening a city gate were failing. And enemy forces seem to know exactly where to hit us where we are most vulnerable. Our investigation would began with a thorough interrogation of the dogs and wolves we captured in recent battles.
The interrogation of the prisoners had confirmed our suspicions: we had been sold out. The enemy had been provided with the exact deployments and strengths of our armies and garrisons. One of the captured enemy generals even had the exact layout of Constantinople's defenses. But this layout was clearly not a spy report as we had expected. Instead, it was on official diplomatic letterhead, barring the seal of the Pope! It seems the Pope has betrayed our alliance yet again. His forces have abused the diplomatic immunity they were given to travel throughout our empire and used it to gather intelligence to be used against us. Habachi was gathering more evidence of this betrayal, while the Sultan was investigating our intelligence forces.
It was puzzling, the mixed results our spies were having in the field. On one hand, some of our spies were performing superbly well. Going that extra mile, not just bring back reports of enemy troops strengths, but also when the enemy general eats, sleeps, and sings songs with his men. On the other hand, seasoned veteran spies were failing in even the simplest of tasks, reporting incorrect troop numbers, and even entire fabrications in some instances. It wasn't until the Sultan began compiling a list of all of our successes and a list of all of these unusual failures that a clearer picture began to emerge: All of the compromised agents had been trained in the Thieves Guild, while all of our agents performing well had no contact with the Thieves Guild. The level of subversion suggested that this was not some rouge element of the Guild responsible for our woes, this kind of coordination had to come from the top, the leader of the Guild himself: Garrak The Assassin. This thought gave the Sultan a knot in his stomach. It was said none can match the Thieves Guild when it comes to covert matters and that Garrak himself could kill any man he wished. Once, the Czar of Russia, Boris, managed to turn one of Garrak's lieutenants to become a mole that would work for Boris instead. But Garrak found out. The lieutenant fled for his life, all the way to Timbuktu. But Garrak tracked him down and had him executed. Boris was not spared either. Incensed that one would have the audacity to try and infiltrate the Guild, Garrak put a price on Boris's head. Many of the guild agents were competing with each other for the honor of killing Boris. Having become paranoid with a price on his head, Boris would see no one but his most trusted guards. But Garrak was still able to get to him. He managed to have an agent slip some poison into a drink and Boris died that very night. That's why all of the empires are careful not to upset the Guild.
Why the Egyptian empire would become the target of the guild remains a mystery. We always paid our tribute on time. We were more than happy to allow them to build their guilds in our cities. We even allowed the Headquarters of the guild to be built in our territory. And why this elaborate infiltration of our intelligence forces? If Garrak wanted the Sultan dead, surely he would be dead by now. He must have other motives. The seriousness of some of the compromised agents actions suggested they wanted to see our forces crushed, maybe even our entire empire destroyed. But why? Perhaps the Pope is behind all this? But Garrak was not one to allow himself to become anyone's patsy. Even if the Pope was somehow involved, as appears to be the case, Garrak must have his own motives.
"This does not bode well my friend. It appears the most crafty and ruthless person alive has been working against us. I believe he seeks to destroy us."
"Sultan, I wish that were not true, but I fear you are right. But why does he not make a direct challenge to our forces? Why does he hide his intentions?"
"Garrak has always been one to strike from the shadows and pull the strings from a distance. Direct confrontation is not his style. he prefers the subtle arts of manipulation and deception."
"Perhaps we should burn the Thieves Guild to the ground for their treachery. Arrest Garrak, imprison his agents, and banish the Guild forever from our lands."
"Alas Habachi, I fear that will do no good. Garrak would surely be ready for something like that. I doubt he is even at the Thieves Guild headquarters, he is said to conduct most of his business at secret locations. And even if he is there, he most likely has an escape route well planned. I do not even know what he looks like. It is said few non-guild members have seen Garrak's face and lived to tell the tale."
"Then what are we to do? We can't just sit here waiting for him to make his next move."
"I find myself wishing for a good wolf army to fight Habachi! There is no ulterior motives there, no hidden agenda. Each side wants to destroy the other. All of these convoluted espionage matters makes my head hurt. That's why I keep my distance from the intelligence services and leave Jericho in charge of such matters."
"Perhaps Jericho could offer some insight here? Surely this is a task more suited to his skills."
"Good thinking Habachi, but I do not think even Jericho has what it takes to take on the Guild. We need someone who knows the Guild and Garrak inside and out. We need to turn one of Garrak's lieutenants to our cause."
"We will end up like Boris! One day, when we are eating our meal or out for a stroll, Bam! We drop dead, never having seen the face of our assassin."
"We have little choice Habachi. Perhaps we can learn not to make the same mistakes Boris made. Summon Jericho. I wish to begin planning the infiltration of the Thieves Guild."
"Your will Sultan."
The Sultan brought Jericho up to speed on the recent activities of the guild, of Garrak as an enemy of the Egyptian people, and of the Sultan's bold plan to turn a guild agent to our cause. Jericho was must humbled by his failure to catch these compromised agents and offered his resignation. But the Sultan would here none of it, Garrak pulled the wool over all our eyes he argued. What we needed was a plan to turn a guild member without ending up like Boris. Jericho was indeed skilled in the arts of espionage and soon came up with a plan that truly impressed the Sultan. To make contact with the guild without arousing suspicion, we would send a message to their headquarters saying we needed their most highly trained operative for an imperative mission. The mission is too important to risk failure, and so forth. Garrak will of course be intrigued and send one his agents to ensure that the mission would indeed fail. Then when the agent is here, we offer him a bribe that would make his eyes pop out. In addition to gold, we offer to make him the next leader of the guild, after we take care of Garrak for him. All the while his participation remains completely anonymous, all he has to do is provide us with some intel. We will even allow him to continue his campaign of disinformation and chaos against us so as not to blow his cover. Everything was going according to plan, until the agent Garrak sent strolled into the palace. It was Zebra. His real name was unknown, all upper operatives of the guild use code names. He is Garrak's right hand man and the one who poisoned Boris. He was said to be above reproach, and just as cunning as Garrak. Habachi wanted to call the whole thing off. But the Sultan wanted to go ahead with the offer. Zebra would not have risen to be the number two man in the Thieves Guild if he was not ambitious. Perhaps he was tired of playing second banana to Garrak and would find our offer appealing. That, or he could kill the Sultan on the spot...
"What's wrong Sultan? You look unsettled to see me. You said you wanted the best, and here I am."
"Indeed. But I was not expecting the second in command of the Thieves Guild to come strolling into my palace. We have much to discuss, you and I. And I fear if you don't like what I have to say then we will be at odds. And I don't relish the thought of being at odds with one such as you."
"Then pray I like what you have to say. Now what is it you wish to discuss?"
"We know all about the duplicitous nature of our own agents that the Thieves Guild has somehow managed to turn against us. We also know Garrak has been seeking to destroy us with his campaign of misinformation, sabotage, and Allah knows what else."
"Really sultan, I have no idea where you would get such fanciful ideas. Nor why you would request one of our agents for a vital mission if you think we have betrayed you."
"The mission was merely a ruse to get you here without suspicion. As for why I would summon you here, I have need of an informant within the Thieves Guild. Someone who could feed me information of Garrak's plans and keep me one step ahead of him. I want you to be that informant."
"I see now why you were so apprehensive on my arrival. Your fanciful ideas have led you down a dark and dangerous path. I have killed men for making such an offer. I may kill you as well. Just out of curiosity, would could I possibly gain by agreeing to such an arrangement?"
"We are offering you more than mere gold, which is a substantial amount at ten thousand gold pieces. We are also offering to make you the next head of the thieves guild."
"LOL! Even if I was interested in such a position, what possible help could you be to me in obtaining it? I have seen first year acolytes with more cunning than you."
"I imagine I must play some prominent part in Garrak's plan, or else he would have killed me by now. There is leverage to be gained from being in that position. Perhaps even enough to set a trap. With my power, influence, and wealth, combined with your cunning and inside information, we could do what none before us have managed to do. We could kill Garrak. Then you would replace him as the leader of the Thieves Guild, with a bounty of gold to spend as you see fit."
"Such an arrangement might be possible. But it will cost you more than you are offering. Before I risk my neck by betraying Garrak, I want more. Double your offer to twenty thousand gold pieces, and I want command of your own intelligent services as well as leadership of the guild."
"Impossible! I have ransomed kings for less money than that! And I already have a commander of my intelligence services, a man I can trust."
"Fool! You would compare enlisting my aid to some bumpkin king? You have no idea what is waiting for you! And as for this 'man you can trust', he is growing a bit long of tooth don't you think? It's time he step down and be replaced by a younger generation, one with enough cunning to make your enemies cower in fear at the mere mention of your intelligence services. Accept my offer or earn my wrath!"
<Sultan looks over at Jericho to see what he thinks of the offer. Jericho nods in agreement.>"Very well I accept. I will give you twenty thousand gold pieces as well as leadership of the guild and my intelligence services. Now tell me what you know of Garrak's plans."
"You are speaking to the one person in this world who could tell you about them. You say you know all about Garrak's past actions but you know nothing. His seething hatred of you have caused him to work against you at all times. Everything he does is a means to an end, and end to you and your empire. Get comfortable for I am about to tell you the tale of your Nemesis."
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