Jupiter loosed the bands around the nobleman’s hands and couldn’t help wondering aloud to him, “I rescue half a dozen of you a day. If you pompous fools had half a wit to spend even a tithe of your wardrobe budget on a suitable guard duty, you wouldn’t find youself in such depraved company in such routine.” The man mumbled a reply, which reminded Jupiter he hadn’t yet loosed the gag. He often refrained from loosening that until he had returned the captives to their destinations as he found their topics of preference were usually around the latest style of sandals or the latest fashion in robes and rags. But the look in this man’s eyes gleamed of a different note. He loosed the bands and the man gasped, “I thank you, good wizard, for your assistance. I understand your pretence, and take no offense. But I assure you, I was not taken for potential ransom,” he nodded his head to the chests, “Look, in their chests. These brigands have been acting as fences for the burgeoning alliance betwix the red mages of the Fire Dungeon and the Frost Mages of the Ice Dungeon.” Jupiter peered into the chests, and connected a few dots. He had supposed that the significant influx in noble captives and ransoms had merely been due to their improprieties, but he now saw it to be a ruse. The brigands were transporting, in no small order, vaste amounts of scrolls, spells, and other collusatory items between the darkest of the evil mage councils. Looking back at the prisoner, Jupiter nodded in understanding. He tossed the man a runestone to Moonglow, and with a quick thought of concentration, he returned to Paws. ******************************************************** A clever ploy to disrupt the mages was organized in quick order using all the skills of the brave company he gathered. Jezabelle, the kitchenmaid of poor penmenship, was tasked with forging a treacherous note to help set the two mage councils against each other. While the location they were headed was far too drafty for her apparel, her note would serve as the crucial element for their plan to succeed. Gael Wordsworth sent, well, word to Project Sanctuary and the Great Council to form an ensemble to lend bravery where swords and spears were lacking. The group all agreed to help Jupiter plant seeds of derision and impede any further progress with the alliance between to the two evil mage factions. ***************************************************** As with all his other plans, this one was going quite swimmingly. The only thing Jupiter hadn’t yet accounted for was the mage’s brute squad consisting of only two: Tony “The Smasher”, and Shio the one they called “a blade spirit”. Rhino did not hesitate to action, he charged Smasher with his lute in hand, and bashed him across the head, “RUN!,” he shouted at us, not wanting the momentary distraction to be lost. The Smasher, would not take kindly to having his trademark method of attack being used against him. Using Rhino’s distraction, Jupiter valiantly fled back to Paws to formulate a new plan to infiltrate the mage’s sanctum. **************************************************** The new plan, much like the original plan, only sans the bruisers, went off without a hitch. With the treacherous note planted along with the fake spells of bunny summonning, balance was restored, and further collaboration between the evil mage factions halted from any further progress.
