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When you ask him what the Death’s Head mask is meant to indicate so far as rank, Sir Ibram grimaces.
<span class="mu-i">“I’ve not seen it myself, but I have heard that it is less a rank and more an inflicted punishment. I think there was something last year where the Merchant of Spices forced the Medusae to…”</span> He glances at a gesture from the normally silent Sir Siubhail.
The tattooed knight has one hand gently stroking your Whitecloak Ermine, who has seen fit to again depart from her usual hiding place to scurry across the table and curl up against his bicep. The two are getting along famously and you find yourself suppressing a slight flare of jealously.
<span class="mu-i">“Really?”</span> You’re not able to follow the flurry of Battle Cant from Sir Siubhail, but you can easily detect the doubt in Sir Ibram’s voice as he signs back and talks for your benefit. <span class="mu-i">“You’re telling me that Arap Bata had nothing to do with that?”</span>
The name of Arap Bata, Master of Spices name comes up several times as the main agitator of Merchanta interests, although from what you gleaned from your own experience with the man you suspect that the true antagonist to the Medusae may his reserved partner the Master of Silks. Arap Bata struck you as blunt, both as an example of Merchanta wealth and as an individal. If there is someone else pulling the strings of the Merchanta Caste and engineering this confrontation, then if your judgement is at all sound it would most likely be Barak Yildirm.
The main influencers of the tensions between the Medusae and Merchanta appear to be Exalted Heron and Arap Bata respectively. The attaches of the various armed forces in the Crescent Palace are not to be discounted, Desert Fox for the Stratiokas, Lioness for the Cantonians, Monkey for the Tempest Isles and She-Bear of the Norsikaans are some of the most powerful figures in terms of direct military might they have authority, or at least access and influence. You don’t doubt there are others, a sorcerous cabal of witches likely do not attribute rank to mere command of certain Dragon Guard cohorts, but these do not come up in the conversation between your comrades in the 43rd. At least not tonight.
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