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The night seems to pass in an instant as you work; the rhythms of yours labors bringing you into a meditative state.
As dawn rises, and it's light creeps under the hut's door, you sigh in relief. Once settling on a particular ritual, your work is sometimes frantic – to prepare the hut, you must sanctify, cleanse and chant, sometimes for hours, until the stage is set for your occult workings. From there, you must typically prepare the first stage of the process – often, it may take days for the correct materials to steep, soak, simmer or ferment properly before they can be used in the climatic act of physis. This past night, you were fortunate enough to complete the preparatory work in time for dawn.
Remembering Iudas’ words from the morning prior, you make your way to the entrance of the Hippomedon palace to send off the runners about your proposed summons. You suspect that you have a haggard appearance, and your eyes are heavy with fatigue; nonetheless, you must be present to see off the runners to your local nobleman. You find Iudas present before a small number of oikos staff and several members of your brother Νίκων’s First Platoon – these are hardy men, lean with physical activity, and confident as well.
Iudas, wearing a cloak of pale yellow, and carefully oiled beard, seems quite fresh despite the early hour – he grins broadly as he welcomes you. He apparently slept well, and no doubt knows why you might have been awake all night.
“Lady Deianira, a pleasure to see your radiance before Helios has fully joined the sky. I have been preparing the men for their role as messengers, but would want to present you some additional considerations. For one – should we send members of the oikos staff or members of the First Platoon to the five local nobleman? Sending members of the staff may present a more convivial air, and the receiving nobleman might presume that this meeting is truly a chance to meet on equal grounds with their neighbors, and engage in a night of feasting and drinking. Sending soldiers, armed with their linothorax armor, shields and spears, however, would present a more war-like face – a receiving nobleman would presume that this is a military council specifically called to coordinate our actions against the filthy barbaroi of the north.” Iudas smirks slightly, as he says this last statement – you are keenly aware of the fact that Iudas might consider himself a “barbaroi” of the East; you sometimes wonder at his true thoughts and motivations in his service to your oikos. In general, however, Iudas strikes you as correct in his assessment – his ability to navigate local politics no doubt served your brother and father well in the past. “Of course, you might also consider sending a staff member and a soldier together, but this may present a mixed message to the receiving party – they may be left uncertain about the primary goal of our invitation, but perhaps this would be your intention?”
