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Age of Enlightenment: Deception of Misdirection
Prologue: Tools of schemes and plots.

Prologue: Tools of schemes and plots.

The room was darkly lit, shelves with countless books on Atlas' history. The table was scattered with papers with countless writings of news around the local town region; Various reports on crimes happening on the town for the past few days, even reports going out of the town region. Looking over and over the news and viewing even from different connection on other reports of crimes. Consisting actions done by a band of crooks in alley ways; Stealing, Leaving them bruised or dead for the content the person was holding.

A knock came from the door "Sir, here's some tea" the butler came in wearing a typical black suit. "You should get some rest, sir. The mind gets weary after too much information is gained".  "I'll get some rest when I think I'm done, Okay." The butler left.

Kosher Travels was working all day in fact. he was thin man of his 19's, his hair black and shaky despite the butler fixing numerous times he would always put it back in a shaky style,his back was crooked when stood up to get a book from the shelf,he was wearing a fine white shirt and an indigo coat, he wore glasses but wasn't entirely blind when his glasses was removed from him. *I must continue to know about the band of crooks, It means to save the town from these bastards* he thought. he rubbed his eyes out of exhaustion of day.

 He kept on researching until dusk settled in, The butler came in again "Sir, I think-" before he could even finish Kosher interrupted him "I think that I should finish my work! please leave me alone" the butler went away silently. He continued his overlook of news and history for another 2 hours. Kosher decided to get a rest leaving the room. He found his butler sitting on chair while drawing, the butler noticed his master "Sir, Do you need something?" he asked.

"Nothing, I just some rest from the difficult task of solving the band of crooks attacks" he said in a stressing manner. He had worked days and days since too many were the activity of the crooks.

"I think sir you would need some rest, as in sleeping. Why not take a break from looking over and over from crimes; It only puts a stress on you if you put too much concern on  it".

"I need to continue, I just had it with these crooks and all of their actions. I just get angry every time I hear news"

"Why not just let it go? this is matter of crooks, murders, and crimes doesn't concern a man such as you."

 Kosher was in charge of printing press with fairly good business. His father was a high stake business man along with his mother though his younger sister was more successful  going to a city whilst he was in a fair good town doing ordinary work. He wasn't jealous, but in some ways hostile, and a bit of madness pit over him.

 He gave laugh that lasted over a moment with the Butler looking a bit scared though Kosher did sometimes laugh when stress to a point. "I think you should really get some rest" The butler said while still continue drawing. "The crooks can be handled by the local guards, if they get even more notorious then the militia will be on their trail".

Kosher gave a sigh of relief of that statement. "I think I'll get some rest now" he stood up and headed to his room. "One more thing sir, there was a letter left for you a few hours ago, it had a red wax seal to it, were you expecting letters ?". "No, but I'll see it now" He rubbed his eyes trying to stay awake. The butler stayed silent, *He knows he can't stop me*. Kosher went down to look into the letter, the red wax seal was bearing the sign of a prowling cat. That was the local guard's sigil. Kosher opened it;

 " My good sir, if your reading this then please respond in due time, My business in this town is short. I have news about the crooks you wanted to hear, I'm told your the person who investigates the crooks, I'm giving you an opportunity to bring the crooks down and beheaded, I know about the crook's activities and plans that the people at the post, Meet me at the Lazy Guards Grave inn if your ready" 

sign by ?. *More information on the crooks,Might be worth checking it seems only still early not yet midnight*.

Kosher departed from his house into the streets of town. Alley ways make the town useful for shortcuts but dangerous nowadays with crooks running about. Kosher took the safe route and that was walking with the main road with Local guards posted and patrolling time to time. The streets of the town wasn't dull at night there was still parties, out goers, and other events but the people weren't stupid enough to go outside in the night unless with a carriage, guards to keep you company, drunk, or thinking to yourself that you can take the crooks alone, *Must drunken bastards all of them*. 

He arrived at the Inn; The Lazy Guards Grave. It was named after guards for past years getting into the inn all with purpose of quitting a night patrol  with ale at their hands, serving girls to excite them, and all around laughing with joy till the morning was up to go back to the post, though one night the guard patrol were too drunk and gotten a fight with mercenaries, no ones knows who started it but the result was the same when morning came up the guard patrol were dead, One generation after the incident the inn was renamed to the Lazy Guards Grave as sort of a warning.

Kosher entered the inn and sat on a table, he waited what seems like hours till a boy who wore ragged patched clothes, sliver gold hair came up to him "My good sir, the lord will see you now". On a corner of the inn a huge man who wore a fine black suit, wore a shadowed cloak, and a gentleman's hat but slightly shorter. Kosher went to him and sat down. "I hear you have news of crooks" Kosher said in haste.

"Yes, I do. Mr Travels. Its mine to give to help a man searching for justice" the man said in a voice of high deep, intriguing, yet gives a sense of power.

"What of it and tell me now and who are you?" Kosher said again in haste. The man's face was fair brown, with deep brown eyes.

"I know its late so I'll make it short and my name isn't important now I am merely a humble man, The guards of the post are somewhat consorting with the crooks you so want to see down, a hand is somewhat leading them" the man said as he took a sip of wine.

"A hand?, what are they being controlled?"

"Controlled, Bribed, or forced it doesn't matter, they're causing trouble" the humbled man said as he took another sip of wine.

"Is there more or nothing else"

"Well from what I heard the officers who lead the patrols and other tasks the post needs are consorting with them" he took a sip of wine again

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"Okay, thank you for the information but why would you give me this information, why not tell the post commander"

"Some people did try that, they were found dead in alleyways and the officers who found the bodies said something the in the line that it was a robbery"

"I see"

"Your a man of the printing press you surely can have a subtle way of showing the truth about these crooks and corrupted officers"

"I can do that, I'll start when I'm ready, The whole town will hear about the them from me" Kosher said with determination.

"Have a good night and please don't try to do something...... rash or out of your mind"

"I know what the town brand me, and its not what you think I am" Kosher said in rage as he stormed out of the inn.

Kosher knew what the humble man meant "out of your mind". The town region branded him a title he known for years, Kosher Travels,Mad Man. He went on his way back to his house till he saw a nearby patrol, something took seize of Kosher *I'll maybe just see if what the humble man said is true* so he followed the patrol for what seems to be hours after mid night. Kosher followed them till they went into an alleyway that leads into a small park, the guards stayed there while Kosher hid in a bush. The guards stayed there waiting silently till one said "Where's the chief boss? shouldn't chief be here now?"

"Quiet, Quiet, he'll get here" said another guard. after a few minutes a man wearing leather came in with 7 men at his back. the man was bald bares a scar on his nose and checks. 

"We'll start the business once we get find someone to be the little rat, but it seems you've already found one", 

*What rat?*. 

Kosher found himself kicked out of the bush being dragged by the guards of the patrol, Kosher was thrown to the ground and the guards began to kick at him. The kicking stopped when the officer of the patrol ordered it, he stood over Kosher and spoke 

"Well it isn't the local Mad Man of the town region"

 he now looked at chief crook "Well here's the Rat you've been looking for".

The chief crook looked at Kosher then nodded to his men, Kosher was on his feet with the aid of crooks, Kosher's coat had been removed, his short muddy, and bruised. 

"If your going to kill me do it now, You'll get caught, be imprisoned, and beheaded in due time!" he shouted till he got punch in his belly. "He's right, we should end the misery of the mad man" the officer said pulling aside his musket and drawing his cutlass stepping forward till he was blocked by crooks. "Now, now, I got something else in mind" the chief crook said

"What do you have in mind, chief." said one of the crooks

"Bring Mr. Travels here, to the warehouse and you know what to do" he went towards the officer and his men while Kosher was dragged to the warehouse north. 

*They'll fall these bastards, they'll all fall and their heads gone.* Kosher thought. 

they passed through alleys to avoid attention. The warehouse was a formerly for spices,sugar, and wine owned by a family till they become bankrupt. On the outside there was a gate with a few people  who looked like a beggars and average men on standby, when he got inside there was still barrels but looked abandoned, the old platforms looks dusty, and overall it looks like the warehouse wasn't been used in years.

They opened a door west side of  the Warehouse that leads downstairs into a hallway with right and left sides with prison cells but they were heading into the door at the end of the hallway. It was dark inside the room with only a torch placed near the door entranced, Kosher now sat on a chair and tied. 

*So this is how I die; starved to death beneath a warehouse* Kosher thought as he was there sitting not knowing what time it was or day, it seemed like an eternity, he heard crooks bringing other people down into the cells, the prisoners were screaming begging for mercy but only got a smack with an iron object to shut them up, 

"The chief would want us to meet with the people" he heard one crook said outside the room, "The People, oh sure. from what I heard they're somewhat architects, so we're workin' with some stone builders" the other crook replied.

"You don't want be saying things like that, the people we work with are high top class even higher than the rich families. they could kill you, start a feud with between high class people that'll cause deaths and they still be safe"

"If were working with high class gents and ladies, then why are we guarding this ragged ole mad man"

"I don't make orders but if you want go speak with the chief, come on I'm going to take a wine from the new barrels that arrived".

 Kosher heard their footsteps fading away till they shut the door that leads to the warehouse. He now was thinking about his situation, the crooks, the humble man and the guards conversation, that was all on his mind in the room, when the torch was burned out a guard would replace it with another and sometimes a candle, he was feed with a loaf of bread and wine, when he was feed the guards untied only his hands. Most of the time he just kept thinking on the day he meet the humble man on the corruption of officers in the post, being the witness of their meeting, then being dragged off to this dark room below the warehouse, and the conversation of two guards. Kosher kept his mind on that and stared into the flame of the torch or candles.

Then something took over him again, something he did occasionally when he was stressed, angered, but all Kosher did was stare and think till He began to laugh. His laugh was loud, not so deep, and horrifying. He laugh from time to time when he felt like it. The guards outside talked about how he was really was a mad man, they were also somewhat scared of the laugh that occurred out of now where. When Kosher fell a sleep he still dreamed about the past events that took place up till his capture. He woke up from his sleep only to find himself outside the warehouse, not knowing where he was beside some beggers wearing tattered clothes.

Kosher just began to laugh with the beggars and people passing by staring at the Mad Man.

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