The next morning, Ean awoke from a bad dream, momentarily disoriented. Then he remembered he was in Brindle and his guard went back up. He listened for the sounds of other occupants before opening the door. A tray with a warm breakfast had been set outside his door. The note underneath the plate informed him the other spy still had not returned. Ean tore the note in half and used it to encrypt the message 'How large is the secret army?' using the Polybius Square and tucked it into his waistband. Then he wolfed down the meal and set out for North Brindle.
Secret_Message-08 added to Inventory
SKILL UPGRADED: Polybius Square +1 (3/3)
QUEST ACCEPTED: Q-025 Deliver Secret_Message-08 to dead drop in North Brindle
= = = SKILL LEVEL UP: Polybius Square II = = =
Ean's feet ached as he trudged across the rocky terrain of North Brindle. He had traversed game trails and scrub brush all morning, avoiding the main roads to avoid unwanted attention. The sun beat down relentlessly, and his water skin had run dry.
He paused, gasping for air in the thin, dusty atmosphere. All around him stretched an endless expanse of desolation - not a tree, not a roof, not even a wisp of smoke to hint at life. Ean's gaze instinctively fell to the parched earth, and he scrutinized the soil with his Plowing Skill. The dirt was little more than hard clay and stone, nutrient-starved and incapable of supporting crops. North Brindle made up half of the Empire of Brindle. If all of it was unfit to grow crops, then he finally had an answer to a question he'd had as a boy. Why did most of his family's crops every year end up sold to Brindle and not to Argonians?
Ean knew he should press on, but hunger gnawed at his insides. In his haste to leave that morning, he had neglected to pack any food. The thought of crops compounded his misery.
The quiet desolation provided ample time for contemplation as he tried to ignore his hunger. If a few hours without a meal made him aggravated, he could only imagine what people deprived of food for days were capable of. A war could see hundreds of Argonians put to the sword by Brindle soldiers as their families back home died of starvation. Surely both sides knew this, which made the prospect of war a lose-lose situation. So why were both countries marching lockstep toward war?
The advice his father gave him to do everything to prevent a war came to mind. Witnessing Brindle's pitiful living conditions, Ean recognized his mission had expanded to encompass both countries, particularly if the reports of third-party interference proved accurate.
His stomach growled loudly as he scanned the horizon, hoping in vain to spot a roof or column of smoke that might indicate an inn. There was nothing as far as his tired eyes could see but scrub and stone. With a sigh, he pushed himself onwards once more.
A continuous cold breeze cut through his clothes as he walked. The wind and dust stung his eyes, and his mouth felt like sandpaper. Black spots danced at the edges of his vision. Still he walked, putting one foot doggedly in front of the other. One last stop and then he could return to Argonia and Aria.
As the sun hung low in the sky, Ean at last spotted a shape in the distance—tall, grey walls rising above the frigid, barren landscape. He had reached the outskirts of the capital city of Northold at last. All he could focus on was finding something to eat but the message in his waistband needed to be dropped off.
According to the map in his questbook, the dead drop was a maintenance closet inside a place known as the Glorious Emperors Legacy Pavilion.
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The pavilion was easy to find as it was near the front gate of the city. It was also the only place with green grass and tall leafy trees. Other than the groundskeepers watering the foliage, the inside of the pavilion was empty. Placing a dead drop inside a national museum made sense now. Expensive facades no one visits.
Ean placed the message and went in search of the inn.
QUEST COMPLETED: Q-025 Deliver Secret_Message-08 to dead drop in North Brindle
REWARD: +1 XP (17/24)
The Old Oak Inn lived up to its name. It was an ancient wood structure that had stood for hundreds of years. Ean was too hungry and tired to care about the raucous sounds of dozens of Brindlers who would run him off if they knew he was Argonian. The warm lamp glow and tantalizing aromas of sizzling meats and vegetables beckoned him inside. Unlike the Pavilion, it was the most glorious sight he had seen in days. The spacious interior buzzed with activity, nearly filled with Brindlers enjoying their meals and drinks.
"Good evening," the innkeeper greeted him. "How may I –"
"Food and a room," Ean interrupted, his voice gruff and feral. "Any room will do."
The innkeeper chuckled. "Straight to the point. You will be pleased to know we have the finest dinner buffet in the empire. All you can eat for 4 gold pieces."
Ean raised an eyebrow at the high price. "Even at 4 gold, you're going to lose money. My empty stomach feels like a cat is inside trying to claw its way out."
"Grab a plate and enjoy your meal while I have your room prepared," the innkeeper said, leading Ean to the dining room.
He sat down at an empty table, his stomach growling in protest. Even in his state of exhaustion, his keen ears remained attentive to any interesting conversations.
"If taxes increase one more time, I may have to stay at cheaper hotels," a patron grumbled.
"Same with me," another customer agreed. "These taxes have cut my profits in half!"
"Why is the emperor buying new weapons and armor?" the first man asked. "We haven't had a war in decades and what we need is more roads and new farm equipment!"
"And farmers working their fields instead of away at training to use the new weapons."
"I heard it's because Argonia is planning to invade," his dining companion replied. "Hard to know. With the travel restrictions in place, I haven't been able to check on my business holdings in Argonia for days."
The two patrons got up from their table and walked away before Ean could overhear anything else of interest. He sighed, shoveling a forkful of tender roasted chicken and vegetables into his mouth.
Brindlers seem to be as suspicious of the rumors of war as Argonians - and as unwilling to pay for one.
After polishing off three heaping plates, Ean was full. He stood, cracking his back after the long day of abuse. It was time to get his room key and retire for the evening. At the front desk, the innkeeper gave him a broad smile.
"How was your meal, sir?"
"It really hit the spot, thank you," Ean replied. "I was actually hoping to see an old friend here, but it seems he hasn't arrived."
The innkeeper raised his bushy eyebrows. "Oh? And who might this friend be?"
"Well, he's the sort of fellow who believes that any stew you can't eat with a fork is just soup."
The innkeeper's eyes sparked in recognition and he leaned in close. "Our mutual friend stopped in last night. Said he was going to take the long way home. Believed he was being followed."
"Interesting," Ean remarked, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like he'll be back home tonight. I'll have to catch up with him another time."
The innkeeper gave Ean his room key, and Ean went and promptly fell into a deep sleep.
***
It was late morning when Ean awoke, still feeling full from the dinner the night before. He paid the innkeeper and thanked him for his hospitality before going back to the Legacy Pavilion. A handful of parents with their children were visiting. He walked in without raising suspicions.
The dead drop held a message written on a torn-up piece of letterhead parchment. All that remained of the printed letterhead was the word Brindle. The message was written as:
TVKEHE ESDG EHLHZ WWE FLWUCM NVDEVCB VQ ZRF NMRN
Ean tried all the ciphers he knew. Letter frequency analysis proved fruitless as well. He could see a two-letter word and a three-letter word. Using his spycraft skills, he sensed each letter was encrypted differently.
Leaving North Brindle without visually confirming the existence of a secret army frustrated him. Staying longer only put himself at risk. The information he had gathered in South and North Brindle indicated the Empire of Brindle was not just preparing for war. They were planning on it.
Time to go home.
Not wanting to repeat his mistake yesterday, he stopped at the market for bread and hard cheeses he could eat on the go.
QUEST COMPLETED: Q-024 Re-establish contact with the spy in North Brindle
REWARD: +1 XP (18/24)
SKILL INCREASED: Spymaster +1 (11/12)
STAT LEVEL INCREASE: Endurance +1
Encrypted_Message-10 added to Inventory
QUEST ACCEPTED: Q-026 Decode Encrypted_Message-10