Nero gave a bemused shrug. "I never said we couldn't use legal means," he said in a conciliatory tone. "They have their uses. And if I didn't want to use them at all," he wagged an index finger, gesturing between himself and Roen, "we wouldn't be speaking. I'm merely suggesting that we play the game with more than one angle. That is why you decided to ally with me in the first place, isn't it?" Because you know the law won't work. The smug thought was very close to forming into speech, but Nero managed to repress it. Another debate on philosophy was not ideal in the current situation.
"So first off, the goods. I may have expressed my doubts before, but my doubts do not equal disapproval. Your friends...Broken Nose, was it? And another who I am assuming to be a Lalafell. I will take you on your word that they are capable enough. Mayhaps it will be a mutual gain if we became familiar with each other." Nero stepped back and leaned on one of the trees that made up the copse they were speaking in, his arms still folded. The Thanalan heat seemed to grow more oppressive, and he was grateful for the shade.
"I believe your initial plan of action was a sound one. Locate the goods, stop the transaction, and if we're lucky we'll be back in time to give these refugees a decent dinner and some new clothing. And having your Brass Blade friends investigate internally can't hurt our chances." The smuggler then unfolded his arms, letting them fall to his sides.
"And you are correct; when they confiscated my wagon, the guards had mentioned something of a list. No doubt their employers keep track of who will keep their vices supplied. Getting my name on that list would certainly help," Nero raised his left arm, the palm of his hand facing upward. "or we could make the list unnecessary." He then raised his right arm, his hand taking on the form of a fist.
His smirk had taken on an eerie glow. "If we reach whoever is in charge of maintaining the list, we can eliminate him. And no, I don't mean murder. To be honest, simply stabbing people is terribly unimaginitive and not very effective of a solution." Nero dipped a slight nod at Roen. "Taking a man's life is merely one of many ways to kill him."
Without even waiting for a response, the smuggler tilted his head upward to gaze at the branches of the trees and let his arms fall to his sides again, letting loose an exasperated sigh.Â
"But let me guess. You want to do this the right way, by pursuing the bandits legally and putting them in jail, for if the corrupt Brass Blades have no clients, then they'll have no reason to confiscate goods to sell them in the first place, and by extension whether or not my name is on the Monetarist's list of delivery boys won't matter. Meanwhile, your fellows do some internal investigating, nothing bad happens, they punish the corrupt Blades with time in the gaols, the good triumph, the evil suffer, the innocent are spared, blah blah blah." Nero mockingly spun his left hand in circles as a gesture of his disdain, cocking an eye at the paladin. "It's not that I don't think it will work, it's just that I don't think it will work.
"So first off, the goods. I may have expressed my doubts before, but my doubts do not equal disapproval. Your friends...Broken Nose, was it? And another who I am assuming to be a Lalafell. I will take you on your word that they are capable enough. Mayhaps it will be a mutual gain if we became familiar with each other." Nero stepped back and leaned on one of the trees that made up the copse they were speaking in, his arms still folded. The Thanalan heat seemed to grow more oppressive, and he was grateful for the shade.
"I believe your initial plan of action was a sound one. Locate the goods, stop the transaction, and if we're lucky we'll be back in time to give these refugees a decent dinner and some new clothing. And having your Brass Blade friends investigate internally can't hurt our chances." The smuggler then unfolded his arms, letting them fall to his sides.
"And you are correct; when they confiscated my wagon, the guards had mentioned something of a list. No doubt their employers keep track of who will keep their vices supplied. Getting my name on that list would certainly help," Nero raised his left arm, the palm of his hand facing upward. "or we could make the list unnecessary." He then raised his right arm, his hand taking on the form of a fist.
His smirk had taken on an eerie glow. "If we reach whoever is in charge of maintaining the list, we can eliminate him. And no, I don't mean murder. To be honest, simply stabbing people is terribly unimaginitive and not very effective of a solution." Nero dipped a slight nod at Roen. "Taking a man's life is merely one of many ways to kill him."
Without even waiting for a response, the smuggler tilted his head upward to gaze at the branches of the trees and let his arms fall to his sides again, letting loose an exasperated sigh.Â
"But let me guess. You want to do this the right way, by pursuing the bandits legally and putting them in jail, for if the corrupt Brass Blades have no clients, then they'll have no reason to confiscate goods to sell them in the first place, and by extension whether or not my name is on the Monetarist's list of delivery boys won't matter. Meanwhile, your fellows do some internal investigating, nothing bad happens, they punish the corrupt Blades with time in the gaols, the good triumph, the evil suffer, the innocent are spared, blah blah blah." Nero mockingly spun his left hand in circles as a gesture of his disdain, cocking an eye at the paladin. "It's not that I don't think it will work, it's just that I don't think it will work.
