The middle of the Month of Kalendryas,
in the Season of Winter, Era I of the Celestine Mandate,
Era XV Post Fractum.
A few months had passed while Lucian was out of the city. He had done some traveling, and much soul searching. He served as a trade negotiator for the Three Suns Trading house, he trained within the confines of the Academy of Shadows, and he met new friends. He had seen much, and learned much more. The city of Riparia had become a home to him, and he owned several properties there. But business had died down and with it the profitablity of his holdings. The men of his gang had all felt the crunch, and that plugued Lucian alot.
The Coven of Twilight served several functions, from business protection, to debt collection, to smugglers and caravan guards. They were a group of varied skills and now Lucian felt it would be time to move on. To a city where they could make a new start, it would be tough and it was not certian that they would make it. But Lucian thought of his hometown and knew he must make the journey. He was on his way this cycle, but had stopped in to check on his gang and see where they stood.
The others of his party were put up in an Inn in the nicer part of town while Lucian went to see his men. There guild hall was a warehouse that was converted from the old AFCL fight club, and there most of the men bunked. If they were not out working, they would be found there. Lucian walked into the building without knocking.
Two men stood up, the larger of the two stared angrily at the intrusion.
'Who goes there...' he said in a gruff tone. Once he saw it was the gang leader he sat and motioned for the other to do likewise, 'Jus the Boss, now are you goin to draw or not.' It was Fajur the young hot headed thug. A former fighter in the AFCL, like Lucian, and not one of his lead guys. The other was Salaar, and older gentleman that soon found his way out of one of the back rooms.
'Serale... I am at home at last.' He paused to make his greetings to each of the men there, and looked around to see who was missing. 'Where is Kida?' He was informed she was 'working', which usually meant she was with some noble. Drinking him into a stupour before making off with the crowns he had on him. There were a few other men that were out and about, including some work at the Green Goblin.
After a candlemark or so Lucian pulled everyone together, Kida was still missing but eight of the ten thugs were here. The young boss felt he should proceed, and catch them up when they got here.
'Well I have been gone for a few months, and I have made a few contacts for us. But I have also decided one one major thing.' The group looked amoung each other questioningly.
'I have decided that we should move our main base of operations to Imperia.' He looked at the group, one fellow stood up and walked away mumbling under his breath.
'Easy guys, I said main base... Not the whole group. We still have obligations here, and need to keep up the buildings we have. The idea is that one third of you stay, while the rest move to join me in Imperia in a few cycles.'
He paused to let his words sink in, he had lead the group for many eras now. He felt that they trusted him, and he would do what was best for the gang as a whole. That was true, though Lucian had been a thief, a thug, and an assassin he had always taken care of those in his charge. That included all those who counted themselves as Coven members. Lucian could have made his way to Imperia, and not bothered to include them. But he was honorbound to them, they trusted in him and he trusted them.
'So I will give you time to think this over, but I will be leaving to Imperia by mid-brightening. It will be a cycle or so of hard riding, but I should be in Imperia by the first week of Immanis. I would expect you guys there by the end of the first cycle. Hopefully I will have something lined up, if not there is much to do in that city and we should have work soon, more work than we have in Riparia.' Lucian spoke in a confident tone, stating facts as his mind was made. He would leave the choice of who stayed with the captians, for he trusted them.
Next he would have to swing by the old Green Goblin Inn, to have a chat with his old friend and partner. He wanted the man to know that he would still be availible if needed, and that he was leaving a small portion of his gang there to help keep the Goblin up. There was also the situation of his warehouse, which had not been used that much for business. He would need to go over an arrangement to see if the Green Goblin could use it, and cover maintiance costs in return.