Ravenholdt
Warester is taken aback by Travot's bold statement. He always considered the current Lord of Ravenholdt to be somewhat of a scumbag, but he never expected depravity of this magnitude. He'd have to handle this situation delicately. Looking to buy time to think, he first addresses the other matters.
Warester Van Dam: First things first, Travot. I've already been planning on attending the meeting at Fenris Isle personally, and alone. They'll no doubt be expecting Krol, but I will have to suffice. I'll fill you in on the details afterwards.
Travot Ravenholdt: At least take some guards with you. I'll assign a security detail myself!
Warester Van Dam: They'd only slow me down.
The truth was that Van Dam didn't trust Tavot, or anyone he would assign. The assassination of Grand Master Krol, Van Dam's mentor and friend, was recent enough that it was still fresh in Warester's mind. The perpetrator or perpetrators had yet to be brought to justice or even identified, but Warester had his suspicions. Once he had proof, there would undoubtedly be a reckoning.
In addition, as Grand Master of Ravenholdt he simply needed no guards. He was more than capable of protecting himself in almost any situation. He stood at approximately six feet tall, and weighed in at around 220 pounds of lean muscle mass. He was a certified master of combat, subtlety, and assassination, proficient with almost all forms of weaponry as well as unarmed, hand-to-hand combat. While still relatively young, he has also had years of practical combat and infiltration experience.
Warester Van Dam: As far as the Hesperians, I've had their march under surveillance since they departed. They should arrive at Tarren Mill shortly, no doubt en route to Alterac to deal with Lord Xie. There has been some enmity between the two, nasty business about poisoning wells and such. So long as we don't provoke them, I foresee no reason our community should be in jeopardy.
Ravenholdt as a whole had no love for Alterac, whose citizenship was generally regarded as cowardly and weak by the small nation operating within its borders. Travot certainly wouldn't object to allowing Alterac to take a beating. However, now Warester was going to have to address the trickier issue.
Warester Van Dam: This woman that you've taken interest in, why not simply invite her to Ravenholdt? I could have one of the guild spirit her away and have her here within a day.
Travot Ravenholdt: Come now Warester, if it was that simple I'd have already done it! No, something tells me she wouldn't come of her own accord. We're not going to give this rare beauty a choice in the matter.
Van Dam thought Travot must have lost his mind. He was still seething about the crass comments Travot just issued about Ravenhold's women, who generally possessed athletic and toned physiques he personally greatly preferred to those of the soft and weak women that were so prevalent in other locales. Not only that, but the idea of abducting a woman and holding her against her will to be some kind of sex-slave was repugnant to everything Ravendoldt stood for. The community took Arathor's tenant of equality very seriously, and women were always afforded the same rights and respect as men. The lightly-armored, stealthy, and agility-focused methodology of Ravenholdt made gender discrimination obsolete. In fact, some of their greatest assassins were women, including Van Dam's own mother. What would she say about what Travot was suggesting?
Was this Travot's way of testing his new authority as Grand Master? Travot would never have been so bold as to suggest such a thing if Grand Master Krol were still alive and in charge. Was this why Lord Ravenholdt formally endorsed his ascension to grand Master, because he thought he was a push-over?
Regardless, this suggestion was not merely morally reprehensible, but it put Ravenholdt in jeopardy. This wasn't just any woman after all, it was the daughter of Count Scipio of Andriano.
Warester Van Dam: I won't allow that Travot. Not only does your plan disgust me, but it endangers us all. Surely you know about Andriano's new allies? They're under Javali and New Dalaran's thumb now. Scipio practically leapt at the chance to join them.
Travot Ravenholdt: So? Don't we specialize in killing wizards? Besides, I'd expect it to be a simple matter to arrange for her "disappearance". Nobody will know what happened to her, let alone that she is here. Don't tell me you are lacking confidence in your own guild's capabilities?
Warester Van Dam: It's not going to happen Travot! That's it. Chose a woman from Ravenholdt or from anywhere in the world that will have you, but there will be no abductions for this purpose. Is that understood?
His question is met with scorned silence.
Warester Van Dam: Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting on Fenris Isle I must prepare for. I'll be in the armory.