A Game Of Cat & Mouse

**Game Of Cat & Mouse** is part of the sixth quest for the Commercium.

The Boatmen are on the hunt for the conspirator. Strabos gave them your name and set up a meeting between you and Hamza, the Boatmen's second-in-command.

"The fucking Boatmen. After that stunt that Neleos pulled, Darista took the local chapter straight to Gaelius. They are working for him now, propping up his regime one corpse at a time.
Someone must have talked, so they paid me a visit while you were making the rounds. They wanted names. I gave them yours.

## Possible Rewards

***Warning!** This point onwards contains spoilers!*.

* 4-6 civil SP
* 19-20 SP
* 250 Imperials
* Training in Trading (worth 20 SP)
* Reputation changes

***Warning!** This point onwards contains spoilers!*.

## Quick Walkthrough

1. Conclude the preceding quest by talking to Strabos in Merchants Plaza.
2. (Optional) Talk to Legatus Pavola if you need some muscle to handle the Boatmen.
3. Survive the meeting with Hamza.
4. Report back to Strabos.

***Warning!** This point onwards contains spoilers!*.

## Detailed Walkthrough

1. Conclude the preceding quest by talking to Strabos in Merchants Plaza.
	* (hidden) Intelligence:[8] check: You get a clue how to deal with Hamza
2. (Optional) Talk to Legatus Pavola in Maadoran Arena Fort, if you need some muscle to handle the Boatmen.
	1. Convince him to give you some men.
		* Persuasion:[5] "This isn't about doing me a favour..."
			+ Persuasion:[6] "Enough to know it's best to strike first..."
		* Streetwise:[5] "I thought you'd jump at the opportunity to avenge your brothers..."
			+ Streetwise:[6] "Start? It started when the Boatmen slaughter your brethren in their sleep..."
3. Survive the meeting with Hamza.
	1. Once ready speak to Strabos to be sent to an empty Commercium house.
	2. Talk to the servant to initiate the meeting.
	3. (Pavola path) If Hamza sees you with guards, he'll skip the following conversation and goes into a fight. You start a combat against Hamza and two Assassins with five Imperial Guards as your bodyguards
		* Tell him it's Strabos' plot.
		* Ask for a better deal.
			+ Persuasion:[5], "Why take my life when all you want is a name?"
				- Say you'll only give the name to Gaelius.
					1. Expose the conspirators.
					2. Swear fealty to Gaelius.
					3. Ends quest; starts Fetching An Army.
				- Expose Lady Lorenza - Hamza leaves and kills Lorenza instead
				- Expose Lord Senna - Hamza leaves and kills Senna instead
				- Lord Massalus (fake name)
					* Streetwise:[5], "Which is why he was chosen..."
						+ Persuasion+Trading=[10], "Everyone can be bought..."
						+ Streetwise+Charisma=[14], "Have you ever laid eyes upon a noble..."
		* Call him out for doing Gaelius' bidding.
			1. Streetwise:[6] "Is it what you truly believe?..."
			2. Convince him of the dangers.
				+ Streetwise:[7] "What do you think Lord Meru will do..."
				+ Persuasion:[6] "Gaelius won't let you stay independent for long..."
			3. Convince him to act in the guild's interests.
				+ Streetwise:[8] "I'm sure she won't mind. If she's dead."
				+ Persuasion+Charisma=[16] "She's a mercenary. It's all about money to her. If she lives, the guild dies. If she dies..."
				+ (hiden check) Lore:[5] "In the old days the Boatmen voted on all important decisions.."
		* Fight them.
4. Talk to Strabos in the Merchants Plaza.
	* (hidden) Charisma:[8] check: Ask why he's not worried and then how he became a guildmaster to increase your understanding in Trading and Streetwise (worth 20 SP).
	* Rest till morning (ends quest and starts the next one).

## Rewards

* 4 civil SP, to give a name
* 6 civil SP, if you convinced Hamza to act in the guild's best interests
* 250 Imperials
* 19 SP *(at 9 Intelligence)*
* Training in Trading (worth 20 SP), if you passed a hidden Charisma check with Strabos
* -3 Reputation with Boatmen if you killed them with the help of Pavola's men
* -5 Reputation with Boatmen if you killed them yourself
* +2 Combat Reputation if you killed them yourself
* -4 Loyalty if you swear fealty to Gaelius
* +2 Prestige if you swear fealty to Gaelius
* -11 Reputation with Commercium if you swear fealty to Gaelius
* +[?] Reputation with Aurelian if you swear fealty to Gaelius

## Next Quest in Chain

* Fetching An Army (Aurelian Praetor path)