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Summary

In Almizar, a clerk named Mehtan dies dramatically after vomiting streams of black beetles that scatter across an administrative office. Local commander Captain Blasic Faloun arrives and reluctantly agrees to Tylee Khirgan’s demands for raken and groundlings after viewing Suroth’s letter. The group then visits a hidden forkroot manufactory where they confront an unnamed Imperial functionary of the Third Rank. She initially refuses to break Imperial shipping schedules but surrenders her entire stock when Perrin Aybara threatens her with Suroth’s wrath. As the party departs, assassins on a nearby rooftop shoot at Perrin, wounding his arm before committing suicide upon hitting the ground. Tylee and Mishima express concern over the attackers’ willingness to die, while Perrin insists Neald Heal him away from public view.

Characters

• Mishima (Captain) — Accompanies Tylee and Perrin through Almizar, making a peculiar hand gesture when hearing rumors of strange sicknesses. Later pursues rooftop assassins who commit suicide upon falling, concluding that their willingness to die indicates a powerful enemy.
• Tylee Khirgan / Tylee (Banner-General) — Demands raken and groundlings from the local commander, then navigates a tense negotiation with an Imperial functionary by bowing deeply and allowing Perrin to threaten her with Suroth's wrath. Reveals she still needs an a'dam and worries about the fragile alliance.
• Mehtan — Reappears holding the office door before doubling over, vomiting streams of black beetles that scatter across the floor until his body deflates into a pale flat shape. Ordered by Faloun to be laid out properly for rites.
• Blasic Faloun / Faloun (Captain, Commander) — Arrives with a black leather eye patch and forehead scar, initially fearful of the beetle incident and reluctant to surrender raken due to stripped resources. Complies after viewing Suroth's letter but remains wary of Perrin's status.
• Atal — A stout clerk who gingerly climbs down from a table and sweeps out the scattered beetles as ordered by Captain Faloun.
• Perrin Aybara / Perrin (Lord) — Crushes the beetle corpses underfoot to calm his followers, then uses Suroth's name to threaten an Imperial functionary into surrendering all her forkroot stock. Survives a rooftop arrow attack by twisting at the last moment and insists Neald Heal him away from public view.
• Neald (sul'dam) — Affects casual indifference while petting a trembling damane, then pushes through a crowd to offer Healing for Perrin's arrow wound. Is waved away by Perrin until they are out of sight of the staring townsfolk.
• Camaille — Asks if the beetle reports are true, takes Perrin's knife to score an arrow shaft, and wipes blood from her fingers with a lace-edge handkerchief while tending his wound.
• Barmanes — Ties a leather cord above the arrowhead to staunch bleeding, then jerks it free. Joins his fellow followers in offering wild boasts about rescuing Faile.
• Carlon Belcelona — A Tairen man who hands Perrin Stayer's reins as the group prepares to mount and leave the administrative office.
• Suroth Sabelle Meldarath / Suroth (High Lady) — Referenced via a signed document whose wax seal compels compliance from Seanchan officials. Her threat of death and worse is used to force the surrender of forkroot supplies.
• Honorable / Lesser Hand of the Third Rank (Honorable, Lesser Hand of the Third Rank) — A sleek woman in a yellow dress with a shaved scalp and graying braid who runs a hidden forkroot manufactory. Initially refuses to break Imperial shipping schedules but yields to Perrin's threat regarding Suroth, smelling of pride throughout the encounter.