TUW: The Steel Trade [IC]

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Back in Town

Once back in Southroad Fair, and having shared what information they have, Sannit says to the Seekers, "The thought of Asylim moving people through here with collars on disgusts me. On the surface we should act friendly or at least indifferent to the trade, but I would like for something to happen to this caravan. Perhaps we can arrange for the head silk weaver to 'die in an accident'. Of course I wish no harm to come to the woman, but if we can fake her death we can free her and take her skill set away from the caravan, something that might stall the progress of this endeavor. Asylim wants to be sneaky, I say we meet them halfway. What do the rest of you think?"

GM: When the caravan arrives in town, it is much more solemn than any caravan has ever been. So much so that other people about town stop and stare, some cocking their heads at the oddity. The caravan stops at the usual location for such. Once the wagons are chocked and the animals given fodder, all the guards leave but two. The caravaners all seem to be keeping to themselves.

Indigo tells Myth to go play but not to stray too far. As the Seekers approach the caravan, Sheldon greets one of the remaining guards on duty.
"There sure seems to be quite a few guards for the silk caravan. There have never been this many in the past. We are well acquainted with Clauz, the caravan master, and wish to speak with him. Are you going to prevent that?"

The guards nods at Sheldon and the other Seekers. He appears bored, rather than hostile or angry.
"Feel free. He can tell you exactly what is going on. It will be well suited for everyone involved if he does."

The guards words are unexpected. Clauz is sitting on the ground by his wagon, eating a piece of fruit. He stands at the approach.
"It is good to see you again. It is nice to see the growth here in Southroad Fair, but before you say anything, I must insist that you do not get involved. We have been marked as criminals, but this irritating collar is only the half of it. You will notice that my wife is not with me. She is back in Asylim, as are family members of everyone in the train. If for any reason other than our own deaths we do not return to Asylim, our family members will suffer, so please, do not do anything. Even if you could somehow manage to kill the Marshals, we would still have to return to Asylim. I am sure there is no need to explain the repercussions further.

Also, we were told that Saesuedeserp made some bargain with the God of the Maelstrom, casting his gold into the sea beyond the point, and was granted the power of the Maelstroms lightning. If we try to remove these collars, it will kill us.

We are doomed. You need to let it go."

 

[redraider629]

Vadin hearing Clauz speak feels anger begin to dwell up in him. However his ears perk up when Clauz says "If for any reason other than our own deaths we do not return to Asylim, our family members will suffer, so please, do not do anything." and he remembers what Sannit said. He says to Sannit, "I think your idea is a good one."

 

[Kwargrow]

After they leave the wagons and Clauz behind, Sannit says to the Seekers, "We should talk to the weaver and see what she is willing to do. Since we have talked about starting the silk caravan here, she would be useful to this town. If we could disguise her and use her skills, this could be another boon for Southroad Fair. We have many new people here. If we hide her among the Rheini or the Spiopthfest, who is to know she wasn't always with them? If she doesn't agree, then we let it go. You can't help people that don't want help."


Sannit and Bolo separate with Bolo taking Sannit's spear. Sannit goes to the guards and asks them if they need some water or a bite to eat. He invites them to the Boar's Head tonight to have a drink with him."I know a friendly town makes the journey easier," he tells them.

Bolo does not go far. She keeps an eye on Sannit and practices her hiding.

Outside Southroad Fair Turtle looks for Myth to see if he wants to go hunting.

 

[redraider629]

Vadin tries to keep an eye on the guards, while at the same time not looking obvious. As he watches the guards move around town, he notices something about them. He decides to share with the other seekers. He quietly tells the seekers "I have been watching the guards, and their movements are interesting. It seems that they are moving around in pairs, and following a pattern in their movements. It seems to me that they are not moving around town merely sightseeing, but are moving around in an attempt to gather information. I think we may need to prepare for a fight. Or at least keep a closer eye on what is happening."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor nods,
“I noticed it, too. They are indeed scouting the town, and measuring defenses. I think Asylim, or at least one of its guilds, means to annex Southroad Fair by force. We should keep an eye on the guards. I’d also like to know why the caravan merchants have been marked as criminals; what was their crime? Saemund, what are your thoughts? ”

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin asks the Caravan Master: “What bargain? Please explain. What will happen if you remove the collar? How exactly would you die?”

Without makng any outward sign that he is doing so, Merin will try to sense Way on the collars. Are the collars somehow Way-active?

OOC: Are the collars enchanted?

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: The Silk Caravan

Sannit and Bolo separate with Bolo taking Sannit's spear. Sannit goes to the guards and asks them if they need some water or a bite to eat. He invites them to the Boar's Head tonight to have a drink with him."I know a friendly town makes the journey easier," he tells them.

The guards nods in gratitude.
"We drew the short straw. We two must stay with the caravan. I appreciate that though."

After they leave the wagons and Clauz behind, Sannit says to the Seekers, "We should talk to the weaver and see what she is willing to do. Since we have talked about starting the silk caravan here, she would be useful to this town. If we could disguise her and use her skills, this could be another boon for Southroad Fair. We have many new people here. If we hide her among the Rheini or the Spiopthfest, who is to know she wasn't always with them? If she doesn't agree, then we let it go. You can't help people that don't want help."

The others agree and all return to speak with the weaver. Surprisingly, the guards move away so as to allow for a private conversation. After listening to the idea, she frowns and shakes her head sadly.
"That Magister thought ahead on this one. My husband is back in Asylim. All of us have family there. Even if you could somehow fake my own death, my body would have to be returned. I see no way out of this, but my sentence is only two years for whatever imagined offense it was I committed. Poor Clauz has been remanded to 10 years."

Outside Southroad Fair Turtle looks for Myth to see if he wants to go hunting.

GM: Myth is atop the new Guild House. He hops down to travel with Turtle.

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit strokes his beard as he considers the problem. "So at some point we will have to sneak into Asylim and free the prisoners. I don't suppose that will be easy, but if we cannot promise people some freedom from the Magisters oppression then we will not have much success against them. We should also consider that it will be beyond our ability to find success against a larger city from only the outside. We will need to find enemies of the magisters within the borders of Asylim. We are going to have to travel to the city."

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Assessing the Guard Movement

Vadin tries to keep an eye on the guards, while at the same time not looking obvious. As he watches the guards move around town, he notices something about them. He decides to share with the other seekers. He quietly tells the seekers "I have been watching the guards, and their movements are interesting. It seems that they are moving around in pairs, and following a pattern in their movements. It seems to me that they are not moving around town merely sightseeing, but are moving around in an attempt to gather information. I think we may need to prepare for a fight. Or at least keep a closer eye on what is happening."

Tor nods,
“I noticed it, too. They are indeed scouting the town, and measuring defenses. I think Asylim, or at least one of its guilds, means to annex Southroad Fair by force. We should keep an eye on the guards. I’d also like to know why the caravan merchants have been marked as criminals; what was their crime? Saemund, what are your thoughts? ”

As this discussion occurs, Indigo joins the observations.
"I noticed this pattern of movement as well. I am not sure if they are assessing defenses or if they are attempting to gauge progress of the town development. I do not think these 10 guards are looking for direct conflict. Even if there skill at arms is superior to everyone in town, it would be nearly impossible to avoid being repeatedly skewered with arrows from the town's numerous hunters."

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Speaking with Clauz, part 2

Merin asks the Caravan Master:

“What bargain? Please explain. What will happen if you remove the collar? How exactly would you die?”

The caravan master's eyes go wide.
"You will not believe it. I can hardly believe it and I saw it with my own eyes. One of the pickers, a particularly angry young man, decided that the whole collar thing was a ruse, right while Magister Suausedeserp was explaining our fate. He removed his collar. Before he could even bring down his hands, he fell to the ground convulsing like some fish that had been dropped on the dock. His eyes bugged out and froth came out of his mouth. When he finished shaking he was dead."

He shivers, remembering the sight.
"The Magister dared anyone else to remove it and suffer the same fate."

GM: Since he has no knowledge of electricity, Merin and any other character privy to the conversation understand that what Clauz is describing is death by electrocution.

Without makng any outward sign that he is doing so, Merin will try to sense Way on the collars.

OOC: No check will be necessary.

GM: Merin and Sheldon suddenly look at one another as they coincidentally created an echo. Apparently both had the same idea at the same time. Both are surprised to find that the collars do indeed reflect a manipulation of way, more specifically, stones manufactured into the collars. Determining the exact nature of this nodal flux is not possible without being able to hold one of the collars. Merin and Sheldon also note that all collars within their range reflect this same result but nothing else about the caravan, its people, or the two guards.

Later Sheldon conveys to the Seekers.
"Those collars are truly what they were reported to be. That crap about paying some homage to the Maelstrom is a ruse. This Saucy Drip can manipulate Way, and it appears his knowledge of it exceeds that of ours."