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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mal Malenkirk" data-source="post: 4537604" data-attributes="member: 834">The large doors and wide corridors of the Hive, as the HQ was colloquially known, were custom made for dragonkins, the largest of the republican races.  Most official buildings built in the republic era were.  Dwarven critics pointed out that it also made these buildings well suited for orcs, trolls and all matter of nasties.The team reached the control room, nicknamed the Mine due the overabundance of weird crystal pieces of various shape and size.  Resonance crystals were a peculiar sort of magic where shards of crystals of various origins (from diamond to common glass) would be, according to alchemist jargon, ‘synchronized’.  Synchronized shards could be used to transmit sound over large distance.  Sadly, it was expensive and one crystal could only be used to transmit sound to one other specific crystal.  Still, its use as a communication device were invaluable.  SCU made use of it more than any other organization in the republic.  Where the army normally had only one pair of crystal linking a platoon of elite soldier or a battalion of regulars to their command centers, SCU typically used a pair of crystal for every agent on the field.  It was very expensive.  And it made the control room look like the treasure room of a demented dragon since each field agent’s crystal had its matching pair here.Karath introduced the team to an ebullient drow lady with unusually pale skin and sunny disposition.  Her cheerful demeanor clashed with her dark and professional dress.-‘’Hey, my name is Shayla.  Over the air you call me ‘Control One’.  I wanted ‘Boss Lady’ but apparently it is against protocol.’’She was standing at a desk filled with fairly large crystal of different hues matched with much smaller one of identical color.-‘’Okay, so Dagran is Green, Barrion is Purple, Garrick is Yellow, Leyra is Plum , Mirage is Grey and Nathan is… wait, I already have a Yellow.  You will be Red.’’She handed everyone a small stone matching their colors.  It had been covered in a sticky substance and was fixed near the agents collar.’’-‘’Done.  All right.  The job.  It’s a Salt shake down.  We have an informer clueing us to a rash of smuggling throughout the city of what is likely Salt.  As you know, it’s a big no-no.  We don’t have enough evidence for a warrant in most of these lead except for one; the brother Karathoff.  Two dwarves cattle rancher.  Yes, ranchers!  But they are also greedy and ill mannered so you see that they will only go so far in fighting stereotypes.’’  She winks at the group.-’’These guys have priors.  Smuggling, assaults, tax evasion and attempted murder a few years ago but that one didn’t stick.  But that’s why the judge gave us an actual warrant for this run.  So no need to just burn everything and run away, you can actually bring them in.  Actually, we really need to interrogate someone, otherwise this will be a waste pf time.  They are almost certain to resist though.  In the past few years they have been more successful and you can expect half a dozen cowboys that double up as guards.  The brother themselves are pretty tough customers.  The analysts evaluate that will likely feel that they have gone too far in recent years to be stopped now so expect them to fightlike cornered rat. The field observer on this one is Jimmi.  You may have met him, he’ll escort you to the site.  It’s just a bit off the city.  He’ll give you the tactical layout.  Remember to keep in constant touch with me.  Good luck, and don’t end up front page in the press.’’[sblock] SALT?  ARE YOU SERIOUS?  Yes, very.  In the pre-industrial world, salt was like oil today.  War were fought over control of the mines and high price could lead to revolt.  It was used for many reasons but the most crucial was preserving meat.  It was doubly important for city dwellers; getting protein outside of salted meat could be almost impossible for someone who lived in a typical middle-age city.  It wasn’t as bad for peasants.Since everyone used salt (or bought salted products), taxing salt was a primary source of income for governments, as close to direct income tax as they could get in those days.In the context of the campaign, Brokhelm produces a lot of salt and due to the preferred trading status, their merchants are taxed less than others.  But if smugglers can come in and undercut them with untaxed salt…  They complain to their king, who complains to your president who puts pressure on SCU.  So there you are.WARRANT?  Yes, this is a state of law.  But it is still a bit iffy.  Example; the proof against the Karathoff brother is no more solid than all the other lead their informant gave them.  But they are less connected so the judge feels better giving a warrant in this case.  They do a lot on a subjective basis.PRESS?  Yes.  Guttenberg style.  A daily is still just a large sheet printed back and front.  Censorship against anti-republican article is still considered normal and journalist aren’t that worried about checkingtheir fact, protecting their source and remaining neutral.  We are talking early press.I posted all this during my break at work which is why I don’t have the map ye.  I'll post it in a few hours and then you will start by deciding on an approach tactic.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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