Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="Cerebral Paladin" data-source="post: 2138892" data-attributes="member: 3448">Session 18, cont'd:Later that afternoon, Sister Aurora travels to the employers of Marna's mother.&quot;You wanted to see me, ma'am?&quot;&quot;Yes... you know that we've been trying to rescue my sister and your daughter.&quot; Sister Aurora struggles to find a way to say this gently.&nbsp; &quot;We were able to rescue my sister, but Marna had already been sold into slavery by the kidnappers.&nbsp; We're still trying to get her back....&quot;Marna's mother miserably forces herself to say, &quot;I'm glad your sister is safe.&quot;&quot;We'll find her.&nbsp; Did Marna have any other skills that might help us figure out who would have bought her?&quot;&quot;I trained her well in cleaning, cooking, and other skills a domestic servant would need.&nbsp; Other than that... she is a little light footed, but I taught her to be honest.&quot; The halfling woman chokes back tears.&nbsp; &quot;We all know that there's a chance that slavers will kidnap our children, but you always hope that you'll be the lucky family...&quot;Sister Aurora frowns.&nbsp; &quot;Wait... how common is it for slavers to kidnap halflings?&quot;&quot;Everyone knows a family that has lost a child that way.&nbsp; I'm not sure how common it is, but it's a fact of life in the Halfling Quarter.&quot; Marna's mother thinks for a second.&nbsp; &quot;It's probably a little less common than it seems.&nbsp; After all, a family wouldn't want to admit that one of their sons couldn't support himself and had to go to the slave merchants.&nbsp; It might be easier to say that he was kidnapped.&nbsp; But enough of the families have to be telling the truth, and everyone knows a family that lost a child that way...&quot;&quot;I'm sorry again for your loss.&nbsp; I promise that my family will bring Marna back to you.&quot;* * * *That evening, Lord Lhovrik greets his mother as she emerges from another long day of enchanting in her lab.&nbsp; &quot;Mother, may I speak with you about the Skyrnath kidnapping?&quot;&quot;Of course, dear.&nbsp; Have you made any progress in finding the poor girl?&quot;&quot;Yes, we rescued her earlier this afternoon.&nbsp; My question is about some discoveries we made during the rescue.&quot;&quot;Oh, I'm very glad to hear that.&nbsp; What did you find?&quot;&quot;Desithia was guarded by two ogres, in addition to some more readily explained guards.&nbsp; Do you have any idea how someone could have gotten ogres into the city? Is it legal to own ogres?&quot;&quot;Ogres... that's very odd.&nbsp; I suppose they could have captured them.&nbsp; There are wild ogres in the hills in parts of the Empire, although they have been wiped out close to Lir Sanek, so they would have had to transport them some distance.&nbsp; Ogres fall into a gray category... I'm not sure if it's illegal to hold them as slaves, but tolerated for some heavy work like construction, or legal, but heavily frowned on.&quot;&quot;Can you think of any way that they might have been gotten besides capturing them?&quot;&quot;I can think of one other place I've heard of ogres.&nbsp; But it's illegal, and very dangerous.&nbsp; You must promise that you won't investigate it yourself.&quot;&quot;Don't worry.&nbsp; I won't tell Ginara.&quot;&quot;I'm glad you understand.&quot; Lady cath Kalissar smiles. &quot;You know that there are illegal pit fights in the bad parts of town?&nbsp; I've heard that some of the pit fights use ogres, at least some of the time.&nbsp; I don't know how common it is, because I don't visit such vile places.&nbsp; But the kidnappers might have bought the ogres from the people who run the pit fights.&quot;&quot;Thank you.&nbsp; That's useful to know.&quot;&quot;Oh, I thought you might want to know that we've received invitations to the Governor's Gala, for myself, your father, and you.&nbsp; Your father and I won't be attending, but if you want to, just let the butler know so he can make preparations.&quot;&quot;Thank you, Mother.&nbsp; I may.&quot;&nbsp; * * * *Melania continues the search by checking out some of the inns and taverns in the area.&nbsp; She neither sees Marna, nor hears anything about her when she asks some of the staff.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Cerebral Paladin, post: 2138892, member: 3448"] Session 18, cont'd: Later that afternoon, Sister Aurora travels to the employers of Marna's mother. "You wanted to see me, ma'am?" "Yes... you know that we've been trying to rescue my sister and your daughter." Sister Aurora struggles to find a way to say this gently. "We were able to rescue my sister, but Marna had already been sold into slavery by the kidnappers. We're still trying to get her back...." Marna's mother miserably forces herself to say, "I'm glad your sister is safe." "We'll find her. Did Marna have any other skills that might help us figure out who would have bought her?" "I trained her well in cleaning, cooking, and other skills a domestic servant would need. Other than that... she is a little light footed, but I taught her to be honest." The halfling woman chokes back tears. "We all know that there's a chance that slavers will kidnap our children, but you always hope that you'll be the lucky family..." Sister Aurora frowns. "Wait... how common is it for slavers to kidnap halflings?" "Everyone knows a family that has lost a child that way. I'm not sure how common it is, but it's a fact of life in the Halfling Quarter." Marna's mother thinks for a second. "It's probably a little less common than it seems. After all, a family wouldn't want to admit that one of their sons couldn't support himself and had to go to the slave merchants. It might be easier to say that he was kidnapped. But enough of the families have to be telling the truth, and everyone knows a family that lost a child that way..." "I'm sorry again for your loss. I promise that my family will bring Marna back to you." * * * * That evening, Lord Lhovrik greets his mother as she emerges from another long day of enchanting in her lab. "Mother, may I speak with you about the Skyrnath kidnapping?" "Of course, dear. Have you made any progress in finding the poor girl?" "Yes, we rescued her earlier this afternoon. My question is about some discoveries we made during the rescue." "Oh, I'm very glad to hear that. What did you find?" "Desithia was guarded by two ogres, in addition to some more readily explained guards. Do you have any idea how someone could have gotten ogres into the city? Is it legal to own ogres?" "Ogres... that's very odd. I suppose they could have captured them. There are wild ogres in the hills in parts of the Empire, although they have been wiped out close to Lir Sanek, so they would have had to transport them some distance. Ogres fall into a gray category... I'm not sure if it's illegal to hold them as slaves, but tolerated for some heavy work like construction, or legal, but heavily frowned on." "Can you think of any way that they might have been gotten besides capturing them?" "I can think of one other place I've heard of ogres. But it's illegal, and very dangerous. You must promise that you won't investigate it yourself." "Don't worry. I won't tell Ginara." "I'm glad you understand." Lady cath Kalissar smiles. "You know that there are illegal pit fights in the bad parts of town? I've heard that some of the pit fights use ogres, at least some of the time. I don't know how common it is, because I don't visit such vile places. But the kidnappers might have bought the ogres from the people who run the pit fights." "Thank you. That's useful to know." "Oh, I thought you might want to know that we've received invitations to the Governor's Gala, for myself, your father, and you. Your father and I won't be attending, but if you want to, just let the butler know so he can make preparations." "Thank you, Mother. I may." * * * * Melania continues the search by checking out some of the inns and taverns in the area. She neither sees Marna, nor hears anything about her when she asks some of the staff. [/QUOTE]

Verification