Urko
First Post
Calabas answers more questions
Calabas seems surprised when 'He Has No Name' speaks. He regards the warforged thoughtfully for a moment before replying. "It's a good point. As a matter of fact, no formal treaty exists – I’m not sure if the concept would even have meaning to the poison dusks. Their lands are actually about twenty miles away, so we don’t really have a lot of contact, but what little there is has always been friendly. Up to now. When Mr. Novilderth first set up his plantation about ten years ago, he hired a man by the name of Merritt to survey the area and make contact with any tribes who lived there. Merritt was assured by the Three Feathers that the site was safe and that no tribe had a claim there. We have opened up new fields from time to time, but we’ve always surveyed first, for precisely the reason you mention. Besides which, the last new field was started more than a year ago. We don’t see a connection.”
Sanae might be surprised to hear Merritt mentioned in this exchange; he was the guide for her own ill-fated jungle expedition. Any thoughts she may have on the subject are pushed to one side while she questions Calabas further and hears what he has to say. ”As I’ve said, the attacks are a complete mystery to us, which is why we have hired outside consultants. Mr. Novilderth may be able to tell you something I have overlooked, but as far as we can determine our own operations were routine up to that point and there was no provocation for the attacks.”
“One thing we are certain of is the effects. Loss of life has been minimal, but we have suffered two deaths, out of a total of 59 people at the plantation. At least, that was the case five days ago when I set out for here. The situation may have worsened since then. In any event, Mr. Novilderth considers even one death unacceptable, as I’m sure you can understand. There has also been a good deal of damage. Several outbuildings have been burned and a number of crops, mostly food for the plantation workers, have been stolen or destroyed.”
“As for the...House involvement...” He looks about, somewhat nervously, to see if anyone else in the salon is paying attention to your party. No one appears to be. He continues in a lower voice. ”The mining enclave was set up about three years ago. Originally, they approached Mr. Novilderth for permission to use his docks and build a road to their site. He was furious to have them so close and came to Newthrone in person to ask the King to deny them permission to mine there. But, as you know, what the Houses want, they usually get. They did set up their own dock, about five miles further upstream. Since then relations have been – what is the word diplomats use for nations that aren’t actually hitting one another with swords? – cordial. We stay out of their way, they stay out of ours. But I believe Mr. Novilderth is of the opinion that they wish to force him out and that this represents their first overt attempt to do so.”
Calabas seems surprised when 'He Has No Name' speaks. He regards the warforged thoughtfully for a moment before replying. "It's a good point. As a matter of fact, no formal treaty exists – I’m not sure if the concept would even have meaning to the poison dusks. Their lands are actually about twenty miles away, so we don’t really have a lot of contact, but what little there is has always been friendly. Up to now. When Mr. Novilderth first set up his plantation about ten years ago, he hired a man by the name of Merritt to survey the area and make contact with any tribes who lived there. Merritt was assured by the Three Feathers that the site was safe and that no tribe had a claim there. We have opened up new fields from time to time, but we’ve always surveyed first, for precisely the reason you mention. Besides which, the last new field was started more than a year ago. We don’t see a connection.”
Sanae might be surprised to hear Merritt mentioned in this exchange; he was the guide for her own ill-fated jungle expedition. Any thoughts she may have on the subject are pushed to one side while she questions Calabas further and hears what he has to say. ”As I’ve said, the attacks are a complete mystery to us, which is why we have hired outside consultants. Mr. Novilderth may be able to tell you something I have overlooked, but as far as we can determine our own operations were routine up to that point and there was no provocation for the attacks.”
“One thing we are certain of is the effects. Loss of life has been minimal, but we have suffered two deaths, out of a total of 59 people at the plantation. At least, that was the case five days ago when I set out for here. The situation may have worsened since then. In any event, Mr. Novilderth considers even one death unacceptable, as I’m sure you can understand. There has also been a good deal of damage. Several outbuildings have been burned and a number of crops, mostly food for the plantation workers, have been stolen or destroyed.”
“As for the...House involvement...” He looks about, somewhat nervously, to see if anyone else in the salon is paying attention to your party. No one appears to be. He continues in a lower voice. ”The mining enclave was set up about three years ago. Originally, they approached Mr. Novilderth for permission to use his docks and build a road to their site. He was furious to have them so close and came to Newthrone in person to ask the King to deny them permission to mine there. But, as you know, what the Houses want, they usually get. They did set up their own dock, about five miles further upstream. Since then relations have been – what is the word diplomats use for nations that aren’t actually hitting one another with swords? – cordial. We stay out of their way, they stay out of ours. But I believe Mr. Novilderth is of the opinion that they wish to force him out and that this represents their first overt attempt to do so.”
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