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Message: <blockquote data-quote="howandwhy99" data-source="post: 2526005" data-attributes="member: 3192">Father Ben contemplated the rocky ascent to power of Lord Radcliffe.  He decided to change the topic.“What of all correspondences up until this time?  We were under the impression they were all destroyed during the attack.  Might Harling have copies of these?  Or Lady Margrave?”  In response Lord Ratcliffe decided to give Ben his wish: access to any and all papers he requested.  Ben asked to start skimming whatever was immediately available.  It amounted to only one book.  It was a ledger recording the accounts on how heavily overdrawn the County was.After returning to the temple Father Ben greeted the Hamfast refugees with his unfortunate news.  He tried to offer it in the best way possible.  “Prison might not be so bad”, he said.  “And I will come by to make sure you are treated well and fed.”  But the refugees refused to go.  In response they prepared to burn down the temple, if threatened with force.  Seeing their newfound reasoning, Ben decided another tack might be best. The next day Father Ben examined the remains of the Inn.  It was in partial repair.  It looked like the repairs were advancing even faster then before.  He found the reason.  Reynaldo had joined the crew.  Ben bartered with the construction crew.  He was trying to find work for the refugees.  It did not take much urging.  There was plenty of work to be done still even weeks after the fire and attack.  Travelers were coming back and looking for a place to stay.  A makeshift space inside the Inn was the only spot for them.  Father Ben sent a word for Mirel’s parents.  He wanted to learn the whereabouts of Mirel.  When they arrived he asked them if they were the ones who taught her to count so well.  They had.  Inspiration hit.  Ben asked if they could do accounting for the keep.  “To tally the number of businesses and types.  I was hoping Mirel could help as well.”  He told them he wanted to learn the number of families within the Keep and the number of members in each.  Father Ben explained that the current troubles required that each and every life be looked over.  He said especially they would need to keep a strict eye out for visitors since the fire.  The number and descriptions of all Inn patrons would need to be accounted for.  Mirel’s parents seemed to take it all in stride.Two day’s later Ben heard a knock at his door.  Mirel had finally turned up.  She did not enter but dutifully gave her report.  “There are roughly 50 comers and goers to the Keep.  The staff of the shops and the kitchens and so forth.”  This was in addition to the soldiers.  Then she handed the priest a large sack of coin.  She said it was for the church and to look after the keep.  “I am too young for such money.  It’s for healing herbs.  ‘Cause they cost so much.  Why do I need it?  I ask for what I need and people give it.” Then she scampered off.   Before she was out of sight she turned back, “I’d rather give it to you then to Igor anyways.  Dalin says we can trust Igor with our lives, but not our gold.”  Then she left. Ben simply stood in the doorway with a confused look.  Later he counted the money.  It was over seven hundred in gold, nearly all Mirel’s share of the treasure from Quesquaton.</blockquote>

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