TUW: Boga City

MacConnell · Jan 31, 2018

Kwicker Delights

Saemund.

Sylvar B. said:
...your Captain pacing about twirling his blade does make one nervous... (Saemund unconsciously moves his hand to his axe)

Kwicker, who is still pacing about the room, albeit sans knife since Ghostwalker brought to his attention what he was doing, roars laughing.
"Woohoo! I'm a Captain."

He runs at the chair where he could be sitting and does a one-armed handspring over it, using the back of the chair as a vault, landing in the mock bow of a stage performer.

Sylen.
"All right, Kwicker! You may look 14, but you are 43. Do not damage my furniture."

Kwicker rubs his hands together in front of him.
"Makes one nervous? Ha! Not a bead of perspiration, no dysfunctional motions, and no furtive glances. I am only 4' tall. You are a giant. I think I can take you."

He holds his hands flat out in front of him, palms down.
"Want to try me at a game of slaps. I will even let you go first."

MacConnell · Jan 31, 2018

Y 0: D 197-202: Doldrums 47-52: Meeting of the Minds, part 3

San-Bolo addresses Kwicker:

Kwargrow said:
"Most of our group comes from the old silk caravan, which was disbanded violently. In the new caravan that we passed on the way here, some of the old caravan members are still working, collared like animals and kept in servitude by threat to their loved ones back in Asylim. In order to free our old friends to follow their own lives instead of the greed of the Magisters, I am forming a plan to sneak into Asylim and save the prisoners. Would their families be kept in a single location, or would they imprison them in their homes?"

Kwicker stops being silly and looks over at Sannit and Bolo. He starts pacing around again, obviously considering how to respond.
"That is completely new to me. I have never heard of that before. Collaring was always used to designate criminals, but even the families of criminals were never threatened in the past. Cotone would definitely never go for that. Given enough time it will make the populace less submissive and more likely to revolt.

That does not sound like Pesce, either. Even as a killer, he does not hold people captive or make threats. That means that whoever is behind this is one of the younger Magisters.

As far as to where families would be moved, I could not guess. There are no holding pens in Asylim. The worst fate when I lived there was to be remanded to the docks. I guess they could use the hold of a ship as a pen, but if that were so, I doubt any of these prisoners would even live long enough for a caravan to make a single trip.

You said assassins had been employed as far from Asylim as Southroad Fair. My guess is that these families are under surveillance not capture. They are allowed to go about their regular lives, but they are left being completely paranoid, wondering when their death will arrive. If killers are involved, then Molo Pesce must be involved, but I can say for certain that he is not the one pulling the strings, which means that one of the new Magisters is very powerful in his own right."

Tellerian Hawke · Jan 31, 2018

Kwicker said:
"...Anyway, Contadino Cotone is the oldest Magister. He really is a good guy. He cares about the people and about trade...What I can tell you is that in order for the power shift to work, the people behind it will need to take out Cotone. Until he is out of the way, they will not succeed."

Merin nods, and says, "Then we should seek out Cotone, at some point in the future, and offer to protect him, and perhaps even serve him for a time, in the interests of getting ourselves on the "inside" of Asylim. Is there any way we could covertly send him a message? If we were officially his employees, we could have free reign in Asylim, as far as being able to move about freely is concerned."

Sylen said:
"...I can not convey in words my amazement and enjoyment at seeing a group of Benders so young to portray such benevolence."

Tor smiles, "We, also, are pleased to meet this council, and to finally discover that there is hope in this dark world. Your knowledge and willingness to share it will go a long way towards helping us to set things right in Asylim."

Kwicker said:
"...If killers are involved, then Molo Pesce must be involved..."

Merin nods, "Then I take it Molo is neutral in this matter? Providing assassins simply because a customer paid his fee? If that is the case, then perhaps we could pay Molo a fee to become non-involved, i.e., pay him to tell Saucy Drip (that's our nickname for our common enemy, Suausedeserp, the young Magister who is orchestrating all of this) that all of his men are busy with other contracts. If we can slow down Saucy's plans, so much the better."

Kwargrow · Jan 31, 2018

If that is the case, then perhaps we could pay Molo a fee to become non-involved, i.e., pay him to tell Saucy Drip (that's our nickname for our common enemy, Suausedeserp, the young Magister who is orchestrating all of this) that all of his men are busy with other contracts.

Bolo replies, "I do not think we will be able to acquire such wealth as to outbid Saucy Drip. Besides, from what we have heard it is likely Pesce will rob us and kill us before siding with us. If we can free the families of the caravan workers, it will not only help them but show others inside the city that the Magisters can be opposed, that their power is not absolute. Then we can go about making alliances within Asylim to put an end to these cruelties and murders."

My guess is that these families are under surveillance not capture.

Sannit strokes his beard as he thinks with a sly grin. He says, "That will make this even easier. It might take them awhile to notice anyone is missing. Once we get inside the city we can contact them and see how they feel about relocating from Asylim. The danger is minimal, but the potential payoff is huge."

Then we should seek out Cotone, at some point in the future, and offer to protect him, and perhaps even serve him for a time, in the interests of getting ourselves on the "inside" of Asylim.

Sannit nods. "I like that plan. It is very likely Cotone will see through to our true motives, but any information we can glean about the inner workings of the Magisters would be useful."

MacConnell · Feb 1, 2018

Y 0: D 197-202: Doldrums 47-52: Meeting of the Minds, part 4

Sannit strokes his beard as he thinks with a sly grin. He says,

Kwargrow said:
"That will make this even easier. It might take them awhile to notice anyone is missing. Once we get inside the city we can contact them and see how they feel about relocating from Asylim. The danger is minimal, but the potential payoff is huge."

Sheldon runs his left hand through his hair, pulling it back from his face.
"This does sound like our best, first course of action. I have one question, though. Kwicker, what would you say is best way for us to sneak into the city so that we could walk around unmolested?"

Kwicker bounces on his toes for a second before responding.
"One might think that the best way would be to disguise yourselves as regular soldiers. THis will get you into the city and through all check points, except the Magisters District, but it is also likely that another soldier of rank will chance encounter you and start barking orders at you. Strategically since you are looking for the families of teamsters, you should go in as workers, limit yourselves to the areas where they are free to move, and then look for other means to pass into restricted areas if it becomes necessary.

Since you will need to avoid the attention of Molo Pesce, you should not try to swim in at the docks. This is the easiest way into the city around the attention of the soldiers but someone who works for Pesce is going to notice. Going in a rice pickers would work for the two girls, but for those two giants, that will not cut it.

Okay, I have it. You will need to split up and meet back together once inside. The girls should definitely go in with a group of rice pickers. You men are going to need to merge with the salt miners and brick makers, something where you size would be expected. It will not matter that only one of you is Ansylin. No one cares about the labor force, as long as the work gets done.

The kicker is that you will not get anywhere with that armor. You will either have to shuck it or majorly disguise it, even from the workers. Workers tend to keep their heads down and their mouths shut, but that kind of armor is too much. Same thing for bigger weapons, you will want to stick to knives, something easily concealed."

Kwargrow · Feb 2, 2018

Now Sannit does bow, in respect for this sharing of knowledge, but as the custom of the caravan guards, never takes his eyes off the mayor or his compatriots. He says, "The armor is easy to leave behind, but my spear is another matter. If this mission becomes a fight I will want it with me. I will look for a way to disguise it."

Bolo looks around at the assembly and remarks, "Why are there no women among you?"

OOC:

LOL

MacConnell · Feb 2, 2018

Y 0: D 203: Doldrums 53: Departing Boga City

Trade Negotiations:
The Seekers earned a total of 9828 clams for their trade efforts. A fee of 197 clams was paid. A commission of 20% of the silk trade was kept while 450 clams were set aside to return to Southroad Fair, leaving a total of 9181 clams.

Lodging:
A total of 1600 clams was spent to house everyone for 5 days plus 40 clams for the pack animals, bringing the new total to 7541 clams.

Classes:
Sannit's advanced lessons cost 20 clams each, being the most expensive, while Vadin's lessons and Centrin literacy classes for Sheldon only cost 2 each. All other Seekers paid 10 clams for each other lesson. The total coins spent was 440 clams, bringing the new total to 7101. For Lessons:

Sheldon received +1 to Weaponless Combat and 20% competency in reading Centrin.
Indigo received +1 to Melee Combat.
Tor received +1 to the Obscurative Commercial skill.
Merin received +1 to Weaponless Combat.
Sannit received +1 to Pole Melee Combat.
Bolo received +1 to Projectile Combat.
Saemund received +1 to Melee Combat.
Vadin received +1 to Combat.

OOC:

These additions have already been applied to the character records.

Food:
A total of 225 clams was spent to feed everyone for 5 days, including Turtle, bringing the new total to 6876 clams. Feroz who remained aloof for the stay, readily found game for himself, mostly in the form of plump pigeons.

Awarded Experience:
Innovative Ideas and Problem Solving: 7 (all characters and companions)
Individual Posts:

Tor: 3
Merin: 8
San-Bolo + Turtle: 10
Saemund: 8
Feroz: 2
Vadin: 4

.

MacConnell · Feb 3, 2018

Y 0: D 203 - 207: Doldrums 53 - 57: Heading South

The Seekers depart from Boga City after collecting their pack animals from the farm where they had been kept. As would be expected, the weather is fair and hot and the travel is uneventful for the first 3 days. About mid-morning on the 4th day, an equine herd of some, yet, unknown breed is seen grazing off in the distance to the west of the road.

Indigo offers,
"We have discussed several times forming our own caravan train. To do that we could use more pack animals. The last time we captured some, we sold them in Bergbaulager. It seems our potential replacements are grazing upon that hill."