TUW: The Steel Trade [IC]

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Back in Town

Once back in Southroad Fair, and having shared what information they have, Sannit says to the Seekers, "The thought of Asylim moving people through here with collars on disgusts me. On the surface we should act friendly or at least indifferent to the trade, but I would like for something to happen to this caravan. Perhaps we can arrange for the head silk weaver to 'die in an accident'. Of course I wish no harm to come to the woman, but if we can fake her death we can free her and take her skill set away from the caravan, something that might stall the progress of this endeavor. Asylim wants to be sneaky, I say we meet them halfway. What do the rest of you think?"

GM: When the caravan arrives in town, it is much more solemn than any caravan has ever been. So much so that other people about town stop and stare, some cocking their heads at the oddity. The caravan stops at the usual location for such. Once the wagons are chocked and the animals given fodder, all the guards leave but two. The caravaners all seem to be keeping to themselves.

Indigo tells Myth to go play but not to stray too far. As the Seekers approach the caravan, Sheldon greets one of the remaining guards on duty.
"There sure seems to be quite a few guards for the silk caravan. There have never been this many in the past. We are well acquainted with Clauz, the caravan master, and wish to speak with him. Are you going to prevent that?"

The guards nods at Sheldon and the other Seekers. He appears bored, rather than hostile or angry.
"Feel free. He can tell you exactly what is going on. It will be well suited for everyone involved if he does."

The guards words are unexpected. Clauz is sitting on the ground by his wagon, eating a piece of fruit. He stands at the approach.
"It is good to see you again. It is nice to see the growth here in Southroad Fair, but before you say anything, I must insist that you do not get involved. We have been marked as criminals, but this irritating collar is only the half of it. You will notice that my wife is not with me. She is back in Asylim, as are family members of everyone in the train. If for any reason other than our own deaths we do not return to Asylim, our family members will suffer, so please, do not do anything. Even if you could somehow manage to kill the Marshals, we would still have to return to Asylim. I am sure there is no need to explain the repercussions further.

Also, we were told that Saesuedeserp made some bargain with the God of the Maelstrom, casting his gold into the sea beyond the point, and was granted the power of the Maelstroms lightning. If we try to remove these collars, it will kill us.

We are doomed. You need to let it go."

 

[redraider629]

Vadin hearing Clauz speak feels anger begin to dwell up in him. However his ears perk up when Clauz says "If for any reason other than our own deaths we do not return to Asylim, our family members will suffer, so please, do not do anything." and he remembers what Sannit said. He says to Sannit, "I think your idea is a good one."

 

[Kwargrow]

After they leave the wagons and Clauz behind, Sannit says to the Seekers, "We should talk to the weaver and see what she is willing to do. Since we have talked about starting the silk caravan here, she would be useful to this town. If we could disguise her and use her skills, this could be another boon for Southroad Fair. We have many new people here. If we hide her among the Rheini or the Spiopthfest, who is to know she wasn't always with them? If she doesn't agree, then we let it go. You can't help people that don't want help."


Sannit and Bolo separate with Bolo taking Sannit's spear. Sannit goes to the guards and asks them if they need some water or a bite to eat. He invites them to the Boar's Head tonight to have a drink with him."I know a friendly town makes the journey easier," he tells them.

Bolo does not go far. She keeps an eye on Sannit and practices her hiding.

Outside Southroad Fair Turtle looks for Myth to see if he wants to go hunting.

 

[redraider629]

Vadin tries to keep an eye on the guards, while at the same time not looking obvious. As he watches the guards move around town, he notices something about them. He decides to share with the other seekers. He quietly tells the seekers "I have been watching the guards, and their movements are interesting. It seems that they are moving around in pairs, and following a pattern in their movements. It seems to me that they are not moving around town merely sightseeing, but are moving around in an attempt to gather information. I think we may need to prepare for a fight. Or at least keep a closer eye on what is happening."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Tor nods,
“I noticed it, too. They are indeed scouting the town, and measuring defenses. I think Asylim, or at least one of its guilds, means to annex Southroad Fair by force. We should keep an eye on the guards. I’d also like to know why the caravan merchants have been marked as criminals; what was their crime? Saemund, what are your thoughts? ”

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin asks the Caravan Master: “What bargain? Please explain. What will happen if you remove the collar? How exactly would you die?”

Without makng any outward sign that he is doing so, Merin will try to sense Way on the collars. Are the collars somehow Way-active?

OOC: Are the collars enchanted?

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: The Silk Caravan

Sannit and Bolo separate with Bolo taking Sannit's spear. Sannit goes to the guards and asks them if they need some water or a bite to eat. He invites them to the Boar's Head tonight to have a drink with him."I know a friendly town makes the journey easier," he tells them.

The guards nods in gratitude.
"We drew the short straw. We two must stay with the caravan. I appreciate that though."

After they leave the wagons and Clauz behind, Sannit says to the Seekers, "We should talk to the weaver and see what she is willing to do. Since we have talked about starting the silk caravan here, she would be useful to this town. If we could disguise her and use her skills, this could be another boon for Southroad Fair. We have many new people here. If we hide her among the Rheini or the Spiopthfest, who is to know she wasn't always with them? If she doesn't agree, then we let it go. You can't help people that don't want help."

The others agree and all return to speak with the weaver. Surprisingly, the guards move away so as to allow for a private conversation. After listening to the idea, she frowns and shakes her head sadly.
"That Magister thought ahead on this one. My husband is back in Asylim. All of us have family there. Even if you could somehow fake my own death, my body would have to be returned. I see no way out of this, but my sentence is only two years for whatever imagined offense it was I committed. Poor Clauz has been remanded to 10 years."

Outside Southroad Fair Turtle looks for Myth to see if he wants to go hunting.

GM: Myth is atop the new Guild House. He hops down to travel with Turtle.

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit strokes his beard as he considers the problem. "So at some point we will have to sneak into Asylim and free the prisoners. I don't suppose that will be easy, but if we cannot promise people some freedom from the Magisters oppression then we will not have much success against them. We should also consider that it will be beyond our ability to find success against a larger city from only the outside. We will need to find enemies of the magisters within the borders of Asylim. We are going to have to travel to the city."

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Assessing the Guard Movement

Vadin tries to keep an eye on the guards, while at the same time not looking obvious. As he watches the guards move around town, he notices something about them. He decides to share with the other seekers. He quietly tells the seekers "I have been watching the guards, and their movements are interesting. It seems that they are moving around in pairs, and following a pattern in their movements. It seems to me that they are not moving around town merely sightseeing, but are moving around in an attempt to gather information. I think we may need to prepare for a fight. Or at least keep a closer eye on what is happening."

Tor nods,
“I noticed it, too. They are indeed scouting the town, and measuring defenses. I think Asylim, or at least one of its guilds, means to annex Southroad Fair by force. We should keep an eye on the guards. I’d also like to know why the caravan merchants have been marked as criminals; what was their crime? Saemund, what are your thoughts? ”

As this discussion occurs, Indigo joins the observations.
"I noticed this pattern of movement as well. I am not sure if they are assessing defenses or if they are attempting to gauge progress of the town development. I do not think these 10 guards are looking for direct conflict. Even if there skill at arms is superior to everyone in town, it would be nearly impossible to avoid being repeatedly skewered with arrows from the town's numerous hunters."

 

[MacConnell]

Day 158: Speaking with Clauz, part 2

Merin asks the Caravan Master:

“What bargain? Please explain. What will happen if you remove the collar? How exactly would you die?”

The caravan master's eyes go wide.
"You will not believe it. I can hardly believe it and I saw it with my own eyes. One of the pickers, a particularly angry young man, decided that the whole collar thing was a ruse, right while Magister Suausedeserp was explaining our fate. He removed his collar. Before he could even bring down his hands, he fell to the ground convulsing like some fish that had been dropped on the dock. His eyes bugged out and froth came out of his mouth. When he finished shaking he was dead."

He shivers, remembering the sight.
"The Magister dared anyone else to remove it and suffer the same fate."

GM: Since he has no knowledge of electricity, Merin and any other character privy to the conversation understand that what Clauz is describing is death by electrocution.

Without makng any outward sign that he is doing so, Merin will try to sense Way on the collars.

OOC: No check will be necessary.

GM: Merin and Sheldon suddenly look at one another as they coincidentally created an echo. Apparently both had the same idea at the same time. Both are surprised to find that the collars do indeed reflect a manipulation of way, more specifically, stones manufactured into the collars. Determining the exact nature of this nodal flux is not possible without being able to hold one of the collars. Merin and Sheldon also note that all collars within their range reflect this same result but nothing else about the caravan, its people, or the two guards.

Later Sheldon conveys to the Seekers.
"Those collars are truly what they were reported to be. That crap about paying some homage to the Maelstrom is a ruse. This Saucy Drip can manipulate Way, and it appears his knowledge of it exceeds that of ours."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin tells the other Seekers,
“Freeing the prisoners would be like putting lipstick on a pig, or attempting to polish a turd. We need to address the root of the problem: We need to kill Saucy Drip, and we need help from a rival Magister, who would be willing to free them as a show of grattitide; because whatever rival we choose as our ally will inherit Saucy Drip’s estate and business interests.”

Tor nods solemnly in agreement.

 

[Kwargrow]

Merin tells the other Seekers, “Freeing the prisoners would be like putting lipstick on a pig, or attempting to polish a turd."

Sannit chuckles at Merin's choice of words. "I appreciate your opinion, brother, but I fear merely killing Saucy will only invite another to take his place. Also the other magisters might see us as a threat to be eliminated, and we might multiply our enemies. Yet, if we destroy Saucy's authority, the very fear that others have in him, such as poor Clauz, then when we kill Saucy it will seem, appropriately, that he brought his doom on himself. Taking away the silk caravan from him and finding a way to free those he has oppressed, I think, will do great harm to his reputation and semblance of power. I think one thing we can agree on is that we must make a journey to Asylim to see what we are truly up against."

Bolo says, "It does not surprise me to discover that these collars have been manipulated with Way. It seems it is a common trick of those in power to heap fear and loathing on the very things they use to gain an advantage."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

"I appreciate your opinion, brother, but I fear merely killing Saucy will only invite another to take his place..."

Merin answers with a wry grin, "That's precisely my intent. If we are perceived as trying to take over / acquire Saucy's interests, we WILL be seen as a threat. But if we're just some people he pissed off, who end up killing him in retaliation for personal reasons, then we will be perceived as useful, especially if we make it easy for the given person to step in and take over. And if we make it known that elimination of Saucy is our goal, and that we are not interested in taking his place, I'm sure that the rival in question would have no problem freeing a few slaves as a token of their gratitude. We are, in a sense, the perfect weapon; outsiders who can kill without causing a disturbance to the order of things. I don't care that the Magistrates are less-than-honorable people; I don't want to clean up Asylim's corrupt regime. I just want my friends out of harm's way, and I want Southroad Fair to prosper and grow. The Magistrates can have Asylim; indeed, they are welcome to it. I am not a Saint, nor a Savior, nor do I care to be."

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit nods but it is clear that Merin's words did not sway him. "The rest of you will have to decide this tie-breaker," he says. "Do we try to kill Saucy directly or do we undermine his position first? We will abide by group decision no matter what we decide."

 

[MacConnell]

Sannit nods but it is clear that Merin's words did not sway him. "The rest of you will have to decide this tie-breaker," he says. "Do we try to kill Saucy directly or do we undermine his position first? We will abide by group decision no matter what we decide."

Sheldon, who has been listening intently to the exchange, runs his left hand through his hair pulling it back from his face.
"As to our involvement to Saucy Drip's fate, it is too early to determine if we should kill him or discredit him. We are going to need more information to truly know what our best option is. At this point, we do not know what sway he might have with the other Magisters, or if there is any kind of a rift between any of them that we might be able to exploit."

Indigo rubs her thumbs against the forefingers of each hand. When Sheldon pauses, she adds,
"We need to wait for the caravan to depart. We need to be seen around town until it leaves. The fact that we are dealing with someone who has more knowledge of Way lines than we do concerns me. We need to speak with Giodavi and Clavo to gather everything that they know about the Magisters before we head toward Asylim."

 

[Sylvar B.]

Tor nods,
“ I’d also like to know why the caravan merchants have been marked as criminals; what was their crime? Saemund, what are your thoughts? ”

Saemund looks at Tor... Men of small minds don't need a reason to enslave the weak and helpless. Surely their crimes were contrived or minimal. I'm leaning toward the idea that their enslavement is a ruse. Necessary only to get Ansylim military forces into Southroad Fair. I am of the opinion that if anything happens to anyone in the caravan while they are here it will give Ansylim the excuse it's looking for to send a larger military forces. If we are to intervene it must appear to be an act of brigands.

Also, if we are to assassinate Saucy Drip might I suggest a complete takedown of his household? It would be easier to take apart his financial interests thereby ruining him personally and his credability with the other magisters. They would see him as unable to handle his affairs.

 

[Kwargrow]

Sannit runs his hands through his hair in a manner that shows his frustration. "Very well, we will play the docile little town people until the caravan leaves. We will consult with Giodavi and Clavo to determine how best to strike back at Saucy, but I will insist we find some way to retaliate. First murder and now enslaving people we know. If we do not stand against this, then no one will."

Bolo adds, "I wonder if there is some way to study what was done to the slave collars without harming the people that wear them. Perhaps Lyndha will know."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

“...We will consult with Giodavi and Clavo to determine how best to strike back at Saucy, but I will insist we find some way to retaliate. First murder and now enslaving people we know. If we do not stand against this, then no one will."

Merin nods, “My brother, we may disagree on the exact methodology, but with regard to the fact that Saucy Drip must not go unpunished / must be dealt with, we are in complete accord. Well spoken.”

 

[MacConnell]

Y 0: Day 158: THe Boar's Head

That evening while the Seekers are enjoying their meal at the Boar's Head, the captain of the guard and his lieutenant both enter the tavern. The Seekers are in their usual place and it so happens that Clavo is seated at a table on the the floor by himself. When the captain enters, Clavo sets down his mug of Pine Vine Mellow and stands.

"Well, Captain Marstoni. I would think you would be a Commander by now. Who did you anger to be remanded to baby sitting duty."

Marstoni responds, "Clavo, in the flesh I thought you had died."

Clavo gives a phony laugh. "That is a lie, and I know it. Let me tell you what else I know. Those caravaners are not the least bit criminal, yet they are collared like some condemned murderers. Sit down. Have a drink. Tell me another lie."

Captain Marstoni and his lieutenant both move over to Clavo's table. The lieutenant sits. Marstoni looks over toward where the Seekers are sitting and asks loudly enough to be heard, "Those young people seated over in such a place of prominence, they came out to meet the caravan as we were approaching. They seem quite young to be throwing such weight. Who are they?"

Clavo gives the man a flat look and a straight answer. "Those are the Southroad Seekers."

The Captain puts his hand on his sword and states loudly, "By the authority of the Ansylin Magistry, I am to arrest the Southroad Seekers and return them to Asylim."

The entire tavern goes completely silent.

Clavo laughs loudly and slams his mug back down. "Sit down Marstoni! I will crack your skull with this chair before your sword clears that scabbard. Even if Asylim had any authority here, you take a good look at those young people over there. You look at their gear. You look at their poise. What do you think you are looking at, some rich twits out of Boga City buying their way south? Better think again. They earned that armor. They earned their reputation.

And since you have decided to show yourself like some pompous donkey, I will add a few more questions. You and your 10 marshals may be expert swordsmen. I saw you surveying the town. There are enough archers here that you and your men would be slaughtered. I know you have realized this. Do you know all your men? Can you vouch for all of them?"

Marstoni takes his hand from his sword and nods.

Clavo continues, "So one of your so called criminal caravaners is the real thing. One of them is an assassin. Mark my words. I will bet you your year's wage he suffers the same fate as the last one, and the Southroad Seekers were not even her when the last one was killed."

Marstoni sits, finding nothing to say.

 

[Sylvar B.]

Saemund's hand tightens on his axe when the captain attempts to arrest them but releases it when things appear to calm down. He decides not to be the one to address the captain first... He isn't much for backing down from a challenge.