Both Severen and Vhalantru look surprised by JJ's revelations. "I did not know the direct line of the Surabar's was continued and living in Cauldron. Rolard Surabar was killed by Nabthatoron in Redgorge. Isn't it?" Severen looks at Vhalantru once more whom nods affirmatively.
Severen looks at JJ suspiciously as if not really trusting the story, but he suddenly turns to a much more affable expression and smiles "Funny thing! I guess that might turn to a very interesting Demonskar Ball this year!"
"I'll bite. What does 10 gold gain someone interested in the badge of 'adventurer'?" Kikinnin looks warily at the man, wondering what permissions are currently in the hands of other 'adventurers' out and about in Cauldron.
At Kikinnin's interest Maxim smiles wryly.
Bless his iron bones. One born every minute...
The gun-mage raises an curious eyebrow awaiting the Mayor or his advisor's response.
Severen does not look specially concerned about the license topic indeed.
"Well well, you can further discuss the topic with Lord Vhalantru" the Major returns to his desk a bit bored with the license discussion "Anyway, I wanted to thank you personally for the job done. It is good to know we have able cauldronites around. Lord Vhalantru, make sure Captain Terseon Skellerang heards about our brave citiziens"
Lord Vhalantru guides you to the exit after you say goodbye to the Major. Once out of the office he guides you to his own office "The license also help us know whom we might resort to in case we need specialised hands in order to perform tasks for the city" he stops at that point and opens his office doors "If you allow me to discuss this further with you... there might be a way you can get your license by free and some extra goodies"
Once inside his office he makes sure the doors are closed and no one is listening to your conversation "There is some business we better treat without the Major's knowledge. This I will expose now shall be considered confidential and requires a quick and decided action. Can you keep this confidentiality? Are you available for an immediate crash mission out of Cauldron?"
JJ looks at the others.
"That seems reasonable... wanting to know who can handle a blade and all. As for work... that might depend on the mission. But we can all be discrete. I would like to talk with Skylar Krewis before we go though. He is head of the guard here."
"Wh...outside of Cauldron?" Marigold gapes with surprise as Lord Vhalantru makes them the offer. She glances uncertainly towards the rest of her companions; she knew several of them had other interests they'd been keen to pursue. And what about herself? She'd not objected to trying to help tie up loose ends regarding the slavers but now it felt as though things were beginning to pick up steam and run beyond her control.
Do...do I want to stay involved? I'm just a library worker...
"Uhm...d-do we get to know more about this b-before g-giving you an answer?"
Ryan settles a bit as the explanation was given, wishing it had been mentioned earlier and not been a surprise when they came to the Lord Major's office. "Major, again it was our honor to have been able to restore the citizens lost back to the city. Thank you."
Following Lord Vhalantru to his office, Ryan listens a moment, saving the licensing fee was nice, and getting a reward to boot well that's what adventurers got in the business for. "As has been said Lord Vhalantru, we can be discreet, but it wouldn't be prudent to agree to something without at least having a vague idea of what we are being asked to do. I'm sure you understand. With my duties to the church I cannot just walk out without giving them some reasonable idea of when I would return."
Kikinnin watches the others as they engage Val. He respects the others for their caution, and continues with his own. "Val... Lord Vhalentru, if you would, we're still in the dark on a line of inquiry regarding the slavers up top, now that we've disrupted the slavers down below. Paperwork we encountered in Malachite has us worrying about more activity in Cauldron, so if you'd humor us- don't you want us to keep looking into it, or is this new business of yours any relation to our current?" Much like his ratting business, he hates letting a rodent go, when its smell is still about.
"Good" he pauses and looks at you with a serious expression like weighting your value "This task is much more urgent and requires our immediate attention. What I will say now shall not leave this room"
"It has come to my ears an assassination attempt against the Major has been plotted." Lord Vhalantru looks at your reactions before further continuing "Sasserine assassins have been contracted to deal with the 'job' and they will be in a couple of days already in the Lucky Monkey."
"I am already organizing an increase in the security and preparing to stop the attack here. But, if we were able to surprise them in their way to Cauldron and stop their menace before any Cauldronite is in danger, this will all be to the better for the stability of our government"
"Assassins... " breathes JJ
"That is the second time I have heard that word in two days. What is a Sasserine though?"
He looks around the group.
"How would we know these assassins if we saw them? And where do you think we would be able to catch them?"
"It's a c-city m-many days ride to the n-north," Marigold responds, looking a little surprised. "W-were you s-sleeping during Gretchen's g-geography lessons?" Then to Vhalentru, she adds, "Th-that's a s-serious charge! Wh-why would assassins from Sasserine want to k-kill the M-Mayor?"
Maxim listens intently, biting his tongue at Marigold's question;
He's a leech politician girl! Hell's Teeth I'd shoot him for enough coin...
The gun-mage clears his throat and mind of such musings before adding in his own thoughts;
"Vhalantru... Did your sources identify who these assassins were operating for?"
The dwur grimaces as he continues;
"See assassins come in all shapes and sizes... Some knife you in your sleep, yet others'll smile all nice as you sup their poisoned broth... Others use patsies as their weapons... Are you sure we'd be hunting the actual assassins and not their stooges?"
Vhalantru nods to Marigold "Indeed, Sasserine is the capital city to the north. We recently discovered the Scarlet Brotherhood was contracted for the job, but we do not know whom did the damned thing. That will be your secondary mission, to uncover any hint that points us to whom called the contract"
"We fear someone in Cauldron might be interested in the Major's death." Vhalantru says troubled "But we are still on time. We know the assassins' will met an informant in the Lucky Monkey in three days from now. I need a group to go there beforehand and neutralize the assassins before they leave for Cauldron while getting all possible information about them and their contractor"
"I am sorry I cannot provide you with more details about them as this is all I know. But you have proven resourceful conducting the children research by your own, thus, I do not doubt you will find out a way to uncover and neutralize permanently the assassins" he smiles in a strange way at this statement "What I can provide you with is with rent horses, nurture for the trip and a poison specialist scholar to help you find out if any substance in possession of a suspicious individual might be a poison"
"Is the Lucky Monkey on the road out of Cauldron?" asks JJ.
Gosh, I hope I don't seem too ignorant. Maybe I should take some of my money and have a holiday around the area and see some of these other sights
Then the word poison sinks in, and he pales a little.
I guess that is expected, they are assassins
"When you say.. permanently. Is the Lucky Monkey inside Cauldron's jurisdiction? That is.. I think you are saying you want them.. killed. But I don't want to be hanged as a murderer."
I've never killed a [I]person before. Well, maybe those creepers and goblins and that weird half troll, but they were not like humans or dwarves or halflings.. I'm not sure I could kill a person.,[/I]
"Assasination, a foul game of the nobility and politics. Depending on who you ask safer than waging a war which kills hundreds, nay thousands typically. Yet can change a family, city, or country more than any war can. I will help to prevent this attempt if at all possible."Despite the words, you can tell from the vehemence and spite in Ryan's words he feels it is used by the lowest of cowards.
Kikinnin thinks on the possibility of assassins afoot. He hears the others contemplate this possible new work, and the black-beard's head starts to hurt. Suddenly, the walls are infested with shadow rats, and there aren't enough hours in the day...
"Ryan speaks for me. Assassination is black business, and you can piss on the few who seek to leverage their own game over the will of the people. That's not how civilization is supposed to work." Kikinnin looks at his companions.
"Looks like we're taking names. I don't mean to put my will on you all, but for all the work we've done so far, the gods are taking notice, and are starting to put more responsibility on our shoulders. Used to be, I heard of a rat problem, plied my trade, and the rats weren't a problem no more. Suppose I'm moving on to bigger rats."
"Yes, it is in the road to Sasserine" answers Vhalantru "And... well... this is why the mission should be a bit of in the dark... we do not want to cause the chaos on the well known tavern. I am sure you will find out a way or another"
He nods satisfied with Ryan's and Kikinnin's answers "Good. If you accept the job direct yourself to the western gates this midday. You will meet there with the poisons scholar and six horses" she looks at Marigold before adding "Well, perhaps a pony lady?"
Still looking a little concerned, JJ makes his exit with the others. Before leaving though, he goes in search of Skylar Krewis, trying to find out more about Terrem's parents and their deaths.
"Er y-yes, a p-pony p-please..." Marigold responds in a resigned tone of voice. If they were all in then she didn't have much choice; someone had to go along and keep an eye on JJ as well as be a voice of caution. "Y-you said the m-meeting with the c-contacts is in three d-days...h-how long will it take us to reach the Lucky M-Monkey?"
Maxim flashes a hard smile at Kikinnin's words;
"Its how civilisation's been turning the wheel since someone realised that killin's both necessary and profitable brodir!"
The gun-mage takes a nip of his hip-flask before continuing with a grimace;
'Sides. Will o' the few's always been bending the many to their tune. Be it through the purse, the sword or the faith... Everyone owes. Everyone pays."
In the time that we have Maxim will need to rustle up some bullets for his pistol - dangerously low on ammo!
Anyone in Cauldron who might have blackpowder weaponry or access to it should immediate purchase prove elusive?
:
"It will take you one day if you only stop to eat" answers Vhalantru "You will have to go now or I will have to look for an alternative plan"
You easily find Skylar Krewis in the Major's Office guard barracks. The young man is surprised at the beginning but he invites you to sit and talk "It was a terrible event. I had just enrolled into the city watch after retiring from the adventuring career and marrying. A cache of money was recovered from a theft. The Sargent of the squad gave order to give the money to their owners, the Arlaxins. But one of the guards did not accept it. A great discussion arose, and ultimately that traitor killed the Sargent by surprise and then the other three members of the squad, including Terrem's parents. I was lucky enough to hide and survive" the man's expression becomes dark and he seems to get lost into his own memories.
There were materials in Jzadirune you can use to make your own ammunition without doubt.
JJ looks horrified at the story of the guard captain.
"A traitor within the guard itself did this ? Then you know who did it? What was his name?"
"It was a red haired woman named Triel. She left Cauldron with the money and never again was seen" answers Krewis sorrowed.
Kikinnin turns to hear Maxim's musings, his mouth pursing, while his head nods in begrudging understanding. "I guess that's why there's law, and those willing to see it enforced. Don't mind, if we can make them pay, those who'd try the black business." On his own words, the black-beard turns to look at Lord Vhalantru. Really look at him.
JJ drops whatever he was holding and falls into a nearby chair.
"Triel....She didn't.. that is... have tattoos all over her body did she?"
Surely it is another Triel... Surely. Oh Terrem... what have I done. Surely she wasn't old enough to have done that...surely.
Vhalantru smiles as Kikinnin uses his power on him "Is that going to be painful? I will never get enough used to adventurers kind" he ends his comments with a sigh.
You do not detect any evil aura in Vhalantru.
"Let me think..." the young man is a bit confused by the question but he tries to remember "It was long time ago and my memmories are shady... but no... I would say she had no tattoos"
"G-go right n-now? B-but..." Marigold looks dismayed. "D-do we have any t-time to p-pick up any s-supplies we might need?"
Tattoos could be new.,..
Thinks the young man.
Still, he does his best to describe Triel to the guard captain.
"Red hair, athletic... pretty face."
I guess I should tell him...
"Someone who I thought was a city guard, and going by that name, was in Cauldron a couple of days ago..." he finally admits.
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A smiling young man steps out to greet the party when they collect their mounts.
Kikinnin, Marigold, and JJ recognize Juraan with gasps. Or groans. Or both.
Juraan and his twin sister, Essodydd, grew up with Marigold and JJ at the orphanage.
It is also hard to miss a human with iridescent crocodilian eyes!
Especially when one eye is lapis lazuli blue and the other is jade green.
He bows to Marigold first:
« Bonghjornu, Marigold, u pocu fiore! »
"Hello JJ. Too bad you couldn't go swanning about with Essodydd. She fancies you!"
He says with a wink to JJ.
He then bows to Kikinnin:
« Hej igen, ædle rotte jæger! »
He finally addresses Maxim and Ryan:
"My name is Juraan Uthlatch.
"The others might have told you about me and Essodydd, my twin sister.
"Gretchyn, bless her, told us we were always colossal pains in her backside."
After a brief chuckle, Juraan continues:
"It seems I am the closest the Bluecrater Academy has to a poisons expert.
"I also have some arcane talents, thanks to my ancestry.
"Which includes black dragons and earth elementals.
"Well, then, I guess we should set out for the Lucy Monkey!"
After the interview
"She did?" asks JJ in amazement.
"It would have been helpful if she'd mentioned it."
And maybe fun. She was ... right, already got into trouble with girls once this week, and that's her brother.
"Yes, well...It seems we are to test our luck."
As the group finally arrives at the designated meeting point, Marigold's jaw drops when another familiar face steps out to greet them. "Juraan! You're the p-poison expert!?" she gasps. "I should've kn-known!" Having felt a sense of trepidation about this new venture, the sight of another friendly face seems to visibly put the halfling at ease. "It's g-good to see you again...it's b-been so crazy lately and I'd heard you've b-been b-busy too..."
"Don't worry, Marigold.
"I don't actually USE poisons!
"Not since a few of those hilarious pranks at the orphange!
"Abella and Carista probably still remember how wretched their guts felt after dying your bath water that once."
"But working at the academy has kept me busy.
"It did allow me to learn how to use a few spells.
"And how to control some of my other abilities.
"Or mostly control them, anyway."
Juraan chuckles again.
JJ watches anxiously as he describes the woman from the bathhouse, trying to see if there is any recognition.
"This is turning into a regular day trip. With Kikinnin as the adult!" exclaims JJ.
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Leaving Vhalantru's office, Ryan heads back to Gurnezahn's Smithy to pick up the mace he'd commissioned, when there before he's found a jet black one that matched the war-hammer he'd found in Malachite's hold. It was an exceptional piece but in addition to the balance he'd sought the smith had adjusted the grips a bit and inlaid a golden key into the handle for a bit of decoration and to distinguish it.
"Well met Juraan, long time, seems a bit of trouble was to be had that day as well. Still championing the bullied?" Ryan replies to Juraan's greeting, remembering the young man's eyes and the first time they'd met 6 or 7 years ago. Continuing with small talk as he turns his attention to the horse he'd be riding.
A beautiful dun color with a short cropped mane. Jasper the stable boy had told him was the horses name. Easing around the horse he checked all the buckles he could find and strapped his gear behind the saddle. He'd seen others check their horse's feet but honestly, he really didn't know what what he was looking for and trusted the stable personnel to have taken care of that, buckles, those he understood from having to strap his own gear on. Satisfied everything was as it should be, to his limited knowledge anyways, he waits for the other to finish their own preparations and then mounts.
JJ eyes up the horse, apprehension in his eyes.
"Not to make a point of anything but.... I've never actually ridden a horse before. I guess you just point the head forward?" he asks hopefully.
"I'm not the best with horses either.
"Hope we don't have to do anything fancy!"
"Th-that was your doing?" Marigold's eyes widen with surprise. "W-wow...G-Gretchen thought the b-beef stew was to b-blame for that, even though they were the only two that g-got sick! Y-you really shouldn't have," she tries to scold, but can't disguise the twitching of her lips.
As talk turns to the matter of horseback riding, the halfling eyes the pony that had been procured for her - a pretty gray animal named Trinket. "I d-don't think any of us know anything about h-horses. N-not like you need them to get around the c-city. B-but it can't be too hard, right?"
Jasper seems delighted by the attentions from Ryan and licks his hand with care.
You all mount over your horses and start your trip. The first minutes are a bit chaotic and difficult for some of you, as it is the first time you ride a mount, but in the meantime you start to enjoy the system to some degree.
The lands around Cauldron are filled with tropical plantations. Bananas, pin apples, oil palms, tobacco... the farmers look at you as you ride through the road to the north, direction to Sasserine, to the Lucky Monkey. On your journey you see some of Taskerhill's miners coming back home and a party of merchants that greet you in their way to Cauldron's gate.
The road becomes more loneley as you keep going, and after a half-journey the sun starts to lower in the horizon. At least four more hours are ahead before reaching the infamous tavern, but you start to feel hungry.
Maxim returns Juraan's greeting with a nod;
"Well met Uthlatch. Black drake and oearth elemental blodd both eh? That's a heady mix lad... Hope you lean toward the latter in character!"
The dwur looked over his horse appreciatively - a broad backed sorrel mare with a wild mane. Belle being her name.
He whispers in her ear as he climbs into the saddle;
"Hope your nature mirrors your name gal...Apples aplenty if you are..."
The ride proves uneventful, and Belle proves an easy if stubborn steed. As the journey carries on, the growl in the group's collective bellies grows in volume.
The gun-mage voices his thoughts to the others;
"We for stopping soon? Allow us to fill our growlers and let the horses graze... Or for pushing on to find these assassins who mean to visit murder upon our illustrious Mayor?"
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"Is that going to be painful? I will never get enough used to adventurers kind."
Kikinnin flusters, as he realizes that his gaze has not only been met, but been judged to be some kind of weighing stare. "Oh, sorry. I only met you today, and know little of what they say about you in the local taverns, so I depend on my intuition. Didn't realize I was making you uncomfortable. I'm sure your conscience is clean, eh?"
Kikinnin takes leave of the Mayor's Office, a little put off that he was called out for studying the man. He tries to parse out the difference between a look, and a Look. He's had his Look for some time, but now it might be framed in something new. Something divine. And it leaves him reassessing his responsibility with it. Never occurred to him until this point.
"Dwarven speak in a human mouth"
Kikinnin startles, never having heard the man speak in his tongue before. His slow mind sifts through the number of times he's been in the man's presence, and grumbled in Dwarven, thinking himself safe from understanding ears. He looks at Maxim, and shoots Juraan his thumb, the gesture of 'look who's talking our talk'.
"Hello. Juraan, was it? Sorry, it's hard to look you in the face without staring at your jade. How'd you get roped into this? Did you speak directly with Val, or did he send someone for you at the Crater?" He extends a gloved hand, and gives the man a respectable enough squeeze.
"Kikinnin... adult..."
"Hey now, respect your other elder, too. Maxim's more aged than me, for the travel on his boots. He's more likely to chase you off his lawn, too." Kikinnin tries to keep a still-lake face, but ripples at the corner of his mouth betray a smile.
When he's introduced to his horse, he's glad for its mostly charcoal coat. Black tends to hide the appearance of blood, and he's worried about nicking the animal with his various blades. The horse stands a bit taller than he'd like, and wears more legs than he'd like, too.
He turns to the stable boy, taking the reins. "What'd you say his name was again? 'Hearthett'?" Kikinnin just turns around to look the horse in the eye, when the beast quickly snaps his long face forward, headbutting the black-beard square on the nose. As the blood trickles from his nose, and his eyes start watering, he nods his head, vigorously. "'Hardhead'. Got it. Won't be forgetting that any time soon." He pats the horse on the flat of its head, perhaps a little too strongly.
Kikinnin eventually removes his handkerchief from his nostrils, and enjoys the smell of the countryside. He starts to learn Hardhead's tendencies, only falling off the horse twice for spurring too zealously.
When they come to judge their travel, and resting comes easy, for the promise of supper, and getting out of the very uncomfortable saddle. Or was that his maladjusted armor? He can't tell the difference, with the chaff between his legs...
"Don't worry, Kikinnin. I learnt Dwarven and Halfling as a child because there are so many of both here.
"I don't recall you saying anything damning around me when you thought I couldn't understand you.
"But I must admit, it is rather fun knowing what some people are saying when they think you can't understand a word.
"I also learnt how to speak Gnome, ልክ እንደዚህ, and Draconic, ამგვარად."
"Mind you, Essodydd was much quicker on the uptake than languages than I.
"I won't be surprised if she knows many unusual languages when I see her next."
"As to why I'm here, I got a letter from Lord Vhalantru asking me to take part.
I was getting kind of bored with my studies and work lately, anyway."
JJ can't help but look back up the road as they pass through the gates of Cauldron. The city had been his home as long as he could remember.
"I wasn't actually born there you know.." he says to nobody in particular, or maybe just to himself.
"But I've never left it. Are we going anywhere near Redgorge? That is where my family..." his eyes start to mist up.
Looking around as he goes down the road he just keeps shaking his head.
"I don't remember any of this."
As night approaches a shiver goes down his spine.
"I don't think we should camp out on the road. Wild animals, all that kind of stuff. We should try to get to the Monkey."
"Camping in the wilds does have it's dangers, and I would not suggest spending the night without a guard and a large fire. Yet traveling at night also has it's dangers but moreso if you are alone, than as a large group. I'd suggest if we continue on that we eat in the saddle and continue on, the less time traveling after dark the better." besides I may never make it back into the saddle if I get down Ryan thinks to himself as he chimes in to Maxim's question. This was by far the furthest he'd ever been by horse and the thought of a long soak in a hot bath was very appealing at the moment.
"Have we a reason to be traveling, in which we'd be staying at the Inn? Perhaps it would be better to tell that tale amongst ourselves before asked individually."
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"Well.. I would like to visit my old family quarry near Redgorge. If it is not too far away, we could actually go and do that while we are out and about!" suggests JJ.
"Not that I really know where it is, or where Redgorge is for that matter."
"I believe Redgorge is the wrong direction for that story to stick, JJ.
"We could say we're exploring and researching for the Academy.
"Which is somewhat true.
"Omitting and exaggerating a few facts, obviously."
You make a short stop to just eat something, then continue riding the whole night to reach the Lucky Monkey. The night is starry and the road is well marked. The jungle closes to your left while the volcanic mountains rise up to your right.
The night is peaceful although you overhear the shrieks of jungle baboons from time to time. At some point the roar of a lion catches your attention, you turn to look towards the trees but the night keeps calm.
When you reach the inn the night sky is already becoming lighter, although the Sun is still not seen. The Lucky Monkey sits to the east of the road, partially surrounded by the dense jungle. The building is old and well used--the chimneys stained with soot, the roof sagging, the wood siding weathered and stained from last year's mildew. A smaller stable stands to the building's side in a similar condition. The building's façade sports numerous carved wooden monkeys, many of whom are engaged in risky, death-defying stunts. In one, a wooden monkey balances on a narrow tree branch to get a banana hanging over a sleeping tiger; in another, a monkey sits on a boulder completely unaware that a poacher snkeaking up behind him was suddenly attacked and eaten by an ankheg.
You overhear a horse snorting from the smaller building. And although no one comes to greet you, you observe smoke spirals raising from the inn's chimney.
Your mounts make a good job but by the time you reach the inn they are pretty fatigued all of them. Most of you not used to riding also start to feel sleepy and tired from the trip. All but Ryan whom displays still plenty of energy by the time you reach the building.
As they ride Maxim lends and ear and his own thoughts on the journey;
"Been to the Monkey a brace o' times on business for my Uncle. Ain't the usual high end fare he aims at, but its rustic and honest with plenty of trade passing through..."
The gun-mage wryly smiles;
"As such me being part o' a research team from the Academy might not wash. I'll stick to being me. Doing some scouting for my Uncle or some such... Omitting and exaggerating a few facts obviously"
Maxim grimaces wearily as he dismounts next to the stable.
The dwur claps Belle, then looks at the relatively fresh Ryan with a well humoured grin and shake of his head:
"Divine dander still up eh Taskerhill!? Maybe we should have all been blessed eh?"
Although she has a few initial scares as she tries to get used to the finer points of directing a steed, Marigold eventually settles in and to her surprise actually rather enjoys the ride - although she does occasional shrink away in fright at some of the wilder animal cries that they hear along the way.
"It's g-good to learn n-new languages," she chimes in when talk turns to Juraan's talent for them. "You already kn-know that I'm familiar with a few of them m-myself...b-but that last one isn't one I know. Wh-what is it?"
"And s-scouting seems like a good idea for a st-story," she agrees. "Or m-maybe some sort of church business," she adds with a glance at Ryan.
"F-finally..." Marigold yawns as they arrive at last at their destination. "Thought I was about to f-fall asleep. C-can we sleep now, p-please? I'm so tired..."
"I'm knackered too and could use a good sleep.
"Never been this far from Cauldron before."