Vermundr laughs and quips back in Skald.
Kalistrine snorts. "Kalistrine. That's my name. But I'm just a glorified guard." she says with a grin. She eyes the man and Vermundr when they start speaking in Skald and frowns angrily.
In Skald
He then says, "To get upset when hearing the tongue of the natives, is always a mistake. One should always respect one's elders, shouldn't one?"
At this point Ameiko pipes up " Wasting time is a luxury we don't seem to have... We would like to acquire my grandfather's sword, Suishen... He sold it to you 50 years ago."
Vermundr looks around for a sign of a sword of non-ulfen design.
"You don't still have it by chance do you?"
Fynn nods and leans back into his cushions, taking a long draw of ale before speaking. "Suishen," he says, letting the word hold for a moment, as if tasting a fine wine. "I knew something about the sword was brewing, like seeing a storm gather over the water, but this old man didn't know what to expect." He lets out a sigh, then gestures to the empty rack above the hearth. "Sorry, lass... whatever your name is. The sword's already gone. Taken... stolen, about a week ago. Some masked thugs broke into my home, killed several of my people, and it was the only thing they took." His lips tremble with bitter anger.
"But that..." he points to the golden armbands the Kalistrine wears on her belt with a crooked finger, [b]"gives me an idea of who the culprit might be. One of my servants survived long enough to say the leader of the thieves was especially tall, and he said 'paying the lion's due' with his last breath. I thought he meant some dreck about avenging his murder, but that armband belongs to a local ring giver named Asvig Longthews, a man known to be extremely tall." Fynn gives you a knowing smile, but there is no humor in it.
Turning his head to Ameiko Morthar grins viciously, almost like a devil you would swear...
Our foe is most likely the type of man who has a habit of acquiring many enemies, this is to our advantage. I can act as the front man when the time comes to begin bargaining with the enemies Mr. Asvig has no doubt accrued over his career. Rather then fighting Asvig on his own terms we should endeavor to rig the battlefield both in the physical and mental sense against him...
diplomacy to convince Ameiko
"Can you tell us more about this Asvig Longthews? Where he resides or holds court perhaps? It seems he is our next point of contact to acquire Suishen... and if he went to so much trouble to obtain it, he is unlikely to want to part with it. Though we have no way of knowing yet if he acquired it for himself or for another..."
As Morthar speaks to Ameiko, Fynn takes a hefty gulp from his ale, chuckles to himself and says, "My boy Longthews has a lot of one thing and that is connections..."
In response to Ahiko, "Mmmm, indeed," Fynn says, nodding and looking into his mug. "Never much cared for the sword, but it made a nice trophy I guess, collecting dust for five decades. I tried carrying it around in my younger years, but it always made me uncomfortable... felt like I didn't deserve to hold it, like I'd stolen it."
He looks up, eyes afire. "But I paid good money for it, and fairly. I didn't even ask the price; the man just came to me and near begged me to buy it from him. The sword is rightfully mine. It's been stolen, and whoever stole it invaded my home and murdered my people. By law and tradition, I'm entitled to weregild. Of course, none has been offered, so blood vengance is my right."
"I'm too old to pursue these thieves, but I can appoint proxies to do so." Fynn looks at each of you. "Find the criminals who perpetrated this crime against me and mine, exact blood vengeance upon them in my name, defend my honor and property rights, recover Suishen for me... and I'll give you the sword in payment."
Vermundr shares a glance with the others gathered. Weregild, that was a concept he knew well. The young ulfen nods in agreement.
"I'm in. I say we owe these fools for their ambush on us earlier."
The noble Houses of Cheliax had many connections, didn't do them that much good when Thrune came knocking. Connections are just as much a weakness as a strength. A spider can sit in a web and eagerly use the connecting threads of her web to bring in flies and other morsels. If one part of her web however ignites the rest of it will be blazing in short order.
Ameiko graciously towards the older Ulfen, then looks at Morthar and says, "I wish we had all of the time in the world to move the chess pieces around, however, we must make haste."
Then back to older man says, "Master Snaevald, would you happen to know where this man resides?"
The old man says, "I don't know where Longthews lives, or much about him, but he's a big enough name that you can find out easily. I have been semi-retired for sometime"
Morthar speaks one would swear almost like a benevolent uncle who is concerned for the welfare of his niece...
My employer attacking the lion's den would be a mistake, it is likely his base of operations. It will be fortified, guarded by his own allies and we won't be able to launch a surprise assault upon it. We need to set the spider's web afire so that we can panic the spider and make him do something stupid. Find some of his most valuable connections and exterminate them from the face of Golorian, do this enough and he will begin to panic. We all known what happens when an army starts to panic...
"Feh! What do you think we are, milk-drinking cowards? We fought off his men when they attacked our caravan. There's no reason to be frightened of him now."
Morthar snorted.
You may have however we are attacking territory that our enemy knows far more about. Nirmathas has continually demonstrated to Molthune that their territory is impossible to take. The rebels there simply know the territory to well and their tactics are exceptional, Molthune by contrast charges in head on and look where it has got them. Our enemy knows the territory, the people and he probably has recruited more men by now. Do you want to be Molthune young one? Continually wasting resources and lives when a better way presents itself?
"I doubt we have time for a long campaign against someone deep-seated in the community. I suggest we just confront him and demand the sword. If he doesn't relinquish it, either voluntarily or for money, then we deal with him and his minions. The sword may be in his possession, but it doesn't belong to him."
Vermundr laughs and nods in agreement with Ahiko. "Don't tell me the girl has more balls than you old man."
Morthar shakes his head and looks the young Ulfen straight in the eyes, he allows a brief glint of hellfire to alight in his own normally dark orbs.
Young one you desire blood and glory, pray tell me though do you desire to visit the boneyard? As you can have all the blood and glory you want, yet it means nothing if you don't live to enjoy the fruits of your efforts. This is what Asvig wants us to do, he wants us to attack him head on and walk straight into his trap. To attack a giant you don't just go straight for him and get squished by his maul, nay you gang up on him while he sleeps and you take a great hammer to his kneecaps...
"Who says he's the giant around here?" Vermundr challenges.
You are forgetting something, Asvig may well be holding a card in reserve... For example a mage that throws fireballs, if we attack him head on our fate could very well be incineration by mage. However another option presents itself, thieves by their very nature are greedy. I can leak information into the underworld that Ameiko has acquired a value item of some sort, Asvig already has it out for us and getting to take both a valuable say gem and kill Ameiko would simply be far too tempting... Then we close the vice around his neck and squeeze, even if he only sends subordinates to do his dirty work it will still be a valuable ploy. Subordinates are easy to interrogate and we will deprive him of resources...
Knowledge Local/Nobility DC 10
Ameiko steps forward and says, "You are embarrassing yourselves in front Mister Snaevald, before we take a course of action we need to know where this man is, once we can estimate his power then can we make a move. All of your assumptions are based on nothing more than conjecture and well we need hard facts."
Gather Information (jade quarter for Longthews)
Gather Information (bone quarter for guide)
Knowledge (local)
Ahiko bows her head in agreement and apology to Ameiko. "Ameiko-sama is right, we should go and come to agreement on our course of action in a more private setting." She turns and bows to their host and slips outside, blushing with embarrassment.
Outside, she turns to Ameiko and bows again. "My deepest sorrow, Ameiko-sama, if my words caused you distress in the presence our host. I will be more politic in the future if I can be. How shall we proceed? I'm not sure what to do next as I know nothing of this city really."
Kalistrine chuckles. "You squish a spider, but no sense running into his web either. We find out where the threads go and then we can whap him with a shoe." she says, then looks up when everyone gives her funny looks. "What?"
Morthar
Vermundr
underworld have been asking questions about the party:
who you are, where you came from, where you are
staying, what your business in town is, and so forth.
Since my companion the jade quarter has turned up nothing on our "friend" bone is next, if any information in the underworld of Kalsgard it to be had it will be in bone.
Gather Information on Longthews in bone quarter
Kalistrine continues to follow Morthar and back up his investigations with her own brand of very direct questioning.
Perception DC 15
from nearby trees, roofs, and masts of ships. What’s
more, the ravens appear to be intently watching you
specifically.
Vermundr finds out that more and more criminal types want to know about the party.
Morthar
perception check
Gather information (amber)
Morthar asks both about Longthews and a possible guide and finally, as the sun settles on the western sea, a kind-eyed merchant sends you to a dimly lit grog shop not far from his stall in the Amber quarter. With a shrug and shake of the head, he says you might find a possible guide there, a Varki woman named Uksahkka. You find her there, but she is well into her cups and doesn't even notice your entrance, staring forlornly into the bottom of her mug. She has long straight hair colored a mixture of black and brown, and she has the dusky skin and features of the Varki people.
Perception (visual) DC 15:
Vermundr studies those inside the grog shop carefully.
"Let's try to be off the street before nightfall. A lot of people in the city's underworld are looking into us. That's never a good sign."
Ahiko follows into the shop and tilts her head to one side as she observes the Varki woman.
Her eyes narrow slightly, and she softly tells the others, "It looks like she's been in a fight, or perhaps even just beaten up, recently. She may be in no condition to be a guide, even if she were sober. I can perhaps heal her physical injuries, but I can't do anything about her state of inebriation."
"Talk to her at least. We can't leave now anyway, it's too late."
Ahiko walks over to the Varki woman and speaks to her softly. "Hello, are you the one known as Uksahkka? I am Ahiko. You look as if you could use some assistance. May I offer you my services as a healer?
She does not state her companions names just yet, until she is more sure of their surroundings and who might be watching or listening, leaving it to them to introduce themselves, or not.
While close up to her, she tries to assess whether her injuries are due to a beating or a fight.
Ahiko
Uksahkka turns and says, "I do not need your assistance as a healer however gulp, if you would like to share a drink with me yer more then welkom."
After a quick second she adds "Howsit you kners me name?"
Ahiko sits and orders a drink, smiling at Uksahkka. "My friend here was inquiring after a guide, and you were recommended. We were told we could find you here, and so we came. Is this a bad time for you?"
Ahiko does her best to curb her sympathy for the woman, sure it would not be welcome or wanted. Whatever her troubles, she seemed to want to keep them to herself and bear her hurts stoicly. She takes a sip of her own drink, and waits for a reply.
Ahiko's reassurance visibly calms Uksahkka's fear, but she still appears miserable as she retakes her stool. She grabs her mug as if to drink, but then just pushes it away with a bitter laugh. "I'm not the guide you're looking for, then. You want my friend and partner, Ulf Gormundr. He's the best guide this side of the Crown. The problem is he's missing... or dead... or both." Uksahkka lets out a shuddering sigh, seeming on the verge of tears.
Never let it be said that old Morthar wasn't willing to strike a deal, we make your problem go away in the bloodiest manner possible and you act as guide free of charge... If your problem can be solved that is.
diplomacy
Ahiko looks to Morthar and lofts a single brow... and sighs softly, waiting for Uksahkka's response before speaking again herself.
Ameiko looks at Morthar and says, "Morthar, we will pay a fair price. six months of travel across the Crown in the heart of winter to ask someone to do it for us for free is madness."
She then turns to Uksahkka "Sorry for my companion's overzealous bargaining posture."
Uk says "Well, to be fair it isn't a deal I can make anyway. Ulf is the chief. I have only been between here and Iqaliat never across the whole thing."
"And who is in charge now that, as you say, Ulf is missing or worse? Or, if no one is to take his place in his absence, perhaps we can help you try to find him so we can ask him for his services?"
Hmmm... Question of note Ameiko what is your caravan route?
Vermundr stands at the doorway, periodically sticking his head out on the lookout for people that look out of place.
Uk says, "We need to find him."
Ameiko responds "I am not a cartographer, probably the Path of Aganhai. You need an experienced guide during the main season but it is imperative at this time of year."