Drewan continues to wait. If the guard is sniffing around, we'd be better off elsewhere, I think. Especially if this has been identified as a location we frequent.
While those inside are eating their meal a small bird drops from the sky and lands next to Drewan. It holds out a claw where a note is tied around its leg. Upon retrieving the note the bird vanishes in a small puff of smoke.
The Thran's have taken Gumlat. They attacked this morning coming from the cover of the woods, about 200 strong. More than than enough to cow the local guards and militia. More Thran troops are arriving by the hour though. Estimate they will be about a thousand strong by day's end.
While I'm less than happy to see Gumlat under their control this is a mixed blessing for our cause. The mages will no doubt respond with force, but that means a long supply line from Coran to Gumlat. The longer this incident drags out the better.
You should consider any or all of the following. There is a woman, Taia, who works at The Barrels Bottom that can assist you with getting additional resources if you need them for any of these tasks you decide to take on.
Capture, blackmail, bribe, or otherwise remove the bureaucrats who manage the logistics of maintaining the supply wagons leaving the city.
Break into the warehouses, especially those with supplies they will need to maintain an army, or burn them down.
Convince the merchant's guild to increase the prices of such goods.
Disrupt operations at the docks to slow down the movement of goods into or out of the city by sea.
Seek out those who are disgruntled with the government in the taverns or poorer sections of town and recruit them to our cause.
- Captain Denath
Thran is one of several neighboring kingdoms to the west, primarily an agricultural nation. They are about half the size of Ondia.
Returning to the their table and hearing the news Jake speaks up "I have a posible idea. I understand that a couple of us are from or have contacts in Gumlat. We need to avoid autorities and do something useful for a bit. Rather than stick around here and cause troubles we could teleport to Gumlat and start a resistance movement from there, thus reducing the chances of being caught here and potentially bring an entire town over to our side. What do you all think?"
Drewan shakes his head. "I suppose that's an option, but I'm not particularly comfortable taking the fight to Gumlat. As you say, some of us have...contacts...there, and to bring the resistance there in any meaningful fashion might put them in danger."
He looks to the rest of the group. "I propose that, as the captain suggested, we do what we can to disrupt supplies making their way to the army at every step."
He continues, punctuating his statements by pointing to the list. "First, we need to take care of those people that can manage the logistics of moving supplies out to the army. I suggest that those of us that are less conspicuous, either by stealth or disguise, should gather information regarding them and see which, if any, might be susceptible to blackmail or bribery. Either of those solutions will be less troublesome than killing or capturing them. This should happen today or tonight. I suggest Puck, Hazan, and I do this."
"Next, while those persons slow down the logistics of moving the supplies, we destroy them, possibly more than one warehouse in a night. If we can do it quietly - perhaps by putrefying or poisoning the foodstuffs - then we will obviously deal with less resistance. Still, if we're short on time, or can't find another option, we can hopefully burn down the warehouses with little effort. I suggest Dev and Jake see what they might be able to accomplish regarding this."
"Finally, we disrupt the dock operations to prevent them getting any more supplies in to take over land, or out by sea. We might steal a couple of ships and sink them in the mouth of the harbor, or perhaps even sink them where they are, or we might be able to merely incite the dockworkers to stop working." He looks to Digger, "I suggest you see what you might be able to do along those lines, as well as possibly doing some recruiting, if you're up to it. Also, while you're out, keep your ear open for any information regarding those handling shipping and logistics."
"With those steps taken, the merchant's guild will have no choice but to increase prices - the scarcity of the supplies should take care of that."
Done with his tactical suggestions, he looks to the others. "The captain is entrusting a lot to our small group, but I think we're up to it. Unless anyone has any suggestions, I think it best that we spend the rest of the day doing whatever investigating we can, then regroup and split up however we need to to take care of our tasks."
Drewan snickers. "I just had a thought. I wonder what would happen if we were to forge some documents ordering the dockworkers to move all of the supplies from the warehouses and load them onto the ships in the harbor. We could then sink or burn the ships, taking care of two of our problems. Just a thought, but if anyone could find a similar document, I might be able to pull off a reasonable forgery."
Jake smiles "Finally a suggestion that doesn't involve killing everyone. I'm fine with that if everyone else is."
Drewan nods at Jake and returns the smile. "Having the guards actively looking for me has, perhaps, taught me the value of keeping a low profile."
"That is a good plan. I agree with you," Dev says. "And on keeping a low profile, perhaps we should redirect attention to something else? That will spread resources and help us keep out of sight."
Drewan nods agreement. "Perhaps if there was a rumor started that placed the rebellion at the city gates instead of the docks? Or along the caravan routes instead of the warehouses?"
The normal bureaucrats that handle the minor day to day affairs of the running of the city don't use any special materials or markings to denote documents.
Higher ranking government officials frequently use a ring of arcane signets to on official documents. These can be duplicated if the mark or signet to be duplicated is available. Though if it is not duplicated using magical means a detect magic spell would reveal it as a forgery.
Documents directly from the tower always contain a unique seal from one of the ranking council members. Like the arcane signets these can also be duplicated, but are much harder to do so because of intricate details and the individual council members change their signets from time to time. Such documents are typically only passed from the tower to the high ranking bureaucrats, and do not reach the hands of the common bureaucrat.
The southwest part of the city is the most run down and has the highest crime rates, with the docks being next in line. High crime rates usually means more government corruption as well.
Tiny town lies in southwest part of the city. Home to many of the shorter races it in some ways has its own laws and policies. Relations between tiny town and the normal operations of the city are sometimes strained due to these differences and regular sized folk arrested in tiny town are often treated more harshly.
There are three large docks that the ships come in to load/unload supplies at. Large cranes are used to assist in moving the loads to or from the ships to waiting wagons.
"Hmmmmm. Forging, as you might assume, gets harder and harder depending on the importance of the document. The normal bureaucrats that handle the minor day to day affairs of the running of the city don't use any special materials or markings to denote documents. Higher ranking government officials frequently use a ring of arcane signets to on official documents. These can be duplicated if the mark or signet to be duplicated is available. Though if it is not duplicated using magical means a detect magic spell would reveal it as a forgery. Documents directly from the tower always contain a unique seal from one of the ranking council members. Like the arcane signets these can also be duplicated, but are much harder to do so because of intricate details and the individual council members change their signets from time to time. Such documents are typically only passed from the tower to the high ranking bureaucrats, and do not reach the hands of the common bureaucrat. If you ask me, we need to figure out the lowest ranking person who could possibly do the sort of disruption necessary. As for corrupt officials ...follow the crime. So, the southwestern district and, of course, the docks themselves."
Drewan expands on Digger's revelations. "Tiny town lies in the southwest part of the city. Home to many of the shorter races it in some ways has its own laws and policies. Relations between tiny town and the normal operations of the city are sometimes strained due to these differences and regular sized folk arrested in tiny town are often treated more harshly."
Regarding the docks, Drewan points out, "The harbor is fairly large, and could easily house two dozen ships at anchor, waiting to dock, though usually there aren't more than half a dozen."
"Might I suggest placing the blame somewhere else? The Drow seems like a possible high-profile criminal which will take resources, but moving the food or equipment to somewhere else--perhaps Tiny Town or anywhere that people might take and spread it freely--that is another possibility. Instead of them never arriving, they arrive somewhere else."
"Could be Tiny Town would really appreciate it ...and if we're talking about blame, I say blame the thieves' guild. Nobody hears about them doing something and says, 'Wait, not them!'"
As evening approaches news of the attack on Gumlat reaches the common citizen and in a few places clusters of citizens make a fuss of shouting and hollering for the heads of the Thran nobility. A few publicly denounce the Mageocracy for not being prepared for this and failing to see the Thran armies moving in. Others whisper that the Thran's must be consorting with dark magics to have gotten past the eyes of the tower.
Several official government criers in the streets take up to calling for volunteers to assist in repulsing this threat and a number of guard houses are put to use in recruiting those brave or foolish enough to march of to war for fame, glory, a steady pay or in some cases the promise of daily meals. Some of those seeking to join the cause are turned away as being to old or young, but most are accepted.
Typical warehouse
The Mageocracy owned storage warehouses are a bustle of activity with guards swarming the place. A line of empty wagons wait to be loaded, while inside the warehouse men load a wagon that is parked inside the large double doors.
If you ask me, we need to figure out the lowest ranking person who could possibly do the sort of disruption necessary.
You could hazard a guess that any official looking documents will cause some disruption. The real question then becomes how much disruption and how long will the disruption last.
As Dev and Jake take up a temporary position from which they can watch the warehouse for a moment without attracting attention one of the wagons pulls out, slowly trundling down the street. Another wagon is soon pushed into the warehouse and men begin loading it with crates of dried goods and sacks of grain.
Drewan and Dev spend a couple of hours drafting up a document.
Late in the afternoon, arriving in Tiny Town, it doesn't take long to locate a government building where the district bureaucrats will be at work for another hour or two.
Inside will be a courtroom where trials are held and several offices for the paper pushers. A couple of gnome and halfling guardsman lounge about outside the building smoking pipes and waiting for the days end.
While the building will accommodate those of larger stature, it will not do so comfortably, with a low ceiling such that the tallest of the medium sized races will have to bend their heads slightly to avoid cracking them against door frames.
The building could use a bit of repair and touch up paint. It has a foundation of stone and low windows peeking from beneath ground level indicate it contains a basement level in addition to its two stories above ground.
All of the windows contain iron bars protecting against intrusion, and a couple of windows have boards covering where a pane or two has been broken.
Dev waits around, minding his own business and trying to look unintrusive.
Taking a seat on a nearby bench as though to take a rest from walking you listen to those around you.
From a window that is cracked open on the second floor you catch the following.
"The Fizzwinkles are here to see you again Yabel."
"Blast it Norig I've told you to tell them I'm not available."
"I'm sorry sir, but you know how they can be. They refuse to budge and demand answers."
"I have no more answers for them then I did the first time and they know it. There is no new information on who broke into their home."
There is some scuffling sounds and then a feigned pleasantness to the voice that was speaking last. "Deaderic and Yarina, good to see you again." The window is pulled shut cutting off the sound of voices from above.
After looking at the warehouse for a while, he turns to Dev and say quietly "I don't know exactly we can do to delay them. I think the others will have to do without Puck"
Jack moves away and summons Puck.
Puck nods to Jake without a word spoken out aloud and sneaks into the warehouse. Once inside he moves under the wagons. Under each wagon he spends a little time, either removing a pin or cutting part way through a few spokes or the axel or some similar act of vanderlism. The aim is for all the wagon to in some way become unusable shortly after leaving the warehouse.
"So, gentlemen, sorry I'm late. What is it exactly you need me to do in here?"
Puck nods to Jake without a word spoken out aloud and sneaks into the warehouse. Once inside he moves under the wagons. Under each wagon he spends a little time, either removing a pin or cutting part way through a few spokes or the axel or some similar act of vanderlism. The aim is for all the wagon to in some way become unusable shortly after leaving the warehouse.
Puck is arrogant enough to do it in the middle of the day but if things get too tricky he'll get Jack to unsummon him and come back at night.
"Digger," Dev whispers. "Try to see if you can find an official whose signature we can impersonate to redirect the supplies. Possibly someone who would ideally have a reason for wanting the supplies to be redirected to Tiny Town."
Puck slips in through a back window and waits for a chance when no one is looking to silently dash under the wagon being loaded. From his position there he begins working on a couple of the wheels and axles to cause a mishap.
He does the same for another five wagons evading detection all the while.
Dev starts working on some unfinished sculptures again while waiting.
"Puck says he has disabled 5 wagons, is there anything else he should do while in there?" Jake asks
Digger uses his hat to disguise himself as an important-looking official type and makes his way on over.
Dressed in more formal looking clothing, a silver crescent moon embroidered on the left breast Digger heads inside the administrative building, stooping a little to clear the doorway and having to duck under a cheap chandelier in the entryway.
A gnome sits behind a desk with dirty blue robes. His hair is a little disheveled and has streaks of gray in it.
There is a stairway to the right leading to the second floor. And two doors behind the desk leading back administrative offices and a court room.
Taking a look at Digger the gnome stutters, "Uh, Mr..." he trails off clearly at a loss for a name. "I'm sorry, we weren't expecting anyone this late in the day. What can I help you with?"
"I think sabotage is enough for now. We can escalate if it proves necessary." Dev carves a detail into his current sculpture. "Conflict between the workers might work as well. If he can incite them to fight against one another, that would be beneficial."
"Ah, my apologies, good sir gnome. But hopefully, it is you that I can help. Not all of us tall folk think you and your area deserve less than others."
The gnome looks confused at Diggers comment. "Huh." he shakes his head, "What exactly are you talking about mister?"
The gnome isn't quite sure what to make of your comment. Is it some kind of twisted joke?
"OK, listen. I'm taking some risks here, but everything worthwhile is a risk. You know of the b~$&&$&& we're pretending to do about the 'invasion' going on next door. We have a chance of getting this area some real provisions, some real supplies."
Puck grins to himself as he gets Dev's suggestion relayed to him. He takes a moment quietly finding some tomatoes (or something similar) and small potatoes from one of the supply carts. He spends a little time squishing the tomatoes so they splat on contact. Then moving to new place away from the carts (maybe roof beems). Looking carefully he waits until no one is looking and throws a tomato at the back of one of the soldier's head. Waiting for any resulting confusion to die down he then picks another target and throws again. He'll repeat this until tensions are getting very high, then starts with potatoes targeting those that seem to be most irritated by the earlier tomatoes.
Still looking confused the gnome replies, "You... uh..." he scratches his head. "You should probably talk to Yabel. Um, he is meeting with someone at the moment. Do you mind waiting?" He starts to leave then stops, "Err, who should I tell him is waiting to speak with him?" As the confused gnome speaks a halfling comes through one of the doors on this level, dressed in the robes of a magistrate. The gnome gives him a slight bow of the head, but the halfling ignores him and walks on by and out the front doors.
Puck slips out of the warehouse and hunts around for a couple of moments, the scent of fish pervades the docks area but he follows it to a stronger source finding the remains of a number cleaned fish sitting in several pails outside a fishery that haven't been dumped yet. Grabbing one he slips back to the warehouse and climbs some crates at the back to get a good vantage point over the wagon being loaded.
Waiting for an opportunity when no one is looking he flings a handful of the slimy contents at the back of one of the guardsman's heads. The aim is true and is followed by immediate sounds of cursing. "Arak, what the blazes, you filthy..."
The one who must be Arak holds his hands up and backs up a few steps, "Whoa Rul, that wasn't me. I was loading this crate here."
The first man bellows out, "Keez, I need a light in here."
"Bah Rul, your holding up the work." Despite the complaint though Keez picks up a pebble of the ground and casts a spell on it, causing it to give off a soft glow of light. He tosses it to Rul, who begins moving towards the back of the warehouse. Holding the stone aloft to cast away the shadows behind crates and boxes.
"Tell him Prelate Hiram of the Order of Equality Among Humanoids is here and we have a unique opportunity at this very moment."
Dev stays on the bench, listening from underneath the window. He continues his sculpting, gougeing another detail into his current figurine. It steadily becomes more and more lifelike, though the current creature he's sculpting the wood into seems like something out of a nightmare than life. He addresses Drewan and Hazan. "All calm here. Any trouble?"
Drewan crouches on a nearby rooftop, keeping an eye out for anything that might potentially interrupt their plans. "Nothing I've seen thus far. I hope Digger hurries up in there - we need to get that signature and back to the warehouses before those supplies start leaving the city. Barring that, we'll have to gain entry to the warehouses tonight and set them alight at the first opportunity."
Puck grins as he slidesaway from where Rul is looking. Then smiles again as idea hits him. He sneaks up on the one called Arak in an oppotune moment and slips a fish in his pockets so it is obviously dangling out then hides again. When Rul is in sight of Arak but facing away he throws another handful at Rul and quickly gets out of sight before he even knows if he hit.
With the window now closed you are unable to make out anything being said, though you can occasionally here the sound of voices inside.
The gnome scrunches his face and mutters to himself a bit as he ambles towards the stairs and heads up to the second level. He returns soon. "It will be a little wait Mr Hiram. Um, please have a seat, he gestures to a bench sitting along one wall."
Fifteen minutes pass and a gnome couple come down the stairs. There clothes are plain but in good condition. The male gives a nod to the gnome behind the desk, "Thank you for your assistance as always Norig." His voice is slightly mocking, though there is no true malice in it.
Norig smiles, seeming oblivious, "Good day Mr and Mrs Fizzwinkle." Then turns to Digger. "Up the stairs, take a right, then last door on the left Mr Hiram."
Following the directions Digger hikes up the stairs where a hallway goes in both directions. Taking a right he passes two doors then comes to the end of the hallway where a door stands open.
A small window looks out over the front street. A large, or at least large for a gnome or halfling, desk sits against the east wall. A gnome with graying hair sits behind it, a pair of spectacles on his large nose and a wispy beard hanging from his chin. His upper lip is clean shaven.
He watches you at the door for a moment, then stands and scoots around the desk, extending a hand, "Prelate Hiram? I don't believe we have met." Despite his calm and welcoming voice you suspect he knows the name you gave the clerk downstairs is not a real one.
As Rul begins moving about the warehouse Puck ducks around some crates on the opposite side.
Arak, Keez and two others watch as Rul searches, moving farther to the back. The light from the pebble causing shadows to jump around the room. Those shadows give Puck an opportunity to slip along the opposite wall and move underneath the wagon next to where Arak is standing. A movement later a slimy gob of fish guts is hanging from one of his pockets.