"He was plenty scary miss Sweatpea, Randu's spell is what won us that encounter to be sure. We hit him hard and fast and he shrugged most of it off well, until Krogge got him squarely."
He frowned. Things were moving quickly in more ways than one. His heart hurt at the thought that miss Naulla might still be in some danger. If the consortium was not against striking out with hired murderors against foes Jack could be in danger. And he was left undefended.
"Krogge friend, It occurs to me that if the Consortium is willing to hire murderors like this axeman, Jack may be in danger. You are the most capable of protecting him. Miss Naulla, I would you consider doing me a favor and going with Krogge back to Falcon's Hallow, I must admit I desire to learn so much more about you, but trouble is afoot and I dont want to see you hurt."
He began licking his lips while his ears flickered and his tail swayed back and forth in nervous agitation. How to tell a female you want her to be your lifemate when you pratically just met? Everything about her sung to his heart it seemed.
"It's a frontier town, but a good friend just became its mayor, he will help you get set up and Krogge can keep you somewhat looked after until we return."
He said gripping her paw and holding it to his chest as he awaited an answer.
She looks for a seat and glaring at a logger who moved took it. Once sat she offers her leg to sweet pea. The leg cloth is punched where the dagger went in deep, a simple bandage has been placed over it. Now seeping Blue Blood again.
"I can switch most of the paint off, but still, its discomfiting and it lowers my effectiveness."
"I had been thinking the same," Krogge says, nodding at Rrruh's suggestion. However, it is not for Mayor Jack for whom he most worries. After all, he serves beneath the protection of the Blue Corvus.
The woodsman's normally stony face is plain to read. Even if it were not, the way he fiddles nervously with the elegant scarf, granted by High Priestess Lissel, makes his mind all too clear. Much as Rrruh worries about Naulla, Krogge worries about Laurel back in Falcon's Hollow.
He vows to trek north come morning, and offers to protect Naulla on the way.
"I can't say I'm fond of fleeing with my tail between my legs," Naulla adds, her ears drooping. It is hard to tell whether she is more crestfallen by the notion of leaving Oregent or the pun she accidentally dropped. "There was much I'd hoped to do in this city. I envisioned putting together a guild or union, much like the merchants and artisans in other cities have, but one for the common laborers. A way for them to come together and resist the Consortium's attempts to treat them like slaves."
His ears followed suit. It of course would be much to ask for her to just leave now when she had plans in the works. Then again . . .
"That does sound very important and a worthy cause. Have you considered the fact that Falcon's hollow is filled with loggers and the like, They supply much of the wood to the consortium. They have already had a setback with Mayor Jack. Imagine if the workers had a champion who could lead them to unite against the Consortium there. Word would travel and then you could come back here and show the other workers your other triumphs. They say the break of a dam starts with a single leak. From small things, larger things arrive."
He gave her his best smile but slowly released her hand. Light she was beautiful and smart and brave. The very flower of what a heroine should be in any story, let alone his. But unlock the silly plays he sometimes concocted she would have to write her own part. He could respect that, he glanced torwards the prone body of the axeman and barely surpressed a shudder. It was clear other elements in the world had their own way of things.
"It was just a thought though. I wouldnt dream of making you give up on your hopes and dreams of course."
Sapphire look over at the others as they talked of leaving and working to limit the power of the consortium.
She could tell there were deeper feelings being expressed behind the comments. But she kept her thinking to herself. She was new here and it was not her place to say anything.
She looked back at Sweet pea.
"He was plenty scary miss Sweatpea, Randu's spell is what won us that encounter to be sure. We hit him hard and fast and he shrugged most of it off well, until Krogge got him squarely."
"I got lucky" Randu says but in truth he IS a bit proud of it.
"That does sound very important and a worthy cause. Have you considered the fact that Falcon's hollow is filled with loggers and the like, They supply much of the wood to the consortium. They have already had a setback with Mayor Jack. Imagine if the workers had a champion who could lead them to unite against the Consortium there. Word would travel and then you could come back here and show the other workers your other triumphs. They say the break of a dam starts with a single leak. From small things, larger things arrive."
"mm some truth to that. Bloody consorium is a threat everywhere ,but sometimes it helps to work your way into a problem, and hope it snow balls from a small start to the bigger area."
The innkeeper, Renardier, emerges from his backroom, looking quite nervous. He shivers his way over to a couple of patrons who haven't fled, where they are attempting to bed back down in a southern corner of the flophouse. Renardier whispers with them, briefly growing impatient whilst pointing towards the body of the Axeman.
The innkeeper draws a handful of coppers from his pocket and angrily hurls them at the feet of the men. After collecting the coins, they march across the lodge and lift the dead Axeman by his legs and shoulder. Thus, they begin to remove the body from the premises.
Meanwhile, Naulla's face brightens with the suggestion from Rrruh and Randu.
"You may be right. Perhaps it was a mistake to start on such a large scale? A smaller stage, Falcon's Hollow instead of Oregent, may be a better way to get started and lay the foundation for my idea."
The catfolk woman they are speaking to, Naulla, is very naive. Your impression of her is that of a student fresh out of school, having her first painful brushes with reality. She probably came to Oregent with big dreams and bright ideas born from the books she has read, but the Consortium-controlled city is not so easily changed.
You also get the distinct idea that if these other folk hadn't met her first, she might not have survived long enough for you to find her.
While she was originally a person of interest for you in this investigation, having had contact with several of the victims, up close you see that she is harmless. However, her ideas about unionizing workers have clearly agitated the Consortium.
Sweet Pea concentrates for a moment. Several of her blossoms wilt, then grow into plump pods. She plucks them off and offers the handful of green pods to Sapphire. "Eat some of these, they'll help!"
She does as told and looks at the leg. Looking at her leg. Which seems to get better.
"Thank you Sweet pea, that has helped"
She stands, stamping her leg and checking it.
"The body is going to the mourge, so we seem to be done here, I have to press you, will you work with me?"
Then she addresses Naulla.
"I could not help but overhear your conversation. If you would allow me to offer some advice. I came to this country because I felt best reflected my own. I work to protect it because I deeply believe it is a beckon of light in and the world in darkness. Here is a place where the will of the majority can overpower the will of the wealthy and powerful minority. Where might is not right, where justice can rule and no one can by right of birth or privilege place themselves above the law. Where everyone has equal opportunity and rights."
She looks around the room.
"There are always those who wish this not to be, who wish to be lords and kings over others, who wish the rule of Tyrants. But we the people must stand and stop them. It saddens me to see here that some have forgotten this. You Miss Naulla remind them. Teach them again what it means to stands for what they believe in. Start small then watch as what you teach spread as it did before when this nation of the people for the people come into being."
She comes over to the Catwoman.
"I wish you the best of luck."
As Sapphire takes the pea pods, Sweet Pea skips over to where the men are hauling away the Axe Guy’s body. “Wait! I wanna see who he really was!” she says as she tugs at his mask/cowling.
Randu shrugs, not seeing a reason not to do so
Sapphire Night's comments are eloquent, "I think , Investigator night, you have a greater sense of optimism than I, but perhaps were 'not as different as I thought."
She nods at his words
"If this be true then we shall be friends Mr. Randu, we shall be friends."
She offers him her hand.
He breathed a quite obvious sigh of relief his tail slowly going back to a slightly wavy state. He had indeed been worried that this female he was so quickly enamored with was going to well, continue her attempts here. The consortium with their pet 'secret' assasin was liable to really get serious.
"You know what Sweet Pea, you are correct yes yes, let us see the man behind the mask."
He began following the little gathlain to the body and gave it a quick search.
Randu shakes it in return, "Odder things have happened." Then he says "Ah, the great unveiling." Meaning the unmasking
She shakes his hand back and turns to watch the others unmask the axe killer. She had not really cared who it was only that they could not kill again. But now her interest had been peeked, would her new companions know the person?
Sweet Pea tugs at the Axeman's hat and scarf. It takes a couple mighty pulls from the gathlain, but she soon unmasks the once-feared killer.
Sweet Pea, Randu, and Rrruh have never seen the man before.
In the end, he was simply disposable muscle made terrifying by the mystery and anonymity that surrounded the killings.
She leans in and looks close.
"Mumfre, Toothknockers muscle for the local Consortium gavel, Cedrog Deadknuckle. Dumb as they come and just a thug."
She steps back and nods to the two men paid to take the body away.
"If we are going to do this we have to take on Cedrog, but before we do we need more info on just what the Toothknockers are doing to make coin. Then shut it down. I can get the paperwork, but we needed evidence."
“Wellp, unless somebody needs me, I’m going back to sleep.” Sweet Pea wanders back over to her place on the floor and starts trying to get comfortable as she can in the ragged blankets.
Naulla's ears perk up whilst listening to Sapphire's earlier reflection upon Andoren values. The philosophically inclined catwoman is clearly happy to find another kindred spirit, drawn to to Andoran by the same ideals that brought her to this land.
"She's right," Naulla concedes, her mood growing solemn again. "There's nothing stopping the gavel from dressing up another thug as the Axeman and keeping the fear alive to keep their workers beneath their heel."
The severity of the situation she suggests, though, is undercut by Sweet Pea's interruption.
After the unmasking, the conscripted men continue the business of hauling the Axeman's body away. The other Toothknockers do not return, having abandoned their fallen fellow. What's more, no new mischiefs unfold during the remainder of the night.
The morning dawns and finds Oregent free from the Axeman's grip, at least for now.
"Some days I think Sweetpea is the smart one." A yawn
In the morning, he feels much refreshed.
Investigator Night took the seat she had found.
"Rest fellows, I will watch over you throw the night for I do not sleep."
Unless disturbed she does not move again, even her chest does not move to simulate breathing. Her body perfectly still likes a statue her eyes glowing slightly blue in the darkness. If you do disturb her seems well aware, active once more in an instant.
When the light of the morning comes, she seems to have gone out and got fresh pastries and mugs of steaming tea or coffee for everyone. lying them out on the crude bar. The smell fills the room.
Her clothing is clean and as new, there is no sign of the wound that was on her leg.
In the morning, Krogge and Naulla bid their farewells to the rest of the party. You walk them to the docks near the army base, where they secure passage on a skiff across the Arthrosh River. From there, they will take up the road back north to Olfden and Darkmoon Vale.
From there, you visit the nearby office of the magistrate. With the documentation provided by Sapphire, you are able to claim the bounty placed upon the notorious killer: thus, you are paid the sum of 1000 gold sails.
Whilst you wait for a writ of withdrawal to be validated by the local Abadaran taxmaster, Sapphire is able to provide information regarding potential leads.
The day-to-day offices of the Consortium can be found in the Lumberyards district. Cedrog, the local gavel, serves as the lumberyards' overseer, so he can usually be found there. Of course, his gang of Toothknockers also operate out of this district, so he will likely have at least a few of these thugs in his company.
It is important to remember that Oregent also serves as the Lumber Consortium's headquarters, essentially placing you in the enemy's lair. Therefore, many of its leaders are near at hand. Five of the eight members of the Consortium's board of directors (often colloquially called "Grand Gavels") maintain homes just outside of the city. These palatial estates are also where they meet to discuss their monopoly's affairs behind closed doors. The unimaginable wealth they've amassed, largely upon the backs of their abused and debased workers, means that whatever potentially damning evidence that lurks within their estates is well and truly guarded.
at the bounty, Randu whistles. Even his share is more than some of the folks of Darkmoon vale will see in a life time.
He grumbles to the others, "I feel like I'm walking in and out and in again of some dragon's mouth while I'm in this city."
When the coin is presented she hands it too them.
"It's your, you earned it"
She does not take any of the bounty.
Then she tells what she knows about the local crime gang.
He swallowed nervously as they turned to leave his tail lashing back and forth. He was more worried than he should be for a female he just met, but everything about Naulla made his heart pump faster.
"Naulla. Uh "
He began hurrying forward to close with them. He collected her paws in his and sort of looked down looking very unsure of himself. He leaned forward and lightly kissed her suddenly before smiling like an idiot and placing a bag of coin in her hand.
"Uh.. yes.. uh This should help you get a start on whatever enterprise you are seeking to start in the Vale. There are good folk there, Hopefully we finsish this business soon and we will return. I would like to continue our disccussion on Jubbanich and other things if it pleases you."
He finished with a hopeful smile.
"Cities can be as dangerous as any dragon's roost to be sure friend Randu. Most folk do not even realize that.
It was good to see come coin, since he had given his away earlier to Miss Naulla. Not that he ever needed a lot of coin. Still there next move would be... crucial.
"While we may have to remove all the heads of the consortium Hydra perhaps we should start with this Cedrog yes yes? Find out more about the leaders and plan."
Sweet Pea is too stunned by the size of the sack of coins to hear any immediate plans being made. “That’s a lot o shinies...”
"Information gathering then.Mmph.I'm not a social sort ."
She takes in Randus look
"Yes... let's find somewhere privet to talk"
Once they find a place secluded in the local Abadaran tax master offies. She explains their options.
"There are two stages to this endeavor, Information gathering as stated by Randu, and takedown. Now for Information gathering, we have a number of options."
She holds up her hand and on fingers counts them off.
"1: Infiltration, we get someone inside the organization. This one is a long game and they will most likely know who we are now, so I feel this is out."
Another finger
"2: Antaganise, that is we kick the wasp nest and see what falls out. This one may work, we just keep arresting gang members until someone hire up shows and then we take them for interrogation. Cude and there is a risk we bite off more than we can masticate."
Anther finger
"3: Servalance and clandestine operations, This is the one I think we can do best. We know the leaders have swanky homes outside of town. Well if we could get inside, not saying brake in but with giul. And find incriminatiting evidence or even better information about crime dealing, well. We can also observe the foot soldiers of the thing criminal organization. Work out how they make money. Then once we have enough information to talk then down we act."
She waits to see what they say.
"Not sure any of us are sneaky enough for option 1.. " Randu ponders
"Two sounds mighty gratifying, but your'e right that eventually we might end up choking on it."[/B He paces. [B]"If you think 3 works best I guess we could give it ago. Truth..I tend to be a pessimist. But we've somehow survived this long." he looks at the others "What say you?"
“Hmmmm, I kinda like number 2,” Sweet Pea muses, “but 3 sounds fun, too!”
Sounds like option 5 it is then a mixture of 2 and 3.
He stretched and yawned before smiling.
"where to first though?"
"That then is task one Rrruh. We have to find out where the gang leaders' home's out outside the city and pick one to infiltrate. So who is good at collecting local gossip? or talking to tradesmen about shipping high-quality stuff to neardowells?"
"THAT is... a very good question." He looks to Rrruh, then to Sweetpea, then back to the Catfolk , then at himself"Truth to tell I'm not sure. The last true master of charm we had went into politics."
"That is a shame, but let's do this, lets all head out for today, talk find meet and see what we can turn up, then meet up again here tonight"
The Lumberyards district is the hub of Consortium activities within the city's walls. Despite dominating the southeastern corner of Oregent, this district is walled off from the rest of the city.
The grounds within house a number of large, rickety warehouses used for processing, drying, and storing the more valuable woods collected by their army of loggers. The remainder of the more ordinary lumber rests stacked in immense piles that dot the yards like wooden mountains. A few squat, stone office buildings are also interspersed through the sawdust-strewn district.
Gangs of Toothknockers patrol the grounds in teams of two or three. They are accompanied by large, ill-tempered hounds kept on thick leashes.
Sweet Pea uses her Hat of Disguise to appear as an ordinary halfling woman seeking employment in as a carpenter and healer in the lumberyards.
Randu does his best to blend in as a plain ole cook. It's not so different from the lumberyards of home, just.. a lot more of it.
He frowned not liking having to hang back while the others tried to infiltrate the places, but he knew that he did stick out... a lot. Plus he had a feeling his natural inclination would be to help out folk too much liable to get him in trouble. So instead he looked to make trouble a different way. He made his way back to Savio and Miss Mari.
He wanted to make sure that they knew the 'axeman' had been dealt with, but he was liable to be a pawn of the consortium and another one may show pretending to be the same one, and that they were looking into trying to stop that. He also wanted to make sure they understood that Naulla was not in league with the axeman, and had in fact been instrumental in helping to take him down. He added that she and their copatriot were headed up to Falcon's hallow for a bit, there was a new mayor there trying to put an end to the Consortium's greed and evil ways. If Savio felt safer being away for a bit, he could give him the names of fair folk to speak with there.
He reiterated that Naulla wasnt the killer. For some reason he didnt want people to think ill of her. He was definitely twitterpaited for the oak furred feline female to be sure.
When you emerge to question workers that catch your attention, you pick up a few key details.
Garland Rakesclaw, chairman of the Consortium's board of directors, is hosting an emergency meeting of his colleagues at his estate just outside the city. The meeting will be convened in the next day or two, and it will almost certainly focus upon the newly elected mayor of Falcon's Hollow, whom they see as a threat to their monopoly upon logging in Darkmoon Vale.
Given the rushed timeframe of this meeting, there is also a lot of speculation that the security will not be as tight as Rakesclaw would normally have it for such important meetings. This also prompts your impromptu informants to wax about the mysterious contents about the basement beneath Director Rakesclaw's estate.
"It ain't much of a secret that he's keeping something important down there. It's the most heavily guarded part of his mansion! I wouldn't be surprised if he's sitting on the Consortium's entire treasury. Probably enough money in there to buy half the People's Council. O' course, he might just be sitting on a big stash of darkwood - keeping it scarce to keep the price up, ya know?"
You overhear a few of the workers comment on their surprise at seeing a young halfling woman here in the yards. It seems they would have expected you to be working at Mr. Rakesclaw's house, especially since he's having the other Consortium directors over at his estate for an important meeting.
Meanwhile, you observe that the general health of workers in the Lumberyards is...not good. Many continue to work despite quite obvious fresh injuries, evidenced by poorly bandaged hands, feet, and legs. Even those without such slipshod bandaging, you see many men go by who are missing fingers, hands, feed, eyes, and even entire limbs. Nevertheless, they seem pressed to work extra hard to make up for their infirmities.
Beyond these physical injuries, you also observe signs of more internal maladies. Many of the workers cough profusely, which you attribute to sawdust inhalation - the stuff is practically everywhere here. In some advanced cases, you even catch sight of workers coughing up bits of blood.
Again and again, you hear men comment on their surprise that you are working in the yards instead of working up at Garland Rakesclaw's house. Evidently the chairman of the Consortium's board of directors is famed for hiring halflings to work at his estate, which seems to be one of the few praises anyone has for the company's leaders.
"You should take a chance and march up to the man's door and offer your services," suggests one adz-carrying man with a freshly bandaged foot as he reaches the head of the chow line. "He's hosting another meeting of them other board members soon, so he'll probably need the extra hired help. It would probably be your only shot out of this place."
Even if you weren't only infiltrating the lumberyards for information, you would be wary of such a proposition. Years ago, when you and Runo came to Andoran's northern frontier to work in the logging industry, your brother talked you out of taking a job in one of the director's households. He couldn't explain it, but he had a hunch that gnawed at his stomach, and he didn't think it would be a good idea. He insisted the two of you seek more honest work, earning your way by the sweat of your brows.
"I don't find that too hard to believe," he sighs, his injuries already looking much better since you last saw him - largely thanks to the aid you and your friends previously rendered. "The catwoman seemed downright...naive, too much so to be secretly in league with the lumber bosses."
His ample-framed cousin who runs the Soggy Trousers offers another snort.
"Don't let yourself be fooled," she sneers. "Them sweet, smiling types are the lumber bosses' best weapons - even more so than their Toothknockers. Don't trust nobody that ain't family."
Despite Ms. Harper's suspicions, though, you remain resolute about Naulla's character.
"He seems to have a soft spot for slips, though. I seen whole families stroll up to the front door, and the guards just usher them on inside. But yeah, I reckon there's also a servant's door other than the grand old main door the other bosses use."
Sapphire meets with the others and tells them what she discovered
Randu nods and thanks the fellow with an extra dumpling before meeting Sapphire and the others
"Not sure I learned much ..but this...." And he relates the news of the slips being so 'welcome' "Gives me the chills in truth"
“I heard about the meeting, too.” Sweet Pea says, “I bet a couple of halflings could get in really easy.”
"I did not learn much, other than our initial friends who lead us to Naulla are doing okay, though mistress Mari doesnt like her. I dont understand why. Have you seen the way her fur just glistens in the moonli..."
He stopped midsentence and offered a smile.
"Thats a dangerous route but it could be done, get in, find out some information safely, get out then we can infiltrate late at night to whatever means we need to. It would be dangerous of course."
She looks at the others.
"I will not sanction anything openly illegal. However, I can get us in the house. I am going to ask for a warrant to search the house, With what we have found out I have reason to believe there are good there that have not had tax paid on them. And possibly Ilegal goods band by law. But this has to be peaceful. If at some point they resist the warrant then we will read the situation. While we are inside, we can however look over the place, should say someone wishes to enter uninvited later. This will mean I will have to sware you in a Deputies and you will be bound by the laws of the land until such time as you resine."
"I'll be perfectly legal for me to go in if I work there, right?" Sweet Pea asks, "I can be already inside when you come to do your warrant searching. Then I'll know if they try to hide something."