"My thanks. I am certain that Baron will be a fine steed."
"Isinglass will hopefully serve me well, and not bite. We best start out on our path."
Ulark quietly walked over to his horse, and took out an apple from his rations. He fed it to the animal, while talking in a soft tone to it. If he was going to be spending an extended period time with it, he figured that it would be best to start off on the right foot.
Ulark's horse immediately takes a shine to him, gobbling up the apple and rubbing is broad muzzle against the former logger's chest and shoulders. In the animal's eye, you can see that it already trusts Ulark. For their part, the other horses also seem quite relaxed and ready to become a part of your team.
Although your new steeds do not provide the same pleasant conversation as when you first traveled this road with Miss Dosatora, they do expedite your trip phenomenally. In four hours' time they bring you to the crossroads guarded by the army fort, and another three hours of travel leaves you on the far banks of the River Foam, looking upon Falcon's Hollow from across the sawdust-choked water.
The only significant change you find to the logging town in your absence is the encampment raised here on the opposite bank, near the ferry landing. The Diamond Regiment soldiers finish erecting tents, unpacking mess gear, and inventorying provisions. Only half the soldiers who departed Adamas appear to be present, and there is no sign of Commander Odeber.
Inconnu hails a soldier on sentry duty. "We've done our best to catch up. Where can we find the Commander Odeber to help out?"
"Hail, Diamond Regiment. We would speak with the Commander, as my friend says."
The sentry, a young corporal, is momentarily startled by your hail and approach. Rather than an enemy, though, it seems more likely that he initially mistakes you for a superior officer come to scold him for daydreaming. He sighs in relief, though still breathes heavily as he responds.
"The Commander is across the river, in town," he explains, still quite tense. "She is meeting with some of the town officials. Um, the sheriff, the magistrate, the local priestess and, um, and I think some of the Consortium bosses."
"Excellent. Thank you, corporal. We shall go to meet them."
'No use putting off the end of all this. Dugan grumbles.
"Oh boy this is gonna be interesting...."
It begins with the ferryman who takes you aboard his raft and poles you across the river. His are only the first set of eyes you feel burning into you, wary and amazed by your return. Once you are back on the sawdust-carpeted roads, the glances and whispers begin to spread like a breaking rain storm. It won't be long before the whole town knows you are back in Falcon's Hollow.
The corporal did not know where, exactly, the commander and her escorts were meeting with the Consortium representatives. There are a few places you can think of - the Consortium offices on the Perch, Kreed's manor just outside the town walls, or Jak'a'Napes or the Sitting Duck as more neutral ground. However, you just aren't sure where they could be.
"If I had to guess where they are, I'd be guessing; Kreed's manor just outside the town walls."
”As good a place as any. Ah...I won’t lie, I’m nervous. But hopefully justice will finally come to our home.”
"We have done everything in our power to bring justice to Falcon's Hollow. May it bear fruit soon."
'It's not like we're going there to pick a fight.' Dugan says, righteously. 'Not that we're shying away from one, though'
"You did promise them an election for mayor Ulark. Though with time for rumours to build up about that day there's probably one tale of you promising Talmandor himself to set things right and another as fanciful but darker in tone."
"If there are those who will stand for evil, we must oppose them."
You almost make it through town unmolested.
The road from the docks to the Perch, where the late Thuldrin Kreed's fortress-like manor sits above the town, is comparatively short. However, it's a route that takes you right through the Low Market, past the largest gallery of eyes. Fortunately, it is not a gang of Consortium enforcers, locals with chips on their shoulders, or other large miscreants that stop you in your tracks.
"Dugan!" Kimi Eavewalker calls out, barreling through the market to intercept her mentor. Three of her friends struggle to follow at her nimble heels: you recognize Hollin, Mikra, and Savram. However, there is no sign of the fifth member of their gang, Jurin Kreed.
"You're back!" the half-elf tomboy exclaims excitedly. "Did you bring those army folks?" she asks, her face unsure whether to be impressed or irritated.
Joanna seeing the view of the number of locals present
"Let's hope they all don't get hostile."
Dugan draws Kimi into a crushing hug. 'Glad to see you safe and sound for the first time in forever. As for the soldiers, we did send them. My friends and I have to face justice one way or the other.'
He releases the girl 'You kids staying out of trouble?' He shoots a stern eye through the pack of children.
Kimi harbors a dim bitterness about Dugan and company leaving town in the first place, but she is undoubtedly relieved by your return. Likewise, the ever nervous Savram - son of the hermit Sharvaros Vade - also appears visibly comforted to again see his rescuers. Hollin - the orphaned brother of Ralla, one of the girls who works at the Rouge Lady - seems rather distant. Meanwhile, the butcher's simpleminded son Mikra is simply happy because his friends are happy.
"Are you kidding? I am the trouble around here," Kimi jokingly brags whilst hugging Dugan.
A more serious expression reasserts itself upon her face after the embrace ends.
"Those soldiers were pestering Jurin," she says as though declaring an ancestral grudge. "They were demanding to go into his house, asking about his old man, and trying to take stuff. Then ol' Payday came by and turned them away. I never thought that pig-nosed sot would ever be good for anything," she spits.
"Now rather than getting into too much trouble ye have some fun today." Inconnu takes out four silver pieces for each of the children and then another four adding "No need for Jurin to miss out if ye meet up with him." Better for ye all to be busy if things turn against us and occupied.
Micheo renains quiet as the others speak but does keep an eye out, wondering if Kitani Eavewalker is in the crowd.
Savram and Hollin eyes the coins with wonder, and Mikra smiles when he sees how the silver excites his friends. Kimi accepts the coins to make sure the boys "don't lose them or nothing."
Across the marketplace, Micheo spots Kitani Eavewalker at a market stall. She sits alongside two other women, and they all busy themselves mending clothes brought to them. Kitani raises her head and catches Micheo looking her way, and she offers a wave and coy smile in return.
"Seems folks are worried about the aftermath that'll be coming from this, mainly from the LC...."
'Maybe you should invite Jurin to stay with you and your Ma, Kimi.' Dugan frowns slightly, 'His dad weren't much and I'd hate for him to end up following his pa's footsteps being raised by those lumber dolts.'
Micheo turns to his companions.
"I will be over at the stalls. I would speak with Ms. Eavewalker."
He then walks over to Kitani showing a smile of his own.
"It is good to see you. How have you fared?"
"Oh, the town's returned to being such a bore since you left," Kitani sighs. "I've had to endure all the usual, uncouth loggers walking past, spitting into the sawdust. Life is so much better with a finer quality of man around - the heroic kind that rescues children from monsters."
She emphasizes this sentiment with a wink.
Once you depart the Low Market and ascend the Perch, you find Diamond Regiment soldiers stationed before two buildings: Kreed Manor and the Consortium Offices. While the soldiers in front of the offices appear focused on observing anyone coming near their ward, the soldiers around the manor appear more focused upon watching for movement or irregularities from within.
"I'm guessing whoever the Commander is talking to it's very official... might be best for us to wait til they have a break rather than just barging in there. She can't miss us if we stick around though."
Micheo smiles in turn.
"My group and I may have much else to do in the days ahead. But I would meet you to speak more when I can."
”Agreed. We’re on thin ice as it is. Let’s not do anything rash.” Ulark looked around and took a deep breath. He had left his home for the first time, and it felt different already. The repetition of his days had been irrecoverably shattered, and home just didn’t feel like home anymore. He didn’t even know what the right thing to do was. Through it all, Ulark was just glad that he wasn’t alone.
"Some things that once changed can't be changed back, like mixing milk with tea."
'Or when someone waters down ale. Should be a crime.'
Unfortunately, the first group to exit the Consortium offices proves to be Boss Payday and a cadre of his cronies. His mood seems none to pleased even before he catches sight of you standing on the edge of the High Market at the heart of the Perch. He swaggers over to confront you, a simmering scowl upon his face.
"Spit and thunder! You got a lotta cobbles to come back here!" Pay Day shouts loudly enough to be heard across the High Market. "If'n you don't high tail it outta here right now, you'll be lucky if we don't drag you down the hill and beat you to death in front of everyone, you axemad murderer!"
Joanne with is 7 foot stature towering over the short pug nosed Payday replies clamly
"I would like to see you try,
and if I were you I'd be more worried about the dirty laundry that they might find, then us.
As I'm almost sure some of the laundry might get some folks sent to Devil's Island."
Ulark failed to notice anything but Payday. He did notice though, the man’s fear. And the rush of blood that came when he could feel the touch of evil nearby. He quelled the righteous anger, but a small spark of it came through nonetheless, as his hand fell within easy reach of his axe. As large as he was, he couldn’t match the sheer size of Joanne. But he could still be scary enough.
”I’d listen to her if I were you.” He locked eyes with the man, as if the world had shrunk down to be just the two of them.
Dugan attempts to wave at Jurin before the boy disappears into the manor and frowns when the boy does. 'Kid shouldn't be raised by that buncha wolves.'
Dugan's stance widens as the lumber party approaches. The dwarf eyes payday up and down as the man sputters and shouts. 'You all should have treated your home better' and spits on the ground between the groups.
Micheo appears distracted even after he rejoins the others.
But he joins in when his friends speak up.
And a small, deep part of Micheo revels in the opportunity to put pressure on the deserving. It comes perhaps a little too easily.
"The Consortium is the wellspring of many of Falcon Hollow's ills. It is you whom should fear justice."
"If you've any sense you'll give a full an honest confession, testifying against your conspirators. Then you might earn some level of mercy in the form of a reduced punishment..."
Inconnu appeal to reason leaves more than one of the Consortium thugs questioning their actions. As for Boss Payday, it is the impervious front presented by the rest of the party - including the nigh-terrifying Ulark - that breaks his resolve. The labor boss winces and recoils, just perceptibly.
"Y'all are worse than that fey-loving witch of a knight," he groans, violently waving an arm back towards the Consortium offices. Despite his bluster, you can see that his shoulders shrink back in defeat.
"Let's get going 'fore we catch an axe in the back," you can just hear him hiss to his cronies as he waves for them to escort him away.
Once they are a fair distance from you, in the midst of the High Market, he turns about to deliver one last blunt retort - well out of reach, of course.
"Y'all will see! We built this town! We protected it! We ain't about to just let it get taken away!"
He turns on his heel and hastens his step to escape any verbal or physical reply.
Micheo turns to the others, having gotten a better grip on his thoughts.
"It is difficult to see this ending peacefully. Though I am still willing to try."
”They’re not used to ruling through anything but threats and fear. Now that the authorities are here, they’re reeling. I hope that this ends without bloodshed. But from how they’re acting, I won’t be sleeping sound.”
'They're lucky they didn't catch an axe to the face' Dugan grumbles loudly after Payday's penultimate retort.
"There's only one way to find out. Now that they've cleared out lets head in to let the commander know we're here. Local knowledge might be very useful to her."
The sentries posted at the courtyard gate to the Consortium offices make no move to stop you. In fact, they nod as you approach. Perhaps the commander informed them to expect you, or perhaps they merely approve of your handling of Boss Payday. Either way, you are allowed to enter unmolested.
The polished wooden statue of Thuldrin Kreed's father, Thalsin, stands in the entrance hall - although his ever stern visage is hardly a welcome. Inside, you find Diamond Regiment soldiers searching through every desk, drawer, shelf, and cabinet within the building. They pile the documents upon a broad table in the main meeting hall, where Commander Odeber sifts through them. She reads through them, tight-lipped and unpleased.
Micheo approaches the commander.
"Commander, we have done as you requested. The tunnels are that much safer for our actions. How is the investigation faring?"