"Next time, bror... I'll deal with the monster an' you rescue the bairn..."
Kikinnin shakes his head. "I only just got a moment to help in the rescue. That beast would separate you from your favorite body parts, for your lack of true armor. That creature could have done worse on me than it did." When new noise rises from Maavu's Money Changing, the black-beard flicks his head in its direction. "Looks like we'll find out if it's any luckier in our next go."
"B-be careful K-Kikinnin..."
Kikinnin looks to Marigold, obviously flustered at having just caught a babe from a bough breaking. "Uh, you mean JJ, don't you? He's more likely to monkey-climb here than I am. Got a bug to squash over there." Kikinnin points to Maavu's, and gets to moving.
With the professor's help, Kikinnin just manages to see Maple, in the flesh, skulking about. "Have at that opportunistic runt. Until we stop the big lunk, Cauldron's buildings are still at risk of imploding."
AC = 26(Smite, Insight?)
HP = 42/54
Weapon Equipped = MW Dwarven Greataxe
Condition(s) = Bless, Insight
Kikinnin moves to the new building, wherever the front door is, and tries to open it, while waving at the guard for back up. "Sounds like our bull has found a new Tian Xia shop to smash up."
If he's having a hard time accessing the interior, he smashes at the door, not unlike the umber hulk.
Ryan joins Kikinnin in trying to find an opening into the money changers office, as it sound like the office is being destroyed from the inside out.
"Here let me help"
yet his shoulder contacts the doorframe more so than the door when he bounces off Kikinnin in his rush to help.
"Sorry"
What the-Maple!?
Although she easily spots the errant halfling, along with some of the others, Marigold decides that the safety of the baby in her arms and the mother still trapped in the building are more important than giving chase and she holds her ground underneath the window.
she calls out to JJ as a fresh commotion can be heard just across the street.
JJ easily climbs the rope and embraces Kyra who hugs him "My baby! My baby", the woman is crying and very altered, indeed JJ fears for a moment he will fall from the number of hits she is delivering on his face and body.
Maxim observes the situation without being able to clearly make an idea of what the colorful gnomes are up to.
Without hesitation Juraan drops the healing wand as soon as he sees Maple and runs down the caldera to the parallel avenue while drawing his bow. When the professor pulls the string of his bow magic arcane sparks denote its magical gravity, invoked when fired with arcane powered might. The arrow flies precise and goes through Maple's back as she was trying to open the building's main door.
The one shotted halfling falls to the ground inert.
Marigold embraces the baby in a protective hug while readying herself for the next events.
The remaining guards are organized by Dandarrion in a line to face the supposedly attacked building.
The crowds disperse while Beppo keeps pushing his fruit cart down Lava Avenue.
The gnomes step closer "Keep watching out!" shouts the red one and all cast a new spell with a single word each of them.
Their outline appears blurred, shifting, and wavering.
Kikinnin and Ryan approach Maavu's Money Changing and attempt to push the door open. When the door seems up to break, a terrible noise is followed by the building collapse as the Umber Hulk reappears around ruins of the now destroyed structure!
"Grrrrooooarrr!!!!" yells the fiendish creature looking injected in fury at Kikinnin.
Marigold shrieks with fear and surprise as the umber hulk shows itself once more, but the knowledge of what she carries in her arms helps her steel her mind against the creature's gaze.
She glances up at the hysterical mother and beckons frantically for her to follow before turning and bolting back down the street towards the group of mages.
"Don't shoot, I have a child!"
_____
… when the Umberhulk reamerges, Juraan stands there and starts babbling
« ჩემი კალათა איז פול פון ילז »
JJ helps Kyra to climb down the rope.
"your baby is safe at the bottom of this rope. Here, let me help uyou.."
:
As the fell brute reappears, Maxim blinks momentarily, then moves calmly across the street, drawing his pistol as he goes .
The gun-mage levels his pistol at the creature, imbuing it with magic resulting in the barrel crackling with electrical energy.
With a hard look the dwur pulls the trigger...
:
:
Bringing his mace back to bear of the umber hulk once more,Ryan tries to help Kikinnin break this thing apart.
Marigold runs towards the gnomes with the baby on her arms in a protective attempt.
Juraan is surprised by the Umber Hulk and stops at place, looking at the bulbous eye and babbling incoherently.
JJ descends with Kyra embranced.
Maxim moves closer and shots his gun! The bullet hits the Umber Hulk but seems unable to penetrate effectively its skin. The electricity seems to damage the creature.
The crowds finally disperse in the alleys while Beppo moves slowly out of danger for the moment.
Dandarrion starts babbling incoherently while two of the other guards fight each other.
Only finding their armors.
The other two guards attempt to finish the hulk.
One of them fails miserably on stumbling with a ruins rock, but the other one valiantly skewers the beast with his halberd through the chest! Although the creature resist a small part of the damage, it shrieks when plenty of blood smear the ground on retreating the halberd.
The colorful gnomes are lead once more by the red one who draws a wand "Attack!!!" The other gnomes follow his example drawing similar wands and all of them wave the wands, a magic missile of force flying from each wand and unfailingly direct to the Umber Hulk!
Two of them extinguish as they reach the creature, but the other two powerfully burst on its chest!
The creature barely seems to sustain itself when Ryan jumps over it crashing his mace on the hulk! The mace breaks through the capes of extremely hard skin, causing the beast to yell in extreme pain!
The Umber Hulk finally collapses over the ruins of Maavu Money Changing! As it hits the ground a white light covers the creature and it suddenly disappears.
The disappearing was product of an unsummoning, the typical effect of a summoning spell coming to an end due to its duration or because of the creature being slain in the material plane and recovered to its native plane.
Kyra quickly runs towards her baby jumping over Marigold to retrieve it.
The city guard finally recovers their control, including Dandarrion "Ok, move move on! These ruins can collapse on any moment"
"There may be more people inside!" says JJ, reminding the guards there are more lives to be saved.
He looks around carefully to see if he can hear or see signs of people in the damaged buldings.
Juraan shakes his head as the Umberhulk disappears and he regains his senses.
"Good job everyone! Looks like that creature was summoned."
Then he turns around.
"Damn! I have to make sure Mapple doesn't die!"
He runs over to the downed halfling and uses his wand of CLW on her:
"I didn't want to kill her."
"I can't believe it's pure coincidence she was here for this mess."
"She was in on the massacre at the Lucky Monkey, after all."
If Mapple doesn't come round, after that, he'll use the wand of CLW again:
Either, Juraan will try to pin her down to make sure she doesn't go anywhere.
Kikinnin takes in the grand death scene, almost as if in slow motion. He sees JJ descending the Rope with his charge, sees Beppo the Snail lugging his shell to safety, sees guards battle each other instead of the monster, sees gnomes punch through the creature's carapace, then finally sees Ryan down the beast with a mighty blow.
He feels his arm relax, as the might of his axe dissipates, the target of its heightened power no longer present. His mouth falls slightly ajar, as the body disappears altogether.
"What?! Now, where's the body gone off to?" In his frustration, he pokes around the rubble that was once Maavu's Money Changing, making sure the creature hasn't engaged in a new ploy, involving invisibility or minification.
Ryans mouth twist in a grimace as the creatures disappears. "Save your searching Kikinnin, this creature was summoned through arcane or divine magics I know not which, Both have studies dealing with the subject."
Looking around he catches sight of the wounded guardsmen raising his shield he channels healing towards them.
"hmmm, that wasn't near enough." feeling only a small change in his own wounds. Ryan tries once more.
"That's better."
Marigold spares a glance over her shoulder at the sound of the umber hulk's death roar and gawps as she sees it collapse onto what's left of Maavu's business...and then disappear in a flash of light.
"Wha-th-that th-thing was s-summoned! S-s-someone c-called th-that creature t-to this p-place!" she exclaims, unsure of whether to be terrified at the thought...or angered. After a second of reflection she decided to opt for angered - it was easier to keep on task while angry than fearful.
As she quickly returns the bundle in her arms to Kyra, she calls out to Juraan, "D-don't let her g-get away! If she's here th-then she p-probably knows s-something about wh-who did this!"
Then she works with Ryan to finish patching up their injured friends as well as the brave guards who helped in the fight.
______
Ryan and Marigold quickly heal up everyone left in the avenue.
Juraan turns Maple into consciousness with a single tap of his wand, she reacts looking at the professor with a soft laugh "What a mess hehe" the halfling female removes the arrow from her back.
Although most people left the buildings during the first seconds of the assault, joining the crowds or running away, you do check again trying to provide help.
On his search of the completely trashed structure of Maavu's warehouse, JJ finds out what might be some sigils from a possible summoning circle, but it results impossible to know for certain.
While other guards secure the area, Dandarrion approaches you "Thanks a lot for your efforts. A representative of the lord Mayor's Office will be in touch with you, probably tomorrow, if there is anything you need"
The gnomes approach you "MTA" they present themselves, Dandarrion's look gets stern and he spits to one side of the street "Your cooperation has been relevant to put an end to this new magical menace" tells the red gnome.
Juraan will keep a grip on Maple:
"The only only reason you're alive is for information."
"I still remember you from the Lucky Monkey. So no funny stuff!"
« Tu vermi è megghiu nni dicinu di tuttu sai. »
« Sè ci hè un prossimu tempu canta ùn sarà tantu beddu! »
"If there is a next time I won't be so nice!"
After this one-way exchange, Juraan will drag Maple to Dandarrion
"We're glad to be of help, Dandarrion."
"But I'd like to take this one to the lock up. We met her before at the Lucky Monkey massacre."
"She doubtless knows something about this attack too."
"Take extra care locking her up, she's as slippery as an eel, this one."
"Why would there be a summoning circle inside Maavu's warehouse?" he asks, pointing out the circle to the other members of the team who knows more about such things.
As for Maple he sighs and doesn't go anywhere near here.
She has had more than enough chances. That one won't change her ways.
He approaches the gnomes. "Who are the MTA? And what do you know about Maavu's and that creature?"
Maple attempts an smile at Juraan, but gets impressed when the professor eyes glow with magical fury fire. "Ei, we do not need to get to that, hehe. I have nothing to do with that beast, I was just passing by and... thought no one will notice if I go here inside hehe"
The halfling starts protesting as she is dragged to Dandarrion. The Sargent takes the halfling female from the wrist and nods to Juraan "A well known fellow of us... I thought the Alleybashers were done... what have you been doing little one... come with us... you will taste the jail for a gooooooood while"
The gnomes smile at JJs question. The red one nods giving a signal to his fellows, then they start performing a display with all kind of body gestures until they hold on behind red "Magical Threads Agency Sir! We are the MTA Force!"
Red relaxes then explains "Lord Mayor Navalant invested the new taxes on opening a new agency to deal with the recent escalation in magical threats in Cauldron"
Dandarrion spits on the ground "This is how the new money is spoiled instead of raising my men's salaries"
Red addresses JJ again ignoring the Sargent "Maavus is among the richest merchants in the city Sir"
"The Magical Threats Agency?"
JJ looks astounded.
"I'm a little disapointed he didn't approach my friends and I, as we have been more than a little successful in dealing with such threats in the past few weeks."
Still, after a small sigh he asks "So... you would also deal with things like demonic incursions?"
"What was the point in smashing up that warehouse?"
"That …… as nasty as it was, was hell-bent on destroying a warehouse."
"Rather than just attacking people."
"Perhaps the creature was summoned by one of Maavu's competitors. Maxim would know better than I the repercussions of the damage of the warehouse but Maavu's bottom line would be significantly affected at any rate. We should go speak with him, likely not going to be a pleasant visit but a necessary one, unless that is Dondarion wishes to execute the visit as part of the guard's duties."
While Ryan speaks to the others he keeps an eye on the new MTA group.
does he trust they're who they say they are
"Or maybe it was summoned and got out of control somehow?" suggests JJ.
"I'd not assume Maavu was innocent, it was his warehouse with the summoning circle.."
"I'm not, but there's always the chance he is. Time will tell."
"Whoever was responsible clearly doesn't understand the concept of subtlety!"
"Um...th-that's...um...actually r-really neat..." Marigold mumbles as the MTA introduce themselves. "L-like our group b-but all m-mages...and uh, b-backed by the c-city government ap-p-parently..." She gives them all a closer look, wondering if she recognizes any of them from somewhere like Bluecrater Academy.
"And I d-don't know...m-maybe s-someone is t-trying to set M-Maavu up with all of th-this. We sh-should w-wait until we kn-know m-more b-before throwing around t-too many accusations," she cautions.
"Was not an accusation towards anyone specific, merely a possible scenario for why such a creature would be driven to destroy first Maavu's warehouse and then his money changing business.
Appears to have been an attack against his interest, or a summoning gone horribly wrong with the creature taking retribution against the summoner.
Again neither are certainties, just plausible paths to follow."
The MTA gnomes look at each other when JJ asks about demons "What? Demons? No one told us we would have to fight demons" the pink gnome asks the red one "Jess, you have to request a salary raise if we have to fight demons"
You do see Dandarrion acknowledges the gnomes even if he does not seem to like them. You do not sense evilness or lie on them. Thus, you feel they really are what they tell.
You do not recognize the gnomes, they are likely recent arrivals to the city.
"Feel free to pose your questions" explains Dandarrion "But please, try not to interfere in the avenue cleaning effort"
Some of the avenue workers start to get back to their jobs. Maavu's employees arrive to the ruins and stay there looking confused. When required about their boss they merely point out he must be at his office on his main office at the large building between Magma and Lava Avenue that remains untouched.
Checking on that office discovers Maavu is nowhere to be seen and none of his employees seem to remember or know where the boss is.
"Also suspicious..." notes JJ.
"Unless this was some kind of a distraction around kidnapping him. But then why draw attention to him to begin with."
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"Save your searching, Kikinnin..."
"Wha-th-that th-thing was s-summoned! S-s-someone c-called th-that creature t-to this p-place!"
Kikinnin scrunches his face oddly, glad to call of his sifting, while angered that the creature had purpose under someone's orders. [b]"Well that can't be good. More diabolic activity about, central to our beloved Cauldron. That makes me itch under my collar."
The black-beard watches the gnomes with bemusement. He knows from limited experience to hold his tongue in the presence of gnomes, as they tend to make fools of those who try and spar words with such odd fellows.
They're running in packs now. At least these seem to have purpose. Color coding them is practical. They all start to look the same, after a while.
Kikinnin regains himself, turning his thoughts from the gnomes to the citizens of Cauldron that might still be suffering from the building-bashing. He spends the rest of Abadar's healing energies to see folk salved from their suffering, before he returns to listen half-heartedly to the gang discussing the implications of Maavu and summoning circles.
He turns to Maxim. "Wasn't Maavu one of your uncle's competitors?"
"I d-don't recognize any of these gn-gnomes," Marigold whispers to the others. "They m-must be new in t-town."
When they quickly discover that Maavu is nowhere to be found, the halfling's frown deepens. "L-let's look for c-clues if they'll l-let us s-search his office," she suggests.
"Perhaps that monster was summoned as a smokescreen for Maavu's disappearance?"
Maxim lights a cigar and eyes the devastation and gnomic newcomers in equal measure;
"Yup. Maavu is a rival o' my Uncle's... Summonin' infernal warehouse wreckin' monsters is a little out o' his league tho."
The gun-mage nods toward the gnomes;
"Kinda weird that all this kicks off an' as luck would have it they appear... all timely like. Now gnomiz are weird, but we all know nothin' o-ccurs in this town just by happenstance..."
People accepts Kikinnin's healing gladly, everybody looks his Abadar symbol with hope.
When the group attempts to inspect Maavu's private offices they are stopped by a group of employees "I do not think that is appropriate. Who are you after all?", but after some insistence on that Maavu might be in danger you are allowed a quick look at the place "I will be with you, and you are not allowed to pick anything"
Accompanied like that you find out the office pretty well arranged. There are files with all kinds of orders. There is also a library with magical tomes containing spells ranging a wide number of topics and power. Over the desktop there are some documents about buy/sell orders and transport plans for the next weeks. Finally your attention is taken by a scrap of paper in the trash. It seems a note bringing alert to his businesses in Redgorge, signed with the initials A.T.
As the group gets out of Maavu's main building, you are stopped by a woman you do recognize as Tessa Marsh. She addresses JJ giving him a note "I feared I would not find you, but people were talking about the rampage in Magma Avenue and my intuition you would be here was right. The guards just told me about this building" still holding the note she looks to side and side of the avenue "Quite a chaos. A beautiful blonde woman just took this to your place. I wanted Sara to bring it to you but she got mad at the idea and closed herself in the room..."
Written with fine calligraphy it reads:
I would like to arrange a business dinner with you and your comrades for tomorrow sundown. You will find it profitable. Dress appropriately.
Cusp of Sunrise/Obsidian Avenue Northeast
"'A.T.'...d-do we know anyone b-by those initials?" Marigold whispers as they finish their quick skim of Maavu's office and step back outside.
"Dunno, Maxim, any ideas who this mysterious A.T. is perchance? And where was that at Redgorge?....Hold on, Redgorge? I need to speak to Jenya. Kikinnin, Aleck was in Redgorge. " Ryan at first seems confused by the initials but comes to have a troubled look on his face as Aleck's initials come to mind.
When they leave Maavu's office he heads back to St Cuthberts. Reporting what happened in the warehouse district and then again what they found when they reached Maavu's office. "Jenya, you mention Aleck went to Redgorge, did his business have anything to do with Maavu's interest?"
"A.T. is Alek Tercival?" Kikinnin rubs the back of his neck, turning his gaze on JJ, wordlessly, before turning back to Ryan.
"The church in the habit of supporting the businessmen of Cauldron? Doesn't seem like Tercival would be hired work."
Only after addressing Ryan does Kikinnin address JJ. "You know anything about your uncle, regarding this?"
"Uncle Alex? He was going to Redgorge... I'm trying to remember when I last saw him." JJ gives himself a good kick.
"It's not like I'm burdened with a large family to keep track of."
Then Tessa turns up. JJ turns a little red.
"Thanks Tessa. The woman must have been Celeste. She knows something about my family. Well, I think she does." he scrunches up his face as he thinks.
Opening the note, a big smile crosses his face. "We are all invited to dinner. At the Cusp of Sunrise. Tomorrow night. And we have to dress nice. Something about a business propostion."
He grins at the group and then turns to Tessa, escorting her a little away from the throng. "Thanks Tessa. How are you doing anyway? I have managed to annoy Sara somehow. I was hoping taking her to the dance would give her something fun to distract her, but it seems to have had the opposite effect."
He looks sad for a moment. "I hope you are not finding Cauldron too.." he searches for the right word. "Chaotic. Do you need any extra help? I know my place isn't much, but after what happened to the Lucky Monkey..."
Realizing that Tessa may be only just holding herself together after the loss of her husband he leans in and offers her a hug. "I hope you and Tessa decide to stay here. I know it is full of people and you must miss your old home terribly. There are lots of opportunities here though. And.."
He looks at the rubble.
"..in spite of appearances, it must be safer than living out in the jungle."
"Do I know for sure? No. Do I know Aleck was in Redgorge and the note is signed by an A.T.? Yes. Coincidence? Maybe, I don't know fore sure, but here lately things bear looking into if they don't seem quite right. So let's ask Jenya.
And to your other question, the church supports the growing of the city.
Whether that is building a library for the enrichment and study of the local scholars, or helping those who have just had their homes and livelihoods flooded out, or perhaps helping in a venture with one of the local merchants, all can be used to further expand civilization and order within the world. One of our tenants."
"It should be interesting to see what that meeting tomorrow is about."
"Isn't Redgorge a small mining town that's seen better days?"
"Devestated by that Demonskar problem, wasn't it?"
After the legwork at Maavu's, Juraan will go conduct a bit of his own business.
Before the day's out, he'll go to Drowning Morkoth Inn and request to buy a telescope from the old dwarf merchant, Tyro Amberhelm.
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Maxim stifles a wry smile at Kikinnin's question to Ryan as he puffs on his stogie;
"Some would say churches an' merchants are all sellin' somethin' to those gullible enough to buy..."
He shakes his head in mock deference;
"Not me o' course! God's forbid!"
The gun-mage mulls the blight upon Maavu and the business invitation;
"Huh. As the old saying goes - as one grave is filled... another is dug..."
"Y-yeah...A-Abadar supports c-city growth, right? Supporting b-business means growth so that p-part makes sense," Marigold nods in agreement with Ryan.
When JJ reveals that Celeste wants to meet with them tomorrow night for dinner, the little halfling can't help but laugh. "H-how crazy! Here w-we are after fighting a s-summoned b-beast that demolished at least t-two buildings, t-trying to t-track down a m-missing person, and now we're discussing dinner p-plans." She shakes her head. "Has C-Cauldron always b-been this...well, c-crazy?"
"A-Anyway, isn't Redgorge a w-ways out of Cauldron? P-probably not enough t-time to think about g-going there and st-still getting b-back in time for this d-dinner."
Tessa smiles at JJ "It is fair chaotic" she looks at the just collapsed ruins "When not too wet, but we know Cauldron region is a frontier land, you need to be wild as its nature itself to survive"
"So far we have not been able to find a buyer for the Lucky Monkey, but I am confident we will soon have a job in one of the multiple taverns in the city" completes the woman "I know Sara wants to stay" she ends with a wide smile.
"Aleck with Maavu? I do not know about any business they might have together" Jenya thinks calmly and Ryan can feel she is being sincere "I do know though that Maavu have some interests in Redgorge, and Aleck has been traveling there regularly since he slew a terrible ogre in the region three years ago. It is then feasible they have met at some point in their travels, why not?"
The Drowning Morkoth Inn seems a popular place nowadays, full of merchants and traveling adventurers. The rooms are decorated with humorous paintings of Cauldron's legendary lake monster, a large morkoth.
After asking for Tyro, you are pointed towards a dwarf in a corner. He does greet you and smiles when you do request about the telescope "Sure, just follow me, I have some in my room where we can discuss about the price"
The dwarf stands up and leads the way through the stairs "So... you are lover of the stars..."
"I thought it was a given we'll head off for Redgorge after tomorrow's dinner."
"After all, no rest for the wicked. Or us either!"
"Uncle Alex? He was going to Redgorge... I'm trying to remember when I last saw him. It's not like I'm burdened with a large family to keep track of."
Kikinnin determines not to engage the boy on familial matters until he's more mature, and has a better grip on his responsibilities. Boy's willing to brag on pedigree, then tries to shake it like beggar-tick burs when it makes him uncomfortable. That's just peachy.
"We are all invited to dinner. At the Cusp of Sunrise. Tomorrow night. And we have to dress nice. Something about a business proposition."
"Who's doing the inviting? I'm not up for any Aslaxin asking."
"And to your other question, the church supports the growing of the city. Whether that is building a library for the enrichment and study of the local scholars, or helping those who have just had their homes and livelihoods flooded out, or perhaps helping in a venture with one of the local merchants, all can be used to further expand civilization and order within the world. One of our tenants."
Kikinnin takes his cue to steer clear of social pressures to hear the priest's answer, and his bror's cheeky addendum.
"Well, I'd hope the Church would focus on the roots of the Tree, rather than the flowers up top. The merchants get enough sunshine as it is, specially Maavu from all I gather." The black-beard turns a stony eye on the merchant-mage.
"Don't go mixing merchants and monks, Bror. Ryan's gifts are real, not smoked mirrors or gutter gold pieces. You give him his due respects. Followers of Abadar are anything but gullible." Kikinnin flicks his head in Ryan's direction, tugging mentally on the blond's beard to encourage more sincere words to come forth.
"I see no reason to run after Tercival any time soon. If the businessman has up and gotten himself abducted, wouldn't he have employees better suited to reporting the missing merchant?"
After a spell, Kikinnin sidles up alongside Maxim. "So, I know it's been a while since I brought this up, but I'd like to reinforce my axe and armor with magics. You thinking we do this in Malachite? Or do you have somewhere more convenient in Cauldron to see the work done?"
"Celeste is doing the asking" replies JJ.
He looks around, rolls up his sleeves and starts to help with the working party, clearing away rubble from a collapsed building.
"You remember her from the Lucky Monkey? She was at the dance the other night too."
He works hard, the words of Tessa ringing in his ears. After doing what he can, he waves a farewell to the others, determined to make the most of his expensive membership of the Bluecrater academy.
A while back you had a list of business establishments for sale. Could you update that for us? In particular JJ is wondering about investing in a tavern.
"Well...I g-guess there's not m-much else to do b-but carry on and s-see what C-Celeste wants tomorrow," Marigold sighs as she helps pitch in with JJ and the other folks to clean up some of the rubble in the streets.
Later on, she decides to go pay the merchant Skie a visit - having had a sinking feeling that yet more trouble lay just on the horizon.
Ryan thinks about it a moment, "It would make sense, if Aleck knew of Maavu's business interest there, it wouldn't be a stretch for him to pass on information he was aware of, especially if it would help the growth of both regions. I will need to go investigate Maavu's disappearance, too much has happened within town to not. Have you any correspondence I need to deliver while I go?"
Ryan will attend the meeting with Celeste, besides a good meal would be wrong to turn down, travel to Redgorge meant trail rations would be on the menu before long.
Maxim impassively draws on his stogie as his fellow dwur attempts to lecture him on piety and the virtuous.
When talk turns to crafting, the gun-mage perks up;
"Reckon The Malachite might be best place fer such work... considerin' the origins of your axe an' armours..."
The merchant shrugs his shoulders, before clapping the burly dwur's with a hard smile;
"What it might cost is another story... We can go an' ask iffen you fancy the stroll? I ain't up for another fancy dinner so soon after the ball anyways."
Kikinnin raises his eyebrows. "JJ says there's a business proposition attached to that fancy dinner. You sure you're not keen on hearing that out?"
"I'm always good for a return to Malachite. We just need to find a good piece of time, I suppose." Kikinnin makes a mental note to check on his sister as well, before returning with word with Mor.