As they walk away, she guides the big man toward the docks. "Any chance that's the man we seek? The one being accosted by those six?"
Couse yea can, boyo! Her name is Sheelah, and she likes deer more. They don't gots all them little bones what get stuck in her teeth. Beck says, lifting the child on top of te big cat, and picking up a flimsy stick. But not without a sword. There yea are, a proper knight, on a cat...
C'mon mates, Lets away to that-a-way! pointing at the docks.
Not surprised people here are surly. Jetro observes. Let's get back to the others.
Helgash nods at Duardlara as she takes him by the arm - "Thank you Madam" - he bows respectfully at the woman, bidding her farewell.
He moves along the path indicated by his elven companion without question, noticing the pointed out group accosting a single man - "The events described by the woman we spoke with had taken place some time ago did they not? Do you think we would be fortunate enough that we have found the one we are looking for?" - he questions her.
"If so, we cannot allow him to be hurt - his assistance is too valuable for us" - he adds, ready to draw steel - "And my blood boils when I see six surrounding one" - a red glimmer in his eyes.
Venja sighs and nods to Jetro. "We don't seem to be getting anywhere with the locals... Perhaps Snow's presence unnerved them a bit when he peeked out from under my skirts. He is a curious little fellow sometimes." She gathers up Snow and cuddles him in her arms as she and Jetro turn around and try to make their way back to where the others might be.
Be rather strange if he did. Snow rabbit arn't uncommon. Jetro tromps off with her.
The man that you see on the docks does not appear to be the uncle you are looking for. Yet as you get closer you begin to hear some of the words coming from the dock. It sounds like the man is pleading for more time and that he does not have the money they are demanding.
The men thugs have ugly looking ogre hooks at their side and look like they are ready to draw them. You can hear the leader, You know the rules. There is a price to pay and fees for fishing off the dock. You either pay in gold or we take it out in blood and sell it to the trolls in the city. Your choice but make it quick.
By now you are only 30ft away although coming in from different directions and the men on the dock are oblivious to you as they are focused on the man before them.
Whispering, "Perhaps we can get a better response from a grateful fisherman. I would be willing to pay his debt in that hope."
Sheelah, heel. No biting till i say, Beck quietly orders. Then he glances at the others to see if they are intent on doing violence right off, or if they intend to negotiate, Raising his cudgel, offering to aid in the first option before acting.
Jetro looks at the scene warily. I don't like this happening any more than anyone else, but if we get into a fight we're risking the witch's law coming down on us.
"Jetro has a point, but if we do come to his aid, perhaps the hapless fisherman can return the favor? The choice is ours to make. I'd rather err on the side of good and helping the underdog."
Jetro pulls his hat over his face. Well okay then, so we'll be trying to thump them rather than stack em like cordwood I take it. Jetro gets his warhammer ready.
Duardlara is careful to keep her hands away from her weapons as they approach the docks, looking at her companion out of the corner of her eye.
I figure I'd like to give a chance for negotiations, but Beck'll be ready to cast on Sheelah before approaching, in case things go sideways.
"Well met friends" - Helgash speaks without hesitation, and moving up to the men after hearing Duardlara's suggestion - "There seems to be a problem here, and I believe we may be at the root for it" - he smiles.
"You see, we were the ones requesting the fish to be caught for us, so perhaps we can resolve this situation by paying what is due?" - he adds, reaching for his belt pouch.
Helgash takes matters into his own hands as the rest of the party wonders what the best course of action is. Jetro had unslung his warhammer should things turn violent but it seems that Helgash's cool demeanor might be able to diffuse the situation.
the lead thug looks at you and responds out of habit This doesn't concern you now move on. After he said that though he takes a look at you. Oh, you hired him and are paying is commission then. well that will be 2g and 5sp for the fish itself but it will be 50gp fine unless you can show me that you have the required paperwork to authorize the fishing in the first place. The fines are steep as there have been too many unlawful people fishing lately.
He is partially telling you the truth to make it sound ore convincing. There is a 'tax' that is on the local fishermen but it is not that high nor is there a fine for unlawful fishing.
The man they were accosting looks to scared to be of much help as he is completely cowed and not sure of you or your intentions even though you seem like an ally.
But he was fishing... Beck grumbles, fooled like a total rube...
Venja stays with Jetro for now, watching and listening... though she scowls when she hears the dock bullies try to shake down Helgash for money.
The tiefling's eyebrow rises impossibly high as he ponders the situation - "Fifty gold you say? I wonder how many fishermen would ever be able to pay such a fine around these parts" - he stares hard at the man, for a few seconds.
"It is irrelevant, if you say that is the law, then I shall abide by it" - he reaches into his pack, and retrieves the 50 gold pieces - "Now... I am doing this in good faith, but I will be asking around if this amount is a fair one to be charged - if it is not, I will be speaking to your ranking superior, and things will not be finished here"
Handing over the money, he moves to the one they were pushing around - "Now then, where is my fish?"
The man snickers at you, I told you the fine was high to prevent unlawful fishing. A permit if lawfully obtained costs much less you idiot. Now about the fish that is another 2 gp and 5 sp. should you pay the tax then these two crates are yours. They wait till they get the lst 2.5 gp and step back a few paces watching you. After a long while to make sure you aren't doing anything else problematic before they leave.
The two crates are enough fish to provide 20 rations of food.
The bullied man just points at the two crates not knowing what to say until the thugs leave.
Pfff..Should just chum em. Jetro mutters way back out of earshot.
Venja chuckles softly to Jetro and starts picking her way over to the others after the bullies leave.
"Nicely handled, Helgash. You avoided what could have been a nasty fight that could have escalated."
Murmuring, "Yes, well done, Helgash."
She looks at the man that was accosted. In an attempt to put him at ease, she asks, "So... before those came along, how was your day going?"
The man cringes at you fearful that you are going to strike him now that the others have left. At least he knew what the others wanted before, but now that there is a new group of strangers paying such a large sum for him he shakes uncontrollably. He even looks at the frigid waters possibly thinking that it might be better to jump in and drown than what you might have in store for him.
Duardlara holds both hands up and away and backs away from the man. As she turns and walks away, she suggests, "Maybe one of you can calm him down and find out if he knows the man we seek."
She walks to the end of the dock and looks around, her back to the rest of the party.
Jetro is not a people person and keeps quiet.
"Stay calm friend" - Helgash approaches the man - "Do not mistake us with that ilk that was trying to extort you. Our intent is none else than obtaining information" - he nods.
"Surely you realize we are outsiders, but we have no quarrel with you - we look for one called Ringierr - perhaps you could point us in the right direction?" - he questions.
The man at the dock seems to calm a bit but his hand is trembling still as he points at the men leaving. They took him to their boss. He has a building a couple hundred feet that way. Just follow them and you will find it. Now please leave me alone I don't want any more trouble. Please! He whimpers this last part helplessly.
Jetro nods. Much obliged and leaves with the others.
"Thank you good man - keep that fish, it is yours after all" - the tiefling smiles.
"We know where to head then" - he adds to the others - "Moving around unnoticed is not one of my skills, not in a crowd nor in a cave though. Perhaps you Duardlara? Or Xan? You can shadow them closer, while we follow somewhat behind you in the streets? I would also be interested in learning of those men, and their overall attitude"
He turns to the man again - "That reminds me - who would this boss of them be? Actually, who were them, and why did they accost you in such a manner?"
Hmm, maybe we shoulda made with the head-thumpin if'n they took Ringierr, saved us a harder fight after... Beck mutters We aught ta check tha buildin and see what them folk are up to
Beck agrees about sending a scout.
Duardlara nods and motions to the tailor-gnome. "Perhaps they did not focus on you - I'm afraid I might have been to close to hope the same. You follow them, I will follow you."
The, they're, the uh, Fishcamps Gurads. Marcian Enarxion, leads them in a large wooden building over there..
Sure enough you are able to follow them quite easily as they don't really care about you. They got their money from you and could care less who sees them. They do approach a large building where 5 of them wait outside while the leader goes in.
The windows ofthis large, ugly, unpainted building are boarded shut. Its construction is rough and haphazard, as ifit were once a smaller shack that had many additions tacked on later. The word "guardhouse," along with a crude symbol ofa shield crossed by a hook, is painted on the building's only door.
So...Do something under the cover of night? Maybe get ourselves some hoods or something.
"I was thinking we could 'shadow' them right now?"
Kick down the door? That works as well.
"Even if we don't kick the door down right away, we can still obtain valuable information, I should think" - Helgash laughs.
After waiting about 10 minutes the leader of the group comes out of the building with a smile on his face. He calls to the 5 men around him and they go off in another direction likely to squeeze more 'tax' money from the fishermen that they bully.
Let's check out the building for the guy we need to find.
"I agree Jetro - I've got half a mind to simply step up to the door and bash a few heads for questioning - after what we have witnessed, we would be more than right in doing so" - the tiefling's eyes flare - "I'll understand if you, my friends, prefer a different approach, but my blood boils when I stand witness to a bunch of bullies thinking they can get away with anything"
"We are the outsiders here. We don't know the lay - or the law - of the land. Better we step carefully, I think. Perhaps they are hiring - that would be a possible pretense for coming to their door."
Law of the witches no doubt. They are thugs with the shake down of that fisherman. If we are going to act like we wanna sign up in order to get close, then that is fine.
Looks like they leaving. Can someone break in right quick and let the rest o'us in? Beck asks
Well perhaps Xan can sneak up and listen to see how many are there and unlock the door for a quick charge in.
Frowning, "If you want to go through the front door, I think we need to do so like we belong there. Freshly arrived, looking for work, good with our weapons, I think we could pull that off. If you want to sneak in a different way, wait here while we scout out the building and see what our options are."