Mikos frowns slightly at the attention the group is receiving. He quietly observes to his companions. "Not sure I'm liking all the eyes on us. I'm not interested in being a Big Damn Hero. Maybe I was right about skipping a grand entrance here especially if the little black book tells us that Hast has been a dirty little devil. We might want to keep that information to ourselves until we need it."
"I can talk to the wizard too! I've been studying Ben's diet and I think it gives you magical powers!" Rodi demonstrates by making flames appear in their hand. "Burning sensation!"
"Just be careful where you're putting that hand, Rodi. I'll accompany Keg on his rounds and we'll meet for a couple rounds after," Mikos decides and follows Keg to the markets.
Mikos splits the selling errands with Keg in an attempt to make short work of liquidating the loot.
The Keg will purchase a repair kit, a dwarven axe and a minor sturdy shield assuming all are available.
Mikos looks pleased after the dealings. He pats his purse which now has near as much gold as silver. He gives Keg a discerning look. "So you think that we should give the Norgorber book to Mom? Well, she did pay for our warrant and I'm fine with that. And I reckon turning over the info on the bandits is better than paying taxes to the Commander. Shall we?"
Rodi looks distracted, studying all the strange new people in the settlement. [b]"Sure, yeah. Give that to Mom."[/]b
Mikos counts his coins again. "Well that was a pretty good haul. Not sure what I'll be spending it on. Maybe a couple things at the alchemist. I like having a couple fire bombs ready when things need to be burned quickly."
While resting and shopping, you have some chances to scout out Drurn's Tannery on the east side of town. The place consists of two buildings, a house and adjacent workshop, set upon a small fenced pasture plot. It lies between a small family plot to the north and a much larger wheat farm to the south.
The fenced pasture holds a number of livestock, mostly cattle. At a glance, you can tell they are old, underfed and basically just awaiting death. The smell of the tannery workshop, mixed with the unkempt pasture, present you with a memorable bouquet when downwind.
From a distance, you see Drurn -- a burly half-orc identifiable by a thong eyepatch and burn-scarred arm -- tend his flock and dozen-odd slaves with equal abuse. If possible, the flock appears slightly better off than his slaves. You witness him brutally beat a slave for moving too slow in his work.
"Half-orc, all A-hole," Mikos muses. He grins at Keg and ambles forward waving down the surly cracker. "Yo! Could we have a word, boss?"
Rodi skips up from behind. "Ooo, can I wear undergarments on my face, too?"
The nearby slaves look up as you approach. "Keep working, you slags!" Drurn roars, then turns to face you, squinting at you with his one good eye. "What'ya want?" he grumbles. He rests a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"You're the local tanner?" Mikos side eyes the cows and servants. "Hopefully, you take more pride in your product than your livestock."
"Mikos, I'll give you a couple moments to verbally spar with this clown, but iffun it don't go down right, imma gunna test out me new axe on his skull," The Keg whispers through gritted teeth and barely contained rage.
He visibly shakes as he looks at the slaves.
Ben notices a few guards, one by the main house and another by the tannery.
Drurn bristles at Mikos's slight. He lowers his head and glares. "I'm Drurn, and this be my tannery. State yer buisness or piss off."
"My name's Mikos. I know a couple dwarves as you see and it occurred to me that we could go into the armoring business. We'd need high quality leather from a reputable dealer, of course."
Drurn snorts, waving a hand towards the tannery. "I've got leather, but if its business yer pondering, yerl find plenty of competition in town. Serragon's, Julliver, too. I'll sell you what yer need, but yer better be good if yer hoping to make any coin."
Mikos shrugs, "You've got a point. I trust my dwarves for the metal stuff, but perhaps I could use a some help with the leather stuff. Your uh, assistants seem to have had some hard experience with leather from the hoof up. Maybe I can take a younger one off your hands in the deal. Who are we looking at here?"
"None of your concern, and my property is not for sale. If you need leather materials, let's make a deal. If you want to haggle over slaves, you're wasting your -- and my -- time."
Mikos gives a sideways look at Bruno. "Ummm, you sure about that, Drurn? Haggling will be less painful. Let me tell you that."
The Keg continues to grit his teeth, his eyes narrowing and his knuckles turning white on his axe handle.
"So, you're just thugs, looking for an easy mark," Drurn sneers at your none-too-subtle threat. He takes a step back but keeps his weapon sheathed. "Bugger off. You want trouble, you'll get all you want for the rest of yer short lives. The Hellknights won't take kindly to you commitin' crimes of the within eyeshot of the damn walls." He nods towards Fort Inevitable to accent his point.
"Well, that's beside the point. We need young Peet back. We'd entertain paying off his debt, but if it comes to it- F_k the Hellknights."
Drurn blinks, taken aback by Mikos's intensity. He makes a new assessment of your group, taking full notice of the Keg's burning glare and white knuckles. He finally makes a sour face and spits. "Fine. You can have the slave for 50 gold."
Mikos snorts and grins over at Keg. "Well, they do say that freedom isn't free."
"I'm sorry Mikos, I canna buy the slave, even fer a moment. It violates all m'Lord represents. 'e mus be freed, immediately, nay sold, yet agin."
Mikos sighs, muttering, "We're not buying a slave, we're buying his freedom" as he counts out the coins.
"We're buying into the slavery business, paying for a person ... it aint right, Mikos. What of these others?"
Mikos puts his coins away. "Alright. Can't say I like any of it, but I'm not a crusader. I said I'd check on the kid and I'm not liking what I see. So what's your suggestion? Are we giving him a chance to change his ways, giving him a beating of his own, or just burying him?"
"We could always just kill this guy and hang his corpse on a hook like his leathers?" Rodi supplies hopefully, one hand on their rapier and grinning widely at the slaver.
The Keg pulls Mikos aside and whispers to him, "Imma not likin' the options either, Mikos, but Imma nay lookin' to get ya all cooked. I gotta do sumthin 'bout this. Dinna have ta do it now, but I canna ignore it."
He squints at the tanner, "He's a bully, 'n he's using the law to his side, but iffun he feels his life is in danger now, he may consent. Hellknights canna help him iffun he's dead. Ken stop short of actual violence, but 'e needs to b'lieve it."
Mikos nods still thinking. "Your call, Keg. I'm not necessarily opposed to violence though better to stop at assault than murder. If we just beat in his thick head and the slaves escape while he's knocked out, so be it. Simple misunderstanding. 'We saw this raving orc attacking these poor herdsman, your honor. Thought we were defending civilization and all.' "
"Alright then, let's push him to give in or step up."