February 17th: Marblebush

The morning sun rises just after 4 AM, the somewhat sleepy mining and logging town making a very slow, relaxed start of their morning. Those of you who bother to awake so early won't even find breakfast ready until closer to 7.

*Z awakes and she and Sumomo can be found building a small fire on which to cook breakfast. She prepares light fluffy scrambled eggs with some fried biscuits, and to the surprise of anyone who happens to join her she manages to slow boil some of the dried berries she has on her into a sweet warm sauce like jelly only more liquidy and served warm. She pours the sauce over the biscuits and heats herself a cup of tea.*

Zeiss wakes up in time for the breakfast. He also asks for a little meal to be prepared for Rainbow. When the others come, he explain to those who did not hear what happened yesterday. Especially Rory who seem to suffer from an hangover.

"'Warlords'?" Rory scoffed. "They make it sound like they're trying to talk themselves up. 'Warlord', bah. Stupid."

He takes a shot of Gut Thinner. "You know, I'd rather not mess around with this business any more than I have to."

There is the sound of heavy furniture being moved from behind a door. After several clunks, Snarg emerges from a different room than the one he was in last night.

"Fffffuuuuhhhh," he groans, stretching lazily, "looks like it's clear." At that, Zipar hops out of the room and they both go down for breakfast.

After listening to Zeiss' story, he swallows his current mouthful and speaks. "They're scared of something or someone big. Those two were almost to hysterics last night and they weren't trained killers by any means. I don't know about any Slates, but whoever's pulling the strings there might still off us given the chance. I don't feel too good about a meeting. Maybe it'd be good to let the Guardian and Baronet know about this. Who business trade with may not be their major concern, but attacks like this should be."

Spoiler:

Snarg:
The dagger is a Silver dagger that has a stylized emblem on it, which you imagine is indicative of something, though you've never seen it before personally.

"They're a bit well off, having silver stuff like this." Snarg shows off the silver dagger. "May be a new group from the Undermarket ruins, but anyone recognize this emblem?"

Zeiss approaches Snarg to examine the dagger.

Spoiler:

Zeiss:
You have never seen this emblem before.

Thinking that with his history on the railroad he might have better luck, Gwydo approaches Snarg. "May I see it?"

DCs:

"Sure, try your luck." Snarg holds it up for him.

Gwydo:
You have never seen this emblem before.

"I never saw this emblem before..."

Zeiss gets back in his char.

"What do we do while we wait for the Boss to send for us?"

Gwydo hands the blade back to Snarg. "Nope. No clue here either."

As you are still examining the blade, a short, squat Dwarven woman who is in fanciful red robes with a tall feather-capped hat walks into the Inn. She is escorted by several obvious bodyguards, but no one present looks alarmed or gives them much mind as she makes her way over to your group. The Dwarf grabs a chair, and you notice that she is wearing some type of plate armor underneath her robes as well.

The chair plops down with a thud and she grins mirthlessly at the group. "Gretta of Firebeard, Warlord of the Slates. And yerth bein tha representhives of the Exchange, though I be wonderinth if your Warlord is presenth? Be a bit o' an insulth, to thry and treat with me without authority..."

Zeiss smiles politely at the dwarf woman. He takes Rainbow off his shoulder and places her on the table, so that she can eat her meal. With respect, Zeiss says :

"You are talking to the Council of the Exchange. We are the ones in charge of the illegal market of Holtburg. And I must say that I am pleased to see that you came to greet us in person."

"Ah, of course." She gives a toothy grin, and you notice one of her teeth has been replaced with what looks like a rough iron one, bolted into place. "Holtburg is noth a bad catch, if you can geth it running again. I'm noth one of the bigger Warlords, meself, sathisfied with my city and my ambithions." She abruptly slams her hand on the table. "Nuff thalk, let's discuss business. Whath is ith, exactly, that you wanth?"

Gwydo (in full plate armour himself) takes up a protective position slightly behind and to the right of Zeiss.

Spoiler:

Zeiss joins his hands and slowly answers the question.

"We want raw materials and a trade arrangement from your group. The crafters of Holtburg are talented, but cut off from the buyers. They will need resources to continue their work and a market where to sell their products. The Slates seem to be able to provide that. As far as we know, the people of Ritholme seem to have a better pay and to like what you do for them. But as you said, you are only one Warlord amongst many. To start a war over what is left of the illegal market would only destroy the business. So I hope that we could avoid that by making an alliance."

He pauses.

"After all, what everyone want is to prosper, right?"

"And I'd like to find work, and I'd like to find it here, if time permits," Rory interjects. "You control the flow of business. What about the people?"

"Well, that's a mighthy fine idea there, and very high minded and noble of ya. But I'm afraid I'm lefth asking the basic questhion; considering how much money we're making now, selling tho the Olthoi... which, of course, lets us pay our workers far betther then they were before... whath could you possibly offer us more than this in this deal?"
Almost as an aside, she glances at the Human. "If you wanth to work, join the Slates. We'll geth you hooked up with mining or lumber, plenthy of both."

"Protection. When your town gets attacked, I doubt the Olthoi will send soldiers to protect your people. Especially since we are in Aluvian territory."

He lets his words sink in.

"Maybe you know that Janwall was recently attacked by the Vyoetians. A bunch of murderers who tried to kill everybody and also bombarded the city with a warship. If me and my colleagues weren't there, the residents of Janwall would be all be dead, and their houses in flames. And I imagine some of the other Warlords are not as kind as we are. Instead of talking like we do, some of them might decide to take what they want from you. The Exchange cannot pay you as much as the Olthoi. It is true. But when others will come to steal from this city, instead of finding yourselves alone to protect your lives, you will find us at your side."

Spoiler:

The woman considers a moment. "While I don'th doubth your information, you'll notice we have things well under control here, with no need for prothection or safethy. And I have never heard of these... Vyeotians before, I doubth they could be of any real threat if your band was able to defeat them." She pauses. "No offense. I'm afraid you will have tho do better then that if you wish to entice us."

*About this point Z strolls into the inn in full hooded attire currently assumed to be male appearance, and seats her self at a table just within hearing distance of the table with Zeiss.*

Archengeia wrote:Almost as an aside, she glances at the Human. "If you wanth to work, join the Slates. We'll geth you hooked up with mining or lumber, plenthy of both."

"No, thank you. I'm not looking for a day job. More like 'errands', I guess. Stuff citizens would normally have available if they weren't trying to hide something."