Week 4: April 12th - 19th April

Post here.

Edited

Main goals:

• Week's profits: ?
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I continue to oversee the Exchange's efforts to bring the other Blocs together through financial dominance. We are trying to connect the Blocs to each other through the Exchange by replacing the Undermarket managers who were assassinated a few months ago. But we'll do it in a subtle way. I want the Exchange to become the Amazon.com of Dereth. "You want something? We know how to get it for you. You want to sell something? We know many buyers. Hell, we'll even ship it for you by using our smuggling routes. Oh, you want some Naverre products? I just have an access to the Hub I can use to get it for you. I might even have it in store! Oh? You like our services and would like to subscribe to make more money? Easy. Become one of the Exchange's subsidiary and you'll get to do what we do! Other (legal) companies will have no choice but to come to you for the deals, which lets you make more money! As for my managers (who coordinate with my spies when needed), they'll catalogue every contact, smuggling routes and criminal services they can find and give you periodic updates to make your (illegal) business run better than ever in your region of Dereth!"
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Buy a nice outfit -something practical, elegant, not flashy and that comes in a tone of dark blue and black- to attend one of Cyndra of Sunreaver's parties under the pretense of cementing the relations between the Exchange and other companies.  She surely has information I could use to bring down the current Lady of Holtburg and that's why I'm there. Of course, I won't be so overt with my intentions. If Cyndra of Sunreaver figures out what is exactly that I want but still wants to help me in exchange of something, I'll agree to give her a piece of the pie. Otherwise, I'll just pretend I'm planning something else. On top of rolling Diplomacy and Deception, I will burn my three charges of Persuasion. And if I don't find anything interesting, I might as well make some contact for the Exchange.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, Gretta's men and my spy network will investigate the organization Huldar belongs to. If one of my people gets caught by Huldar's minions, they can pretend we're only investigating them because they're smugglers and thus competing with us. We're looking for a link between this organization and the Lady of Holtburg, or a way to frame her for their actions.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, Gretta's men and my spy network will investigate another possibility: to approach the Aristocrats and turn them against the Lady of Holtburg. Who should we approach? What damage could they do if given proper incentive? What incentive would they need? Would the letter I got from Huldar help with that? What about exposing the truth about the military helping "bandits" hit the merchant caravans? The Aristocrats might even ask for the Lady of Holtburg to resign from her post, no? Help me connect the dots.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- *Alarm going off* During the second half of the week, Zeiss will realize from Javan's reports what will happen if this keeps going. Sareth and Intelligence will make sure Huldar's people are informed that Javan would most likely agree to let their previous deal go on if it was done legitimately, i.e. with the townspeople's consent (I discussed this matter with the player himself and that's what he said).
  

Secondary goals:

• -Zeiss the Delegator- I name Sareth First Keeper of the Exchange's Intelligence. With his access to the Hub, he will go to each main city in Aluvia and reorganize my spy network following the new hierarchy I made following the Imperial Intelligence's model (link is in my signature). I will give him four tasks: find Zeiss' father, find Sareth's father, help Javan with his business (to smooth things over) and continue to make sure nobody in the Exchange is working against us.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Remember the minions' system from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood? How you would send your assassins do small jobs first so they would gain experience? Well, I want Sareth to assign jobs to our spies following this idea. He also should look into gathering information so we can sell it later, which also means we must make contact with such interested parties.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth and Intelligence must find out who wanted to take out the Exchange's Warlord. I want to locate not only Sareth's kidnappers (who obviously made a mistake), but also the employer who started it all. Investigate until you find out who did this. They may even have an informer within the Exchange, and even my own spy network. This is a continuous action that will be pursued after this week is done.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Since Al-Jalima is now at peace, let's spread our spy network there.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I officially create the Shadow Depository. I handpick the guards and accountants who will work in this Exchange's "subsidiary". These employees will be under constant scrutiny by Intelligence, but I trust the better pay will put them at ease. A suitable section of the Veil will be sectioned off for this purpose and a "public" lounge put in place so that our clients can wait there in the utmost discretion. We will also create a comfortable private inn within the Veil called The Black Butterfly where people can disappear for a few days. We accept almost any kind of client (anyone except pirates, because screw them), as long as they leave their prejudices and differences at the door. We reserve the right to throw out any client that breaks our rules and keep their money to cover any emotional damage they might have caused.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I will interview the black mages Rory brought here... even though my true intention is to find myself a personal bodyguard/agent who is trustworthy, competent and as morally tolerant as Zeiss. If it was also someone I could name Aeryn of Sunreaver, that would be cool. My job offer starts at 50gp a week.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- People want to buy illegal goods? We provide. People want to hire skilled criminals? We provide. The goal is to become the headhunters of the criminal underworld. All for a reasonable finder's fee, of course. We do accept the application of such criminals and we'll be happy to find them an employer. So go, my Exchange minions. Coordinate with my spy network. Make it happen and I'll review the results.
  

Tertiary goals:

• -Zeiss is personally involved- Continue to search for headhunters in each main city in Aluvia. I won't skim through it, finding reliable people at this stage is crucial.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Look for companies, buildings or other properties that might be advantageous for us to acquire.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- After Intelligence is done with reviewing my employees, I distribute 200gp in bonuses to the most hardworking ones... who aren't collaborators. Van will supervise it.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- When going through the Hub, Zeiss will ask the Mites nonchalantly (and discreetly) for how long Fahran of Silentblade has had access to the Hub.
  

-Kolson's actions-

Unless Kolson himself posts, he will continue the last week's goals:

• Attempt to convince Fahran of Silentblade to support the Exchange's efforts. We also agree that the war is unsustainable, but Aluvia will still need to do something to preserve its existence, which means we have to reform the economy. Fortunately, reforming the Aluvian's economy is one of the Exchange's main goals, but we will need to take control of the Undermarket's remnants to make it happen. Fahran's help would be most welcome. In exchange, we would also support Fahran's own schemes on the political field.
  
• Find support to name one of our own as Lord of Holtburg (probably going to look up the current Lords) and negotiates the terms to make it happen. I imagine Aayndia of Floralwind would like to gain information on the Tumeroks, namely detailed sketches of some of their units and the tactics they used when they attacked Aphus Lassel. No matter whether she decides to support us or not, we will give her all the sketches we can with a full report of the Tumeroks' capabilities. This is too important a matter to simply hold back the information and we want to defend the kingdom and its people. If she decides to support our claim, even if she is only technically a Lord, we swear to support her when needed. To get to Lytlethorpe, Kolson could see if ATS could lend one of their super small and super fast airships, depending on the price (we can also pay in services).
  

One of Zeiss' tertiary actions and its consequences from the prior week made for an interesting read. There's gonna be more roleplay from this. I'm sure K's character would appreciate this chance, and so would I. Important to note, there may be some player conflict here, in which case this is how we should proceed with the actual in-game problem from here:

I would like to nominate Higaide to investigate motives for people in our organization double-dealing. Who are these 'individuals? Are they among the refugees who stayed behind, or do any of them work for us? Did they know what they were getting into, or did they turn on us? In either case, what were their reasons? We should summarize methods of dealing them on a (consolidated)case-by-case basis, which is likely to take place over this week. This is basically internal affairs investigation and management. I nominate Higaide to head the investigative department, with a few people from our information network helping by Gathering Info.

As an aside, our dear friend and former boss Oghren may not be on the up-and-up as we once thought.

The thing about the dwarf working with a Block in Holtburg probably referred to Huldar, the Lefttenant.

Rumors begin to abound that the war effort is going badly, most of these in the Glenden Wood area as it is closer to the front and, with communications slow across the continent right now, word is reaching there more swiftly.

A few of the Exchange's better placed spies, by sheer luck, manage to learn that a peace treaty has been brokered by the State of Al-Jalima. This peace treaty has been formally rejected by some of those within the Kingdom.

The Exchange also finds more and more troops and mercenaries are taking positions within Aluvia, including regular sightings of Frigates.

Yes! My spy network is doing some good! Go my minions, go!

The last part is worrying though.

Huldar's a bandit, not a bloc member. If it's Oghren, the situation with the mayor of Mallowmont just turned an uncomfortable shade of gray, considering that those taxes might have contributed to keeping Rory's family safe.

As far as the trial's publicity is concerned, I suggest you suspend punishment, Javan. We still need a name for who his dwarf contact is. If it's Oghren, I advise that you give him a lighter sentence and allow him to keep his job. Otherwise, find some way around this without consequences that reach Oghren. But mostly my family, if this whole event might affect them.

Huldar himself said that his organization smuggled goods throughout the region. He's from a "Bloc". I am also guessing he's a military commander, considering he received orders from the military to attack caravans and coordinating the refugees in doing so.

Sorry for the late post. Been away for most of the day.

I'll take Rory's suggestion and get to investigating. What i write next are considerations for Higaide's mindset when on the job. Some may not be that productive, but i'm trying to gather my thoughts here - and his, so i don't just say "i'm gonna investigate!" in a vacuum.

If someone's working against us from the inside, it's either for pay or some higher calling. This is a critical factor, since both will act differently. I'm hoping it's the former, personally, since people who want to bring discord to the world are always bad news.

Since our troubles started ever since those assassins targeted Gwydo way back when, it's not out of the realm of possibility that we were being spied on from inside Bonebreaker's organization. Did we inherit any of his people when we made this place our headquarters?

About that "make myself available for guidance thing", i don't expect a lot of people took me up on it, but if anyone did, did any of them seem peculiar, like they were paying more attention than one normally would (as in trying to size me up)?

Lastly, i'll make note of the general mood among the staff and troops and make note of any who deviate from the majority. People who are particularly happier (idealist), sadder (pressured), calmer (professional), more nervous (amateur/forced into it). Particularly, though, i'm most interested in the people who are complaining the least, trying not to make waves.

I'll just observe for now, since i don't want to cause discontent or risk spooking anyone. And i'll get myself assigned whatever task is necessary in order to blend in with the people i'm investigating.

Javan had his hands tied the moment I made my choice, and there's also the consequences of it all, so nobody can stop the pain train now *wince* (reminder to self: Do not do big choices when you can't think straight). Anyways, MM™'s home arrest is the kind that allows the guy to go to work, so he's still the Mayor. Just a very sad and very angry Mayor with an escort.

Edit: I'll post later when my head stops throbbing and I can more properly consider how much I screwed up things in Mallowmont, panic then recover from said panic.

Javan's actions this week:

- Now that Javan threw his weight around, he's expecting people are going to pay him back (including assassination attempts as a worst care scenario). The other Scarves are given orders to continue as usual, but be fully prepared to throw all responsibility on the Fairy's shoulders if things go to hell if they were not inclined to before, and he's also going to start acting a bit more paranoid than usual when nobody is looking.

- Buy or rent a place (if contract allows for modifying it) for the White Scarves, so they have an operation center and space to grow into, supplies included.

- He wants to start outfitting the White Scarves with better gear, and he's attempting to do so through the Exchange, so he's sending a messenger with a letter containing what he needs and asking for the price of it all. Basically an upgrade to existing gear of other WS members, alternate non-lethal weapons for everyone including Javan, a training book for said weapon, 5 Treated Healing Kits, 1 Medicated Kit, a list of imbued gemstones stones available for purchase in short notice and a granite chain shirt for Javan made for everyday use and mobility. There's also a request to send a Exchange messenger/spy in a week or two to keep communications open in case he's not wiped out in his poor attempt to create a police force that's not the military.

Edited my post where all my actions are written.

Kolson told me the actions I have written for him are okay.

ZEISS & KOLSON

Main goals:

• Week's profits: 212g.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I continue to oversee the Exchange's efforts to bring the other Blocs together through financial dominance. We are trying to connect the Blocs to each other through the Exchange by replacing the Undermarket managers who were assassinated a few months ago. But we'll do it in a subtle way. I want the Exchange to become the Amazon.com of Dereth. "You want something? We know how to get it for you. You want to sell something? We know many buyers. Hell, we'll even ship it for you by using our smuggling routes. Oh, you want some Naverre products? I just have an access to the Hub I can use to get it for you. I might even have it in store! Oh? You like our services and would like to subscribe to make more money? Easy. Become one of the Exchange's subsidiary and you'll get to do what we do! Other (legal) companies will have no choice but to come to you for the deals, which lets you make more money! As for my managers (who coordinate with my spies when needed), they'll catalogue every contact, smuggling routes and criminal services they can find and give you periodic updates to make your (illegal) business run better than ever in your region of Dereth!"
  An interesting approach to take... this will take some time to setup but consider it ongoing.
  
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Buy a nice outfit -something practical, elegant, not flashy and that comes in a tone of dark blue and black- to attend one of Cyndra of Sunreaver's parties under the pretense of cementing the relations between the Exchange and other companies. She surely has information I could use to bring down the current Lady of Holtburg and that's why I'm there. Of course, I won't be so overt with my intentions. If Cyndra of Sunreaver figures out what is exactly that I want but still wants to help me in exchange of something, I'll agree to give her a piece of the pie. Otherwise, I'll just pretend I'm planning something else. On top of rolling Diplomacy and Deception, I will burn my three charges of Persuasion. And if I don't find anything interesting, I might as well make some contact for the Exchange.
  Zeiss spends most of an evening cavorting around at one of the lady's parties, and finds himself regularly shunned and somewhat outclassed when it comes to discussion due to his relative inexperience with this type of crowd. He learns nothing of Myra of Hammersmith that he did not already know, but by odd fortune he does learn that one of the wealthy Dwarves there has seen her company, which had been little more than a holding company for tax reasons, suddenly purchased up by orders of the High Queen herself. Naturally the Dwarf assumes it's necessary for the war effort, and when questioned about it shrugs the situation off.
  
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, Gretta's men and my spy network will investigate the organization Huldar belongs to. If one of my people gets caught by Huldar's minions, they can pretend we're only investigating them because they're smugglers and thus competing with us. We're looking for a link between this organization and the Lady of Holtburg, or a way to frame her for their actions.
  Someone finally rolls well while investigating this and over the course of several days comes across a few facts. First, there is a new General who is stationed in Holtburg who was only placed here recently, just a few weeks ago, who is doing very well for himself financially. This is odd given that his post here is because he is effectively being retired from service, as he was deemed someone unfit for leading on the front lines of the war (for whatever reason). This General, an elderly Dwarf named Tollar of Anvilmar, has also been seen interacting with several troops of Aluvian soldiers personally in Holtburg, which is also odd. Finally, the number of visible patrols has been increasing in some areas, including the Dock and Warehouse Districts.
  
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, Gretta's men and my spy network will investigate another possibility: to approach the Aristocrats and turn them against the Lady of Holtburg. Who should we approach? What damage could they do if given proper incentive? What incentive would they need? Would the letter I got from Huldar help with that? What about exposing the truth about the military helping "bandits" hit the merchant caravans? The Aristocrats might even ask for the Lady of Holtburg to resign from her post, no? Help me connect the dots.
  Turning the wealthy against a Lord, any Lord, would require appealing to their greed to the point where common sense abandons them or convincing them that there is no risk to them in the process. The wealthy could, theoretically speaking, cut the legs off any given Lord if they had public support in doing so and the so-called moral high ground, since the real power at this point lies with the military. In other words, if the aristocracy tried to cut all funding and wealth flowing into the Lord's coffers they would have to have the support of the military to do so, otherwise the Lord could (and this has happened before in history) simply nationalize that given aristocrat's company and/or holdings, seize it with the military, and things go back to normal. There are in fact some rumblings that several Lords are considering doing this pre-emptively to prevent any uprisings or difficulties.
  
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- *Alarm going off* During the second half of the week, Zeiss will realize from Javan's reports what will happen if this keeps going. Sareth and Intelligence will make sure Huldar's people are informed that Javan would most likely agree to let their previous deal go on if it was done legitimately, i.e. with the townspeople's consent (I discussed this matter with the player himself and that's what he said).
  This will be resolved over in Javan's responses, but it might not involve a fight now.
  

Secondary goals:

• -Zeiss the Delegator- I name Sareth First Keeper of the Exchange's Intelligence. With his access to the Hub, he will go to each main city in Aluvia and reorganize my spy network following the new hierarchy I made following the Imperial Intelligence's model (link is in my signature). I will give him four tasks: find Zeiss' father, find Sareth's father, help Javan with his business (to smooth things over) and continue to make sure nobody in the Exchange is working against us.
  By the end of the week Sareth will have accomplished three of these tasks; he found Zeiss' father, Solanion of Wintersong. The man wasn't hiding, but he was also hard to find since he wasn't a very public face, so to speak. He is doing as well as can be, though his health has slowly been failing of late, making it harder and harder to head outside. Sareth's father, by contrast, has been found to have died during a small scuffle with some local thugs when they tried to rob him and he fought back. The thugs in question have already been imprisoned by the military and are being considered for hard labor or forced frontline service as punishment for the crime. Finally, Sareth will Diplomacize some to help Javan out.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Remember the minions' system from Assassin's Creed Brotherhood? How you would send your assassins do small jobs first so they would gain experience? Well, I want Sareth to assign jobs to our spies following this idea. He also should look into gathering information so we can sell it later, which also means we must make contact with such interested parties.
  Experience get.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth and Intelligence must find out who wanted to take out the Exchange's Warlord. I want to locate not only Sareth's kidnappers (who obviously made a mistake), but also the employer who started it all. Investigate until you find out who did this. They may even have an informer within the Exchange, and even my own spy network. This is a continuous action that will be pursued after this week is done.
  Sareth himself is otherwise occupied, but the spies will start working on this. No leads this week.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Since Al-Jalima is now at peace, let's spread our spy network there.
  Zeiss sends one spy initially to Al-Jalima but does not hear back from them the entire week. Also Al-Jalima is definitely not at peace.
  
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I officially create the Shadow Depository. I handpick the guards and accountants who will work in this Exchange's "subsidiary". These employees will be under constant scrutiny by Intelligence, but I trust the better pay will put them at ease. A suitable section of the Veil will be sectioned off for this purpose and a "public" lounge put in place so that our clients can wait there in the utmost discretion. We will also create a comfortable private inn within the Veil called The Black Butterfly where people can disappear for a few days. We accept almost any kind of client (anyone except pirates, because screw them), as long as they leave their prejudices and differences at the door. We reserve the right to throw out any client that breaks our rules and keep their money to cover any emotional damage they might have caused.
  An awesome idea that will sadly take some time to really set up but consider it being worked on.
  
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- I will interview the black mages Rory brought here... even though my true intention is to find myself a personal bodyguard/agent who is trustworthy, competent and as morally tolerant as Zeiss. If it was also someone I could name Aeryn of Sunreaver, that would be cool. My job offer starts at 50gp a week.
  Both Black Mages Rory brought are level 2, which makes them reasonably experienced by normal standards. They also have no real ethical or moral qualms, being completely amoral.
  
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- People want to buy illegal goods? We provide. People want to hire skilled criminals? We provide. The goal is to become the headhunters of the criminal underworld. All for a reasonable finder's fee, of course. We do accept the application of such criminals and we'll be happy to find them an employer. So go, my Exchange minions. Coordinate with my spy network. Make it happen and I'll review the results.
  This will initially cut into your weekly profits, but will eventually cause them to go up. Already tabulated into this week, along with the Repository thing.
  

Tertiary goals:

• -Zeiss is personally involved- Continue to search for headhunters in each main city in Aluvia. I won't skim through it, finding reliable people at this stage is crucial.
  No luck this week.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Look for companies, buildings or other properties that might be advantageous for us to acquire.
  One could purchase smaller companies as fronts, or larger companies to be legitimate businessmen. Smaller companies will on AVERAGE cost roughly about 900g to acquire wholesale. Larger companies have no upper cap of price.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- After Intelligence is done with reviewing my employees, I distribute 200gp in bonuses to the most hardworking ones... who aren't collaborators. Van will supervise it.
  Trusting you to keep track of the 200g.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- When going through the Hub, Zeiss will ask the Mites nonchalantly (and discreetly) for how long Fahran of Silentblade has had access to the Hub.
  The Lord Silentblade has had personal Hub access since he was named a Lord nearly 35 years ago.
  

-Kolson's actions-

Unless Kolson himself posts, he will continue the last week's goals:

• Attempt to convince Fahran of Silentblade to support the Exchange's efforts. We also agree that the war is unsustainable, but Aluvia will still need to do something to preserve its existence, which means we have to reform the economy. Fortunately, reforming the Aluvian's economy is one of the Exchange's main goals, but we will need to take control of the Undermarket's remnants to make it happen. Fahran's help would be most welcome. In exchange, we would also support Fahran's own schemes on the political field.
  Sort of covered this in the other thread.
  
  
• Find support to name one of our own as Lord of Holtburg (probably going to look up the current Lords) and negotiates the terms to make it happen. I imagine Aayndia of Floralwind would like to gain information on the Tumeroks, namely detailed sketches of some of their units and the tactics they used when they attacked Aphus Lassel. No matter whether she decides to support us or not, we will give her all the sketches we can with a full report of the Tumeroks' capabilities. This is too important a matter to simply hold back the information and we want to defend the kingdom and its people. If she decides to support our claim, even if she is only technically a Lord, we swear to support her when needed. To get to Lytlethorpe, Kolson could see if ATS could lend one of their super small and super fast airships, depending on the price (we can also pay in services).
  ATS will charter a single flight to Lytlethorpe for about 5g round trip. Aayndia of Floralwind is grateful for the information, such as it is, but ultimately is unwilling to support another Lord who is not tactically and militarily competent. Thus she requires proof of said competence... but she is willing to listen.
  

HIGAIDE

I'll take Rory's suggestion and get to investigating. What i write next are considerations for Higaide's mindset when on the job. Some may not be that productive, but i'm trying to gather my thoughts here - and his, so i don't just say "i'm gonna investigate!" in a vacuum.

If someone's working against us from the inside, it's either for pay or some higher calling. This is a critical factor, since both will act differently. I'm hoping it's the former, personally, since people who want to bring discord to the world are always bad news.

Since our troubles started ever since those assassins targeted Gwydo way back when, it's not out of the realm of possibility that we were being spied on from inside Bonebreaker's organization. Did we inherit any of his people when we made this place our headquarters?
Whether they could be called Bonebreaker's people is debatable, but yes the entirety of his subordinates were subsumed into the Exchange even before he and Oghren jumped ship.

About that "make myself available for guidance thing", i don't expect a lot of people took me up on it, but if anyone did, did any of them seem peculiar, like they were paying more attention than one normally would (as in trying to size me up)?

Lastly, i'll make note of the general mood among the staff and troops and make note of any who deviate from the majority. People who are particularly happier (idealist), sadder (pressured), calmer (professional), more nervous (amateur/forced into it). Particularly, though, i'm most interested in the people who are complaining the least, trying not to make waves.

I'll just observe for now, since i don't want to cause discontent or risk spooking anyone. And i'll get myself assigned whatever task is necessary in order to blend in with the people i'm investigating.
Higaide's efforts rather quickly uncover a fairly large number of people who are working for the Exchange and also freely selling the information they get from within to whomever is buying. In most cases these people are not really trying to hide their tracks particularly well, but they also seem to just be selling to whomever is buying. This includes local bandit groups as well as a few of the Holtburg Region's Blocs. By the end of the week Higaide has found several dozen such individuals... but no one who is trying to be more clandestine or circumspect about it. Several of these people are Humans.

[quote="Essoje"]Javan's actions this week:

- Now that Javan threw his weight around, he's expecting people are going to pay him back (including assassination attempts as a worst care scenario). The other Scarves are given orders to continue as usual, but be fully prepared to throw all responsibility on the Fairy's shoulders if things go to hell if they were not inclined to before, and he's also going to start acting a bit more paranoid than usual when nobody is looking.

- Buy or rent a place (if contract allows for modifying it) for the White Scarves, so they have an operation center and space to grow into, supplies included.

- He wants to start outfitting the White Scarves with better gear, and he's attempting to do so through the Exchange, so he's sending a messenger with a letter containing what he needs and asking for the price of it all. Basically an upgrade to existing gear of other WS members, alternate non-lethal weapons for everyone including Javan, a training book for said weapon, 5 Treated Healing Kits, 1 Medicated Kit, a list of imbued gemstones stones available for purchase in short notice and a granite chain shirt for Javan made for everyday use and mobility. There's also a request to send a Exchange messenger/spy in a week or two to keep communications open in case he's not wiped out in his poor attempt to create a police force that's not the military.
Javan is paid a visit by a member of the Holtburg military, an Oberst, who is ready to drag Javan and his Scarves in for high treason when Sareth shows up to try and help smooth things over. After some extensive discussion, Javan is given the option of turning over all information on the Mayor to the Oberst and getting the hell out of dodge, trying to kill the Oberst and his platoon of troops he brought with him, or (thanks to Sareth) the idea is broached of Javan's Scarves becoming official Aluvian Military under the local General, one Tollar of Anvilmar. Also the items Javan would like made will cost roughly 135g for everything except the shirt, which will cost about 350g by itself.

My eyes! So... blue! *eyes implode*

I leave the two black mages to Rory so they can teach our guys instead.

I commit the 200gp as bonuses for my most hardworking employees who aren't selling the Exchange's secrets. Don't worry, I have a tab in my Exchange's file where I keep track of all the moneys.

I pay the 5gp that Kolson uses for meeting the Lady of Lytlethorpe.

Next week, I will ask if Rory and/or Higaide could try to convince my human employees to not work for the other Blocs and bandits groups. Some of the Exchange's profits goes directly into helping the refugees and they're undermining my efforts. Being a criminal doesn't mean we can't have some integrity. If they do want more money, just work harder and maybe they will be rewarded for their efforts; after all, I do give bonuses from time to time.

Sareth will advice Javan to accept the Oberst's offer and join the military... if for no other reason to infiltrate their "Bloc" and gather information that may allow us to overthrow the current Lady of Holtburg.

Towards the end of the week the Exchange as a whole will be approached by a few Sclavi and Moarsmen who hear that the Exchange is the local criminal cartel and wish to do business with them.

Intrigued by this, especially since we are in Aluvia, Zeiss will meet these people himself with Advoc at his side after the usual security check is made. He will talk in Serpent if they prefer it this way. He seems interested in their offer.

The group introduces themselves as servants of one of the cartels in the Shoushi region which deals primarily in creature comforts and the like, as well as profiting off loaning to locals who have something worth putting up as collateral (thus if they default on the loan the cartel takes their goods and profits, and if they don't default they gain the interest money).  They'd like to expand up north, thinking that given the massive difficulties Aluvia is having right now the common folk probably need such a thing plus, in addition, the officials are less likely to be able to crack down right now (being distracted at war). Thus rather than simply shove their way into another Bloc's territory they want to coordinate with the Exchange to reduce overhead, get permission to operate, and of course split some of the profits. They're willing to kick 15% towards the Exchange, which would be a pretty decent sum.

Zeiss knows they are going to come on his territory no matter what he says, and he cannot afford to waste his efforts on fighting them, so he will accept their deal. However, he will try to negotiate a 25% rate for the Exchange, knowing full well he cannot let himself be pushed around (if that rate seems too low for that kind of partnership, we'll go for something a little higher instead). He expects them to settle for 20% instead. Burn one use of Persuasion.

Personally, Zeiss thinks this kind of business is short-sighted and despicable. To reduce the damage it will cause to the populace, he will redirect all the profits made from this deal towards the relief efforts. I choose the lesser evil.

Thank you for the change of color by the way.

Javan, after a moment talking with Sareth about it, agrees that his only option is to join the Military and whatever it entails in order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed. If allowed the time, he'll leave the payment of the goods he ordered with Sareth to speed things up, 485gp.

Archengeia wrote:Zeiss spends most of an evening cavorting around at one of the lady's parties, and finds himself regularly shunned and somewhat outclassed when it comes to discussion due to his relative inexperience with this type of crowd. He learns nothing of Myra of Hammersmith that he did not already know, but by odd fortune he does learn that one of the wealthy Dwarves there has seen her company, which had been little more than a holding company for tax reasons, suddenly purchased up by orders of the High Queen herself. Naturally the Dwarf assumes it's necessary for the war effort, and when questioned about it shrugs the situation off.

Curiouser and curiouser, as Alice would say. The more I learn about the Queen the more I want to meet her and see what she's like and what she's up to. I'm still wondering if she buffaloed the Lords as a part or in whole or if they are in on whatever she is doing.

Archengeia wrote:ATS will charter a single flight to Lytlethorpe for about 5g round trip. Aayndia of Floralwind is grateful for the information, such as it is, but ultimately is unwilling to support another Lord who is not tactically and militarily competent. Thus she requires proof of said competence... but she is willing to listen.

If she wants proof of my competence then I'll point out my Red Mage training as well as my practical record in the Adventurer's Guild (the water golem matter especially). If she wants further proof, how about we arrange a test of sorts? If she wants to test my tactical acumen, within reason and time, I'm willing to do so.

The Lady Floralwind actually has a specific test in mind. She wants to give Kolson... A MISSION. *dramatic thundercrash*

For the sake of brevity she wants Kolson to lead several units into the Dryreach Zone to scout and determine if the line in the sand has been moved. Such maneuvers are commonplace and extremely dangerous and carry a fairly high fatality rate.

I'll do it.

Blah, blah, blah, briefing, meet commanders and get to know their units. I was adding something but you already posted and I accidentally replied in this post and erased my old one.

Would you prefer dice rolls or a real briefing packet?

Zeiss told me to say whichever has the highest rate of survival but how about the briefing packet. Anything you share about the area and the Tumeroks may help us later so I think it's a good idea to learn that stuff now.

The GM is assuming you are on-site for the briefing, since any info you got back in Holtburg would be negligible at best.

Kolson is, of course, aware of the generalized situation with the Tumerok.  In short, any attempt to approach the indistinct border (which moved periodically) results in 'warning' artillery shots which are often fatal due to the size of the blast radius.  The few attempts to actually breach the border tend to result in 100% losses.

Once at the Dryreach Aluvian Line and meeting with several soldiers, Kolson learns that it's actually quite common for quick moving units to move over the Aluvian Line to scout and test the Tumerok reaction time and to garner any tiny scraps of information available.  More often than not no information is gained, but through meticulous and careful effort over the years they have a decent amount of information on exactly when and how the Tumerok respond to assault, if not exactly what or where from.

Apparently any movement near the border provokes a response from anywhere between 6 and 30 seconds, usually violent artillery fire.  The accuracy of such shots are assumed to be magically augmented, for they tend to hit within less than a foot from where the initial detection point was.  Fast moving units can often stay 'ahead' of the artillery if they are careful and lucky, but this is a gamble and units are heavily discouraged from trying to stretch the boundaries of what they can accomplish.  Partially for this reason, the Lady Floralwind has laid down absolute mandate that only veteran units take Aluvian Line duty... not just because she wants her best out there for this dangerous duty, but to ensure no youthful or brash actions on behalf of a unit.

Part of the scouts' job is to determine if the Aluvian Line has moved, as it tends to drift a few feet every several months one way or the other.  The Aluvian Line itself is defined as the point at which the Tumerok stop shooting 'warning' shots and start bombarding an area.  These bombardments are huge, and almost always result in total casualties if not dealt with very precisely and carefully.  

Kolson is informed that the average response time for an incursion over the Line runs from 12 to 18 seconds... a far tighter window overall.  Kolson will be given leave to come up with a plan to accomplish two objectives. 1: As per standard operating procedure, track where exactly the Line is as of now to see if it's drifted and if so where. This information is required with an accuracy rating of inches at the highest, due to how close to the Line scouts and troops tend to operate for other missions, so the more accurate the better. 2: Try to determine any and all information past the Line. The particular area you will be scouting out is a lengthy stretch along the southern reaches of Lytlethorpe itself, in an area that is heavily shelled and generally barren and contains several chasms and ravines, as well as the remains of a small river that still trickle through.