Week 6: April 28th - 3th May

Archengeia wrote:Yes to Zeiss and Kolson's ideas both.  Though to make it more clear maybe Profession: Commander or something... just because my first thought was another definition of 'general' heh.

OOC:

• -Zeiss is personally involved- Investigate the companies of the High Queen and arrange a meeting. Kolson will help. To accomplish that, I have an idea: let's inquire into buying out certain companies... on the Queen's behalf. Obviously, we're not trying to upset her, but only for her to take notice of us. If nothing else, she may be amused by how we're trying to make an appointment.  
  
• -Kolson's actions- Kolson will continue to work with the Lady of Holtburg to take out the Separatists while offering to help her manage the day to-day matters of Holtburg. He will start by helping on something small, then work his towards more important responsibilities.
  

• Week's profits: ?
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- 500gp in bonuses will be distributed amongst our soldiers (unless you tell me it's too much). They did a good job. Don't worry, I keep track of the money. Of course, they'll know that Zeiss is the one who made this happen.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Continue to rebuild the Exchange Intelligence (spy network) and send the agents on AC Brotherhood missions.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sell the loot we got from the battle in the Royal District after we appraised a second time, just in case we missed magical items. Then give half that gold to Gretta. She doesn't need to know what fraction of the loot she's getting.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Find a woven tattoo (the less expensive kind) that lets me have the Leadership feat.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- The rumor that I killed my best spy? Well, I want my employees to know it's false. So I'll gather them for an announcement which I will do in person. Here's what I tell them: I haven't ordered the death of this spy, nor did I want him dead. Not only would it be unethical, it would also be a waste of resources. However, after we discovered he was doing something we weren't aware of, we tried to talk to him about it to discover if he had any hidden agenda. He tried to escape, and he mysteriously died. We're not sure what happened, but we guess the device that was hidden within is body killed him to avoid any leak of information. No reason to be worried: we're already on the case. Use Persuasion.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- We put [most qualified person we have] in charge of training my "militia". I think we can safely assume Rory gave them a briefing on what works and what doesn't when it comes down to the humans.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Again, let's invest more resources towards setting up these projects: the Shadow Depository (a la Farscape), the Black Butterfly (the inn where people go hide until things calm down), the Criminal Headhunting Task Force (our local employment agency) and more importantly, the unification of the Blocs (by replacing the Undermarket middle managers).
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Zeiss will gather the employees who are assigned to the Shadow Depository. After taking a moment of silence to gauge the small gathering, he starts his speech: "The Shadow Depository is to be the most secure bank in Dereth, where we guarantee complete privacy and the utmost professionalism. Your salary, which is quite substantial, reflects this. The reason I chose you for this assignment is because I believe you competent enough not to accept any bribe. If your financial situation ever takes a turn for the bad, there is no need to get desperate, you only need to come to me and I will try to arrange something, such as an advance on your next paycheck or a loan set at a low interest. As long as it is reasonable. Minor mistakes made during your shift are not something to get worked up about neither. Do not repeat them, that's all. I know how to be lenient when the situation calls for it, or when to reward an employee who has shown loyalty. However, let me make one thing clear: the consequences for stealing from me or my clients are dire." Zeiss gives his employees a firm look. "Do. Not. Betray. Me. If you do...  well, best not say in polite company." Once Zeiss made sure his message was understood, he goes back to work. -So yeah, the employees who work at the Shadow Depository are paid a lot better than the other ones.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I extend the No Bribe policy to the Black Butterfly along with a better pay. It's supposed to be an inn where privacy is paramount after all.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Any employee who is still working for someone else other than the Exchange (the remaining 5%), even after I made my two previous offers, are going to be given a new job by the Criminal Headhunting Task Force at another company. They're definitely going to work for someone else now. If they refuse this new job, I'll just fire them and hire new people. However, let's wait until the task force is set up before I do this.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- *Cover story* Sareth and my spies must find out where Zeiss' father has disappeared to. *End of cover story* I want Sareth to identify, alone, which of my spies found out about Zeiss' father. If he's missing, that's because some of my spies are compromised by this mysterious "meddler". If he can't find them, he must use another tactic; watch where the money flows, if they use any suspicious drop boxes, and how they are trying to "find" his father. Some of my spies are lying about the results. The objective is to find the Meddler's lair.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Once there's no more fighting, Wedge will become the captain of my personal guard, and my two black mages will be assigned to it, along with six other soldiers who I selected for their competence and loyalty; I assume I can make an informed choice since I fought alongside them these last few days. I'll take Kolson's advice on the matter.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- If my employees find Separatists mercenaries who have survived the battle and are in hiding within Holtburg, I'll offer them a job at the Exchange. I'm sure I can make their previous allegiances disappear. If there are reasonably high level soldiers or mages, please do tell.
  
  

• -Zeiss the Delegator- New policy: all my employees can accept any bribe. However, the deal I made with my spies will be extended to everyone: I take a small cut (no more than 5%, just so that people understand who is the boss), and any info they leak must have been approved by me and my managers. If someone is trying to bribe one of my guards to let them sneak into a warehouse, they can accept the bribe, but they must immediately tell a superior and arrest the intruders. Except for the Shadow Depository. No bribery accepted there.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I want the Black Butterfly to rent out quiet rooms, where for X amount of time, a Silence spell is cast (a device that uses charges will do). Clients will have to pay to use it of course.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Let's put up a cafeteria for my employees. I want to cater to every race possible. It has to be a nice environment for them to relax, and where good food is served.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I want to upgrade Zeiss' office. If necessary, I will change it to another place within the Veil. Here's what it looks like and what equipment I want to add to it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4pdKgiss7uFaEQwbDJvN2RaMzA/view?usp=sharing
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Me and Van are gonna have a meeting. "We have been working together for a few months now, so you know that I like to be as straightforward as I can with my employees. Your work has been invaluable, and while Kolson told me you joined the Exchange only temporarily, I don't want to lose you. So here's what I propose."Zeiss takes out a pouch full of money and places it on his desk. "There are fifty pieces of gold in it. It's a retirement bonus." He places another pouch next to it. "That's another fifty. One hundred pieces of gold as a bonus for your promotion, should you choose to accept it, along with a substantial raise. I would like to put you in charge of the Exchange's middle-managers and oversee all trade activities between the Blocs, making sure we gather as much information as we can and use it to replace the Undermarket's management. You would work directly with me. You don't have to choose now, of course. You can keep working at your current position until you've made your decision. Also, if you wonder why I'm offering you this, it's because I trust you. I need to stop the Separatists, unify the many Blocs in Holtburg and continue to fund the relief efforts we are undertaking, and if I am to succeed, I'll need people I can trust."
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Choose the best and most loyal employees within the Exchange and promote them to Superintendents. This is a new position I just created and added to the Exchange's file. Superintendents are basically what the Lords of Aluvia were before the Tumeroks showed up, with a few key differences: each of them control only one facet of the Exchange (military, economy, Intelligence, politics) and never in its entirety; they also are not assigned to one region in particular, and can be sent anywhere to deal with a problem when required. They work directly under Zeiss' supervision. Basically, they are like the Spectres in Mass Effect, but on the administrative side of things. I need these: 1 badass accountant and 1 super manager (if Van refuses my offer, otherwise he gets the job). I already have 1 Intelligence expert (that's Sareth) and 1 political advisor (that's Qui-Gon). They are going to work in the Central Office. No worries, I just did the renovations and there's enough place for all of us and some more.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Now that Qui-Gon is a superintendent, he will have to recruit other ambassadors (just a few). Qui-Gon's job is to know everything about everyone who is important and tell me what they need. He will be sent away on only the most important diplomatic missions.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- My badass accountant's job is obvious, but I'll be there to make sure everything is clean.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, and him alone, will hire a cook and a butler and make sure they are trustworthy. They will be allowed within the Central Office and will also serve my guests.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, go buy some antidotes to any poison my cook might use. Juuuuuuust in case.
  

• Set up Exchange outposts in Sho territory. Their first priority is to track the other party's progress and help them when needed. Recruit new spies and sell the information they gather to sustain this branch of the Exchange. I'll give Biggs 200 pieces of gold so he can set up shop.
  
• I know Biggs is no spymaster at all, but that's not what I need him to be; I need someone I can trust. His job is to keep an eye on the Sho branch as a whole, give me regular updates, push forth the policies I've put in place... and make sure the party doesn't get into trouble. He was an adventurer, so he knows how bad it can get when they run loose. Just give them a target they can focus on so they don't go knock on the wrong's person door and bring the wrath of an important figure on the Exchange as a whole. Biggs can let the spies take care of the spy network, and I'll recall him back in Holtburg once everything is set up.
  
• Second priority: if resistance is minimal, prepare to expand the Exchange's influence in Sho, e.i. infiltrating the economic, political and military infrastructures in the region. Our goal is still to replace the Undermarket's middle managers by gathering as much information as we can. However, be careful not to start a turf war with another criminal organization.
  
• Third priority: set up the Exchange proper when possible. Hire merchants, buy caravans and send them on the trade routes.
  
• Fourth priority: find Sethos and see if he can help Rory, Javan and Higaide. If he can help the Exchange too, great, but I'm not holding my breath.
  
• Fifth priority: Biggs should stay on the lookout for any swords to hire.
  
• P.S.: while in Sho, I expect my employees to respect the "customs" of this place. I imagine the Undermarket never really had a presence there because of this, so tread carefully. However, there's no place for these "traditions" within my organization. Only competency and loyalty is rewarded. So yeah, we'll hire even the lowliest Sclavi; especially those who were turned away from the military because of this "time limit" policy. Everyone has a use.
  
• P.P.S: don't fight with the criminal Lord there. Just don't.
  

• Once they are alone, Zeiss will happily sit in a chair to make some small talk with the General, and take this opportunity to congratulate him on their hard fought victory against the Separatists. It is far from over, but Zeiss believes they will eventually prevail against the unchecked greed of the High Aluvian society.
  
• Before any attempt at blackmail, I will politely ask the General if he has any secret "partner" and if the deal they have can be bested. I know that Tollar's Bloc is managed by someone else, and I will try to gather information while implying that a partnership with my Exchange would be a much better alternative. The General and his people only have to stand aside, point me in the right direction, and I'll make it a worthwhile investment. I am determined to get rid of this mysterious meddler, and now that I know that this person exists, it's only a matter of time before I bring them down. I was an adventurer after all, and nothing can stop me from my accomplishing my objective. The water golem couldn't, neither the Order's false accusations or the Mana Storm, nor the destruction of Marblebush or the military forces of the Sho Empire. The General might as well protect himself from the collateral damage I am about to cause, and make sure that when the dust settles down, he still profits from it. -Use Persuasion and diplomacy. Zeiss is absolutely genuine with his offer to make the General his ally, and not a subordinate.
  
• If the general really does not have any partner... well, Zeiss won't attempt to blackmail him and will ask him what it would cost to stop the attacks on the Country Raiders business instead.
  
• If the General lies about not having any secret "partner", Zeiss will proceed with the blackmail attempt.
  
• Blackmail attempt: "Well, if you refuse my proposition, I will be forced to present to Lady Hammersmith a letter, sealed by the military and found in Huldar's camp, detailing where to hit the merchants' caravans. I imagine she would be pretty pissed to learn that one of her general has ordered the theft of Separatists' goods; well, they weren't called the Separatists at that point, but you know what I mean. And what if that was the last straw which convinced them to start a civil war with the Lords of Aluvia? Tsk-tsk-tsk. Let's not even go into this smuggling operation of yours. I doubt your people could pretend to ignore what they know when the Lady launches an investigation. I wonder what your trial would look like... Or maybe we can avoid that altogether and I could ask for your demotion alongside your transfer to the front lines as part of my reward for my invaluable contribution to the defeat of the Separatists' forces. Now that. That would be an honorable way for you to keep serving your country. What a waste it would be though; you and I have no reason to oppose each other. In fact, were I in your position, I would probably do the same thing. Which is why I'm talking to you right now, and not Lady Hammersmith." Zeiss stays silent for a moment to let the General think. "So, do we have a deal?" -Use diplomacy and Persuasion.
  
• Zeiss will keep a mental link with Advoc to let him know the General's response. If he refuses, Advoc will inform Kolson to proceed with the plan and present the evidence to Lady Hammersmith. Any accusation Tollar of Anvilmar makes against Zeiss ("He tried to blackmail me!") would be explained as an attempt to gather evidence of corruption against the general. After all, even when given the chance to join the Aristocrats, Zeiss chose his loyalty towards Aluvia as a whole over his own ambitions. I imagine she would start an investigation, which is fine by me. We're really going for a Screw it! attitude here.
  
• If Tollar accepts, Zeiss will ask that he shares everything he knows about his partner immediately. I'm not giving him any chance to inform this meddler.
  
• The meeting with Lady Hammersmith may change depending on what the General decides. Feel free to wait until we resolve this event until we go meet her.
  
• Yeah, I pieced together that this "partner" is actually the one who arranged the transfer of Tollar of Anvilmar in Holtburg. After you explained the concept of Favors in your Aluvia video, it seemed strange to me that the only thing the General would have to do in return is to kidnap Sareth. It seems this "partner" also wanted to use some of the military to form his own Block, especially since the previous incarnation of the Exchange (or more accurately its "front") fled town with all the money. That's my theory anyway, and I hope I'm right or I will look really stupid.
  

• He is respectful and makes the appropriate salutation once they're face to face, but he clearly doesn't care for protocol. But in no way does he underestimate the Lady and what she can do. Depending on how observant she is, Lady Hammersmith may realize that Zeiss is evaluating her.
  
• He is straightforward and very precise when he talks. His choice of words is meant to convey the most information possible in the shortest sentence he can make. Not that he can be as articulate as any other politician or aristocrat; he simply chooses not to do so to save time. If Lady Hammersmith wanted to have a fluffy conversation, she should ask to speak with Kolson or Qui-Gon next time.
  
• He presents himself as Zeiss of Dreamkeeper. If her curiosity pushes her to ask why he created this clan name, Zeiss will refuse to answer, explaining that: "I seriously doubt you would believe me. Until you learn to trust my word, I cannot tell you. Suffice to say I fight for my freedom, and consequently, everyone else's."
  
• If she asks what kind of reward the Exchange would desire, Zeiss would demand one simple thing: the political backing necessary to subjugate the other Blocs within the Holtburg region. How? I want her to convince the other Blocs leaders to convene in Holtburg for a meeting with the Exchange. There, I will convince them that joining up with the Exchange is the best course of action for everyone. I suspect it would take days, so I am prepared to offer accommodations for the leaders during this time. Lady Hammersmith cracking down on their business would also be a nice argument to our arsenal, but I want to try the diplomacy route first. I'm sure they can be reasoned with. No doubt she would like to know what are the Exchange's goal, so in summary: rule over the Undermarket's remnants. If she can't give this to us, we'll have to fall back to trade concessions and connections. Or a contact to this No Name network.
  
• Kolson wants this specific reward: to publicly receive a medal for his invaluable contribution to this battle, after we have mourned the soldiers who died. Public recognition are the key words. The medal isn't that important.
  
• Another reward: the discharge of Rory's siblings, if they're still alive. If they are, send them to the Exchange's headquarters with the message that Rory has taken care of their financial problems. I would like the same thing to happen for Higaide's friends, if they have enlisted into the military at all.
  
• As to what kind of relationship the Exchange will have with the government: I have an idea, but I would prefer to hear what she has to say first.
  

Kolson wrote:
As an addition to Zeiss' fine post I'll get his people on fencing the loot but I'll check all of it for magic first (Weaving 23 or whatever is appropriate).

I'll also bring the fine brew as a gift to the Lady so we can all toast our success. Checking it for poison first, of course. I'll pour a little bit out and let some rats taste it. I'm sure I can get some down at the docks. Actually, do they have rat catchers here? If so, I'll pay for a few live ones.

• -Zeiss is personally involved- Investigate the companies of the High Queen and arrange a meeting. Kolson will help. To accomplish that, I have an idea: let's inquire into buying out certain companies... on the Queen's behalf. Obviously, we're not trying to upset her, but only for her to take notice of us. If nothing else, she may be amused by how we're trying to make an appointment.  
  After several days of feelers and efforts, some of the Exchange's spies report a sighting of the High Queen, one of the first times she's been sighted in the city in considerable time. She was reported to be in her standard formal attire, heading towards and through the Royal District. She was not in the company of her usual bodyguards, but instead had a smattering of petitioners and bureaucrats trailing her and pestering her with nonstop questions, as well as a single odd individual. The spy in question has difficulty describing the individual, assuming it's some type of Golem or something, for it seems to be a very thin, humanoid figure with swirling teal and violet energy instead of hands and a tall, thin, narrow metal plate instead of a face. It was clothed in a plain robe that hid most of its features, though the spy reported seeing crystals underneath.
  
• -Kolson's actions- Kolson will continue to work with the Lady of Holtburg to take out the Separatists while offering to help her manage the day to-day matters of Holtburg. He will start by helping on something small, then work his towards more important responsibilities.
  Kolson continues to attempt to ingratiate himself into the Lady Hammersmith's graces. More to come on this in the new thread.
  

• Week's profits: ?
  Expenses from the battle have actually made the Exchange profit only 18g this week.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- 500gp in bonuses will be distributed amongst our soldiers (unless you tell me it's too much). They did a good job. Don't worry, I keep track of the money. Of course, they'll know that Zeiss is the one who made this happen.
  As one might imagine, the soldiers do rather enjoy this bonus. Talk has begun circulating about forming a career mercenary wing under the Exchange amongst the trained, and them hiring themselves out to the Exchange, similar to how the IGA and PTC work.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Continue to rebuild the Exchange Intelligence (spy network) and send the agents on AC Brotherhood missions.
  More experience garnered for the amateur spies.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sell the loot we got from the battle in the Royal District after we appraised a second time, just in case we missed magical items. Then give half that gold to Gretta. She doesn't need to know what fraction of the loot she's getting.
  Gretta re-affirms her loyalty to the Exchange as she takes her share of the gold, 2010, leaving the other 2010g for the Exchange.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Find a woven tattoo (the less expensive kind) that lets me have the Leadership feat.
  Zeiss begins putting out feelers to find a Weaver capable of this type of work. He does not find anyone capable, in fact he finds that all the high skilled Weavers seem to have vanished from Holtburg.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- The rumor that I killed my best spy? Well, I want my employees to know it's false. So I'll gather them for an announcement which I will do in person. Here's what I tell them: I haven't ordered the death of this spy, nor did I want him dead. Not only would it be unethical, it would also be a waste of resources. However, after we discovered he was doing something we weren't aware of, we tried to talk to him about it to discover if he had any hidden agenda. He tried to escape, and he mysteriously died. We're not sure what happened, but we guess the device that was hidden within is body killed him to avoid any leak of information. No reason to be worried: we're already on the case. Use Persuasion.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- We put [most qualified person we have] in charge of training my "militia". I think we can safely assume Rory gave them a briefing on what works and what doesn't when it comes down to the humans.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Again, let's invest more resources towards setting up these projects: the Shadow Depository (a la Farscape), the Black Butterfly (the inn where people go hide until things calm down), the Criminal Headhunting Task Force (our local employment agency) and more importantly, the unification of the Blocs (by replacing the Undermarket middle managers).
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Zeiss will gather the employees who are assigned to the Shadow Depository. After taking a moment of silence to gauge the small gathering, he starts his speech: "The Shadow Depository is to be the most secure bank in Dereth, where we guarantee complete privacy and the utmost professionalism. Your salary, which is quite substantial, reflects this. The reason I chose you for this assignment is because I believe you competent enough not to accept any bribe. If your financial situation ever takes a turn for the bad, there is no need to get desperate, you only need to come to me and I will try to arrange something, such as an advance on your next paycheck or a loan set at a low interest. As long as it is reasonable. Minor mistakes made during your shift are not something to get worked up about neither. Do not repeat them, that's all. I know how to be lenient when the situation calls for it, or when to reward an employee who has shown loyalty. However, let me make one thing clear: the consequences for stealing from me or my clients are dire." Zeiss gives his employees a firm look. "Do. Not. Betray. Me. If you do...  well, best not say in polite company." Once Zeiss made sure his message was understood, he goes back to work. -So yeah, the employees who work at the Shadow Depository are paid a lot better than the other ones.
  As a point of curiosity, the GM is curious which cultural backgrounds he's pulling his Shadow Depository employees from.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I extend the No Bribe policy to the Black Butterfly along with a better pay. It's supposed to be an inn where privacy is paramount after all.
  See above question. Work on furnishing the Butterfly is coming along nicely.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- *Cover story* Sareth and my spies must find out where Zeiss' father has disappeared to. *End of cover story* I want Sareth to identify, alone, which of my spies found out about Zeiss' father. If he's missing, that's because some of my spies are compromised by this mysterious "meddler". If he can't find them, he must use another tactic; watch where the money flows, if they use any suspicious drop boxes, and how they are trying to "find" his father. Some of my spies are lying about the results. The objective is to find the Meddler's lair.
  Sareth puts this as a high priority. He easily identifies the 2 spies who reported on Zeiss' father, and shortly thereafter confirms that they're getting paid off by some other agency (though he's unable to determine whom). Upon further investigation, near as he can tell, over three-fourths of the spies in the Exchange are showing signs of working for at least one other spy agency in a similar manner. Further, given the patterns and information being shared (multiple times in several cases), it seems his spies are spies for multiple other organizations.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Once there's no more fighting, Wedge will become the captain of my personal guard, and my two black mages will be assigned to it, along with six other soldiers who I selected for their competence and loyalty; I assume I can make an informed choice since I fought alongside them these last few days. I'll take Kolson's advice on the matter.
  Zeiss' personal guard consists of a total of 8 troops, counting Wedge and the two BMs. They all, independently, take it upon themselves to don Zeiss' crest to distinguish themselves.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- If my employees find Separatists mercenaries who have survived the battle and are in hiding within Holtburg, I'll offer them a job at the Exchange. I'm sure I can make their previous allegiances disappear. If there are reasonably high level soldiers or mages, please do tell.
  Naturally no high levels survive. Several do decide to take Zeiss up on his offer, especially since the Exchange is such a well known supporter of the Separatists. We'll see how long that lasts.
  
  

• -Zeiss the Delegator- New policy: all my employees can accept any bribe. However, the deal I made with my spies will be extended to everyone: I take a small cut (no more than 5%, just so that people understand who is the boss), and any info they leak must have been approved by me and my managers. If someone is trying to bribe one of my guards to let them sneak into a warehouse, they can accept the bribe, but they must immediately tell a superior and arrest the intruders. Except for the Shadow Depository. No bribery accepted there.
  The new policy is met with general acceptance (this is Aluvia after all). A black sheet begins circulating amongst employees which has 'approved' information to sell on it.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I want the Black Butterfly to rent out quiet rooms, where for X amount of time, a Silence spell is cast (a device that uses charges will do). Clients will have to pay to use it of course.
  Entirely feasible, but it'll take some decent Weaving to do. Which means Kolson or finding someone.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Let's put up a cafeteria for my employees. I want to cater to every race possible. It has to be a nice environment for them to relax, and where good food is served.
  Zeiss realizes, very quickly, that he has two options; hire a full time Olthoi chef team, or try to procure food from local eateries regularly. But which will he choose...
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I want to upgrade Zeiss' office. If necessary, I will change it to another place within the Veil. Here's what it looks like and what equipment I want to add to it: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4pdKgiss7uFaEQwbDJvN2RaMzA/view?usp=sharing
  Love the idea of this. Let's set this up later in the new thread, work out costs and coolness there.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Me and Van are gonna have a meeting. "We have been working together for a few months now, so you know that I like to be as straightforward as I can with my employees. Your work has been invaluable, and while Kolson told me you joined the Exchange only temporarily, I don't want to lose you. So here's what I propose."Zeiss takes out a pouch full of money and places it on his desk. "There are fifty pieces of gold in it. It's a retirement bonus." He places another pouch next to it. "That's another fifty. One hundred pieces of gold as a bonus for your promotion, should you choose to accept it, along with a substantial raise. I would like to put you in charge of the Exchange's middle-managers and oversee all trade activities between the Blocs, making sure we gather as much information as we can and use it to replace the Undermarket's management. You would work directly with me. You don't have to choose now, of course. You can keep working at your current position until you've made your decision. Also, if you wonder why I'm offering you this, it's because I trust you. I need to stop the Separatists, unify the many Blocs in Holtburg and continue to fund the relief efforts we are undertaking, and if I am to succeed, I'll need people I can trust."
  Van seems genuinely surprised at the offer, and a bit fearful of Zeiss personally. He, hesitantly, asks for time to consider, since (in his own words) being a manager of a criminal organization was never part of his career plans. He seems to think Zeiss will have him killed or exiled for declining.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Choose the best and most loyal employees within the Exchange and promote them to Superintendents. This is a new position I just created and added to the Exchange's file. Superintendents are basically what the Lords of Aluvia were before the Tumeroks showed up, with a few key differences: each of them control only one facet of the Exchange (military, economy, Intelligence, politics) and never in its entirety; they also are not assigned to one region in particular, and can be sent anywhere to deal with a problem when required. They work directly under Zeiss' supervision. Basically, they are like the Spectres in Mass Effect, but on the administrative side of things. I need these: 1 badass accountant and 1 super manager (if Van refuses my offer, otherwise he gets the job). I already have 1 Intelligence expert (that's Sareth) and 1 political advisor (that's Qui-Gon). They are going to work in the Central Office. No worries, I just did the renovations and there's enough place for all of us and some more.
  Van is, of course, on the fence still. Sareth's all in, so is Qui-Gon. Amidst his own people, Zeiss finds a few options for the accountant Superintendent (names not given yet, will come up with one for whomever you choose); A Dwarf woman who's actually from Vesayen Lassel, and handled ore collection and counting for their House Hlaalu masters. A Human gentleman, again from Vesayen, also from House Hlaalu, who was a well positioned Councillor who'd bought his way into leadership (per standard Hlaalu customs) in spite of significant opposition from his fellows. And a Mite woman who has no particular ambition or vision beyond being exceptionally good at math, finding it enjoyable.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Now that Qui-Gon is a superintendent, he will have to recruit other ambassadors (just a few). Qui-Gon's job is to know everything about everyone who is important and tell me what they need. He will be sent away on only the most important diplomatic missions.
  Qui-Gon successfully recruits 3 ambassadors during the week. Qui-Gon himself will begin compiling information for you immediately, though would work better with some direction.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, and him alone, will hire a cook and a butler and make sure they are trustworthy. They will be allowed within the Central Office and will also serve my guests.
  A Dwarf gentleman named Kazan of Stormpike will serve as chef, and a Half-Elf Half-Banderling woman named Gloria of Mangler will serve as butler. Both come highly recommended.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Sareth, go buy some antidotes to any poison my cook might use. Juuuuuuust in case.
  

• Set up Exchange outposts in Sho territory. Their first priority is to track the other party's progress and help them when needed. Recruit new spies and sell the information they gather to sustain this branch of the Exchange. I'll give Biggs 200 pieces of gold so he can set up shop.
  Will take this into consideration for the other party's movements especially.
  
• Second priority: if resistance is minimal, prepare to expand the Exchange's influence in Sho, e.i. infiltrating the economic, political and military infrastructures in the region. Our goal is still to replace the Undermarket's middle managers by gathering as much information as we can. However, be careful not to start a turf war with another criminal organization.
  Initial efforts to establish are met with an almost detached indifference, which Zeiss's K:P roll tells him is a good thing. Pushing harder will get the attention of the cartels.
  
• Fourth priority: find Sethos and see if he can help Rory, Javan and Higaide. If he can help the Exchange too, great, but I'm not holding my breath.
  Sethos is not hard to find but will update on this in the other thread, as Sethos has been up to a lot lately.
  
• Fifth priority: Biggs should stay on the lookout for any swords to hire.
  Oddly mercenaries are exceptionally short in supply amongst the Sho right now.
  

• Once they are alone, Zeiss will happily sit in a chair to make some small talk with the General, and take this opportunity to congratulate him on their hard fought victory against the Separatists. It is far from over, but Zeiss believes they will eventually prevail against the unchecked greed of the High Aluvian society.
  The General, oddly, seems very pleased with this development. He will freely share that he feels this is a good step towards re-establishing the foundation of the Kingdom.
  
• If the general really does not have any partner... well, Zeiss won't attempt to blackmail him and will ask him what it would cost to stop the attacks on the Country Raiders business instead.
  After several successful rolls and a few Persuasions, Zeiss comes to the surprising conclusion that the General has no partner, secret or otherwise. His whole story comes out over the course of the conversation; he was once a well respected leader who cared about the 'ideal' of the Lords' military, aka making a better life for the people 'back home' (you find out Tollar of Anvilmar has a large family, with 4 children and a wife of many years) and was completely 'heart on his sleeve' type of person. As a result he collected incident after incident of upsetting the rich and upper aristocracy in his life, until not too long ago it was apparently enough to get him assigned the worst thing they could do to him; assign him to Holtburg as a garrison commander during war time, effectively exiling him from his own military. His choices were to deal with his meaningless job, submit to the shame of retirement, or try to figure out some way to make a difference. Tollar of Anvilmar is no fool, and understands what the loss of the Undermarket really means for the substructure of the economy, and so set into motion a long term plan to establish a new Undermarket. A... somewhat poorly laid out plan, as the General has no understanding of how the Undermarket actually worked, but a well intentioned one.
  
• Zeiss will keep a mental link with Advoc to let him know the General's response. If he refuses, Advoc will inform Kolson to proceed with the plan and present the evidence to Lady Hammersmith. Any accusation Tollar of Anvilmar makes against Zeiss ("He tried to blackmail me!") would be explained as an attempt to gather evidence of corruption against the general. After all, even when given the chance to join the Aristocrats, Zeiss chose his loyalty towards Aluvia as a whole over his own ambitions. I imagine she would start an investigation, which is fine by me. We're really going for a Screw it! attitude here.
  
• If Tollar accepts, Zeiss will ask that he shares everything he knows about his partner immediately. I'm not giving him any chance to inform this meddler.
  In an attempt to clear the air, so to speak, the General confesses that he had the 'leader of the Exchange' captured... but not as part of his own desires. Zeiss, of course, is aware of the system of trading favors that exists in the world. The General sought out aid in setting up contacts, personnel, and funding to pursue his plan of replacing the Undermarket. As a favor in exchange for this, the General had Sareth captured (alive and well) in order to satisfy this debt. Not long thereafter, another group of individuals offered to 'buy' the favor off the General, taking Sareth themselves, which he allowed.
  

• He is respectful and makes the appropriate salutation once they're face to face, but he clearly doesn't care for protocol. But in no way does he underestimate the Lady and what she can do. Depending on how observant she is, Lady Hammersmith may realize that Zeiss is evaluating her.
  The Lady puts on no airs whatsoever. She wears nice, clean, and professional uniform that Zeiss recognizes as that of a General, along with a few medals for having served time on the Line.
  
• He is straightforward and very precise when he talks. His choice of words is meant to convey the most information possible in the shortest sentence he can make. Not that he can be as articulate as any other politician or aristocrat; he simply chooses not to do so to save time. If Lady Hammersmith wanted to have a fluffy conversation, she should ask to speak with Kolson or Qui-Gon next time.
  The Lady uses complicated but not flowery words, reminding you a bit of how an engineer would speak. Lots of technical terms, but all structured very brusquely.
  
• He presents himself as Zeiss of Dreamkeeper. If her curiosity pushes her to ask why he created this clan name, Zeiss will refuse to answer, explaining that: "I seriously doubt you would believe me. Until you learn to trust my word, I cannot tell you. Suffice to say I fight for my freedom, and consequently, everyone else's."
  She does raise an eyebrow at the Clan Name she does not recognize, but otherwise gives no reaction.
  The GM just realized he'd like to do more of a back and forth for the Hammersmith conversation. To be continued.
  
• Kolson wants this specific reward: to publicly receive a medal for his invaluable contribution to this battle, after we have mourned the soldiers who died. Public recognition are the key words. The medal isn't that important.
  The Lady has no problem with this, and will agree to a public ceremony for the victorious dead in a few days' time.
  
• Another reward: the discharge of Rory's siblings, if they're still alive. If they are, send them to the Exchange's headquarters with the message that Rory has taken care of their financial problems. I would like the same thing to happen for Higaide's friends, if they have enlisted into the military at all.
  She will have people look into this, but the odds of even finding them in the chaos of the Front are actually quite low, and Zeiss knows that.
  

Kolson wrote:
As an addition to Zeiss' fine post I'll get his people on fencing the loot but I'll check all of it for magic first (Weaving 23 or whatever is appropriate).

I'll also bring the fine brew as a gift to the Lady so we can all toast our success. Checking it for poison first, of course. I'll pour a little bit out and let some rats taste it. I'm sure I can get some down at the docks. Actually, do they have rat catchers here? If so, I'll pay for a few live ones.

• -Zeiss is personally involved- Zeiss will gather the employees who are assigned to the Shadow Depository. After taking a moment of silence to gauge the small gathering, he starts his speech: "The Shadow Depository is to be the most secure bank in Dereth, where we guarantee complete privacy and the utmost professionalism. Your salary, which is quite substantial, reflects this. The reason I chose you for this assignment is because I believe you competent enough not to accept any bribe. If your financial situation ever takes a turn for the bad, there is no need to get desperate, you only need to come to me and I will try to arrange something, such as an advance on your next paycheck or a loan set at a low interest. As long as it is reasonable. Minor mistakes made during your shift are not something to get worked up about neither. Do not repeat them, that's all. I know how to be lenient when the situation calls for it, or when to reward an employee who has shown loyalty. However, let me make one thing clear: the consequences for stealing from me or my clients are dire." Zeiss gives his employees a firm look. "Do. Not. Betray. Me. If you do...  well, best not say in polite company." Once Zeiss made sure his message was understood, he goes back to work. -So yeah, the employees who work at the Shadow Depository are paid a lot better than the other ones.
  As a point of curiosity, the GM is curious which cultural backgrounds he's pulling his Shadow Depository employees from.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- I extend the No Bribe policy to the Black Butterfly along with a better pay. It's supposed to be an inn where privacy is paramount after all.
  See above question. Work on furnishing the Butterfly is coming along nicely.
  Ideally, people who don't follow the Aluvian mentality of "Gold gold gold!".
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Once there's no more fighting, Wedge will become the captain of my personal guard, and my two black mages will be assigned to it, along with six other soldiers who I selected for their competence and loyalty; I assume I can make an informed choice since I fought alongside them these last few days. I'll take Kolson's advice on the matter.
  Zeiss' personal guard consists of a total of 8 troops, counting Wedge and the two BMs. They all, independently, take it upon themselves to don Zeiss' crest to distinguish themselves.
  Kind of surprised and pleased to learn this.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- If my employees find Separatists mercenaries who have survived the battle and are in hiding within Holtburg, I'll offer them a job at the Exchange. I'm sure I can make their previous allegiances disappear. If there are reasonably high level soldiers or mages, please do tell.
  Naturally no high levels survive. Several do decide to take Zeiss up on his offer, especially since the Exchange is such a well known supporter of the Separatists. We'll see how long that lasts.
  Well, not what I was expecting, but I'll take care of them in the new thread.
  
  

• -Zeiss the Delegator- I want the Black Butterfly to rent out quiet rooms, where for X amount of time, a Silence spell is cast (a device that uses charges will do). Clients will have to pay to use it of course.
  Entirely feasible, but it'll take some decent Weaving to do. Which means Kolson or finding someone.
  Kolson told me I could have him do it. His CXP and talent at weaving might have changed since he wove a lot of stuff for his expedition at the Line (bombs, diversion arrows, etc.).
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Let's put up a cafeteria for my employees. I want to cater to every race possible. It has to be a nice environment for them to relax, and where good food is served.
  Zeiss realizes, very quickly, that he has two options; hire a full time Olthoi chef team, or try to procure food from local eateries regularly. But which will he choose...
  The Olthoi chef team, totally.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Me and Van are gonna have a meeting. "We have been working together for a few months now, so you know that I like to be as straightforward as I can with my employees. Your work has been invaluable, and while Kolson told me you joined the Exchange only temporarily, I don't want to lose you. So here's what I propose."Zeiss takes out a pouch full of money and places it on his desk. "There are fifty pieces of gold in it. It's a retirement bonus." He places another pouch next to it. "That's another fifty. One hundred pieces of gold as a bonus for your promotion, should you choose to accept it, along with a substantial raise. I would like to put you in charge of the Exchange's middle-managers and oversee all trade activities between the Blocs, making sure we gather as much information as we can and use it to replace the Undermarket's management. You would work directly with me. You don't have to choose now, of course. You can keep working at your current position until you've made your decision. Also, if you wonder why I'm offering you this, it's because I trust you. I need to stop the Separatists, unify the many Blocs in Holtburg and continue to fund the relief efforts we are undertaking, and if I am to succeed, I'll need people I can trust."
  Van seems genuinely surprised at the offer, and a bit fearful of Zeiss personally. He, hesitantly, asks for time to consider, since (in his own words) being a manager of a criminal organization was never part of his career plans. He seems to think Zeiss will have him killed or exiled for declining.
  Kolson will take care of this in the new thread.
  
• -Zeiss is personally involved- Choose the best and most loyal employees within the Exchange and promote them to Superintendents. This is a new position I just created and added to the Exchange's file. Superintendents are basically what the Lords of Aluvia were before the Tumeroks showed up, with a few key differences: each of them control only one facet of the Exchange (military, economy, Intelligence, politics) and never in its entirety; they also are not assigned to one region in particular, and can be sent anywhere to deal with a problem when required. They work directly under Zeiss' supervision. Basically, they are like the Spectres in Mass Effect, but on the administrative side of things. I need these: 1 badass accountant and 1 super manager (if Van refuses my offer, otherwise he gets the job). I already have 1 Intelligence expert (that's Sareth) and 1 political advisor (that's Qui-Gon). They are going to work in the Central Office. No worries, I just did the renovations and there's enough place for all of us and some more.
  Van is, of course, on the fence still. Sareth's all in, so is Qui-Gon. Amidst his own people, Zeiss finds a few options for the accountant Superintendent (names not given yet, will come up with one for whomever you choose); A Dwarf woman who's actually from Vesayen Lassel, and handled ore collection and counting for their House Hlaalu masters. A Human gentleman, again from Vesayen, also from House Hlaalu, who was a well positioned Councillor who'd bought his way into leadership (per standard Hlaalu customs) in spite of significant opposition from his fellows. And a Mite woman who has no particular ambition or vision beyond being exceptionally good at math, finding it enjoyable.
  The Mite woman.
  
• -Zeiss the Delegator- Now that Qui-Gon is a superintendent, he will have to recruit other ambassadors (just a few). Qui-Gon's job is to know everything about everyone who is important and tell me what they need. He will be sent away on only the most important diplomatic missions.
  Qui-Gon successfully recruits 3 ambassadors during the week. Qui-Gon himself will begin compiling information for you immediately, though would work better with some direction.
  In this order: Blocs' leaders, their mutual business partners, their exclusive business partners, influential people in Holtburg I need to know, mayors and guardians of the Holtburg province, then everything else.
  

• Second priority: if resistance is minimal, prepare to expand the Exchange's influence in Sho, e.i. infiltrating the economic, political and military infrastructures in the region. Our goal is still to replace the Undermarket's middle managers by gathering as much information as we can. However, be careful not to start a turf war with another criminal organization.
  Initial efforts to establish are met with an almost detached indifference, which Zeiss's K:P roll tells him is a good thing. Pushing harder will get the attention of the cartels.
  We will fill the cracks the cartels don't care about and whatever they don't control. If they notice us, we'll try to work with them instead of confronting them. Take it slowly.
  

• Zeiss feels guilty about assuming the worst of this man. He will apologize to him, and explain that he has felt paranoid in the last few weeks and it's getting to him. Working 18 hours a day isn't helping.
  
• After a moment of reflection, he will propose that the Exchange and the General's "Block" join forces. Tollar of Anvilmar is well intentioned, but he doesn't understand how best to run his organization. The Exchange knows how to manage that kind of system, and with their combined forces, they could create a new Undermarket which would keep in check the greed of the numerous wealthy and powerful.
  
• To summarize the plan, the Exchange will serve as the nerve system of the new Undermarket, coordinating all the different Blocs together. It has been a long road for Zeiss, since he had to build his own organization from the ground up before attempting such a massive operation, but he believes that he is near ready. Having the General as an ally would make this job easier.
  
• The Exchange could use also use the backing of the General in Holtburg to expand their relief efforts. To repel the Separatists, Zeiss had to make a compromise and accept to let a Sho cartel expand their loansharking activities in Holtburg. He simply could not fight on two fronts at once, and even though he used all the profits he made from his share of this business on relief efforts (Zeiss really did that by the way), it doesn't change the fact that people are getting screwed over. It would be a lot easier to stop these activities with the General's help.
  
• Zeiss will admit that he is not a good man, and while he can admire people such as Tollar of Anvilmar and their ideals, he finds it difficult to care about a population he can only see as a statistic. However, he understands that the world would be a better place if things were just a little more fair for everyone, which is why he has tried to help the numerous refugees in Holtburg and plans to do the same in the future... and not just in Aluvia, but in all of Dereth.
  
• If the Blocs in the Holtburg province are to unite, it has to be now, since the Naverre Raiders will soon arrive and simply take over this territory. And Zeiss strongly doubts that they have the best interests of the people in mind.
  
• Last thing: Zeiss has access to the Hub (for now anyway) which is very useful, he has proven himself to be a excellent manager (he started the Exchange from almost nothing, without having to go into debt) and a competent strategist who managed to foil the first plan of the dangerous Separatists. It would be best to have Zeiss at the head of this new Undermarket, at least in this time of crisis, if we are to defeat the Separatists and establish a new economy.