CH. 12: Testing Grounds

[djhyland]

"People don't come to Father's smithy to buy weapons and armor, they come to buy nails and horseshoes and the like," Arulia explains as she leads Gobax to the shop. "I'm sure you'll be able to think of something."

Once they arrive, Arulia busies herself in arranging her tools and getting things ready, but she doesn't light the fires. If nobody comes with business, she'd just be wasting fuel. "So what is it that you wish to speak about?" she asks.

[TristenC]

Ah, I see now what you mean about the smithy. I guess I just had the guards on my mind... if it comes up I'm here to ask about metal animal traps then... I just thought we'd be safer having our conversation away from wandering eyes and sharp ears... particularly with your objections to the church's way of doing things. he adds the last more quietly. Holy guard, you said? Hmmm... if you don't mind my asking, how well do you know this Kendra? Would she really be willing to help us find the thieves? I mean, without trying to keep the profit for the army?

[HorizonsDream]

"I'll take some time before the parade to patrol that area, simply to get a feel for the place," Kendra says. It was a good idea to be prepared for anything, and she needed to have some escape routes if needed.

[spyguy1503]

"Fine. We'll do it your way." Ne-Chanz says with a snort. He yells now. "Anyone willing to help us, come here. You could save yourselves!"

[Chris1234]

With some possibility of progress agreed, Shima moves towards the southern door to see what he can see.

[djhyland]

"Kendra's a good woman," Arulia says. "I've known her for years, and I trust her. I don't know if she'd help us...or if she can even if she'd want to...but I don't think it'd hurt to ask. She wouldn't try to keep the money if it's found, but even if she did, what do we have to lose? In the worst case, we'll end up with no money either way."

[BishGada]

Tulbas frowns at the analogy to swords. He had expected something more in the Arcane field. He follows Daxia to his room and wonders if he will have opportunity to speak with the other apprentices before the Night of the Eye.

[chese780]

"Give me a torch. I'll go burn the webs down. Knowing you, you'd -love- to see things destroyed."

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz lights another torch, then hands him one and stalks off to burn the web himself. "Fine, they're your pets." he mutters.

[TristenC]

You're right, of course, we'd be no worse off than we are now if she failed or decided to keep it. So you've known her for quite some time then. With what you said earlier about the church and army I'm not surprised you haven't joined up, but this Kendra seems to have no qualms about it. He shakes his head sadly and takes a quiet tone, They seem to destroy everything they touch... and the church does too... why do you think she would join such an evil force? You said she is a 'good woman', but the things the army does... again he shakes his head. I guess it's just hard for me to imagine why...

[djhyland]

"She's got a family to take care of," Arulia explains. "Her mother and father and younger siblings. I doubt that she likes the army any more than you or I, but they must be paying her well enough to make it worthwhile regardless of her personal feelings. I almost wish I could do the same..." She shakes her head sadly. "Hard times make hard choices easier to make, I guess."

[JadedDM]

Kendra Greylock (Prefect's Mansion)
"By all means," Tethys replies. "You can help in spreading the word, while you're at it. The more people who attend, the more likely our rebels will show themselves."

Tulbas Erogund (Tower of Wayreth, Guest Room)
Daxia escorts the four apprentices to some guest rooms not far from the lounge. As Tulbas steps into his room, he wonders if that was the last time he'll ever see the other apprentices again. The guest room is simple and spartan but has anything he would need--a nice soft bed, a chamberpot, a chest for his personal belongings, a washing basin and a window overlooking the forest below. The sun is shining outside and the birds living in the woods sing to each other.

Arulia and Gobax (Thoron's Blacksmithy)
The two head to the smithy and speak in private.

(OOC: Does Arulia actually open the smithy to the public? If so, customers will trickle in now and again to buy something, but it's not really worth roleplaying out and I'll just announce how much coin she's made when you're done.)

Felran, Ne-Chanz and Shima (North Haven Sewers)
The gully dwarves do not offer any volunteers to help, they just cower where they are. So the three head south back to the two doors. They continue south, stepping over the blood stains of where the giant rat died. The corpse is now missing.

After a few feet, the trio turn to the west and enter a very large chamber. An assortment of pipes jut out of walls, ceilings and floors that gurgle as waste and water are transported through them. There are also numerous spiderwebs all over the place, but largely concentrated in the corners. On the far end of the room it looks like there is another two passages, but one is completely blocked by webbing. The other appears clear, though.

[spyguy1503]

Ne-Chanz examines the webbed-over portion. "We can burn these when we come back through. Better to leave less room for enemies now. He burns the corner webs, sword at the ready.

[TristenC]

Family... Gobax stares into space for a moment, then barks a single mirthless laugh. Of course... Sorry, it's just that I... I haven't had a family for a long time. My, uh... my whole tribe was wiped out long time ago... I didn't really get along with them, but... he shakes off the reverie, coming finally back to the moment at hand. Things like this... evil like this... it's... insidious. It creeps in, little-by-little, and devours small bits at a time. We compromise here, we rationalize there and it grows... it's not an easy thing to resist... to oppose... but when good people do nothing against it... that is how it grows. The more it grows the harder it is to stop. He knew he'd said too much already... so much more than he meant to, but her answer had caught him off guard... he should have expected it. The die was cast... not much to do but press on. Would... umm.. would she ever consider working against them from the inside? In simple ways... small things that would put her at a minimum of risk...

[HorizonsDream]

"Knowing you, you probably have posters ready to be placed everywhere too," Kendra says with a light chuckle. There were all ready posts with her image plastered on them all ready, and that was Tethys' doing.