Travels amongst the Border Princes II (WFRP 2e) IC

[Haval]

Gabriele agreed, 'Sort of person who might be worried about everyone else ganging up on him.'

To the veteran, 'Would depend on what the pay's like wouldn't it. What's so bad about working down the mine anyway? Assuming you got light and the roof isn't falling in. Or are the stories about you boys having some trouble down there true?'

[dojango]

"His hideout is somewhere south of the Igerang River, in the trackless wilderness. You're welcome to take a shot at him... but best make your peace with Morr before you go. Don't know of anyone whose gone there and come back. Besides, let him rot down there! Here there's beer and women and song! Well, this stuff. It grows on you!" He grabs another mug of pulque from the bar, the bartender merely nods in acquiescence. Back to Gabriele he says, "Those tunnels were built by the dwarves, you know." He holds his hand about neck high. "You want to be stooped over all day, breathing in fumes and smoke, just waiting for the roof to close in on you or a slave to pick you in the back! I dunno what happened, couple men went missing a few weeks ago. Some of the workers too, I guess. Probably managed to run away if you ask me."

[rax]

"Isn't Sol curious about what happened? Surely someone must have seen something if they ran off?" Severin asks concerning the missing guards and slaves.

[Haval]

Gabriele holds her hands up, 'Hey, I wouldn't go that far. But there's a fair few local bigwigs down here who all seem to have their own armies.' She'll drop it. 'But you're probably right. Sounds like they couldn't pay me enough to go down there. I don't mind getting my hands dirty but there are limits.'

On the mines, 'Ok, a Dwarf mine isn't going to fall down at least. But has anyone explored it properly?'

[dojango]

"You sound like that old guy who came by a few days ago. He wanted to explore the place too, probably looking for treasure or something. But you couldn't pay me to go down in those dark tunnels." The man shudders at the thought. "Sol will figure it out, he always does. What's it to you, anyway?

[rax]

"We're working a contract as guards for the Beltramo caravan," Severin answers with a shrug. "Beltramo was pissed to find out that the copper production is down since it seems like he won't be able to buy what he needs from Sol. We heard these rumours, so we figured we'd see if we could connect the dots and see if there's some money to be made on the side."

[LarsWester]

Harman leaves the troubleshooter and makes his way across the bar loses his stumble act as he passes a few other people. He walks up to Severin and Gabrielle. I forget are we on guard duty tonight or is it our night off? the man asks innocently inserting himself into the conversation.

Spoiler: OOC

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Since Tick isn't drinking tonight no point playing bait. I thought I'd reunite with the others.

[Haval]

Gabriele nods at Severin's comment about money, 'And I wouldn't say no to treasure either if there's anything down there. Just as long as the tunnels aren't full of goblins or anything.' She had heard the stories of the sort of thing that moved into Dwarf tunnels once all the Dwarves left. To Harman, 'Aren't we off tonight. You got plans?'

[LarsWester]

Harman shrugs his shoulders. Nothing comes to mind. Don't see anything here of interest and if I have any more of the drink I may get sick. What about you any plans for tonight?

[Haval]

'Let's just try and stay out of trouble then.' Gabriele will buy the veteran a drink as a thankyou. It wasn't as if they could discuss anything properly with other people there. There was always the matter of investigating the mine properly.

[dojango]

The veteran tips his hat to Severin as he drains the offered drink. As the three of you discuss your plans, the older man heads off towards town. Before disappearing into the maze of alleys, he talks briefly with Beauregard.

Spoiler

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OK, so do you want to try to sneak into the dwarf ruins, investigate the slave-labor camp, or something else?

[LarsWester]

Harman sat there chewing his lip for a second before offering up Your friend isn't around tonight. I say we go and talk with Lorenzo about his offering us up to maybe sort the mine shortage out. It's really low risk to Sol to let us have a crack at it and it might lift Lorenzo in Sol's eyes if we can provide any sort of solution.

[Haval]

'It'll let us see what Sol's like to deal with up close' Gabriele considers. Le Houet might actually appreciate that. 'If Lorenzo's willing I'd say there's no harm in asking. Maybe Sol would see us as disposable enough to let us go down there. If we don't come up again, it's not like he'd lose out on anything.' She can't help but remember the mutants at the Red Temple. 'You ever been underground Harman? We had some experience with something similar since we came south.'

[LarsWester]

Harman shrugs his shoulders and answers Gabriele I'm not even going to pretend that the smuggler caves I've been are going to be remotely like going down in that mine. It will be new territory for me. Any advice?

[rax]

"I think Gabriele is less concerned with the mines themselves than what we might find down there," Severin offers. "When we first got here, our caravan was attacked by cannibal mutants, and we ended up tracking them back to a temple cut right into a cliff. There were things there that...well, let's just say that the witch hunters would've had a field day smoking them out. Could be just about anything causing the disappearances, but I don't think either of us is in a hurry to run into more man-eating monsters..."

"We should still try and get ourselves hired, though. Probably the only way of checking for Myrtle anyway. So let's go see Lorenzo and find out if he wants to play our game!"

[LarsWester]

Harman shudders Mutant cannibals. No can't say I've run into anything like that. Downright terrifying if you ask me. I'll follow your lead out of here Severin, let's find Lorenzo. Maybe you do the talking to him and explain the offer?

[Haval]

'All I'd say is that we try not to get lost down there and we get out in a hurry if we really have to.' Gabriele will go looking for Lorenzo.

[dojango]

Lorenzo is having a meal at the Millstone Inn with Galeazzo Carafa and another man you don't recognize. They are speaking in Tilean. As you approach, Lorenzo notices you and waves you over. He introduces you as his lead scouts. The third man is Arcadius Zeller, the master of the caravan that has just arrived. After everyone shakes hands, Galeazzo asks you how you are enjoying the delights of the town.

[Haval]

'Honestly, given what I'd heard, it's a lot less rough then I was expecting' Gabriele replies. 'But maybe that's because we haven't got too close to Tollares' boys yet. We saw some of them rob a drunk the other night.' She's surprised to see Lorenzo's competion here. 'Did you find out what happened to your horses, Herr Zeller?'

[rax]

"Eh, it's no Altdorf, but it's got a kind of rustic charm," Severin chuckles. "Rumour mill's buzzing, though. We hear there's been disappearances in the mine - guards and workers both. Though Tollares' people seem to be chalking it up to desertion and escapes so far."

[LarsWester]

Maybe it's all got something to do with why there isn't enough ore for all of you merchants to take as much as you can carry. Harman says with a bit of a laugh unsure if anyone else found it funny.

[dojango]

Arcadius Zeller shrugs and says, "Aye, some of them thieving goat-loving tribesmen must have taken them. I tell you this, if I were still a condottiero I would have those watchmen flogged within an inch of their life. Sleeping on guard duty is one of the worst crimes imaginable. But I will settle for stopping their pay and putting them on half rations until we return to Nirena."

Galeazzo adds, "The local tribesmen often try to steal horses and livestock whenever they can. They believe that if you cannot keep them safe, you do not deserve to own them. Mostly a minor nuisance, unless you now find yourself short on horses for your wagons..." he chuckles at that, and then says, "Yes, my colleagues and I were just discussing the problems with the mine. This copper mine is one of the more valuable projects in the region, and it would be a shame if it were to fall apart. That man... I talked to Nasir and he said there was a collapse in some of the deep galleries... but he is not the most reliable of narrators... so we do not know the full story. I should like to know what has happened, yes, very much. The head office needs to know."

[rax]

"Well then, how about this? Us three have been talking, and while we can't fault signor Beltramo for his pay, we're thinking there may be a chance for us to make a nice little bonus here. But, we'd need your help to make it happen."

"We're just a bunch of nobodies to Tollares, but you're his business partners. One or all of you could approach Sol, indicating that you've also heard the rumours of mysterious disappearances in the mine, and let him know that if he'd like some help, Lorenzo Beltramo's got some gold-hungry scouts that'd be willing to look into the matter in return for a fair sum. And you're willing to let us try if it can help restore the productivity of his mine. Then maybe we get an extra payday and you get to know what's up with the mine, eh?" Severin suggests.

[Haval]

'Thanks for the warning. I haven't had a horse for very long and would really like to hang onto him.' Gabriele is capable of staying awake on guard duty but with talk of flogging she's thankful they weren't working for Zeller.

After Severin speaks, 'At worst Tollares can only say no. At if there's anything going on down there that we should all know about, better to find out about it now.'

[dojango]

Galeazzo raises an eyebrow and looks at Arcadius and Lorenzo. "That is an interesting idea. We are meeting with Sol very soon, we can make this proposal. Arcadius, do you have a few volunteers to go on this expedition? To make sure it goes the way we want it to?"

Arcadius looks closely at Severin, Gabrielle and Harman, and says, "Aye, I've got a couple of veteran bruisers who might be willing to have a little fun. They could use some... how do we say it... carne de los cannones... to accompany them."

"Well! It is settled. I'll pay 10g a head to find out what the problem with the mines is. Maybe we can connive Sol into throwing in a little extra for the pot. Any questions?" Galeazzo reaches out to shake hands.

[LarsWester]

Very good. You'll let us know once you have Sol's blessing for the undertaking.
Wouldn't want to trespass. Harman shrugs looks over to Arcadius Used to be a Riverwarden old habits die hard.

[Haval]

Gabriele will shake Galeazzo's hand. To Arcadius, 'Tell me about these lads of yours?"

[rax]

"Deal's a good 'un, I reckon," Severin says.

[dojango]

Arcadius says, "Well, one's a lass. Marina was a deepwatcher back in Tobaro before she got a hair to see the world. She'll be in. Zdenko, her man, he'll probably want to go with her. And Pietro's always good for for a brawl."

With that, the three merchants leave and head across the plaza to Sol's headquarters. After about an hour, they emerge into the afternoon sun and return to the inn. They sit back down and Galeazzo orders a bottle of wine, which he pours out into six cups. "We have a deal. Sol told us that problems started about six months ago, when they opened up some new tunnels in the mine. A few workers disappeared here and there, and he thought they found a secret exit to the mine. So they sent the workers in chained up so they couldn't escape. And it was fine, for a while, until a month ago, a whole crew disappeared. Eight workers and two guards. They sent a patrol in, but found nothing. Sent a second patrol and it disappeared. Four guards. So they closed off the new tunnels, and now they're not making their quota. He's been trying to cover it up because he didn't want us to know he wouldn't have enough. But now we know. So we've got permission to send in a patrol to the deep tunnels to see if we can find out what's going on. We'll meet up at the mine tomorrow morning. Bring whatever supplies you think you'll need. Oh, and he'll match our reward. So 20g per person if you can find out what happened to the missing guards."

[Haval]

'Glad to have her along. Can't see why anyone would want to do all that for a living.' Gabriele will add to the others in private, 'We don't have to trust them, but I'd like to think other mercenaries aren't going to be acting too stupid if there's something dangerous down there.'

Later Gabriele will take the offered wine, 'They haven't found any sign of the disapeared? No blood or anything?'