Now that all the nonsense is out of the way it’s time to get down to the business at hand – the Mendevs.  Their control of coin minting made them one of the wealthiest families in the outlying territories, but their lack of a noble title and their refusal to work with the guilds keeps them from being a true power player.  After the “framing” of Eorman’s father and mother she and her brother took over the business but they didn’t last long in the face of pressure from the Mendevs and suspiciously well equipped “bandit” attacks on their caravans.  What they don’t know is that the Mendevs also have a stranglehold on moneylending in the area – through intermediaries of course. 

I had learned two things from my friend with the gold chains in Heathgrove – the top of the heap in the criminal world in Malgareth is an outfit that calls itself The Workshop, whose main activity beyond smuggling and fencing is turning out counterfeit coins.  And that the Workshop was supposed to deliver a gemstone to Councilor Rseikharhl, a close confidant of the Countess herself – which they didn’t.  With of course the obvious fact that you don’t hire smugglers to bring you a gem if everything is on the up and up. 

The first order of business is to figure out why the Workshop didn’t deliver the gem as expected – seems like it would take more than simple avarice to risk the wrath of the Countess.  My crew and I hit the streets to gather information but we couldn’t dig up much other than the fact that around the time the Workshop should have been ready to make the exchange a good portion of them seem to have vanished – and those that are left have been very circumspect and a bit squirrely.  I set half my crew to looking for one of the remaining folk in the Workshop that we can have a chat with. 

Now you’re probably wondering – if the Workshop is top dog and Bala Ged’s crew is in the margins who’s coming in at the second spot in the criminal underworld games?  That would be the Brotherhood of the Spider – and as it turns out a bunch of their people just got killed the other day in Hillside.  I wonder how that could have happened.  They’ve added a veneer of mystical nonsense to their criminal enterprise, to scare people one assumes.  The other half of my crew and I were off to meet with Vory Mishka – who’s reputed to be a lieutenant with the Brotherhood.  We left our goons outside and sat down for high tea at a very reputable and elegant establishment. After some feeling out chit-chat we got down to it –

“I’d like to hit all the Mendev moneylenders in town.”

“That’s going to bring a lot of heat from the guard.”

“Of course, those nothing rich people hate more than when the money they steal is stolen in turn – but that’s why I’ll be doing the hitting, you just need to tell me who they are.”

“And what happens to you?”

“I’ve a wanderer’s soul, I’ll be on the next town.”

“What did the Mendev family do to you?”

“Halkran Mendev is my father.  I was conceived out of wedlock you see and as a result I was sold to foreign slavers.  Now I’m back for revenge.”

“That’s quite a tale.”

“I know, very gripping.  There’s even a part where I was a pirate for a while.”

“You don’t seem like the pirate queen type.”

“Well I’m still workshopping it.”

“What’s our cut?”

“Fifteen percent is the standard finder’s fee.”

“Fifty percent sounds better.”

“Oof, that’s quite a bite out of the pie but you’ve negotiated me into a corner here so I’ll take it.”

“So you don’t care about the money, you just want to hurt the Mendevs.”

“I wouldn’t say I don’t care at all, but it’s not my primary objective – you know, what with the revenge on the father who didn’t acknowledge me and sold me into slavery.”

“Yes of course.”

A deal was struck and we shared a divine raspberry confection infused with elfen honey.  A fine day’s work indeed. 

____________________________________________________________

Funds: 7,580 gold

XP: 44,738

Inventory: Ring of Many Garments, Bag of Tricks (rust), Cap of Disguise, Secure Pocket, Resplendent Diplomat’s Palette, Secure Paypack, Skeleton Key, Brooch of Shielding, Pouch of Magic Stones, Masterful Grey Gloves, Black Marketers’ Bag, Biting Bracelet (Endless Ammunition), Boots of Escape, Bracers of the Glib Entertainer, Ring of Animal Friendship, +1 Falchion, +1 Greatclub, +2 Commanding Light Crossbow, Headband of Alluring Charisma +2  

Signet ring, noble’s outfit, candlerod (9), masterwork dagger, succubi carving, Domiel family ring, walking stick, masterwork playing cards, spinel and peridot holy symbol of Kralten, diamonds (14), silver crown

Potion of Invisibility (3), Potion of Spider Climb, Potion of Eagle’s Splendor

Silver ring, gold bracelet, gold and pearl pendant, gold ring, platinum necklace, mithril hair clasps (3)

Revenge List: Duke Eaglevane, Piltis Swine, Rince Electrum, watchman Gridley, White-Muzzle the worg, Percy Ringle the butler , Alice Kinsey , “Patch”, Heroes of the Lost Sword, Claire Conrad, Erist priest of Strider, Riselda owner of the Sage Mirror, Eedraxis,  Skin-Taker tribe, Kartak, Królewna & Bonifacja Trading Company, Hurmont Family, Androni Titus, Greasy dreadlocks woman, Lodestone Security, Kellgale Nickoslander, Beltian Kruin the Splithog Pauper, The King of Spiders, Auraluna Domiel, mother Hurk, Mazzmus Parmalee

Rumors : Exiled noblewoman (Reoccurring), vigilante “Litheria”(Reoccurring), murderous Halfling (Reoccurring)

Teams – Labors, Brute Squad (Robbers and one team of Soldiers)

Graltontown Buildings – Mill