Lucius Cypher

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

"Ugh... Sewers again?" Pylia moaned hearing that the group was going down there. Dimos seemed hesitant too but kept his mouth shut. Shortfang seemed satisfied at least. "Works for me boss! Sewer Dragons not afraid of no gangers!" As for the young man himself he sighed but nodded his head in agreement. "Then... Let me just tell my mom what's going on. I hope she'll understand... I should warn you about something though. I know for a fact that Erandel's got a lot of people in his pocket. My friends are small fries compared to them. I don't know why he's doing any of this but if I had to guess, it's because he's trying to put pressure on the merchant guild. It was something that my father was afraid would happen, since the guild has been pretty adamant about their taxes or something. I wish I knew more about it now..." Dimos would then head back to his family's shop to gather his things and tell his mother what was about to happen.

Pylia sighed after he left, rubbing his neck. "It's never simple is it? I figured we'd be catching thieves, not unwinding some conspiracy." She cracked her neck as Shortfang shrugged. "Noble son just big bully, Shortfang see it all the time. Little man with big money, pay big people to smash stuff. Everyone too scared. Just gotta, pow! Show em you not scared! Noble son thing money protect him from arrows." Pylia shook her head hearing this as well, followed by an exasperated sigh. "Shortfang, I won't pretend I know how the kobolds do things but if you try that here in Gransys, even our friends in the guard will turn on us. I don't like what's happening any more than you do, and the sooner we can put this scumbag down the better. But we can't just be vigilantes. We need to be more responsible." With that the kobold just shrugged. "Easy to say when law works okay. But Shor spend lotta time talk to senny person in castle than fight with trogs. Dimos says guards don't care. If heroes run, who stay and fight?"

By this point Buddy would have written you another note. "Once Dimos is safe, I do believe it would be in our best interest to investigate either his gang or his victims. They could help us track down their movements or at least know how many people have been harmed by their actions."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Dimos sighed. “I... I know. I can’t say I want o turn myself in but... If that’s what it takes to make things right I’ll do it.” Pylia nods and motions to the shop. “Like she said, not now. If there’s one thing I agree with, it’s that we can’t trust any guard here, except the ones we know personally. I suggest you lay low for now until we can sort this mess out.”

Shortfang however was dissatisfied at the current direction, crossing his arms and looking disappointed. “We wait too long, bad guys hurt more people. Dimos friends still hurt people, so go fight them. We fight, we get proof from Dimos friends. Also, Dimos friends already hurt him and family. Wait too long maybe they come back.” Dimos sighed sadly. “I... I honestly don’t know if they’ll come back. I want to say no, because of our old friendship, but if Erandel finds out I quit the gang after what we did he... He’d put a bounty on my head for sure. And I know for sure that my old friends would gladly turn me in if the price is right.”

This only renewed Shortfang’s fury as he looked to you. “Boss, Shortfang know this complex, but we go beat up bad gang! They bad people, so no worry about noble son say nothing. No bad people mean more time for boss and us to deal with noble son and save Dimos and family!”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You wouldn't get too far from the shop before Dimos catches up to you. He seemed embarrassed, tense even, but stands in front of you with a look of stubborn determination. "I... Please help. My mother won't ask you to because... Because if the guards knew what happened, I'd be arrested too." He looks around and motions you into an alleyway next to his shop. It wasn't very far from the street but it was at least out of the way, and there he'd explain his situation. "Look I... I used to be part of this gang. We were friends since we were kids and we always wanted to join the guard growing up. But things... Things changed, and after a while my friends turned into nothing more than petty thugs. I was still their friend though so I stuck with them until... Until we got paid by a bastard name Erandel. He's the son of some rich noble, hired us to shake down some merchants for some reason. Paid us a lot of money. All we had to do was smash up their shops and leave before the guard found out. I... I helped the gang yeah, because the pay was good. Until I found out we were going to smash up my family's shop too. I told me friends to back off but they didn't and..."

Dimos took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. All he accomplished though was looking sad and depressed. "My parents are hoping the guards will figure out who did it, but the problem is that the guards are already paid off by Erandel too. They know it's my old gang who's doing this, and as long as they're getting paid they're not really going to look into it too seriously. That's also why they told me to clean up the mess, precisely to get rid of the evidence. My dad... My dad thinks I'm just a regular dock worker, but my mom knows I was friends with bad people. She's giving me the benefit of the doubt but also doesn't want me to get involved any further." Leaning against the wall Dimos just slid down onto the ground with a defeated sigh. "I don't really know what to do. I can't take on those guys on my own. But even if I tell the guards or anyone about Erandel, it's his word against mines, and as far as anyone else knows Erandel has never done anything wrong, guy's basically a scholar, compared to some thug like me."

Pylia looked thoroughly unimpressed with Dimos. More annoyed than angry really, almost as if she doesn't like Dimos himself. Shortfang's face harden to a more serious look. You've seen him look like this in combat, especially against the trogs. That look of righteous anger. Buddy as usual was completely featureless so it was neigh impossible to tell what he was thinking.

Pylia spoke up first. "Like my friend here said, you should be honest. If you can't trust these guards, we know a guard captain who isn't as corrupt who'll properly investigate these attacks. Of course you will need to turn yourself in too. You're hands are just as dirty as your friends, and you've ruined businesses just as they've ruined yours." Her voice was cold. Yet there was also a hint of pleading, like Pylia wanted to tell him to not so much do the "right" thing, but the "good" thing.

Shortfang flexed his fingers like a gunman about to do a quickdraw. He was ready for a fight. "We gotta go beat up bad guys. If guards can't help, if we beat up bad guys, they can't hurt no one. We bring em to guards, tell em they did it. Maybe even make em say noble son paid them." Shortfang seemed more focused on dealing with the criminals themselves. He seemed sympathetic to Dimos' plight, and considering some of the things you've heard about the kobolds while in Underhaven, you could imagine that the kobolds after end up in similar situations. Known mostly as thieves and troublemakers, yet there are those among them with a certain noble spirit.

Buddy simply wrote you a note. "This is a complex situation. We should see the others who could use our help and weigh which ones is of a higher priority."

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

You can tell that this woman is tired, and that while she's displeased at the young man (He's her son btw), it's not as if she disagrees with his words either. It's more like it's just not polite to tell the truth in these circumstances and in such a tone. You can also tell that the young man is angry not only because of the guards, but there's also a sense of guilt as well. Hard to tell exactly why, but it's a sort of angry-guilt like when you get pissed off at something you did that you knew was stupid but didn't think it'd be this bad.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

The woman took a sharp breath as you mentioned being here to help. Her smile faltered a bit before she spoke. "I... Thank you. But my husband has already gone to the castle to make his report so... There's nothing else left to do but let the guards investigate. That's what their jobs are for after all." Hearing this made the young man groan in disgust. "Lies, all of it. Those guards couldn't be bothered to wipe their own ass unless someone pays them coin." The woman looked towards the young may with a glare. "Dimos, silence! This isn't the place for this discussion." The young man, Dimos, scoffed as he picked up his bucket and left the shop. The woman just sighed and looked weary. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I understand you simply want to help but... Really, you should leave this to the guards. The last thing we need is to... Complicate things, getting so many people involved."

Rolls and Info

If you'd like you may roll an insight check.

Keratia: Story of the Surf, Tales of the Deep

You can passively tell there were some struggles via errant bloodstains and damage to the interior walls, but nah, you haven’t come across any other elves or their corpses. How curious~

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Buddy simply nods while Pylia and Shortfang agreed. The incident wasn’t too far away and it even seemed like business resumed there. There was a four looking young man and a young woman there, and upon seeing you she smiled politely. “Hello! Please don’t mind the mess, we’re just cleaning up. Is there anything we can help you with?” The mess she spoke of looked like a broken window and many broken boxes and barrels, with mysterious but foul liquid that’s had been spilled out and mixed together. The four young man was cleaning it as best as he could with a large rag and a bucket of water. “We sell various supplies from waterskins to rations. We can also help repair any equipment you might have. When my husband comes back from his business if you have any books or texts that need translating he can help you with that as well.”

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

“Helping around town huh? Sounds pretty basic, but I’m willing to help.” Pylia said after looking at the card. Shortfang perks up at hearing what their work was going to be. “Oh oh oh! Shortfang know where to start! When chatting with kobolds last night, heard useful rumor. Nice baker lady who give kobold bread have trouble, could use help.” Pylia then remembers an important detail as well. “We’re already in good standings with Andras and his family, and they seem like they’re already established here too. Maybe we can find some work with them, get to know their friends too.” Buddy wrote a note to you that said ”We can look into the incident at the market.”

Three suggestions, three quests. More options may be available as you ask around.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

Ferric waved goodbye to you as the group left the shop, with Shortfang returning the net. He seemed a bit sad but you and Pylia assured him so he would figure something out later. It was morning now and things looked as busy as they ever did. There was hustle and bustle in the streets, a few guards on patrol, and occasionally a stray animal. Things seemed pretty peaceful.

“Well, we didn’t find Shor here. I guess we can just... Do whatever? Investigate Elysium? Did Ferric give you some work to do?” Pylia asked. In the distance a bell rang nine times.

Keratia: Tales of the Arisen One

The group got back to you with only Shortfang carrying a few items. One he had appeared to be a silver net. "I want this! Looks tough! What is it?" He turned to Ferric. Ferric taps his finger to his chin trying to remember before finally getting the thought. "Ah! That is a silver net. Silvering nonmetalic metals isn't a simply tasks, fortunately I was able contact a magical elf who had silver hair, just as magical as the precious metal itself. Made a good deal with her and now I have a few magic silver nets! They're very effective even against incorporeal creatures, ought to give them a real surprise! That'll only be 105 gold."

Shortfang looked through his pockets, only to look a bit sullen. "Shortfang have... Not enough." Pylia, who arrived back empty-handed, looked at Shortfang incredulously. "Really? What did you spend your money on? Food isn't that expensive..." Shortfang nervously chuckled. "Ah... Food. Lotta food." Pylia was about to comment but then reluctantly accepts this. He did buy a lot of meals over the past few days, as well as enough soup to feed the whole tribe in the sewers. That was no small amount. "Shortfang you need to spend your money more responsibly." Buddy himself had nothing he wanted to buy at the moment either, though he did draw a picture of the Wakestone with a question mark next to it. Apparently he wanted to ask you something about it, or perhaps he was asking if you had asked about it yet.