Old faces - Eleasis 26th

Eleasis 26th
H 86/L 71 – .50” of rain

Closest Patrol Today (3):
Captain Ensyer departs in the morning to Silverymoon
Captain Kremmel arrives in the evening from Silverymoon

The buzz continues here in the village of Rock Hammer as spirits are lifted and the people double their efforts as it comes to building their new lives.

“Well, well, well. Quite the place uv’ got here.”

You turn and see a familiar face. It’s Drek, the poison contact from Cholnudon.

“I ‘ope your not to busy and ‘ave forgotten your commitments to us.” he says with a smug look on his face.

"Ah, Drek. I am glad you have visited us. I have not forgotten but I have been busy. I was wishing to speak with you and yours concerning a change in payment. We will continue to provide you with what you desire in exchange for information and the agreement to not use the product we supply on any citizen of Rock Hammer. Additionally, I would like to achieve a sort of tenuous alliance with Cholnuldon, while I do not think we see eye to eye on how to govern I do think we can agree that the state of Temel and the threat of the Dreadlord should be enough to unite. Let your Master know these terms, and I hope we can resume business."

Drek stands and you fear his jaw might hit the ground with what you had to say. Then he starts to laugh, but a stern look from you indicates to him that you are not joking. Disbelievement turns to disdain.

“Just ‘ho the ‘ell do you think you ‘re?” demands Drek, “Mr. M will be none to pleased ‘ith this news.”

Drek takes two step forward to emphasize his next words, “Be a real shame if in something ‘appens to your shipment of stone to Sundabar. Be quite a shame indeed.”

"As a matter of fact, let us go one better than tenuous and aim for a stable business arrangement. No one profits by the current state of things."

To Althalus: "Of course a stable business arrangement would be desireable, but I was basing things on our past dealings with Mr. M. Tenuous at first, in hopes for stability"


To Drek: "I am sure your "veiled" threats work on the poor farmers and dead beats you harass, convincing too, really," Umberto smirks, then grows calm, "be cautious in negoiations, for it is said when you embark in revenge, dig two graves. Please return to your master in good health."

If you thought Drek was a little shocked at first he is downright astonished now. He takes a quick look to the left and right, half expecting someone to stab him in the back. Keeping everyone in his sites, he backs all the way out to the front gate of the keep.

“You are making a terrible mistake! Mr. M will be furious!”

Drek turns tail and runs the entire length of the valley to the front gate. You all get a smirk out of it and feel a bit of weight off your shoulders.

The rest of the day goes on without any events. In the early evening you all head down to the front gate where the dwarves were just about done

“Aye, it’s coming along nicely lads,” says Dain Rockbreaker, “another couple of days and it’ll be done. Except for the gate. Yer carpenter Johann and his boys be working of that right now.”

You all stand and marvel at the progress being made. The wall is almost done as well as a very sturdy wooden gate. You can also see where the two guard towers would be, just behind the gate, where the patrols would camp at while resting in town.

Speaking of one of the patrols, a dozen men from Silverymoon enter the valley followed by a chunky man on horseback. Kregnok exclaims that is Captain Kremmel, the leader of the third patrol (the others being Captain Aito and Captain Ensyer). “I think this be the first time he has ever set foot here,” proclaims the dwarf “let alone camped here.”

Kremmel looks quite put off by all of this, like this is not the kind of place he wants to be.

"Welcome Captain Kremmel! I have heard of you, but I do not believe we have met. I am Umberto Lunini, these are my comrades Kregnok and Althalus, and I believe Hasimir is arounfd here somewhere. Please make yourself comfortable. Is there any news from the road? Silverymoon? The township formerly known as TemeL?"

Captain Kremmel barely budges in his saddle as he looks you over. “You know,” he pauses as he wipes the sweat from his fat, bald head, “this is tiring and dangerous work we do on the patrol. Protecting the pass, keeping it safe. Don’t you think I deserve some…compensation for my troubles?”

He leans over a bit with his hand out, palms up.

Umberto blinks. Looks at Althalus, looks at Kregnok. Looks at Kremmel. "You are welcome to stay and eat and drink, the same courtesy we offer to Captains Eysner and Aito. Please rest, as you seem strained from your patrol."

Kremmel snorts as he leads his horse away. You kinda shake your head at the gall of the captain when you catch one of his patrolmen hiding a smirk.

"Can I ask you what's so humorous?"

The patrolman looks over his shoulder to make sure Kremmel doesn’t hear him, “Well, this is my first patrol with Captain Kremmel. Normally I work with Captain Ensyer but…things have…changed of late. Let me just say this, Captain Kremmel gets very preferential treatment while in Cholnudon. And the reason why we are camping here and not staying in Zeth’Gor anymore. I know, quite shocking news indeed, is because the orcs would not provide him with the same…um…treatment.

"Hmmm, what is this treatment and what does he do in exchange for this treatment?"

“I don’t know. I’ve only been on patrol with him a few weeks, but many suspect him of being on the take. I mean, that platemail he wears is awfully shiny for a captain. And when was the last time he made an arrest on the Pass?”

"Hmmm, I don't like it. Men who pledge themselves to protect others and only look out for themselves are disgraceful. I fear for the men under his command. I am not sure if there is any action that I can do, Althalus, Hasismir, what say you?"

We can always give the paladins a heads up on his behavior. They would know what to do and I am sure would be all to happy to share their opinion.

"Very well, I will inform Horace and company, see if they have any information. Also fill in Eysner and Aito, if they don't already know. Kremmel could be a liability, a chink in the armor of the free people of the Marches."

is there anyway we can keep an eye on the patrol while they are near the hold? we might learn a little about how Kremmel gets his special treatment.

“I feel your frustration,” says the mayor with his arms folded over his chest, “Captain Kremmel has let not only his body go but his ideals as well. In his younger days he was stalwart defender of the pass. In fact he was promoted from his acts of bravery in an orc ambush. But that man is no more.”

Kevian shakes his head, “Oh, I could tell you stories of his shenanigans in Temel.”

" Please do Kevian, I feel there is something more here than a rotund fair-weather hero."

"I'm game to hear a story or two about these... shenanigans"

Kevian smiles and continues, “As I said before Kremmel was a good man. But things changed over time. He became a little more standoffish and he seemed less interested in the issues that Temel was facing. Typically the patrol captains spend five days on the Pass and two days of rest in Silverymoon. Well I heard that Kremmel was spending his two days in Cholnudon instead.”

“Then one day I approached him over concerns some of the caravan leaders had with orcs. Kremmel immediately went into a series of questions over the caravans; who are they; what kind of cargo do they have; how rich are they, etc. I pleaded with him that the orcs have descended down from the mountains and grow bolder and bolder each day and he had to do something about it. He leaned into me and asked, ‘well how much money do you have?’”

“Another time we had a lot of bandits near the town and asked the captain to look into it. Of course he blew me off about it for weeks until I brought it up again, right in the town center. He claimed they were not bandits and were no concern of ours. I asked him how he came across this information. He replied he had it on good authority from the bandit’s leader. When I asked him who it was he just replied, ‘Mr. M.’”

"So what your'e sayin is 'Mr. M' has Kremmel in his employ or something close to it?"

"Perhaps. I have no idea who this Mr. M is. Does anyone here know of him?"

Oh, Umberto and I have had some dealings with him... through a surrogate, of course. He is bad news and seems to enjoy the life of a puppetmaster. We are on the outs with him, due to us not responding well to the string pulling. In fact, that is what the visit from that Drek fellow earlier today was all about.