Day 106: Wealday the 2nd, Abadius, 4708
Today was the big day. It was even bigger than I had expected it starting out. Dame Rebekah got me up fairly early to be ready for the day. Faunra had taken the opportunity to avail herself of my equipment for perceived upgrades that she was ready to make, leaving me without my armor to go through town. Dame Rebekah must have sensed my apprehension because she told me that she would make sure that we were safe. I smiled and got ready what I could. I was down to just my clothes and my pistol, so I thought that I should at least be able to make it back to the manor, in the worst case scenario.
I took a few minutes to refocus my thoughts towards what the day would bring. Dame Rebekah came back after I was dressed and ready to escort the giants and me to meet with the Lord-Mayor. The two of us walked out to the courtyard and saw that the giants were just getting up. Jonathan prepared all of us food before he and Faunra headed off to do what they needed to do. Faunra warned that we would be leaving very early tomorrow, as early as eight bells, so we should get anything done that we were not having them do in that time. I thanked her for the warning, and wished them good luck.
Dame Rebekah and I went forth to get the giants ready, and I used my prestidigitation powers to try to primp everyone up as best as I could. We were about to leave through the gate when Valanni knocked. He didn't even miss a beat when he saw the giants, as he told us that the meeting would be in the Pediment Building, as expected, but that it would be taking place in Justice Tyronious Beard's Hall of Virtue, due to the size of the matters at hand. I thanked him for the information and assured him that we knew the way. Valanni noted that of course we did and headed back towards the Capital District. Dame Rebekah jokingly asked if I wanted to ride my bike there again, and I told her that I would rather not be mistaken for another world's spirit of vengeance again. Dame Rebekah laughed and the four of us started our walk to the Pediment building.
It isn't that surprising that a pair of people walking down the streets of Magnimar, flanking a pair of ten-foot-tall giants, would not be bothered with many problems. Even though the giants were not armed, it was quite obvious that they could rain down violence upon those around them if needed. The fact that they seemed a bit cowed by the two normal sized people on their sides probably lent more to us than we lent to them. Dame Rebekah, in her futuristic armor was likely to be expected to be a knight of some kind, and me not wearing any armor at all would likely to have been believed to be a wizard or something.
We made our way to the Pediment Building, with our charges. When we got there we saw that Titus was just arriving on horseback. Obviously a perk of being a noble was getting a steed whenever you decided that you had need of one. The fact that his family was nobility here in Magnimar as well certainly had to help. He was dressed to the nines, so I activated my suit to be the perfect attire, considering my specific style. It didn't change too much, but it certainly had a lot more obvious quality about it. The seams were perfectly straight and it was from the finest woven materials that I could have possibly gotten. Or at least it appeared that way.
While Dame Rebekah took the opportunity to talk with Titus about the needs of Sandpoint from the perspective of defense while we headed to Jorgenfist, I used my prestidigitation powers to clean up the giants a bit from road dust and do the last minute primping. After a few moments, Valanni came out and told us that it was with great regret that the Lord-Mayor would not be able to receive us in his office, as it was not built to receive those of such impressive stature, and that the only area with which he could receive us would be Justice Beard's Hall of Virtue.
Valanni had obviously not told Titus, so I gave an acknowledgment of this change as if this was the first I was hearing of it. All those times pretending that I had not snuck in and seen the presents growing up must have helped. I spared a glance to Titus, who seemed a bit perturbed by this change, but verbally accepted it without reservation. Valanni led the five of us through the halls of the Pediment Building. He was taking us the long way to get to the Justice Beard's Hall of Virtue, so I guessed that they had been taking the time to set something up.
When we arrived, Justice Beard had just finished a case and was handling his paperwork. He offered to leave the premises while the Lord-Mayor received his guests, but the Lord-Mayor told him that we would not put him out just because the office of the Lord-Mayor was not yet renovated to receive such grandiose guests. Justice Beard accepted this and said that he would simply continue his work, if this was okay. The Lord-Mayor addressed the group of us, requesting someone come forward and give a presentation as to what happened in Sandpoint. I thought about stepping forward, but decided to leave that to our resident noble.
Titus took the bait and gave a masterful speech about how Sandpoint, under his direct orders, had rebuffed an attack from a horde of giants, hobgoblins, and even a dragon, and were under threat of further assault. Titus finished off his practiced and impassioned speech requesting the aid of the Hell Knights to come secure the town while a scouting group was sent to go find the rest of the giants and stop them if possible. The Lord-Mayor listened to all of this and asked if there were any other accounts of this battle that he should know about, looking directly at me. I looked to Dame Rebekah and she nodded.
I pulled my tablet out slowly and brought it forward. I apologized for the filmography and the music but it was a true recording of the exact events. So it was that the Lord-Mayor was introduced to the concept of a music video. And the first one that he ever saw was basically a real life Attack on Titan AMV for Eye of the Tiger. He watched it until it stopped playing and asked if I could show him it again. I showed him how to hit the play button and he proceeded to repeat the thing a few times until he stopped to ask who was performing. I told him that it was a group of bards from Sandpoint, and that they were considering coming to Magnimar to put on a show. The Lord-Mayor asked to be made aware of when they would be coming to town and Valanni told him that he would make sure that he knew.
The Lord-Mayor then asked everyone there how many guards the town would need to be safe. Titus claimed that the town needed the entire order of the Bastion of the Nail to come to the town. I spoke up and asked him if he meant to have Paralictor Halst come as well, because it was a while since I had a good conversation with him. The Lord-Mayor then asked me how many I thought should be sent. I asked if I could confer with Dame Rebekah, as she was much more versed in the methods of defense. The Lord-Mayor granted me a few minutes while he went back to watching the video.
I asked Dame Rebekah quickly how many people she felt we could trust with the advanced weapons and armor that I was bringing in. Dame Rebekah noted that she would be a bit leery with more than two dozen, unless they were the paladins of Iomedae. I asked her if the paladins were a percentage of the troops, could she be okay with one quarter paladins and three quarters of a special guard? Dame Rebekah noted that she would be okay with that. I thanked her and went to let Valanni know that we were ready.
Khonderian stopped me before I could, and whispered noted that it would be good for a group of those going to the town would be from the Lord-Mayor's bodyguard. I replied back to him that he would have to be in charge of choosing all of the remaining people who were going to help support, and that they would be under Sheriff Hemlock during the time that they were training. Khonderian said that he could abide by that, and gave me leave to talk to Valanni. I walked up to Valanni and asked if I could approach. Valanni nodded and got the Lord-Mayor's attention.
The Lord-Mayor paused the recording to ask me how many I recommended. I told him that the town would be safe from further raids from giants if he could assign eighteen of the best guards he could provide, and ask the Chapel of Iomedae for an additional six paladins. The Lord-Mayor asked why I thought so few could handle it when Noble Scarnetti was certain that it would take the whole of the Bastion of the Nail. I told him that the town guard and the militia could handle the majority of the issues, but that the guards were more to provide cross training for the city and help out with duty rotations.
The Lord-Mayor thought for a minute and asked Dame Rebekah directly if she thought that the paladins of Iomedae would answer the request. Dame Rebekah told him that the Paladins of Iomedae would answer the call as long as they have the members to do so. The Lord-Mayor nodded and asked if this concluded the business of Sandpoint. I looked to the others and when no one volunteered, I spoke up.
I noted that I had procured the labor needed for the highway construction between Sandpoint and Magnimar. I added that we would not be bypassing any current community, and that they should not need any additional supervision or security. I introduced Forsetta and Jolfumus to the Lord-Mayor. The Lord-Mayor graciously accepted them. I could feel Titus seething at me. The Lord-Mayor asked how long it might take for this to be done. I told him that it would be done six months after start, that we would need a percentage up front for materials and supplies, and that the team would start work immediately after getting back to Sandpoint with the deposit and the decree to start.
The Lord-Mayor waved to Valanni and told him to get it arranged. Valanni said that he would make it so. The Lord-Mayor asked if there was any other business, any at all. I looked to Titus, who looked absolutely livid that we were treating the giants as if they were actual people. Dame Rebekah cleared her throat and indicated that there was one more order of business, if the Lord-Mayor had the time to hear her out. The Lord-Mayor put aside my tablet, which was grabbed by Valanni immediately, and indicated that he was ready.
Dame Rebekah then produced a scroll very similar to the one that she had shown the guard commander. Titus asked if he could be excused from this trivial nonsense, as he had noble affairs to attend to. Valanni looked to two of the city guard who had been lounging about. They were instantly at Titus's side. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that Justice Beard had put down his papers and was paying attention to the events very closely. Dame Rebekah went forward and presented the scroll to the Lord-Mayor. Lord-Mayor Grobaras broke the seal and started reading.
The Lord-Mayor looked to have read the whole thing, and looked up at Dame Rebekah. He told her that these were very serious charges and that they could result in very severe punishments. Dame Rebekah announced that she stood by these pronouncements and had personally seen the evidence to back it up. Further, she had talked to a witness who had seen the events take place and verified their account. The Lord-Mayor handed the scroll to Valanni, who took it over to Justice Beard. The whole hall turned to face the newly attentive Justice.
Justice Beard read out the scroll, which indicated that Titus Scarnetti had been implicated in the planned arson of several mills in the Sandpoint area, having hired a criminal group, the Bunyip Gang, and specifically Jubrayl to commit these acts and to terrorize those who would not leave the businesses. Titus was blathering about this being a set up and it being all perpetrated by me, and that I was an untrustworthy scoundrel that was a criminal back where I was from. Justice Beard looked at Titus and said that I was not on trial right now, that he was, and that his defense should be better than to accuse me of something that could be proven with a simple spell.
Titus was seething at this point. He looked at me and told me that I would rue the day that I crossed the Scarnettis. I looked at him and told him that I had pushed for him to be used as a witness to take down the Bunyip Gang, that I thought that they were the worst threat to the town, and that taking him down would cause too much of a power disturbance. Justice Beard asked me if I had seen the evidence that Dame Rebekah had mentioned. I told him that I had, but that I was not the one to discover its hiding location, which was Titus Scarnetti's own desk. Justice Beard asked Titus if he was making the assertion that I had snuck into his house and planted the papers in a secret drawer that I also installed.
Titus was silent and was very sullen. The Lord-Mayor spoke next, noting that whatever punishment that Justice Beard would pronounce would be backed in full by him, and that he was outlawing the Bunyip Gang from all territories associated with Magnimar, with Jubrayl specifically outlawed upon pain of imprisonment or death for crimes related to arson. Justice Beard agreed with the pronouncement set forth by the Lord-Mayor, and Titus asked to make a brief statement. Justice Beard agreed and let Titus speak.
Titus tried to implore the Justice to not side with a clear criminal and murderer like myself, and that it was obviously me who had forced Dame Rebekah, the Mayor of Sandpoint, the Town Council, and even Proctor Jyronn Imikar to fall for my lies and deceit. Titus saw as he spoke that his words were not having any effect, so he twisted and said that if he needed to be falsely convicted of this fabricated crime, that it should only be him, and not his family. The Lord-Mayor was only too happy to accept that, with the honorable Justice Beard agreeing as well. The two guards grabbed either arm of Titus and hauled him away to a jail cell.
The Lord-Mayor asked if this was all that he was needed to preside over today. Dame Rebekah nodded and said that this was all. The Lord-Mayor noted that he would send a missive to Chaplain Tira asking for another six paladins, and that he would leave the choice of non-paladin guard to Khonderian. I thanked him. The Lord-Mayor dismissed us and we headed out with Valanni trailing after us. Valanni stopped us and handed me my tablet, before asking me how much the road would cost. I pulled up the calculations on my tablet and determined that it would cost sixty thousand gold. Valanni looked at me and said he could do fifty thousand and not a copper more.
I chewed over that for a minute while the giant's eyes bulged. I accepted his offer, knowing that it was probably about what he had been getting quoted by others. I was also certain that the giants had never had so much value presented to them. Valanni said that he would get the monies cleared and the writ of authority prepared by the end of the day. I thanked him and said that we would be leaving to head to Sandpoint tomorrow morning, so we would drop by the Pediment Building to pick it up. Valanni shook his head, noting that he would have the gold and the writ delivered to Kaijitsu Manor tonight. I thanked him and he shook his head, saying that a good number of people had been hurt economically or physically from the Bunyip Gang, and if we were routing them out, it could only be good.
Dame Rebekah thanked him again and we headed back to the manor with the giants. They couldn't stop pestering me with questions as to how much money they were going to be making from this. I told them that they would have to talk to Savah after what she could get the price of supplies for, but I estimated that if they got the tools from Savah or Faunra, we could expect them to make a few thousand at the very least, with the likelihood being them making somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty gold in pure profit per day apiece. Their eyes lit up with that, and they started talking to each other about what they could do with that money.
That left Dame Rebekah and me to talk about the plans for the trip to Jorgenfist and what would be needed. I told her that I didn't mean any disrespect but that Bucepherous couldn't really keep up with the bikes over long distances, and that it might be best to have him stored away until we reached our destination. Dame Rebekah agreed, noting that the bikes really did show their value in the speed they can travel across long distances, even if it does take them a little bit to catch up. Dame Rebekah noted that she had a potion that would work for Bucepherous to turn him into a tiny stone figurine one time, but that she could use it decrease what we were carrying as well.
That was when the big question came up. I asked her if she was willing to sell her tent to the giants. Dame Rebekah seemed a bit reluctant to do so, but I noted that we can just get another pavilion tent, and I could always generate a few unseen servants to help out. Dame Rebekah said that she would think about it, but that she wasn't adamantly opposed to it. I thanked her for the consideration, but noted that it would definitely help out with getting them set up. Dame Rebekah asked me why I was always looking to help out those who had tried to hurt us.
I thought for a minute and told her that in my experience, those who are hired or forced to fight us could be redirected to more useful pursuits for both myself and society. I continued by telling her that when you spare someone and help them pursue a better path, that person tends to look back to you favorably and sometimes even look to you to when they might need a little guidance. Dame Rebekah was silent for a minute and asked if I felt that I knew better than others. I told Dame Rebekah that I certainly didn't think that I was wiser than other people, just that I have different experiences and that I felt that I could share them if it would help.
Dame Rebekah confided that she was worried about my decisions some time, but that she could tell that at least I didn't have bad intentions. I guess that this is at least something. I thanked her for that and she told me that she was going to take the two giants to the Chapel to meet Chaplain Tira, and then maybe to the Church of Abadar to meet the Proctor. I wished them well and said that I would be tinkering with my gear. Dame Rebekah wished me well as well, and headed out.
I went to my room to see if my armor was there. It was, ready for me to work on it. I took a look at the "sensor array" on my left forearm. I decided that I was going to add a few more data sources. A thermometer was an easy addition. Adding to that is something that is a local innovation, a device that can be used to detect when a ghosts or as they call them here, haunts. I relocated the shoulder flashlight to be helmet mounted because it made more sense, thinking about it a second time. That would give me the ability to have light directly on what I was looking at if I needed. I thought about it for a minute more and decided to add a smoke screen capability to the armor. If I was going to have to split, I wanted it to be under some kind of cover.
Just when I had gotten the last little bit installed, Faunra and Jonathan got back. I was taking the armor out for a walk, to ensure that the fit was still good, when I heard the sound of Faunra's bike rolling up to the gate. I rushed over and opened the gate up, and the two of them came in with a large amount of food and drink in the bike's side car. Four hand kegs of one type of liquor, ten bottles of generic red and white wine, three hand kegs of another type of drink, a further three hand kegs of a third drink, and one bottle of really good wine composed the amount of drinks for the trip. There were two big bags of ration packs each of the two bags was a different variety. Apparently one bag was specifically made by elves for those of elven blood, while the other was generic trail rations, intended for me I guess.
I told them that this was a large haul, and that it would take up a lot of our storage capacity. Faunra smiled and pulled forth a pair of chess rooks, one white and one black. Faunra took one over to a section of the courtyard and said a command word. The chess piece became a ten-foot-tall and wide white tower. Faunra moved twenty feet away from the tower and set up the other chess piece. That one became a mirror, but in black. Then she took forth an oak walking stick that had a metal spike. She jammed it in the exact center between the two and a ring of exceedingly tall Oak trees and rose brambles popped up, creating something of a grove.
While I stood there amazed, Jonathan started carrying half of the supplies into the white tower. I took the hint and carried the other half of the supplies into the other tower. When I got in there, I saw that there were a pair of very nice beds inside, with a very nice granite topped table. There was a set of utensils for two people of everything that might be needed, a set of cabinets for the food and drink, and even a pair of racks for armor. I was very impressed by the utility. I asked Faunra where she came up with this, and she told me that there was a mage by the name of Cinean Arreal in the marketplace who seemed very willing to sell these off. I nodded and noted that it seemed like this could hold at least everything that we needed for the trip.
After all of the food and drink was taken in to the storage areas, Faunra said the command word for each of the items and collapsed them back into their form. I noted that we should really get something made to allow for holding the bikes. Faunra's eyes lit up and said that she would try to figure these out and then she would work on making another. I laughed and said that we should totally make two more of these and then we can each have a tower, and make walls in between them if we needed. Jonathan said that he could get behind that, but that we needed to deal with all of the Jorgenfist bullshit. I agreed with him and we started talking about everything that had happened at the trial.
Apparently both of them knew what was going on, but they left me out of it because they didn't want me to have to answer untruthfully if it came to it. I thanked them for the consideration, and we talked for a bit about what the future held for Sandpoint. Then we went over the various upgrades that I had made to my armor. I talked them through everything, and noted that I would be going over this with Dame Rebekah as well, just to make sure that everyone could access whatever was needed. Faunra agreed that this was a good idea.
Jonathan went into the kitchen to make us all dinner and I took the opportunity to talk to Faunra about what was needed for the giants for their roadwork. Faunra said that she could transfer the enchantments for my shovel to something that the giants can easily utilize, and that the gloves should easily resize. I thanked her, but noted that I might eventually want another item that was enchanted to do those things, because it is very useful. Faunra agreed, and asked if there was anything else. I told her that they would need an item that can generate posts if at all possible. Faunra said that she knew of just the thing, but that she'd have to head back out to get the materials. I asked her if she needed assistance with this, and she shook her head, saying that she could get it done quicker on her own.
I thanked her and asked if she wanted to wait for Valanni to get here to provide the deposit. Faunra indicated that she did, and just like that, Valanni was at the gate. I walked over in my armor and invited him into the courtyard. Valanni had a bag and a large rolled up scroll tube, about double the size of a normal one. Valanni showed us how the writ was large enough to be comfortably held by someone of the giant's size, and he indicated that he could not provide all of the deposit at the first instance, but that he could provide a quarter of it at the start. After a month, he would provide another quarter, and then the last half would be broken up between the middle point and the last payment. I asked him when that last payment would be, and he told me that it would occur when the highway was finished, and him or one of his representatives have travelled the length to ensure that it was complete.
I shook his hand and he thanked me for getting this done. I told him that it would be wise for him to keep these two giants on a payroll, because if they could, he might make things a whole lot better for the region, especially by advancing the roads for all of the towns. Valanni said that he would take it into consideration, after he saw the results of their work. I told him that this was fair and that I looked forward to getting them on the Magnimar Payroll when they did an excellent job. Valanni smiled and went off. Faunra looked in the bag and took about five pounds of the platinum coins. She told me that she would be back, and headed off.
I took the bag back into the house and tried to figure out how best to get them to be well versed in road construction in the short time that I had. I guess I'm luck, because my father worked in road construction, until the shady business got him shit-canned. At least he taught me a lot about it before then. I started to write it all down and explain everything as basically as I could, starting from a list of definitions to diagrams, and finally the exact reason for each layer. Ultimately, this might be considered only the basest of understandings, but it was likely well beyond the carriage paths that they call roads here.
Ultimately, it wasn't more than a few pages when it was all said and done, but it should be enough for a primer and something to fall back on if there are questions. Somewhere along the way, I had picked up the language of giants, and unwittingly wrote it in that. This saturation of magic is starting to get kind of spooky, to tell the truth. I'm picking up on little things way after I would have in a normal time. I just hope that I don't do something stupid like turn into a dragon like in the sagas. Or a giant snake, because that never turns out well.
By the time I was done with the book, Dame Rebekah and the Giants were back. The first thing that I did was show them the writ. Jolfumus was beside himself with joy. Forsetta wasn't nearly as ecstatic, but when I told them that the first payment was delivered, and that we would be getting supplies and have enough left over for them to start, she seemed to be in a bit better of a mood. Dame Rebekah told me what all had happened at the two churches. The two had gotten a lukewarm receiving from the Chapel of Iomedae, but the Church of Abadar was especially well disposed to the two entrepreneurs.
Dame Rebekah told me that they had been welcomed in by the Proctor himself when he learned of the deal that was reached with the Lord-Mayor. The Proctor had a long talk with both Forsetta and Jolfumus, and determined that they would be more than welcome to come back at any time. Dame Rebekah then leaned in and told me that he told her that he might want to talk to me later too, after everything was all said and done. Dame Rebekah told me that the Proctor had said that it was related to everything that I was initiating in Sandpoint. I gulped and noted that I didn't think that now was a good time. Dame Rebekah said that the Proctor had said that same, but that he would call on us when the time was more amenable.
Trying to change the subject, I asked Dame Rebekah if she had any more thoughts about the tent. She told me that she would be okay with it, and I smiled, noting that she was certainly helping the two. Dame Rebekah asked what I had been up to during all of this. I smiled and told her about all of the upgrades that had been worked into the armor, and how everything that can be activated by an outside person could be activated or observed. Dame Rebekah listened intently as I went through everything, and when I was done asked questions that showed that she was paying attention. One of the things that she asked was why I was doubling up on tools that others had, and I told her that there is an old philosophy where in times of trouble, two is one and one is none. Dame Rebekah nodded and said that this was good wisdom.
We finished off our little conversation with Dame Rebekah asking me what I expected the next few days to hold for us. I told her that I would attempt a rune reading if she liked. Dame Rebekah shrugged and told me to go for it. I went through the oblations and performed the reading while she went and talked the giants through their celebrations. When I was done, it came back that we would be ascending on a very dangerous journey, and that we would definitely need our wits about us and to gird ourselves for battle.
I told Dame Rebekah about this reading when I was done, and noted that it didn't do much to change what was expected. I agreed, but noted that we would be going into it with some kind of knowledge. Dame Rebekah agreed and we both saw Faunra arrive back at the gate with a few boxes of supplies. I smiled and told Dame Rebekah that I had another idea that would drastically change civilization. Dame Rebekah told me that she shuddered to ask, but that she needed to know. I smiled and told her, collapsible boxes.
Dame Rebekah thought about if for a minute and then looked at me. I smiled and she asked how I would do this. I told her that back home, we would use thickened solidified paper, but here it could be done with thin wood and leather for hinges. Dame Rebekah laughed and noted that this might be the biggest change yet. I nodded and said that it would drastically change the porter industry. We shared another laugh before Faunra came in and we helped move the stuff to her workshop.
All six of us went to the kitchen and had a very decent celebratory meal for all of the things that we accomplished today. We told the giants that we would be running back to Sandpoint very early tomorrow morning, but that we were going to have to run at a decent rate tomorrow. Jolfumus and Forsetta both agreed to do so, and we told them that we would be handing them potions for them to drink every hour, once they felt fatigued in any way. Faunra noted that we would be starting out at eight o'clock, immediately when she was done with the crafting for the day. I agreed and said that I would be heading to bed early. I made my good nights to everyone, and headed to my temporary bedroom. I sent a message to Savah, letting her know what the events brought, and that we would be heading back tomorrow morning, to get home a few hours before sunset. It was a good day.