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[IamanElfCollaborator]

"My, my. Hardly sporting to attack a man while he's bathing. I can't say I know the feeling, thankfully enough."

[Lucus Casius]

Shaking his head at the conversation around springs, Kaldach turned his attention to Martyn.
: "Anyway, how confident are you that you'll catch these Guilds' ears? We don't have much to twist their arms with, last I checked."

  "I've spent enough time dealing with them to know that some will listen.  If not for the sake of ideology, then at least for the good of their economy.  The Farmers' Guild will probably be the easiest to persuade; the disruption of Izzarran trade has hurt more than they care to admit."

  "Beyond them..."

  "Some of the smaller Guilds will be of a similar mind.  But the Smiths trade heavily with Mordo, and few of their masters are known for sentimentality.  Nevermind whatever the drop in their product prices might mean.  If the other guilds can't provide us with the leverage we need, and if we can't persuade them..."

Martyn paused, brow furrowing in thought.

  "We'll have to be tricky.  I'll think of something."

[GiglameshDespair]

"Ha! Ain't nothin' worthwhile 'bout fightin' sportslike."
"Yer ain't any less dead iffn yer died with honour, but mebbe you ain't dead if yer fought wi'out it."

[Blade Master Model 42]

The group's conversation carried them well into the city, and to the entrance to the Molten Rock. It was a large building, about three stories, with many windows. Within, a young woman was standing behind a counter. The wall behind her was covered in small hooks, a few of which held small numbered placards.

[CrimsonEon]

: "Well, you have a plan. That's better than I was expecting. Maybe this meandering about will go somewhere after all."
The mercenary looked around the inn's exterior just before they entered.
: "...Big place. Most of it for the trader-types, I'd figure."

[GiglameshDespair]

"'Ey, miss. We wanna use the springs."

[Blade Master Model 42]

The young woman behind the counter had a slim figure and chesnut brown hair, somehow free of ash. Her small frame seemed to get even smaller as she smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, the springs are only accessible to our patrons. And even if I did rent you a room... Or rooms, I suppose..." She looked over the group in it's entirety and her brow furrowed. "Well, we've covered the springs due to the ashfall. There's really no way to tell when they'll be open again. I apologise."

[Lucus Casius]

Martyn shrugged, unconcerned.  Kaldach was right in his assesment about it being mostly for trader types, and it might be nice for the group to get some rest while he prepared for the meetings, but... Well, it wasn't as though they had much coin to spend.

  "That's fine.  The rest of us are here to visit one Mister Creos.  Someone mentioned he was renting a room?"

[Blade Master Model 42]

"Oh, yes, he mentioned he'd be meeting with a fairly large group. Right this way." The girl made her way out from behind the counter and led the group into a common area filled with tables and chairs. There was a small elevated stage in the center of the room as well, but it was empty at the moment.

"Mister Creos, is this the party you were expecting?" The hostess had left them to a table, around which were standing three familiar looking men and one bespectacled rider. Actually seated was a similarly familiar face.

"Yes, I believe this is them. I'm not actually certain, I was driving the cart pretty quickly-"

"It's them boss. Some of them have pretty memorable faces." Said one of the three guards who'd ridden through while defending Creos.

"Good. Thank you Wendy." The young lady made a little curtsey before leaving the group alone with the merchant. "It looks like none of you wound up too badly injured after your heroics. I appreciate the help with those mercenaries and no mistake."

[GiglameshDespair]

Roux grinned, folding her arms behind her head.
"Those pricks were pushovers. Only tough guy among 'em was th' boss, an' 'e ran away with 'is tail 'tween 'is legs."

[I_Like_Pi]

Pilei pushed up his glasses, which had slipped down as he turned to see the group, as he confirmed his coworker's analysis.

"Yep. It's them alright."

"Also, green guy, there wasn't even anyone in that house so it was pretty much a pointless exercise. Thanks for that."

[Lucus Casius]

  "You're welcome."

It was not entirely clear whether he was speaking to the merchant, or to the wyvern rider.  His expression was rather impassive either way.

  "I'm glad to see all of you made it back to the city safely.  Your attackers gave us a bit of trouble there, but..."

Martyn frowned a little, squeezing his hand and rubbing a thumb against the stump of his finger beneath his cloak.  Something of a nervous habit, at this point.  After a moment, he gave the man a nod, gesturing towards the rest of his group.

  "Mister Creos, correct?  Martyn, and my comrades in arms.  We'd thought your attackers were just bandits, but if they were mercenaries... Who would have hired them?"

[Blade Master Model 42]

The trader shrugged. "Why does anyone send hired swords after someone? If I had to guess, I'd suppose it was one of my competitors, but I can't think why they'd go that far. I'm not even doing particularly well. Honestly the possibility they weren't bandits didn't even cross my mind initially, but I know for a fact their leader was a mercenary. I've seen him around in my visits to Qun. Kind of small time, but he's got the sort of face you remember. Argyle, or something." Creos waved a hand dismissively and smiled. "But that's enough about that! You and your folk helped me out of a real bind, and one good turn deserves another. What can I do for you?"

One of the guardsmen stepped forward. "We're hired swords ourselves, but you saved our lives same as Mister Creos. This is from us." He placed a chunk of gold into Martyn's hand. "Don't get the wrong idea, its pyrite." Oh. "They sometimes find traces of it in the mines around here though, and its rare enough that its worth more than some gemstones."

Martyn gets Pyrite!

[CrimsonEon]

Kaldach's eyebrow briefly shot up, breaking his silence for a quick question.
: "That mercenary. Don't suppose you know much more about him? Why he's using light magic all the way out here, for starters."

[Blade Master Model 42]

Creos shrugged. "I suppose that, when you're a mercenary, you go where the work is. I don't know him personally myself, I've only ever seen him around. I'm not sure what you mean about him using light magic out here though."