After a good night of sleep, Pietro is getting to be his old self again. There is color on his cheeks, and he is busy dealing with the injuries. For the rest you do not see a lot of the elf. Sometimes you can see him in the woods surrounding the settlement, running from one place to another. You have to laugh at it a little as you see it, but as most people now know, Pietro is a priest to the God Hermes, the Messenger. The rest of the day he spends with Kuzma and Irina, discussing things about healing and herbs. "Kuzma, Irina, can you tell me a bit more of the way you heal people? Do you use special herbs with it? What does what? Is there a possibility of refreshing my small supply of herbs and bandages? I have got a feeling that we will need them soon enough." The elf is very interested and is making notes as he gathers information from the women.
They seem particularly attuned to nature, unlike the more urban ways of Hermes followers, and Pietro learns much from their primitive healing, much that will surely be useful in these surroundings.
Tolik takes the time to memorize an armor spell once again, then seeks out his companions to cast it. He finds Dakath and, after explaining the spell, casts it on him.
The woman are moving about, cooking and preparing, while the men continue their labors on the nearly finished northern barn, the southern stable, and the western gatehouse. All the work is quite rough, but strong, obviously made for defensive purposes.
Ullar nods his head in appreciation at the work of the men, judging that his idea of making this a little fortress was a good one.
Rhune offers to help if the villagers will let her, doing some cooking or preparing the food or just plain taking care of any little children, telling them stories of elves and other things.
During the day, Gregor, the lumber-camp boss from Illyakana, approaches Ullar. Without any ado, "I have a proposition for you. With the church's control of finances around here, I do not believe that I could procure a loan to restore my business. When I first built it, as many of those here, I brought money from home. Now I face the prospect of staying here and imposing upon my friend Petr, returning to the camp with the long haul of re-building the camp from the ground up, or returning home with no money. I have already decided that the second option is clearly the only one I can choose, but I cannot help but deal with the idea that the project will fail without a financial backer. During the trip to Arezzo, our scout tried to find such financial backing. He failed miserably. All those with money are in the Church's pocket, and in any case do not believe there is profit to be had in logging."
He continues, "In short, with your recent financial windfall, I believe you are in a position to provide such backing. I will not ask you to do it as a favor to me or my people, nor do I ask for charity. In exchange, your party will be made equal partners in all the camp's profits. With interest, your initial investment of say, four thousand gold pieces, you should get it back within ten years." He smiles, as if he has just given you an offer only a fool would refuse.
Ullar looks at Gregor and smiles. "It seems to me that your proposition is a good one. However, I need to consult this with the rest of our group as I don't have all the money to start with such an investment. But, with an amount of 4000 gold pieces you can buy yourself a complete army. I doubt that, with your business talent, it will take 10 years before I'll get my investment out" Ullar says.
"However, I think I have a proposal for you which will sound even more appealing. Can we discuss that tomorrow evening with Petr, Stephen and Taras?"
Gregor nods, clearly not particularly pleased with the postponement.
At the same time, on the opposite side of camp, Dakath is approached by a consensus of the remaining villagers. Their spokesman is a younger fellow, battle-scarred but still optimistic. "We have come to understand that negotiations with the group should be made through you. You are aware of our recent hardships. Rather than remain downcast and suffer our fate, we are planning to rebuild the eastern settlement of Segenyev, where we shall strive to begin again." He looks square in the eye of the conman, "I shall not lie to you. It will be some time before any financial donation can be recompensed to you, but you shall forever have the good faith of our people, and any and all profits we do return from our various crafts shall be issued to you in full." He looks almost pleadingly at the small man, "An investment of perhaps twenty-five hundred gold should be all we shall need to begin the rebuilding. What say you?"
Dakath looks at the men before him "It is true we procured some wealth from our recent rescue mission. I can see no reason why you shouldn't benefit from our good luck as well. Tell Ullar to remove Twenty five hundred gold from one of the sacks, tell him to give it Mother Kuzma for safe keeping."
As the men approach Ullar and state their request, Ullar frowns. "Sorry lads, but before I can do that, I'll have a word with the rest of our group, for we can't spend the same money twice. However, I think that we can arrange something. Could one of you serve as a spokesman and come to a meeting this evening?" Ullar asks.
Alexei, the young fellow, grimaces, but agrees to the request.
After this request, Ullar tries to gather the party. All who take on his invitation hear his proposal:
Arkady comes to meet with Ullar, he is clean and his hair hangs loose in a curly black wave down his back. His moustaches hang down his face rather than their usual waxed formation.
"Friends, we've got our hands on quite some money. 10200 gold coins, of which Rhune already deposited 100 to Petr.
Arkady swears at the thought of such wealth. "Boga!! I didn't know the bags were that full!!!"
Next to that we have 14 gems and a couple of golden ingots. I've had an offer to invest in the rebuilding of Ilyakana, and Dakath had an offer to invest in Segenyev. We're talking about 4000 and 2500 here."
Arkady takes on a serious cast and pulls out a sheet of paper to tabulate on.
Ullar pauses for a brief moment to see the first reaction of the group, than he continues: "Personally I'd like to transform Sukiskayn into a little fort where we can redirect all who are loyal to our cause; a cause in my opinion summarized as to remove the corruption from the Jerboha church. Here they can be properly trained in the use of weapons, here armor can be manufactured and here our treasures can be guarded."
Arkady nods, satisfied with this part of the plan. He had already promised Petr money towards that end.
"What exactly is 'our' cause?" asks Forte. "Overthrowing an evil bishop? Or an entire church. Those are two entirely different tasks."
"I don't know how far the corruption has spread" replies Ullar, wondering where Forte is getting at. "Thus far we're facing an evil Bishop, but who knows what more, or better, stands in our way.." he adds, with a slight grin.
"Taking out the bishop first might put a serious hurt to the church. He seems to be far more powerful or connected than just a bishop, but I may be wrong. I don't know that much about human religions." Rhune replies.
Dakath chuckles "Then that makes two of us Rhune."
"Neither do I," says Forte with a smile.
Pietro smiles, obviously he is enjoying the attention and the ability to be of use to the group. "Now that is my field of expertise. I know quite a lot about religion, it is not a really simple question of overthrowing a church. We can overthrow a church, but as long as there are a lot of believers, there is going to be churches. It can be a small one in a farmer's shack or a huge cathedral. In the end the faith is counting, not the physical structure. I am not sure about the Bishop, but I think he will have supporters or people that help him. One evil Bishop will never be able to get away with a lot. The catholic church is a bureaucratic one. The faith is pure, but the administration is not. If you do not have friends, you are not going to rise in the hierarchy. We will see what happens anyway, we are in it over our heads already."
"What we need to do is find some way of humiliating and exposing him for the man that he is so that we have the common people on our side." Ratlin says seriously.
"Wow - that's an even better plan than just killing him." Forte seems intrigued at the prospect of public humiliation. "I suppose it's not enough for us just to tell everyone he's in league with the goblins...."
"You can try.. but I doubt it.." says Ullar
Ratlin shakes his head, "No, we are going to need proof of his treachery. Just killing him would make him a martyr for others to follow."
"You are right." is the remark of Pietro. "Another good thing to know will be potential allies within the church. We can never expose him without some powerful backup in the catolik church itself. Not all men are evil you know, I reckon that most of the clergy is still good in heart and faith."
"I hope you are right about that.." says Ullar, sighing heavily.
Tolik seems rather skeptical. "No, not everyone is evil. But those that serve an evil power are. I've never met a good one of this faith."
"You never met Augustus," says Forte flatly. "He was a good man, hoping to vanquish the evil that infested his church." Forte shrugs his massive shoulders. "Perhaps he was the exception to the rule."
Remembering brother Augustus, "I did....He was very nice and good and hated what the bishop is doing" Rhune says a bit sadly.
Asif looks up upon the mention of Augustus, and nods with full agreement. "Mark Forte's words well efendi, never was a more good man found within the ranks of the faith of the one god. Although the truth he believed in was flawed, he was a good man. I miss him greatly."
Ratlin looks at Forte," Perhaps we can find this Augustus and ally him with our cause? He may have a few allies of his own."
"I don't think we can find him," Forte says rather glumly. "The last time we saw him, he was trapped in some sort of evil mirror. When the mirror shattered, I don't know what happened to him. But I don't think he's alive." The warrior sighs a sad, little sigh. "I have certainly seen some strange things since I hooked up with the Bishop's enemies, but that mirror was one of the strangest."
"It would be wonderful if we could find him, but I don't think we will anytime soon." Rhune utters, then remembering the island, "and if we do find him it may be to late for Augustus." she adds sadly turning away so the tears in her eyes can't be seen.
"Then I guess we will have to look elsewhere for help then." Ratlin says with a frown.
"Of course he is gone, taken by the evil that is the church. When I see a good one, then I'll believe it. Until them they remain second-hand tales at best," replies Tolik.
"Second-hand for you. Not for me." Forte goes quiet, hoping someone will change the subject.
Turning on Tolik, "Do you believe in anything or are you always this cynical?" she nearly shouts at him her lavender eyes still moist from tears.
Tolik scowls and remains silent, turning his back to her to find someone else to talk to.
"Please, have some understanding for each other. I agree with you Rhune, that he is a bit cynical. I also think that nobody here can understand what Tolik has been through considering the few comments I heard from him." Pietro says with a friendly smile looking at both Tolik and Rhune. "Rhune, I guess it is up to us to try to restore Tolik's faith, without doing anything against him will though, of course."
Tolik seems to not hear this statement, though its impossible to say whether he is just ignoring it or if he truly didn't hear it. His back is turned so he doesn't see Pietro's smile.
Softening her look, "I suppose.." turning to Tolik, "I am sorry. Didn't mean to shout at you."
Tolik, having already dismissed this conversation, does not turn around or give any acknowledgement that he heard her.
Sighing deeply Rhune looks at him for a few minutes then, "For what's it worth, Tolik, I am glad that you are with us." then she turns around and walks off.
Tolik, for the third time, ignores her.
"I've seen a lot of faithful and good catholic persons in the course of my life. I must say though that strange things have been going on in the last few years. A lot of people are converting to other religions, and even a lot of old-fashioned catoliks from the clergy switched to other religions," remarks Pietro.
"The last couple of weeks have made me distrust the church. The disappearance of Augustus didn't really made it easier to believe that not the whole clergy has been corrupted. I just hope that this blue scroll will reveal it's mystery to us.. soon.. for the gnoll said that the solution to this all was inside.. or something like that. I don't remember it exactly. Do you Rhune, or Asif?" Ullar asks.
"I think it was something like that, something about a place. I'm not sure." Rhune replies.
Arkady rubs and twirls his moustaches as he thinks. "Maybe a sage?? A learned scholar who knows of this tube and can clue us in to it's properties?"
Pietro looks up, and coughs a bit, so the attention is on him for a moment. "I am not sure if I already told you guys this. In the beginning, when I met up with the other group, we met the Bishop. He made sure that our group had only one mission. Retrieve the blue tube, which supposedly contains holy writings from the church. It is obvious that he was lying from the beginning though, and as far as I can tell, nobody wanted to help him at all."
"He certainly wasn't going to get mine." Ratlin says with a frown.
"Nor mine," Pietro says with a grin. "I see it as my duty though to try and rectify the whole situation, though I think we will be in a lot of trouble once we get to civilization again. Probably civilization is more dangerous than the territory we are about to pass, even with all the goblins and those hyenamen. Is there any information which might be useful to know about these creatures? Are they a race of wizards, or maybe fighters? Living in villages, or maybe tribal? Society based on strength, or experience? Are they despotic, or ordered?"
"What's the story with this bishop I keep hearing about?" asks Ami. "I mean, I just joined you guys 'cause I was scared to be traveling alone," he chuckles cynically, "not that hanging with you guys has been SAFE or anything... But it seems you people are on some mission - I knew about rescuing Stephen, but what's with the Church?"
Ullar starts telling the story of the meeting in Florence and how the original group flew for the Bishop his men. He tells all who listen about the blue scroll.
"Come with me Ami, I will tell what that is about." Rhune says....she takes the gnome off to the side and sitting down proceeds to tell him of the encounter in Florence and what has been happening with this bishop and the people who worship Jerboha.
Ami listens with interest as the story unfolds. At several points he asks some questions, but mainly just takes it all in. "Thank you, Rhune," he says when the Elf is done, " This really gives me a wider picture of things. It's been running around chasing things or escaping things ever since I hooked up with you guys. This is the first breather I had a chance to ask questions in."
"You are welcome, anytime." she replies.
"Well, we'll have to take out this Golthar soon, so you can have his sword. After that, who know what we'll find?" Forte pauses thoughtfully for a second. "But I wonder what we will find in this mountain. The one the tapestry showed us."
Tolik looks around the room, recalling his first battle with these companions. "Sounds like Lord Ullar is trying to build up his army."
"This evening I'd like to propose the following to the leaders of the various camps, including Petr, Stephen and Taras. We invest in all three of the camps, on the following conditions: One: in a fixed rotation-scheme, all able to learn the skills of combat will be send to Sukiskayn and will be trained in the use of weapons; Two: all trade between the camps will be on bartering base, so that resources are available to all. Three: all leaders of the camps will pledge loyalty to this alliance and will keep the greater scheme in mind during their actions Four: our party will be cut in for 40% on all the profits for the coming 10 years from all three of the camps. If you all agree I'd like to tell them that for the first 5 years we will invest 50% of our profits in those camps again; if they want us to. Five: everyone send to any of the camps with our references will be welcome and will find shelter in the camps while they repay buy offering their labor to the camp."
Ullar concludes, "That is what I'm thinking about. What do all of you say?"
Arkady looks up from his cryptic notes and tabulations. "I like this idea. I think that it needs one change however. I think the money that is 'reinvested' by us should buy armor and weapons for the public use. Making the armaments a public militia or resource will prevent the groups from splitting so easily."
Ullar nods at Arkady "That is a very good suggestion. I like it!" he says, while once again nodding to him.
"Thank you. With the division we have seen here making our investments rely on one another makes certain that all these groups, camps and villages stay together. I worry that if they split they will be destroyed singly and we will lose all."
"..and I worried that if we decided to invest in one camp only, the others would turn against it.." adds Ullar, smiling at Arkady.
Arkady makes a few more notes and calculations. "Indeed, Ullar, indeed. I think we should support all three equally as was suggested by Pietro I think. But in order to safe guard the agreement and our investment we should make them interdependent as well as have them sign a contract guaranteeing our clauses and our returns. I can write such a contract but I think Dakath should help me."
Forte listens to the exchange between Ullar and Arkady. He sees the wisdom of their strategy, and wonders how brilliant they must be to think of such a plan.
Dakath nods slightly "My humble talents are at your disposal Arkady."
"Let us work out the details that we might present a rough draft when Ullar presents his proposal."
Dakath looks over at Arkady "Perhaps we can sneak a clause in that failure to repay the investment within the given time gives us sole access to all the free women in the surrounding area ?" he grins. "First thing I do when we reach the city is to find myself the most expensive wench I can and spend a night of passion with her.