The guise of a slaver - RPLOG

Participants

• Angus
• Fenris
• Galve
• Millicent

Date

8/3/480

Log

The market today was awash with agitated beings, a crowd shouting and jerring as they make a circle around a cart while the guards talk to the driver and his escorts. The Rat smiles at the guard, a few teeth shining gold as he tries to persuade the guardsman. "What do you mean I can't sell em here? Ain't it a Creator given right to sell goods in this market place?" He asks. leaning against his cart as the dogged looking Beagle of a guard glares angrily right back without saying a word. The cart itself was wooden, and the cages within the cart make it obvious why the crowd was upset, long faces of beings in shackles, some not even old enough to carry a blade waiting to see what fate had in store for them. A slave trader had come to town.

"No right of yours," comes a rasping growl as Amos Longtooth steps up to join the put upon beagle, "Pretty sure that any beings on that cart belong ta themselves the second you entered Firmament." The scarred tomcat jams his hands in the pockets of his ragged longcoat and fixes his milky, blind eye on the slave trader. "How in seven frozen hells isn't this rat in lockup?"

Millicent wasn't anyone terrible special, but she spent enough time down on her luck to take offense to such brazen exploitation. "Yeah, lock him up!" she calls from the crowd. "See how he likes the shackles!" She eyes the wagon wheels. Maybe if they started to make off with it she could break one and leave them stuck here.

The beagle, an older gentlemen who has been in the guard for longer then most beings here have been holding a blade sighs a little as he leans his pike against his shoulder. "He's saying they are indentured servants." He answers. "That's right!" Snaps back the rat, that same cocky grin still on his face as he holds fast to his claim, slapping one of the cages with enough force it makes the being inside cringe back a bit, a Raccoon girl that couldn't be older then twelve summers. "These all here are indentured thanks to their families, and their own fuck ups, I'm only here to help them aquire jobs to pay off them debts!" He snaps back, but when people start getting more vocal he looks to his two Escorts. An Owl sitting quietly on the wagon's bench with a musket layed across his lap, and a Burly Crab standing at attention with a wicked looking steel mace at his hip.

"Easy to prove," rasps Amos, who has been around since the beagle was a fresh faced recruit, "You have all their papers I assume? And you are ready to tell me why legally indentured servants are in cages like animals?" He grins in an unnerving way that showcases his overgrown fang. "I'm all ears, Rat."

Millicent glances around the street, taking an upturned brick and subtly scooting it right under the wagon wheel with her foot. "Even if it's legal, you've no right to treat them like beasts. They are still Beings!"

The Beagle looks between the two, content in letting the older grizzled veteran argue the situation. The rat lets out a chuckle as he reaches into his vest, belts jangling from the movement as he pulls out a few parchments. Each bearing a seal that Amos wouldn't recognize. "Got them up in Ther'ador, if you must know." He answers, all but beaming even as the crowd continues to hurl insults. Millicent's actions go unnoticed, the brick sliding right behind the crabs foot as he keeps his eyes on the crowd.

Amos scowls and takes the papers, reading them carefully. "I see," the scarred cat says, passing the documents to the Beagle, "Well then, welcome to Firmament. You are, of course, free to. . . hire out your servants. Just as soon as they have undergone the required examination and quarantine." His unnerving grin returns, "Just a formality, of course," he turns to the Beagle, "I assume that they have provided you with keys and signed the paperwork before entering the city?"

Millicent folds her arms, giving a harrumph. Even if it was legal, it didn't seem -right-. And that was upsetting. As a result, she did not feel the least bit guilty for the brick placement or any damage caused as a result of it.

Galve was new on the scene, a little late. He understands the nuances of what was going on.... He wasn't sure if it was legal either.... and he wondered how easy it would be to pick those locks.... and deal with the others. He rested his palm on the hilt of the thick knife at his waist, sizing up the dirty rat's accomplices

The Beagle stands at attention, having had lost some focus while the two were debating the situation. "Hm? No, no he hasn't." He Answers, the Rat looking between the two before wagging a finger. "These servants have been a bit...uppity recently, they don't understand that they have to pay off a debt that their family as caused, so I had to keep them locked up. Giving the key away? Well, what if one of you baffoons let them out hm? Who's going to pay me for transporting them?" He snaps back, slapping the back of his hand against the palm of the other as his gaze slides across the crowd, some beings withering at the gaze from the realization that he may be serious!

"As I see it, friend," Amos says, fixing his milky eye on the rat, "These buffoons are the only reason the good people of Firmament have not already taken a dent out of your profits. I suggest you see to it that all your papers are in order. I will see to it personally that your. . . cargo is well taken care of in your absence. Three day quarantine, and they will be returned to you. Assuming your certificates check out." He salutes the beagle, "If you would be so kind, guard?" he rasps, winking, "Be sure our merchant and his friends get the VIP treatment. I'll see to the servants and the indenturation papers."

Millicent would love to be one of the ones taking a 'dent out of the profits' but she wasn't about to draw her blade in the middle of the streets. No, she'd let people more wisened to the law take care of what was surely something fishier her own river boat.

Galve removes his hands from his cloak and rests them at his sides. It seemed that the others had this under control.... but he was still eyeing those shackles.... and the toughs....

There's a pause from the Rat, thinking as his beady little eyes dart between the two before he snatches at the papers. "Bah, all you'll be doing is slowing me down! How are they supposed to pay off their debts quicker if you're slowing them down. I'll go some place else then!" He answers, snapping his fingers as he moves to start getting up on the wagon as his cohorts do so as well, the Owl's eyes still on Ama and the others.

"I fear it is out of your hands, friend," Amos rasps, "You entered the city without declaring your cargo, you presented false writs of indenture, and you stink like slavers. I recommend you surrender peacefully, your cargo is forfeit already, let's not add your lives."

It sounded like things were picking up. Millicent didn't want to contend with the musket wielding being, so she positions herself more readily to become a target for the crab- If anyone. She doesn't yet act, but she lets her hand stray towards the sword at her hip if things get ugly.

Galve sweeps in with haste. "You shouldn't have come here." He says with a smirk before leveling his pistol at the owl being. "Raise it, and your life is forfeit." He says, grim and

serious.

Silence falls on the crowd as a gun is pulled, even the guard is stunned before the rat just smirks at the accusations. "Well, well." He mutters, clicking his tongue a bit as he grabs the reigns of the horses. "People being heroes. Gotta love the heros." He mutters, eyeing the gun pointed towards them, before he snaps the reigns hard enough to get the horses to hollar! Sending them bolting towards the crowd, right as the wheel hits the brick and lurches, sending the owl sprawling to the ground with his musket clattering across the cobblestones. "Sorry Jimbo, Best wishes!" The rat snaps as the horses go stampeding towards the crowd.

Amos won't have it. He expected this and raises an apparently empty hand to point directly at the Rat. "Sound the alarm, guard!" he rasps and fires the bolt from his hidden crossbow!

Millicent makes a snap decision as the wagon lurches, the brick hopefully buying her just enough time to lunge and grab hold of the bars of the cage. They wouldn't lose her so easily! Hopefully... "You know you won't make it out of this city!

"

The bolt slams into his shoulder, causing him to grunt and tug on the reigns, the cart veering a bit as Millicent's weight helps the entire thing topple over! The panda just narrowly escaping getting crushed under the cages as they hit and scatter, the Rat landing in a heap on top of the crab with the bolt sticking out of his shoulder just before the crowd!

Amos is not particularly interested in the fallen rat, now that the cart is stopped. The ragged feline limps quickly over to the fallen cage. "Everyone alright in there?" he rasps, leaving the guard to mop up the slavers.

Millicent is quick to scrabble out of the way from getting crushed. She only meant to tag along! But this was better, probably. Maybe she underestimated her weight... Might have to work out more later. For now though, she's quick to draw her sword and stand over the fallen, making sure they stay down.

Galve kicks the musket away from the owl. "Stay down." He says, looking up to a guard and nodding, before chasing after the runaway cart. He lands, fishing inside one of his pockets for his lockpicks. "Should we pick it? Or fish the key from the pile of bildge over there?"

There are a few muffled moans as the landing wasn't perfect, bruises and a few may need a trip to an apothecary or even the creator church but all of the slaves are still alive. The owl is already putting his hands up, giving a bit if a sigh as he knew he was done for the moment he was thrown for the cart. As for the rat, when a sword is pressed to his throat doesn't really have much to say in answer, giving a weak smile that this time, seems to be missing a few golden teeth. "Well....this wasn't exactly what was planned."

"Should have done your homework first, Rat," Amos spits, "Get these good beings out and to a doctor." The old tom shakes his head. "This was bold and stupid," he looks to the owl, who seems the most reasonable of the trio, "Who told you that Firmament would welcome you?"

"Could have saved yourselves trouble if you gave up the first time," Millicent says before spitting on the ground. "But I have no sympathy for YOUR kind." She stays on guard there til the actual guards come to handle them.

Galve shrugs and pulls out his lockpicks, opening up the toppled cages and freeing the enslaved beings.

The owl gives a huff as his answer, looking away. "Difference between being smart and being dumb here is knowing when your beat, but not getting yourself killed." He answers, eyeing the rat a bit who shrugs his shoulders, still smiling with a pleasent hum. "Oi, you win some and lose some mate." He answers the owl before looking back to Millicent. "Ain't no harm in trying." Before he elbows the crab underneath him to stop moving when he tries to get up. The slaves themselves are easy to release, the locks rather simple as Glave gives a thanks from all of them, a few week hugs from the children as the guards start to show up.

Amos is not surprised to recieve no hugs. He is kind of scary, but his set frown eases as he watches the children freed. "Like I said before," he rasps, "Make sure they get the VIP treatment."

Galve smiles and fishes in his pouches for some medical supplies to help treat the minor injuries

Millicent nods and stands back, though at the ready. "Well stop gambling with the lives of others, and keep it to your own. I'm glad you picked this place, so that we could catch you. Anywhere else might not have been so lucky."

The rat rolls his eyes, giving his wrist a flick of defiance. "Oh psh, if I wanted to I could of gotten a boat and sailed right past you backward fucks without even having to smell the stink of the piss you call brew here." He answers with a bit of a snap in his voice. "But nah, that's all I'm sayin." He answers, crossing his arms before said arms are snagged and he's hoisted up by a few guardsman, the others getting snatched up as well before the mob can really get their teeth into thime, a few from the church showing up to help the slaves.

Amos watches both groups go, and the angry mob. He does make it a point to search the wagon quickly for anything of interest, making specific note to claim those false writs of indenture.

Millicent scowls darkly, returning her sword to its scabbard. She doesn't let the rat get away with the snark, even when the guards take him. She wouldn't wound him and risk getting in trouble herself, but she does jab sharply at his ribs with the end of the sheathed sword.

Galve was glad he could help, turning the care of the emancipated slaves over to the priests. Pulling his cloak back around himself he dissappeared into the crowd, leaving this in the hands of the guards and the priests. A wrong righted was it's own reward.

The Rat grunts a little at the hit, giving a bit of a chuckle as he's hauled off, and the slaves are brought to the church to make sure they are okay. Amos' investigations into the cart don't come up with much, a few vials of heartfire and a few other illegal narcotics, but as he searches the inside of one of the cages that were still within the cart catches his eye....the seam of a compartment in the base now obvious after the crash.

:Amos raises an eyebrow at the seam and draws a long misericord to pry the compartment gently open, keeping his hands safe.

Millicent re-secures the sword to her hip, folding her arms with a huff. The nerve of some people. Her tail flicks in annoyance, the fluffy woman turning to watch Amos at work.

Galve reappears from the crowd next to Amos. "So they weren't just slaving, they were smuggling too?" He says, a bit incredulous but not extremely so

The compartment is easy to prie open, revealing the secrets inside. A small compartment that hides the tools of an assassin, poisons and a thin blade glinting from the light as the crowd starts to disperse and head home.

Amos swears under his breath, and collects the tools of the world's second oldest profession. "This is a whole new can of worms," he rasps, "Now I gotta ask if they MEANT to be caught." He turns to the guards, "Keep a close watch on this bunch. I don't like things that don't make sense like this." With that, the ragged cat stalks off to make a report to another agency.

Millicent stares for a moment before scooting over towards Amos. "You know..." She glances around and lowers her voice. "Maybe it wasn't them. They'd be under scrutiny. They know it. I would look into the prisoners. See if there isn't someone among them that's in disguise, and this whole thing was a diversion."

The market is soon empty, a few beings coming later to clear out the wreckage, the disturbance over most people go back to their buisness, wondering who would be so crazy as to try this. Hoping the guard would teach them a lesson.