"Certainly. If you'll just allow our head of security to inspect you for weapons." Liam motions for Bryn to search Porter.

Porter raises his arms to allow Bryn to inspect him. She doesn't find any weapons.

Liamleads Porter into the mines. He asks Bryn and one of her guards to go with.

They lead Porter to the levels where Mahlon can usually be found.

If they can find Mahlon, Liam gestures for Porter to take a look at the man's diminished state. "See for yourself," he says. "Mahlon is in no condition to negotiate."

Porter follows you into the mine. The entire time he huffs and puffs, grumbling about how long it is taking. A couple of times he outright protests, citing his displeasure in being treated this way, and stating that he's always met Mahlon in his office.

However, once you find Mahlon and Porter lays eyes on him, the portly man goes quiet. He rushes over, crying out and asking what happened. He even calls Mahlon his friend. Mahlon whistles and mumbles something about honeybees before picking up a rock and smelling it before tossing it down the tunnel.
"His mind... it's gone," Porter says in disbelief after watching Mahlon for a moment. He exhales deeply before turning away from Mahlon and focusing on Liam. "So, you're in charge now, huh? Well, we're running out of time here. Let me make this clear: we have to load our carts and be gone from here in under two hours. If we don't return to the extraction point, we'll be stuck here until they send someone else—at which point I'll likely lose my contact and won't ever be able to get home. So I need you to help me get my carts loaded, my men sobered up, and me back on my way. Understand?!

"Interesting," says Liam, ignoring the man's demands for now. "So you don't know how to get back home? And I don't suppose you'd know how to get me back to my home?"

"Of course I know how to get home!" Porter replies. "I need to be at the extraction point at the appointed time--with the ore my employer has purchased from your mine."

"But suppose you were to be a day late, or early. Would that hugely inconvenience you? I mean, would you be a day late, or would you not get there at all?"

As far as Liam's concerned, Porter seems on the level. Liam will start escorting Porter back up top, and will even get the mine workers to help load the carts.

As for the caravan workers, Liam will keep them at the gaming tables as long as he can, but he'll let them help load the carts and be on their way on schedule (or as much on schedule as possible.)

Liam wants to rile Porter, and get as much information as he can, but he doesn't actually want to hinder the ore shipment. Of course, if Soapy's raised the price a bit, well, business transitions are a tricky time for established lines of credit. Liam won't object to a little gouging. "Don't think of it as a last-minute price increase," he says to Porter as they reach the open air and pass Soapy. "Think of it as an emergency fee for the repairs after the monster attack. We'll be spreading it over all of our customers."

Porter shakes his head vigorously at Liam's questions. "No, we can't be late. Don't you understand? If we're not back when PhosCo sends for us, we've broken our contract with them. They won't send for us again." Seeing that Liam might not fully comprehend what it is he is trying to say, Porter continues.
"Our contract with PhosCo is to come here and pick up their purchase, right? Well sending us, the wagons and mules and drivers and guards, it costs something. A lot of something. So PhosCo sends us and we pick up their ore. They can't send us directly here, but they can get us close. So we have a certain amount of time to get here, load the ore, and get back before we're considered lost. If that's the case, they won't send a rescue for us. We're considered dead."
"And what about the ore?" Bryn asks, following you and Porter up to the surface. "PhosCo won't abandon their ore. And why isn't there a contingency plan, assuming you get delayed?"
"It doesn't work like that," Porter replies. "These types of jobs, they go astray and you're dead. There is no delay. They put us within a couple of leagues of the mine, we pick it up, and then they call us back. If we're delayed, they assume we're dead. They'll come for the ore, but they won't be coming for us, whether we're alive or not.
"In fact, if they find us alive, it'll be worse," he continues. "I'll never be able to get another contract with them again. They'll leave us out here, stranded on this plane, forever."
Bryn stops and shoots you a confused look. "What do you mean, 'plane'?"

"Planes are spoken of in many ancient lays," says Liam. His tone suggests that's not the most interesting part of this conversation to him.

"Listen, Porter, I sympathize with you, I really do. But you can understand how our own situation might be looked on unfavorably by Phosco. The last thing I want is to be stuck here with some crazy multinational corporation hunting me. So I have to know -- are you loyal to Phosco, or to your men and your own hide?"

I'd like to use 'Charming and Open' in 'Whom do you serve' mode

"To myself," Porter replies unapologetically. "Now tell me true, friend, I intend to be off on time. What do you desire from me to ensure I make my appointment?"

"That's good," Liam replies to Porter's answer. "I can trust a man who's out for himself."

"As for what I want from you, only your assurance that the money for this ore will arrive as punctually as you did. As you can see, my men are already helping to load your carts. You should be able to keep to your schedule.

"We've spent quite a bit of capital making the premises livable for the miners. So we're counting on prompt payment to help keep order here. Otherwise you might find a rebellion on your next visit."

Porter offers Liam a slight smile before answering him. "You still don't get it, do you? I can't assure you anything. The entire reason companies like PhosCo use small transport services like mine for these types of runs is exactly that. We lack agency, which means we can't speak on behave of your business partners. We simply transport the goods.
"But I'll tell you what," he says as the miners continue loading his carts in lieu of his own team. "I'll my contact about you and what you're trying to do here. Maybe that'll help." You have no doubt Porter means to do what he says, but you also get the feeling he knows it won't do much good.

While the carts are being loaded, Ileosa approaches you. She looks strange, more uncomfortable than usual. She stands before you awkwardly, holding herself as if she'd rather be anywhere than here.
"Liam," she says, her voice almost a whisper. "I... I want to go with them. I really think they can get me back home faster than... I mean, I'll get to Godfrey and tell him everything. He'll be able to get the others."
Funny choice of words, "the others."

"I want you to go," says Liam honestly. "But I also want you to get that magic mirror working from the other end, if at all possible. If you can do that, it will more than make up for the absence of our best patroller."

If Ileosa was expecting something different from Liam, she doesn't let on. She nods before turning to join the caravan as they prepare to depart. However, just before disembarking, two members of the caravan's guards approach you. One is a tall and fair-skinned human girl with golden hair and brilliant blue eyes. She is wearing a headband of opal and jade; as well as a cuirass of brass scale, and a mace hangs from her belt. A shield is attached to her back, embossed with a down-turned sword in front of a starburst, the symbol of Iomedae.
The other is a slender, pale man of indeterminable age and has pointy ears. His hair is long and dark-colored; but bears a deep blue sheen. He is naked to the waist and wears black leather pants which are tucked into knee-high boots and adored with many straps and buckles. A wicked-looking dagger is tucked in his belt.
"I am Ysuran Auondril," the elf greets you with a bow, his voice audible yet sounding like a whisper. "And this is Allessia Faithhammer," he says, indicating the blonde woman standing beside him. "It is our understanding that your friend will be joining the caravan back to Coramir. However, that means one of us will have to stay in her stead. The both of us have volunteered. Which one of us would you have until another exit can be arranged?"

"I've been looking for a person of faith to minister to the workers here. Which of you is best suited for that role?" Liam finds himself adopting the formal manner of speaking used by Ysuran.

Privately, Liam hopes he ends up with the blonde valkyrie and not the man in tight leather pants.

Allessia steps forward and offers you her hand. "I am Allessia Faithhammer," she introduces herself, "and I believe myself best suited for what it is you are looking for. Iomedae be praised for bringing me here."
Ysuran bows again before politely excusing himself. Your eyes follow him as he returns to the caravan. From where you're standing, you see the other guards, and Ileosa. There is a large, heavily muscled man with tanned skin; a stout dwarf with a greying beard and eyepatch; and a short, dark-skinned elf wrapped in a loose, gray robe. Ileosa seems to have caught the man's eye (as well as many of the drunken drivers), but you can't help but notice Ileosa's large eyes wander your way...

A short while later, you stand on the parapet and watch as the caravan disappears up the mountain and into the wood. After climbing down, Sketch presents you with the fruits of his labor. He shows Liam that he was able to procure trinkets, jewelry, and other valuables worth over 40 coins during the gambling. He promises to deposit them into the treasury as soon as possible (+1 BP), but is presently distracted by the newest addition to the outpost.
"Crikey, Boss!" Sketch says to Liam, his eyes fixed on Allessia. "What's she doin' here? I thought they shipped out… not that I'm complainin', but she wasn't gamblin' or drinkin'. You think she'll be good for morale?"

"Sketch, you have eyes. She's clearly a two-for. A priest who can heal wounds and offer advice, and a nice person to look at as well. How could she not raise morale?

"Or are you just worried that a woman of the cloth might frown on all of your gambling, carousing, and defrauding?"

Liam asks Bryn to show Allessia around when both women have a free hour.

Then he checks in with Soapy to learn how the negotiations turned out.

"I've been frowned at by holier women than she," Sketch replies with a wave of his hand. "I only mean—well, never mind what I mean." He smiles at you before bounding away toward the office, presumably to deposit the gains.

Bryn agrees to show Allessia around. Although the two couldn't seem more different, within a few minutes they are talking like old friends. Apparently, they both come from similar martial and faith-based disciplines. Bryn isn't as devote for Torag as Allessia is for Iomedae, but the two clearly bond over being strong, lethally trained women.

You find Soapy as he is preparing for his next shift in the mine. He corroborates Porter's assessment regarding the latter's inability to renegotiate the purchase agreement with PhosCo. However, he also explains a concept called demand surge, which allows parties similar predicaments such as you find yourselves to raise rates following disasters. Further, when used in tandem with another legal term or two, basically enables you to enforce "reasonable" rate increases without the need to formally renegotiate or call the contract into arbitration.
He grins from ear to ear as he also reveals that he, unbeknownst to Porter, invoked the contract language when penning (and slipping) an addendum to the purchase agreement, that Porter is now carrying back to PhosCo.
"The purchaser will pay what we ask," he says to you, beaming, "assuming they're even bothered by the rate increase at all."

Please let me know how Liam reacts to any of the above, and what he might be doing over the next few days.

"Nice work, Soapy. I'd give you a raise only, as you know, we don't really have enough money to go around."

Liam spends the next few days helping Allessia find quarters and perhaps a place to lead weekly services, if she wants to. He won't force her into the role so soon.

Liam checks daily on the magic mirror, to see if it changes in any way, or if somehow miraculously someone makes contact.

He also asks all of his officers (Sketch, Allessia, Bryn, Soapy, Duncan, etc.) for their opinions on where to establish a strongbox or saferoom for their material wealth. "Someplace visitors and drunkards won't be able to just walk off with it. And where our officers can take stock frequently."

Mostly, he's looking forward to getting back to the business of running the settlement, and hopes no major incidents will crop up between now and the end of the month.

What was once the old bunkhouse has been torn down and its resources converted into a series of simple "houses." These structures aren't very big, and are usually just one large room, sectioned off by curtains. Most contain two to four beds (scavenged from the bunkhouse), a common table, and a hearth for heat and cooking.

Allessia simply takes Ileosa's bed in Bryn's house, and holds interfaith services outside.

Over the course of the next few days, you speak with your officers about security. You come to find that their opinions differ, and most are wholly more concerned about other matters.
"The men are about as happy as they can be," Duncan reports, "but that isn't really saying much. They work their shifts, then spend their free time caught up in Bryn's patrol rotations, or some other monotonous task. The only entertainment they have is getting what few coins they got taken from them in Sketch's many gambling schemes. Whatever you decide to do next, please keep their interests in mind."
"Everything we do is in their interest," Sketch replies with Soapy nodding beside him. "What we need is fresh blood. We're operating at maximum efficiency, and minimum capacity. The miners should have more free time, and not be pestered by Bryn to go on patrol all the time. And forget about maintenance! We need a dedicated crew for that, as well as for security."
"Bah!" Bryn bellows, "without the patrols and security, we'd have no mine! It's every man's responsibility. In fact, we need to expand and build a watchtower higher up the mountain. Forget monsters—right now, a band of disgruntled gnomes could cause us more trouble than we could handle."
"Because we're miners, not soldiers," Duncan fires back.
"I'd like to build a shrine," Allessia says, perhaps as a way to break the tension. Or perhaps she just really wants to build a shrine. "Not all the men here worship Iomedae. In fact, none of them do. But if I had a shrine, Iomedae will better protect the outpost." Her words draw a few snickers from the others.
"Look, I'm going to level with you," Duncan says at length, blatantly ignoring Allessia's request. "We're running out of food. We won't make it another month. If Liam can't figure out how to operate that mirror, I think we need to start talking about replenishing our food stores locally."
"You mean farming?" Sketch asks, somehow making the word sound dirty.
"Hunting, gathering, in a few weeks it won't matter," Duncan replies. "We need to establish a renewable food source."
"We need to make contact with a town," Sketch says. "We can trade for food and other supplies."

What does Liam do?

"Farms would be incredibly useful, but we don't have the land or the men. That takes wide, patrolled tracts of cleared land; and as Bryn says, we can't even fight off a pack of gnomes right now. Plus, if the men become farmers, who will run the mine?

"I hate to say it, but I agree with Sketch. We need to link up with a nearby settlement. We don't know how traveling to and from this place works. We need men, and we need to trade our sole valuable commodity for things the workers can use and appreciate. In short, we need commerce.

"Right now we produce exactly one thing: ore. We need to tap into nearby markets to transmute that ore into useful goods. Duncan, Bryn, Sketch, you've all accurately stated our needs. I think the best way to meet them all is to find a more established neighbor and enjoy the rewards of trade."

A couple days later, Liam finds himself as part of an excursion team, tasked with exploring more of the mountain. He, along with Sketch and Allessia, are also looking to make contact with any locals they might meet. Bryn had wanted to come along, but ultimately remained at the outpost to tend defenses, leaving Soapy and Duncan to run day-to-day operations.
Like his earlier expedition, Liam finds the area difficult to travel. The slope of the mountain combined with the dense forest slow progress to a crawl. Together, the party planned the expedition to take about four days to fully explore the area immediately west of the outpost.

While on this perilous journey, which role does Liam serve? Roll+Wis:

• Quartermaster: On a 10+, reduce the number of rations required by one
• Trailblazer: On a 10+, reduce the amount of time it takes to reach your destination (the GM will say by how much)
• Scout: On a 10+, spot any trouble quick enough for you to get the drop on it (+1 forward)

Liam doesn't have the patience to be quartermaster, or the fortitude to blaze a trail. He can keep his mouth shut and his eyes open, but they tend not to notice much.

11:25, Today: Liam rolled 7 using 2d6+1.  Wisdom -- Scout.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:30, Fri 13 Mar 2020.

The others perform their duties admirably, effectively minimizing ration consumption and keeping the expedition ahead of schedule. And it was nearly all for naught when Liam missed the telltale signs of the hunting party, and Sketch led the party straight into. Luckily, the hunters were hunting eagles, and didn't seem to mind their camp being crashed by the three interlopers.

The clearing wasn't very big, at least not by the hunters' standards. It served only as a convenient spot to prepare their food and weapons, as well as a pleasant place to rest and socialize in between forays into the forest. Pleasant enough that the look of shock on the horsemen's faces mirror that of Liam and company. Neither party, it seems, were aware of each other until the very last possible moment.

"Who are you?!" the horseman shouts as he raises a deadly-looking spear in defense to the three trespassing in the glade. Four other look up from their tasks, surprised to see them standing nearly in the middle of the clearing. They quickly produce their weapons and trot along the edge of the clearing, effectively encircling you. The one wielding the spear canters up, holding the spear tip low, and his free hand out as if attempting to calm you.
It takes a moment, but Liam eventually comes to the realization that these hunters aren't riding horses, but ARE part horses. They're centaurs, each sun-bronzed and athletically built. Their horse-halves vary from dark brown to jet black, and their tails and hair are light-colored, almost white despite their dark complexions. Their torsos are bear, and a couple wear leather bracers on their forearms, beads and braids in their hair, and few style themselves with feathers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 18:31, Fri 13 Mar 2020.

"Relax, we're just local merchants. We've come to scout the area around our mine. Perhaps you've done business with it in the past? In any case, I'm the new general manager, and I was just trying to get the lay of the land 'round here."