::New rumours heard in the Mermaid::
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Near the southern gate, roughly a score of wagons and an entire company of Defenders can be seen gathering. Captain Talgrath is barking orders to the men, and according to most observers it appears that his men of the Talonguard are planning to move out. Sharp-eyed individuals might note that the wagons contain implements of war along, camping supplies and what looks to be a wagon filled with food, water and blankets; there seems to be more food, water and blankets than such a force would need. In any case, the company appears to be readying to leave in a rather short amount of time.
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A foreign merchant that frequents the city of Peltarch sharing a drink with his friend and chatting.
"Ya know tha elf artist that dissapeared a couple a months back?"
"Ting? Ya, I bought a couple a things from her once. What happened ta tha odd lass? Why ain't she been in the city much?"
"Well I know her organization closed down some time back and she lost a good bit o' money and goods over that but she stuck around y'know. Anyway I seen her just tha other day."
"S' that so?"
"Yea she was havin' this big tattoo all over the side o' her face. Bein all cryptic and such."
"Well tha's nay weird"
"Well nay, but she was weird in wha she was sayin. Tellin me I'm gonna have ta be careful maybe reconsider where I'm tradin. Says this new magistrate is 'accostin' foreign merchants and givin 'em all sorts o trouble, revokin trade permits on a whim and everythin."
"Where'd she hear that? She's a local ain't she?"
"Not anymore. She says to me 'pparantly and the magistrate gave her all sorts o trouble right away. She's through 'pparantly, don't want to deal with that sort o' hasslin no more… oh yea 'n she say her name weren't never Ting..."
"Odd lass tha … I'm not likin that they gave 'er such trouble though. Bought one o' her paintings once. The wife loves it. Say, you hear about Benny?..."
The rumors wander off back to some drunk who got in a fight with his landlady.
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Several memebers of Norwicks Militia come to Peltarch as smoke hazes the southern skyline, to see if any refugees may have made it into the town. They check in with the city council but move quickly on to the taverns and streets recording names of any they can find and listing any others that may have fallen. They spend but hours then quickly move south, saying little and appearing grim and tired.
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Sabre is conspicuously absent from the streets of Peltarch lately. Not hide nor hair of the sailor lass can be seen in any of her usual haunts, though the reasons for this are a matter of speculation. Vanity Plates is rumoured to suffer a decline in business, coinciding with Sabre's disappearance.
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Jeremy has also been seen at the Peltarch docks with his bird, the bird flying off and not returning for some time.
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Seems there are rumors of Captain Drelan Ashire being arrested outside the city. Rumor has it that the black sails captain, combat comrade of the Peltarch navy during the civil war, supporter of the tower defenders, protector of the docks, carer for widows, and most recently defender of jiyyd during the orc war, had an axe thrown into his back though he had no weapon drawn by one of the guards in his arresting party. He followed Steelfin and the guards peaceably to the jail, his wound untended.
Reasons for the wounding are unknown, nor is it known if his wound was ever tended.
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Jeremy has been seen entering the prison complex with a slight pissed off look on his face. He was also seen leaving it just a few minutes later.
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_It seems Grubby has been feeling the heat. After a period of relaxation, away from the fustian Halls of Peltarch's libraries, our good savant has, for reasons unknown, fluxed into extreme stress, and may usually be found in a private room in the Mermaid, surrounded by a clutter of empty wine bottles and piles of crumpled parchment.
Visitors are not welcome. Unless they are important, naturally._
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Apon hearing the rumours Juster gives a small frown and heads off mumbling something about communication.
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When pursued by citizens about the Yuan-ti strike force, all Jeremy seems to say is…
"We got them scaly bastards on check aye? They be makin' one move and I'm gonn' rip out their guts, savvy? Now go back to ye musins aye."
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Rumor has it, that a tenday ago, a strike force of yuan ti was spotted in the foothills of the giantspires, apparently setting up camp there. Also they were supposedly stalked by a drow. For whatever reason, the knights and the defenders are rumored to have known about this for the better part of a month but were apparently trying to hush the whole affair up. Word has it that they are probably trying to keep too much knowledge from the population of Peltarch as that would endanger the precariously prepared ignorance and might endanger the current system. Less kind words occasionally mention that a group of defenders might just be in league with the yuan ti, who are known to be enemies of the city and have tried before to establish some sort of contact or control over the kobolds.
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_Over the previous few weeks, a scholar has been haunting the Peltarchian libraries night and day, pouring over the text of the present laws and the reported cases of the Peltarchian jurisdiction, such as he may find.
If questioned, he identifies himself as Professor Grubrod Scudd - Grubby to his friends - but refuses to speak further about what he has been up to. One thing at least is certain. The scroll on which he had been taking notes now stretches to several parchments._
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The dwarves of the Stonemasons Guild (unsurprisingly) tout themselves as the finest masters of masonry outside of dwarven heartlands.
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Word spreads that Mariston has been looking into the various architects in the city. Seeking to learn what level of masonry skills are available.
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_Rumor has it that senator Rath Ashald has banned all members of the church of Torm and her supporters, claiming they were responsible for flooding the sewers and thus bringing a horirble stench to Peltarch's streets a while ago. The rumor further claims former intermittent magistrate Blackwing to be heard supporting that and working out the details on how to identify Tormites from now on.
Regardless of that rumor, it semes pretty obvious no one takes politics or appointments of magistrates seriously, leaving such things to senators and magistrates to handle internally._
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Rumor has it, that a halfling invited a group of adventurers onto a ship, aptly named Lady Luck. Oddly enough, it is mentioned that a representative of Lady Doom also went on board of that very ship. The group was gone for a while, and suddenly reappeared in the middle of the commons, looking rather confused themselves.
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Senior Magistrate Barrim has returned to the city it seems, in the company of another moustache wearing man who also seems to wear a red cloak; along with some other ranger-types. After some meetings with this individual the visitor departs into the wilds seemingly on some business errand.
On hearing about various disorderly happenings, he muses about the past quietly to himself and returns to his office to review the progress of the new Junior Magistrate and reports from the surrounding lands.
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Dentin keeps up his usual presence in the docks, and keeps a close eye on the whole situation between the Sails and the Spiders. Though not eager to get involved in the thugwar, Dentin usually keeps a close watch of any Sails or Spider appearance in the docks, especially when both meet at the same place.
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Jeremy has also been seen about the docks on occasion, but with a serious look and armed to the teeth. He leaves his Cerulean Knight Stars to show off brightly though, and often stops to talk to a few folk, most often Sails.
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Tensions in the docks seem to rise. Rumors indicate that the sails and the spiders are going at each others throats, neither showing much love for the other side. Oddly enough a shining knight is mentioned to have recently stepped in to protect a spider and escort him back to the Pissing Goat. Similarily, the name Ashald is mentioned often together with the infamous Bloodspiders.
