Session 15

Favoring Farmers
We had finished taking care of the necromancer, it is early afternoon. We discuss what to do now and decide to go explore Salsheer. We set up for the night, and it passes without any incident. As dawn comes Beans notices the farmers are coming out to tend to their farms, but seem to all be doing very minimal effort.

We see a farmer and go to talk to him. Seeming to expect us, he asks, "well what do you want now? More muscle? Threaten us into harvesting?" We explain we arent guards or thugs, and he tells us about the bullying and pressure from Salsheer. The farmers dont want people to starve, but also want to stand up for themselves, so they are doing the bare minimum.

A new mayor has taken over who wants to be a trade prince, hes all about profits and is taking advantage of the city and surrounding farmers.

The farmers just want to be paid, discuss possibly selling to Korvosa. It is a month or two still until their harvest, so we cant do much yet.

Salsheer
As we approach the city is there are two gates with lines in front of each, there are fairly long lines of carts from one. The guards are carefully searching each cart. The other seems to be individuals and those without a cart. It is going much faster. We go to this line at the east gate. The line passes pretty fast. The guard half-heartedly asks what our business is, and doesnt seem to pay attention to our response and lets us through.

Salsheer is clean and well maintained, not a huge city. We walk down the main road, and see signs for blacksmith, jeweler etc but their stalls are all closed. The city is suspiciously quiet. We go to the market, and aside from a few traders, all buildings are closed. We ask trader where a blacksmith is. They have been protesting taxes the new baron put in so no one wants to open. He mentions the artisans guild wants to help, but is mostly just used as a bar. We decide to check them out.

At the Artisans Guild Hall
We open the doors, immediately struck that this is one of the most beautifully constructed building we've ever seen. Every detail is extremely well made and immaculately constructed. We look forward down the hall, several tables and what we assume is the bar and a small counter with a small halfling woman reading some papers behind it. It is early afternoon, only 1 other person having a drink at a table. We approach the lady with the papers at the counter.

Suleiman says to her, "I heard this was artisans guild hall?" She is very curt and simply says, "What is your business?" "I heard you guys are protesting?" "Yes, taxes are way too high, so guild decided they aren't going to work." It has been 47 days since the protest started. We ask if the farmers are in on it, but she doesn't know, she says they arent her business. Thanks to a very persuasive Suleiman, we manage to get a meeting with the Guildmaster the next day. She says he might have work for us.

Broken Lute
We go to the Broken Lute for the nite and inside, a large mercenary troupe is having a party. Stomping feet, drinks, and groups singing songs to the bard playing. Suleiman recognizes their insignia as the Sea Wolves, mercenaries/pirates for hire.

Suleiman buys drinks and talks to the captain, talk about looking for work. We ask if they work with Chult, they do not. We talk about getting to Elmbend and hiring a ship.

Adventurers Guild
A noticable decrease in quality compared to the Artisan's Guild. A heavily scared half orc at the counter, one of the largest people we've ever seen. The job board is filled to the brim. There is a heavily defaced and pissed on recruitment posted that is required to be posted from the baron. We ask the orc about it and the new baron. The old guard captain was fired after the old baron passed away. His son who took over is greedy and cruel. The new guard captain is a friend of his, and has similar morality.

We retire to the Broken Lute for the night.

Back to the Artisan's Guild
We go for our meeting with the Guildmaster and are waved in by the same halfling at the counter. We meet with the Guildmaster who informs us that they essentially dont care who is in charge, they just want to run business without being gouged with taxes.