Of course dropping a building on them would hurt a bit.
I wonder if he will tell them all about the pickup of goods.
Much Bigger Problem 12-9
Much Bigger Problem 12-9
Good move Quentyn. Lead with you were trying to keep the gangs from being hurt.
Of course dropping a building on them would hurt a bit.
I wonder if he will tell them all about the pickup of goods.
Of course dropping a building on them would hurt a bit.
I wonder if he will tell them all about the pickup of goods.
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Tom Mazanec
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StrangeWulf13
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If any of them had any great skill with lux, then yes, it would have been dangerous for Quentyn for them to know it was his sword. Most human mages could probably do very nasty things to Quentyn if they got ahold of it. I doubt the gangs had anyone that skilled, but it's best to play it safe. Even by just experimenting they could've done some horrible things to him.
He did the right thing in not telling them. Subtlety and discretion are sometimes far better than announcing your presence and bashing through the enemies. 8) Play it cool, like Sly Cooper...
He did the right thing in not telling them. Subtlety and discretion are sometimes far better than announcing your presence and bashing through the enemies. 8) Play it cool, like Sly Cooper...
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Shyal_malkes
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Werekitty
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Considering that those are human coins being bandied about, then it might be grossly mistranslated.
After all "everyone" knows that the only way to get human coins is to have contact with humans. This could be why human coins would be used in these transactions. The expansionists could be trying to stir up anti-free trade paranoia by saying that the free traders have been selling humans lux items behind everybody's back.
That's how these kind of groups work, you see. They instill the fear of "the other" or "the outsider" in the people, then stir up sentiment against those who would help these others and outsiders.
The free traders wish to open up the walls, and trade with humans who have percecuted the rac'coonah in the past. It would be the free traders who have human coins, because they probably have been trading lux items behind the authority's back. Ergo they HAVE to be the ones funding the gangs, right?
Well. No. But that's what the nobels in the green hoods want the poor dumb peasants to think.
After all "everyone" knows that the only way to get human coins is to have contact with humans. This could be why human coins would be used in these transactions. The expansionists could be trying to stir up anti-free trade paranoia by saying that the free traders have been selling humans lux items behind everybody's back.
That's how these kind of groups work, you see. They instill the fear of "the other" or "the outsider" in the people, then stir up sentiment against those who would help these others and outsiders.
The free traders wish to open up the walls, and trade with humans who have percecuted the rac'coonah in the past. It would be the free traders who have human coins, because they probably have been trading lux items behind the authority's back. Ergo they HAVE to be the ones funding the gangs, right?
Well. No. But that's what the nobels in the green hoods want the poor dumb peasants to think.
"When you want something done, you ask a man. When you want it done quietly and without any fuss, you ask a woman."
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Werekitty Wrote:
That's not totally true. Nessie called a Mudgullet to bring human coins to her in this strip. http://npc.keenspace.com/d/20040522.html Because human coins are accepted tell me that there are coins around but not in high numbers.After all "everyone" knows that the only way to get human coins is to have contact with humans.
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StrangeWulf13
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Actually, the swamp dwellers know there's a good amount of coin and treasure buried 'neath the swamp... but they don't go telling people about it!
The majority opinion is that human coins are only available by trading with humans, meaning human contact. This is incorrect as we've pointed out with Nessie and the mudgullet incident. However, I must stress that very few know of the events that led to her family getting so much money. Her father, the village and the frog mage for sure... but beyond that, I don't know of many who know the truth. And I doubt it's been published in all the papers how one little girl fended off a mudgullet and got a good deal of coins in the deal. Good story, but the swamp dwellers probably treat soothscribes like the folks in Malarkey County treat reporters. Except they might be a bit colder than Nip and Tuck and the rest.
In any case, the perception that trading is the only way to get human coin is probably widespread enough that should any rumor of such trade be leaked to the public, they will react strongly to the news.
The Expantionists are putting a lit match in a tinder box. Some will cheer the Open Traders for being brave enough to sneak behind the government's back and get some money flowing in. Others will be outraged and demand the borders be tightened immediately. Some will have mixed views. But by the time this is done, very few, if any, will not have an opinion on the subject.
And you know what happens in a democracy when there's upset and turmoil...
...the people vote on what to do.
I think we're about to see a political battle more intense than the 2000 fiasco about Bush winning the White House by cheating. And that's saying something.
The majority opinion is that human coins are only available by trading with humans, meaning human contact. This is incorrect as we've pointed out with Nessie and the mudgullet incident. However, I must stress that very few know of the events that led to her family getting so much money. Her father, the village and the frog mage for sure... but beyond that, I don't know of many who know the truth. And I doubt it's been published in all the papers how one little girl fended off a mudgullet and got a good deal of coins in the deal. Good story, but the swamp dwellers probably treat soothscribes like the folks in Malarkey County treat reporters. Except they might be a bit colder than Nip and Tuck and the rest.
In any case, the perception that trading is the only way to get human coin is probably widespread enough that should any rumor of such trade be leaked to the public, they will react strongly to the news.
The Expantionists are putting a lit match in a tinder box. Some will cheer the Open Traders for being brave enough to sneak behind the government's back and get some money flowing in. Others will be outraged and demand the borders be tightened immediately. Some will have mixed views. But by the time this is done, very few, if any, will not have an opinion on the subject.
And you know what happens in a democracy when there's upset and turmoil...
...the people vote on what to do.
I think we're about to see a political battle more intense than the 2000 fiasco about Bush winning the White House by cheating. And that's saying something.
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Doink
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Does that mean the reporters get off better or worse?StrangeWulf13 wrote:Good story, but the swamp dwellers probably treat soothscribes like the folks in Malarkey County treat reporters. Except they might be a bit colder than Nip and Tuck and the rest.
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"I decline to accept the end of man [...] Man will not only endure, but prevail...." - William Faulkner
"I can say—not as a patriotic bromide, but with full knowledge of the necessary metaphysical, epistemological, ethical, political and aesthetic roots—that the United States of America is the greatest, the noblest and, in its original founding principles, the only moral country in the history of the world." - Ayn Rand
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Quantum Fox
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Speculation - A mission past the mist wall?
I'm wondering if this plot line is going to take Quentyn outside the Seven Villages at this rate.
We know the gangs were set up on an agenda, but Quentyn has less evidence. I suspect the storage crate is of obvious human manufacture as are the coins. The obvious conclusion I believe the organizers want drawn is that humans are paying criminals to get them the goods. Evidence of organization, crimnal ties, smuggling, etc can then be used to strengthen the laws even tighter. Humans can't be trusted, look what they were doing, stealing and corrupting our youths. I can imagine heavy rhetoric about the dangers of magic weapons in the hands of humans, loss of secrecy which is the only true protection, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if a dead human body showed up in the sewers, just to really put fuel on the fire.
The presence of the questor has caused some problems for the organizers.
1) He saw a transaction and the puzzling disinterest in a genuine magic weapon in the take. A real human criminal org would probably have placed a very HIGH value on it.
2) He was in place to overhear plans to use the gangs as patsys.
3) He is in position to get more information and cooperation from gang members than the guard. Sure, he humiliated them, but he also recently saved one guy's life, lived with them for days, and was damned impressive when he took them down. The gang can't even say it wasn't deserved since they stole from him first and he actually did all that work himself without calling on outside help. Any honor code they might have, his actions probably fit in perfect, as opposed to faceless suppression by the regular guard.
4) He has a professional interest in getting at the true cause, not the convenient one. He might even get paid to help track down the source of the box and gold, and acting as a questor has better odds of succeeding than the militia.
So where do you go to verify the source of a human made box and human coins? I am guessing a trip to meet with the lake patrols and a peek at the other side of the mist wall.
We know the gangs were set up on an agenda, but Quentyn has less evidence. I suspect the storage crate is of obvious human manufacture as are the coins. The obvious conclusion I believe the organizers want drawn is that humans are paying criminals to get them the goods. Evidence of organization, crimnal ties, smuggling, etc can then be used to strengthen the laws even tighter. Humans can't be trusted, look what they were doing, stealing and corrupting our youths. I can imagine heavy rhetoric about the dangers of magic weapons in the hands of humans, loss of secrecy which is the only true protection, etc. I wouldn't be surprised if a dead human body showed up in the sewers, just to really put fuel on the fire.
The presence of the questor has caused some problems for the organizers.
1) He saw a transaction and the puzzling disinterest in a genuine magic weapon in the take. A real human criminal org would probably have placed a very HIGH value on it.
2) He was in place to overhear plans to use the gangs as patsys.
3) He is in position to get more information and cooperation from gang members than the guard. Sure, he humiliated them, but he also recently saved one guy's life, lived with them for days, and was damned impressive when he took them down. The gang can't even say it wasn't deserved since they stole from him first and he actually did all that work himself without calling on outside help. Any honor code they might have, his actions probably fit in perfect, as opposed to faceless suppression by the regular guard.
4) He has a professional interest in getting at the true cause, not the convenient one. He might even get paid to help track down the source of the box and gold, and acting as a questor has better odds of succeeding than the militia.
So where do you go to verify the source of a human made box and human coins? I am guessing a trip to meet with the lake patrols and a peek at the other side of the mist wall.
First welcome to the forum Quantum Fox. Leave your sanity at the door and remember to never feed Solidus or leave sharp objects or flamible substances with his reach.
Quantum Fox Wrote:
Quantum Fox Wrote:
I don't think the gangs were set up on an agenda. I believe they were created much like the gangs in cities are created here. The only gang we know that is working on fencing LUX items is the Royals and they are working with the conspirators as a business venture. We have seen nothing in the strip to show that the Red Caps are doing anything with the organizers as you say of the plot. We know that the conspirators are working with one gang the Royals. Other gangs may be involved but I am not sure that would be necessary for them to get results they are seeking. One event with the proper chicken little media reporting and it will send panic throughout the 7 villages.We know the gangs were set up on an agenda, but Quentyn has less evidence. I suspect the storage crate is of obvious human manufacture as are the coins. The obvious conclusion I believe the organizers want drawn is that humans are paying criminals to get them the goods.
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Mwalimu
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IIRC, there are three "main" gangs, one of which is the Royals, and some number of lesser wannabe gangs, including the Redcaps. And I would speculate that the "organizers" of the trade only work with the big three.
And just to clear up some possible terminology confusion, the gangs probably were not "set up", in the sense of being created, by the organizers, but they may well have been "set up", in the sense of being framed or deceived, by them.
And just to clear up some possible terminology confusion, the gangs probably were not "set up", in the sense of being created, by the organizers, but they may well have been "set up", in the sense of being framed or deceived, by them.
Joe McCauley
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