Session #5 - Ambushes and Assemblies

Roggi 16, predawn - We're on our way back to Primrose with the last cart from the ship when 4 people jumped out of the shadows at us.
They announced that they were looking for me and said that Grass wants to see me. My new friends treated them as threats to our cargo and in defense of me.
I replied that I hadn't seen Grass in over a year, and he could have come to visit me in jail if he wanted to talk to me -- he can come talk to me himself if he wants to talk to me instead of sending a bunch of thugs while we're working. We made very short work of them, but we left one alive but unconscious. I left a note telling Grass that he could come talk to me himself if he wants to talk to me, and I warned him that the Primrose Company reacts quickly when its assets are threatened by obvious thugs.
... and then we returned to Primrose.
 
We slept. This is the day we're to go appear at the Rebullian Assembly. It's held in a big stone building in High Crown. Ivan greets us as we approach and tells us what to expect.
We entered, and some guards escorted us to the main hall. A man named Rowan introduced himself as the leader of the group.
Also present are Julius Green from Hamlin (male human), Keeley Brewer (female human) from Trinity, Ian Shaw (male human) from Fawnton, Yorgos Angelos (male human) from the High Dock Ward (owner of Bellwhether Acquisitions).
They're all humans. They're the committee on new settlements.
 
Cowick is still not a recognized city/town/settlement, so he calls Ivan "acting mayor". The debate went on for a long time about whether there was profit to be made and whether the profit was worth the effort since there are still plenty of other places to explore establishing mines. The goblins were a topic as were the demons and the cultist. Yorgos is against the idea of securing the Cowick area, but his company didn't have any stakes in the area. Most of the other people seem in favor of the idea. There's an argument about who should pay for it -- the government or the companies. Apparently the companies dealt with the hazards around Hamlin.
 
Then suddenly Yorgos is in favor of sending Bellweather crews to secure the area... we think it's so they can claim stuff.
 
The final vote is Julius & Yorgos against, and everyone else in favor. The proposal passed 3/2, and Ivan is really happy about it.
 
Rowan talked to Hammond afterward for a moment and then invited all of us up to his office to talk. Rowan Horn is the great grandson of the owner of the original expedition company to arrive on this continent. He's a charismatic young man. He talks about how he's trying to make Rebullia a better place to live. He now has a positive opinion of the Primrose because of the fact that they sent us to check on Cowick. He recognized the Taney name as being a big deal in the old country. He invites us and Oswald to a get-together at his estate in a couple weeks. His parties are legendary.
 
We went back to Primrose and talked to Oswald. He's really happy with us scoring this party invite for him. He also mentions the next job that is to protect a barge down to Hamlin. We should be back in time for the party, and it'll pay 200gp for the group. He mentions that Gurt wants to see us.
 
We went to talk to Gurt. He says there's a problem and that we can't go on the expedition to Hamlin. He said that the stevedores mentioned that we had been attacked by a gang during the job. He's concerned the gang will keep attacking the company if I skip town. He kicks a dead rat that has a note that says "Watch your back" tied to it. We can't go on the expedition unless we solve this problem.
 
I figured the best place to start looking was the Skirt. But we couldn't find any information there. We went to the market. No one wants to talk to me, but Hammond got a tip about unsavory types hanging around the White Fig Inn near Midtown. So we headed toward Midtown. On the way, we were stopped by some more thugs. Again they want to take me. Hammond says that we'll go peacefully if we all go, but they only want to take me. So, we beat them up. We kept one woman alive. She wouldn't bring all of us to the hideout. I told her to tell Grass to meet us in 2 hours at the Naughty Nymph. We headed there right away to case the joint and make sure we have an escape plan.
 
While we were waiting, Hammond and Nathaniel noticed a couple city guards standing around outside and occasionally glancing in. They entered and came to talk to us. One introduced himself as Jonas Coffee. He's investigating a report of a fight in an alley and asks us about it. Hammond asks whether they know about the Pickers and says that they've attacked us a couple times now. The guard says he doesn't know about that... he works homicide. He takes our names and recognizes mine. Word has been going around that I've been causing trouble. He tells us to find him at the station in Upper Midtown if we want to talk to him. The silent guard looks angry, but doesn't say anything. They leave. Grass never showed up.
 
We're planning to head back toward the White Fig Inn. It's a dwarven/elven fusion restaurant that has become very popular lately.