We still had plenty of things on the shopping list so leaving the stench of Cartways behind Samba decided it was best to get some fresh air in Zobeck Market. Brix thought it would be quicker to split up but Wrendell said we should stick together. After the street fight yesterday we were still on edge, I was at least, and kept looking over my shoulder for any sign of trouble. Sure enough I spotted someone, though I wish I hadn't. Sergeant Hendryk came over to have a word. "You lot seem to be spending quite a bit of time with these Kobolds don't-cha-fink?" "We have been employed as a security detail to escort Brix about town. We don't want any more trouble." "Listen kid. Like I said the otha night. We knows Brix didn't do it but maybe he had some help, if-ya-know-wha-da-mean. Some of yous look pretty strong. Wouldn't have any trouble pushing someone through a window..." "Hey Sergeant I don't think I like what you're implying here. We are just here to look after the Kobold, not do his dirty work. Someone else is trying to frame him" "One might come to the conclusion that you are actually the ones behind this mystery. I might be inclined to take you lot in for questioning unless, that is, you can offer me something else to occupy my time with eh." Ahh I should have guessed, a shake down. I handed over my last 10 pieces of gold. "Have a good evening kid. Stay outta trouble. The ominous tone of the Sergeant parting words had me anxious all the way back to the Rampant Roach. There seemed to be threats hiding in every dark alley or were they just dark corners of my imagination. We finally made it back to Skirtal with the errands completed. He wasn't happy with the news of the alchemist having been killed. "Where am I gonna get my slug nuts now?" So we were all sitting down to eat and everyone seemed happy about the day's work – even Samba seemed to be getting a taste for Skirtals cuisine. The dessert course was about to be served when we started to hear a disturbance out in the street. It soon became clear that there was an angry mob outside the Roach baying for kobold blood. Smash. A rock breaks through the front window. "Bring em out here to face justice." Wrendell and Samba step up to the door for a closer look and to try and talk some sense into the mob but things didn't quite go to plan. Samba tried appealing to their good natures and sense of civility but his rhetoric was too high minded for the commoners of Lower Zobeck. Wrendell made another attempt but only seemed to insult the crowd further. The mob made a rush for the door as a few warning shots were fired from the Roach. Skirtal opened up a trapdoor calling the kobolds to get down to the cellar. I made a break out the back door to try and find the watch before anything really bad happened. Out in front Wrendell held the door swinging his hammer to keep the mob from breaking through but some of the mob decided to rush around the Roach to the back. From my vantage in the alley I saw Samba knocked down but Lea drew the action away giving him a chance to get up. It didn't take long for the mob to be demoralised and finally give up when the watch finally arrived. Inside, Wrendell had managed to get through to (Heston) the blacksmith. He convinced the man to confess that he had brought the mob to the Rampant Roach to deal some street justice but had failed and had led to the accidental death of one of his mob who somehow ended up with an arrow in the neck. The blacksmith was held responsible for the situation so once the Watch had completed their scene investigation we were allowed to leave. Down in the cellar Skirtal had managed to get all the smallfolk out through a secret passage into the Cartways. Samba led us around Crown Square and over to the bath house where rumours of the mob attack had already spread around. Many stories being outlandish reports filled with wild speculation about how both the commoner and the kobold were killed. Samba tried to explain his version as a truthful account to those who would listen, of a blood crazed band of thugs misguided by hate falling victim to their base instincts. Eventually Eldon reappeared to join us with news. "We need to go back underground. There's a meeting going to happen. Skirtal wants us to meet with the KIng." "The KIng. I don't think Zobeck has a King." "That's what Skirtal said. A meeting with the King." So off we went, but this time, into the Kobold Ghetto before delving back down to the cartways under lower Zobeck to reunite with Skirtal, Brix, and a few of the other Roach regulars. Skirtal explained that as things have escalated so much he needs to meet with King Koto, a kobold King, to get advisement on how to proceed. We were met by Quarrel, another kobold in service of the KIng. Quarrel took us deeper into the Cartways to the Palace of King Koto Cragclaw. The King was titchy and brash but explained that he has other agents also investigating the disappearances. He has a lead about some kind of cult that are active down here under the city. A dark and mysterious group with nefarious ends and even more nefarious means. King Koto wants us to take a look into the cult activities and see what we can do about it. I don't know why he doesn't notify the city authorities, though I imagine the kobolds don't get taken very seriously by them in charge.
