Session journal - Caimans and poachers

Sexma 11
 
Day starts early in the morning with Jak arriving at the Phoenx and asking about our adventures. Unfortunately, Jak appreciates Honorous' inability to think, so when I finally grow impatient with the folly, I go to the bar and get some spiced wine.
 
I finally chase the plan to collect and sell the durst. I ended up having to talk to the Lady Serafina to set up the enterprise. Yes, the drust is in her lands, and therefore belong to her. However, as a finder, Rathari and I will have some gold for our troubles. I suppose we should share with Honorous and maybe Nick, the old veteran-turned-farmer. We're not sure what that deposit will bring in, but I expect about 1/4 of the proceeds for the part. About 1/4 for the workers, 1/4 for the Margrave herself, and probably 1/4 of it somewhere for the arrangements and greasing of palms. I'll end up with something.
 
Jak has been asked to be magistrate by Esyllt, but is regretting his life choices. So he's trying to convince some other schmuck to do it in his stead. He has been convinced instead to hire a constable, and is searching for candidates. It seems no one is interested in enforcing the rule of law in River's End. Through some acquaintances, he met Frank Doggett, who seems like an eager, straight-laced guy. Jak offered him a job, but is a little concerned about his over-bearing tendencies. Frank the police equivalent of Honorous.
 
- The affair with the goat -
When going back to make sure that the cave and the now-bridge-accessible-drust were not a menace to the local populace, we were reminded of the monster in the river. Mathilda and Rathari determined it was a large caiman. 6-ft long head large.
 
We decided the caiman was an additional peril for the workers that were already going to work with miasma and drust, and that it would be best to eliminate it now. While the plan with the harpoon seemed solid, we decided to stake out the caiman with a goat. We will put it out on a stake close to where we suspect that the monster pulls it's unsuspecting victims. For this, The Lady purchased the most useless goat from a farmer. Turns out, the useless goat actually sits and obeys some commands. Must check in on this farmer later to see why his most useless goat is well trained.
 
The weather added to our word, and we were beset with a week of torrents. Jak had a farmer close by take care of a goat in the meantime. The farmer recognized the goat, which adds to the suspicion. What is it with these farmers and well trained pet goats? We hide around the feeding area. The caiman comes, grabs the goat. Mathilda takes care of it with a very cool snowball that exploded inside the water and wasted it. Out of the water came Jak, cold but unscathed. He keeps some teeth from the monster.
 
We go check upriver for the child or any remains, and there is an outcropping with a boat and a door. The lady borrows the boat so we can come see the door and who lives there. We use a knocker to knock on the door. The door swings in and we call to make sure anyone knows we are there. A lot of boxes are piled, and then there is a big box at the back. Newish crates around here. Crates filled with furs. Illegal trapping on Menari lands. This could be part of the reason we have had unrest along the border. Jak goes to open the large crate, and it swallows him. The Lady thinks fast and grabs Jak, teleporting him to the entrance of the cave. He is battered, but I help revive him. After a bloody battle, we kill the beast. Surrounding it are caiman eggs. 7 of them. We wait up and try to ambush the poachers. We need answers, because this is a big problem.
 
We lay in ambush for 2 days, only for 3 people to get skittish and try and lock us inside the cave. They try to escape downriver on their boat. Honorous tries to burst the door open, but The Lady's magic finally releases us. Rathari controls the wind to adverse them, I created an ice storm to rock them out, and Honorous jumped into the river and attacked the boat when he did not make his jump. Jak blinks into the boat and stabs it. The three poachers row across the river. One of them, a servant of the Sky Father himself finds enough grace to strike flames onto Mathilda and blind Rathari, and the contempt in my heart grows. We do our best to face the enemies, especially once they reach the other side of the stream and fan out. We face the champion, the priest, and a ranger. The ranger is the first to go down, after I teleport Jak with me, and Jak worked his dagger magic. Then The Lady, furious at these bandits, strikes the priest of Kord, relieving the burden from my shoulders. Finally, Honorous faces the champion in battle, but we reach them and force him to surrender before they finish each other.
 
After a bloody battle, we take a champion captive. The elf was stable, too. I made sure to go and spit on the war priest. We have 2 captives to interrogate.