Fort Falcoth (Sharpe's Thread)

[Kylia Quilor]

Getting to Fort Falcoth from Catrico was a fairly simple prospect, as one would expect, given it's central location. Even riding Dog as it was now, the trip would still take more than one day, but the transit was entirely peaceful - there were no attacks in the night, no sign of hostile passage... granted, even without his new employees at Fort Falcoth, this area would still probably not be that dangerous yet. It hadn't been that long since the Wolf Brotherhood was driven out, and this part of the Disputed Lands would, even normally, take a bit of time to get dangerous again.

And yet, there wasn't even a sign of goblins or orcs or bandits or ne'er-do-wells of any stripe, and the presence of armed people at Fort Falcoth had to be a factor in that, even just in making such types rethink their presence.

The walls of the fort were much as Sharpe remembered them from his last visit, quite well intact in the main, but with various spots where the battlements and drops had crumbled here and there, and of course, the gateway. Empty, as it had been before. Though it wasn't bare of anyone. One of the twins - the sister, Yarelle - was standing in the center of the gateway, her sword resting point first on the ground as she maintained a watch. She almost looked like a statue or golem, armored up and standing stock still as she was.

When she saw him and Dog drawing near, Yarelle waved a hand, greeting him. "Been wondering when we'd see you again, Boss. My brother owes me ten gold now."

[Mister Doctor]

Sharpe - Character Sheet
Dog - Companion Sheet

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AC: 28 TAC: 18 FF: 22 CMD: 26 Fort: +8 Ref: +14 Will: +11
HP: 76/76 Narrative: 4 | Perception: +14

---

Riding on the back of Dog was a remarkable civilized way to travel. For something so large and ungainly, the hulking automaton set a steady pace without an undue amount of jostling. It meant internal gyros had to be frequently recalibrated but that was just part of the work when handling maintenance for Dog.

Sharpe and his mercenaries were overdue for a conversation about what their company was going to be and his greater plans for the Disputed Lands. The lack of orcs and goblins in the area actually made certain aspects more difficult, not less. Still, there was much he could do with what he had to hand already and they would need human faces for the first steps. Work with the tools given, not those you most desire to have.

"Cut me in on the winnings and you'll see me more often," Sharpe noted, casually striding into Fort Falcoth like he owned the place... which he more or less did. Dog followed demurely behind. "Gather the others. We need to talk about next steps, how I expect you to spend my money, and what this little enterprise is going to turn into."

[Kylia Quilor]

"I'll have to take you up on that," Yarelle laughed. "On it boss," she left the gates and made her way towards the old tavern building, rather than the main keep structure - given that there were only a few people here, they'd probably just used the smaller space rather than the larger one. A few minutes later, Yunus comes out, fully armored, as does Varain, the half-elf looking far less dishevled and soot and ash-covered than the last time Sharpe had seen him. And finally, the guards and clerks that both Chelstead and Viacena had sent - four guards and one clerk each.

Officially, they were guarded seconded to Sharpe's merchant company.

"Good afternoon, Wizard Sharpe," one of the clerks said. Sharpe recognized him vaguely from his days in the Duke's service. "Duke Chelstead has ordered myself and these men," he gestured to four of the guards, "to assist your merchant company to enhance the security and prosperity of the Duchy's trade. I am officially authorized to hand over control of the Duke's investment in your company to you." He handed Sharpe a piece of paper and some keys, to chests in the tavern holding much of the gold.

The other clerk, a older halfling woman, shared a similar sentiment, as well as keyes and the paper, and then shehanded over a thin volume. "Three caravans passed by the fort since we got here. One decided to push on ahead, but the other two figured it was safer to set up inside the walls for the night. We weren't sure how much to charge for that, so we went with a standard rate of one gold per wagon per night." The book she gave him was a ledger book, tracking the income - all 10 gold from a six wagon caravan and a four wagon caravan - as well as the expenses for the guards and clerks pay from the investment from the Duke and Countess. A quick look at the columns did suggest everything was in order.

"We also have some suggestions to increase the income, such as restoring the tavern to full business, and perhaps hiring hunters or farmers to have food to sell the caravanners, or even setting up a local brewery." The Duke's former clerk said.

"I've created a few magical traps at the gate," Varian told him, "Nothing fancy, but if those pyromantic bastards show up again, they'll be in for a surprise."

[Mister Doctor]

Sharpe - Character Sheet
Dog - Companion Sheet

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AC: 28 TAC: 18 FF: 22 CMD: 26 Fort: +8 Ref: +14 Will: +11
HP: 76/76 Narrative: 4 | Perception: +14

---

Feeling his relative youth in this company, Sharpe took a seat at one of the taverns as reports were made and suggestions put forward. He steepled his fingers and considered the people in front of him. There was a solid chance he might lose some of them with this next step.

"First order of business is setting expectations. Profit is not our primary goal here. I am comfortable operating at a loss if necessary and even expect to. That said, take what measures we can to make profits so long as they do not cut into my other goals with this endeavor. Next, we are not here to 'civilize' this territory or try to colonize it. We need to draw up hard lines for what land we intend to use and I do not wish to expand our operations outside of those outside of establishing a few waystations." As he spoke, Sharpe started ticking off the points he had been considering on his fingers. "Thirdly, I expect the operation here to extend every courtesy to any local populations we come in contact with. If possible, I'd like to see us even recruit from them. Any questions?"

[Kylia Quilor]

"I was under the impression the goal of our project was to make the transit safer for traders and travelers?" One of the guards asked. "I understand that with limited manpower we cannot go gallivanting to attack orcs or goblins or the like in their dens, but -"

"Attacking them would only invite retaliation, even if we could." Another guard disagreed. "But... Wizard Sharpe, you speak of recruiting such beings? How can you think goblins of all things could be put to a useful end?"

"Goblins are simple enough," the halfling clerk suggested. "Feed them, and they'll love you forever... or until they get hungry again. Get them plenty to drink and they'll knock themselves out. Literally." She laughed at a confused expression from one guard. "My husband wasn't always a shopkeeper." She looked back at Sharpe. "If profit isn't the goal here, as long as we can stay afloat, then we should be able to stretch resources longer, but I have to ask what are the goals you want us to focus on? The Countess told me, as he said," she gestured to the first guard, "that the goal here is to improve the state of trade and travel across this part of the disputed lands. Is that not the objective, or do you just have a different idea in mind how to do it than we all imagined?"

"And did you have anywhere in mind for these other outposts, or would you like us to find those places?" Yarelle asked. "There's a crumbled out overgrown sh*thole ruin of a village to the north that might work."

 

[Mister Doctor]

Sharpe - Character Sheet
Dog - Companion Sheet

---

AC: 28 TAC: 18 FF: 22 CMD: 26 Fort: +8 Ref: +14 Will: +11
HP: 76/76 Narrative: 4 | Perception: +14

---

"Scouts and outriders," the ersatz wizard said without even blinking. He barely needed to consider the question. Even so, he drew himself up straight in his seat and stared at the two guards that had spoken up.

"I've had orcs stand bravely beside me against the ravening dead and bleed for it, I've seen goblin families immiserated by problems we ignored," Sharpe said coolly at the disbelief he faced. "Our goal is to stabilize travel and trade, bringing our two nations closer together but the best way to handle an enemy is to make them an ally."

Sharpe stood, pacing in front of the others, "Outside of the fact that the local orcs and goblins have as much, if not more, claim to this territory than any one of us, they also know it better than any of us. We enfranchise them, get them invested in this venture and we will have a valuable source of manpower and intelligence."

He turned to regard Yarelle, "I'm going to need you all to figure out the best spots for the waystations. I want them within a day's comfortable travel of each other by loaded wagon. Additionally," and this was to the clerk. He needed to learn her name... all of their names, "I want a new pricing scheme based on the value and volume of the goods being transported. More valuable goods put us at greater risk but I also want to encourage smaller merchants and the like to rely on us. Profits should be split between improving the operation and all of you. You're taking the risks here, I'd see the lot of you well compensated."

Edited April 11 by Mister Doctor (see edit history)

[Kylia Quilor]

The Guards seemed dubious about the idea of goblins and orcs being loyal or useful, or really anything but pests, but at least they didn't protest the point, nodding, and saying they'd do as he directed. Sharpe got the impression they were telling the truth about that, at least.

"I'll have some suggestions drawn up by the evening and you can approve whichever one you like, or I'll act on my discretion, whichever you prefer." The Clerk said in response to his directive about a new price structure. The guards and clerks did all seem to like the idea of getting a reasonable cut of the profits - everyone liked money - so that should help ease any skepticism they might have about the.

"A day apart, but not at a stretch. I think we can work with that." Yarelle looked at her brother, who nodded. "We'll start with the maps, and then head out and check manually."

[Mister Doctor]

Sharpe - Character Sheet
Dog - Companion Sheet

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AC: 28 TAC: 18 FF: 22 CMD: 26 Fort: +8 Ref: +14 Will: +11
HP: 76/76 Narrative: 4 | Perception: +14

---

"I'll be here for a day, I need to survey the current fortification and surrounding land. We can source some lumber from the surrounding trees as we establis... I'll be here for the day making plans," Sharpe said, stopping himself from going down another rabbit hole of planning. There was so much to do, always so much. He was caught between making this operation as self-sufficient as possible without making himself redundant. It was a balancing act of letting his employees operate at the best of the abilities while still providing something that they could get no where else.

Part of that was going to be material advantages. He could bring some of his secrets out to better equip and fortify Falcoth and the waystations. Guns, new designs for defensive walls, explosives, medicines. Even that would require care, though. Too much and his old masters might catch wind and decide to take an interest. They would need to become too large and too important to simply be silently disposed of. The work was never ending.

At least he could finally have somewhere to test his old plumbing designs.

[Kylia Quilor]

"If we can fit it among the other expenses, would you object to us hiring a few laborers to help with the woodcutting?" The halfling clerk, who seemed to be taking the lead of the two clerks,I.e as GM it's easier to collapse things to one NPC rather than two for the sake of simplicity :rofl: asked.

Making plans was a simple enough process in the actual act, even if the plans themselves were anything but simple. Thankfully, though they sometimes seemed skeptical about his plans at times, they were either dutiful enough to their orders, or willing to respect his reputation for creative problem solving (that had been one of the things the Duke had purportedly prized him for) or just didn't care enough to raise objections. One of those three. Varian was happy to put his magic at disposal as needed - the wizard was still simmering with anger at the death of his mentor and associates, but having something constructive to do, and knowing he was helping against those who had killed them was plenty for him.

Yunus and Yarelle just needed work and this was pretty solid work.

Yarelle showed him on a map several promising waystation locations - they weren't exactly a day apart, but since he'd wanted no more than a day apart, they were generally somewhere around three quarters of a day apart - an old village that still had some of it's boundary walls, a mostly intact roadside tavern that Yarelle was pretty sure was made by dwarves way back when, explaining the durability of it, and another village, though this one was less in a defensible shape, lacking much in the way of any sort of wall or even fully intact structures. It was still the best placed for Sharpe's directive about time. That didn't cover the entire journey, so a few more areas would need to be checked for promising locations, but it was a star.

[Mister Doctor]

Sharpe - Character Sheet
Dog - Companion Sheet

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AC: 28 TAC: 18 FF: 22 CMD: 26 Fort: +8 Ref: +14 Will: +11
HP: 76/76 Narrative: 4 | Perception: +14

---

"We're going to need more than 'a few laborers' before we finish even the first stages. Woodcutters, masons, carpenters... You have permission to hire as needed within our budgets. Be sure to include good hazard pay. We're still not entirely secure out here and I want to remain on good terms with the skilled labor we can draw from..." Sharpe trailed off, deciding to rip the bandage off instead of letting the inevitable question get any more awkward. He was sure they had been introduced at some point but could not remember for the life of him. In his defense, Sharpe's life had become profoundly busy of late and details inevitably slipped through his grasp from time to time. "What's your name?"

[Kylia Quilor]

"Shevora," she answered. "I'll hire what we can, as we can." she confirmed. "There are some things I can think of that might allow us to make a little more money without much extra cost to ourselves as well. Not all trees that get cut down will be good for your construction plans, and there's always gonna be scraps. We can probably sell some of that to caravans to sell to carpenters and such. Things like that. That'll stretch what we can do to hire more laborers and get more materials."

She asked several more questions about priorities, in terms of what he wanted focused on first, and she made notes based on his answers, and asked for other questions about what order he wanted various tasks done, how he wanted to direct resources - Shevora clearly had a great deal of familiarity with the basics of project management, so her questions are all directed at organizing the flow of events. It was impossible at this point to say how long any task would take, but Shevora seemed like she would have this as much in hand as it could be had.