>>5174463>>5171508>>5171554>>5172059>>5172145>>5172155>>5172768>>5172984>>5172996>>5173010>>5173025“Ssomething like that,” you say. “Ssay…”
You are about to open your mouth, to recruit this curvaceous hobgoblin, when you think better of it. You are not Kamunu, not right now: you are Zithra. The entire purpose of this day of hard labour, and even this identity, was that Zithra is far removed from your other alias’ habits and haunts. If Zithra Half-Orc recruits this hobgoblin for Kamunu’s workplace, how separate shall they remain? And if a connection is made between Zithra and Kamunu, and between Zithra and Hawksong’s occult occurrences…
“Thiss operation’s pretty ssophisticated,” you say instead, “for Goblintown.”
“’Sophisticated’ isa pretty big word,” your ‘nurse’ replies without looking up, “for a half-orc.”
You chuckle, though maybe not for the reason she thinks.
“What’s your name?” you ask.
“Yandorse,” she replies.
“Yandorssse,” you say aloud. “A pretty name.”
Yandorse grimaces slightly. “Not something to aspire to, for a hobgoblin.”
“Sstill,” you say, “it sssuitss you.”
The two of you make conversation—about the hobgoblin, about yourself (though most of that is, naturally deceit and dodging questions), and about Navrere’s operation.
“I asssume all thiss issn’t being ssold in Goblintown,” you note. “And you aren’t taking it through the main gates.”
Yandorse smiles at the thought. “No, no we’re not.”
“Then how do you get your productss to market?” you ask. “A shortcut through the ssewersss?”
“Not since the humies started breathing down our neck over that half-orc and his occult operation,” she says, referring to The Incubus’ activities in the area… And the series of highly-publicized murders you committed in the sewer around that same time.
It was these event that led Goblintown to be scrutinized by the Inquisition at all, though you note you still haven’t seen any Paladin deign to sully their shining armour with a visit to this dirty burb.
“I ssee,” you say.
“Even before then, there were rumours about giant rats down there,” Yandrose says. “Maybe they were even true, I guess.”
“Then how?” you ask again.
>19Yandorse hesitates, but leans forward. She whispers to you the secret of her cousin’s ‘salvage and resale’ operation: a human merchant who smuggles them in, sells them, and then brings the Navrere a (small, but reliable) cut of profits.
A part of you wonders if maybe this could provide a useful contact or opportunity someday…
But the sun is setting, and higher duties call. You say your farewell, and escape before Yandorse’s bellowing cousin and pressgang you into her operation.
Reflective goblin eyes catch the setting sun, but if any take note of your subtle exit, none of them say a thing.
[End Thread]
