Sala does make good on her word and explains the Kuzenkos. There is good news and bad news.
The good news is that the Kuzenkos are indeed a bit shady. They do business, and that involves making money and moving stuff around, and sometimes less-than-legal stuff. Not terrible, horrible, unstoppable nasty stuff, but some stealing and even occasional murder. Still, most of what they do is perfectly fine, just moving things from place to place and loaning money at rates that are pretty low. And they do run straight businesses as a front, too. They're in some kind of permanent conflict, inside and out, between other big companies, small companies, and each other, with division leaders always looking for an edge over other people. Like office politics, but with a lot more stealing, murder, and less brown-nosing. There's absolutely potential for Raucous to find a place here.
The bad news is there is no cheese. It'll take a couple weeks to make the cheese. Today, there is no cheese. Raucous lets Sala know that cheese was promised, and that this is a horrible betrayal and he will get even.
Surprisingly, Sala takes this threat seriously and produces cheese. It's not great, but there is local cheese, and a generous supply of it is provided.
Sala also pays up with another silver note, although carrying two of them is getting a little bit awkward. Some kind of bird-wallet is going to be necessary. Sala recommends someone in the next town to the east, and starts talking about another job Raucous could do in that direction. Something involving a fountain. Apparently Sala wants the bird to destroy a piece of architecture next, for obscure reasons like the last three jobs.
..But this doesn't really fit with what needs to happen. Raucous needs to save the world, and doing small jobs for Sala, however useful and fun they can be, won't do it on their own. She's doing stuff to help herself out, or her position in the company, and while there probably is some sort of evil plan.. it's a slow evil plan. Sala, ruler of the Kuzenkos, will not be particularly amazing for Raucous.
Well, other than providing really good cheese. Really good cheese is worth doing. But really good cheese will be available, regardless of what happens next.
"Sala, do you have any business in the capital? I've got some things I'd like to do there."
As it turns out, yes, Sala does have business in the capital. It also turns out the capital is months of foot travel away, far to the east and south, past a forest, a small mountain range, and down a great river. Even by wing it'll be weeks.
Huh. Well, no time like the present.
Sala does make good on her word and explains the Kuzenkos. There is good news and bad news.
The good news is that the Kuzenkos are indeed a bit shady. They do business, and that involves making money and moving stuff around, and sometimes less-than-legal stuff. Not terrible, horrible, unstoppable nasty stuff, but some stealing and even occasional murder. Still, most of what they do is perfectly fine, just moving things from place to place and loaning money at rates that are pretty low. And they do run straight businesses as a front, too. They're in some kind of permanent conflict, inside and out, between other big companies, small companies, and each other, with division leaders always looking for an edge over other people. Like office politics, but with a lot more stealing, murder, and less brown-nosing. There's absolutely potential for Raucous to find a place here.
The bad news is there is no cheese. It'll take a couple weeks to make the cheese. Today, there is no cheese. Raucous lets Sala know that cheese was promised, and that this is a horrible betrayal and he will get even.
Surprisingly, Sala takes this threat seriously and produces cheese. It's not great, but there is local cheese, and a generous supply of it is provided.
Sala also pays up with another silver note, although carrying two of them is getting a little bit awkward. Some kind of bird-wallet is going to be necessary. Sala recommends someone in the next town to the east, and starts talking about another job Raucous could do in that direction. Something involving a fountain. Apparently Sala wants the bird to destroy a piece of architecture next, for obscure reasons like the last three jobs.
..But this doesn't really fit with what needs to happen. Raucous needs to save the world, and doing small jobs for Sala, however useful and fun they can be, won't do it on their own. She's doing stuff to help herself out, or her position in the company, and while there probably is some sort of evil plan.. it's a slow evil plan. Sala, ruler of the Kuzenkos, will not be particularly amazing for Raucous.
Well, other than providing really good cheese. Really good cheese is worth doing. But really good cheese will be available, regardless of what happens next.
"Sala, do you have any business in the capital? I've got some things I'd like to do there."
As it turns out, yes, Sala does have business in the capital. It also turns out the capital is months of foot travel away, far to the east and south, past a forest, a small mountain range, and down a great river. Even by wing it'll be weeks.
Huh. Well, no time like the present.
