Reporting a robbery

Writers: Estelle, Paula
Date Posted: 3rd May 2018
Series: The Great Bandit Trial

Characters: Zandan, Dakon
Description: Trader caravan has been robbed and the Trader reports it to Zandan.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 4, day 25 of Turn 9

By the time his caravan arrived at Emerald Falls Hold, Trader Dakon
had had ten days to stew over his humiliation and his losses, and
his temper had not improved in the least. Usually his first task on
arrival at a Hold would be to find the steward or one of his staff, to
find out if they had need of any of his goods and to arrange a place
for their wagons, but this time he curtly ordered his eldest son to
see to it and strode off towards the guard barracks. He had a more
important matter to deal with.

"I must see the captain. At once," he announced to the first guard he
saw. "I want to report a crime."

He was guided to the Captain's office, where Zandan was battling with
the hidework. If he had know how much hidework he had to do as
Captain, he would have turned down Corowal's invitation. Or perhaps
not. Either way, he was still glad of the interruption.

"How can I help you?" he asked when the trader was led inside.

"You can help me by catching the holdless scum that attacked my
trading party!" Dakon snapped. "They overpowered the men we had on
watch, ransacked the wagons, and made off with valuable goods. My
profit for this season is all but wiped out!"

"I would love to catch those. Sounds like the band I've been tracking
for awhile," Zandan replied, with pretadory gleam in his eyes. He
gestured the man to sit and pulled himself a clean hide for notes.
"Now, I need all details you can give me. Where did this happen? How
many there was? Any attiributes you can give of them?"

"It happened ten day's journey from here, on the road to Coral Bay
- I can point out the place for you on a map, if it helps." The trader
closed his eyes, thinking back to the night that was burned into his
memory. "There were about a dozen of them - four or five to hold my
men, and the rest going through our trade goods and taking their
pick." He clenched his fists. "It was dusk, and they were wearing
hoods and masks, so unfortunately I can't say much about what they
looked like. They were mostly grown men, although there were one or
two younger lads - or possibly women, I can't be certain. I can tell
you one thing: none of them had bathed in a while. They didn't smell
good."

"I wonder if it's the same band that captured that riverboat. They are
well organized," Zandan pondered and pulled out a map of Emerald
Falls' territories. "Now, point me the exact location, please."

"It was about here, not far from where the road turns west, away from
the river." Dakon touched the place on the map with a finger. "We'd
stayed at this runner station here, two nights before. It makes me
wonder if someone at the tavern was passing them information," he added.
"Seemed like they knew we were coming."

Zandan didn't know that region all that well. But he did have a
general idea of it. "Sparsely populated, just few cotholds scattered
here and there," he muttered. "Were you on schedule?" Zandan checked.
Most traders kept a schedule. It tendeded to be flexible since you
never knew what obstacles you ran into.

"We were a bit behind," the trader admitted. "Usually we travel with a
larger group, but we'd delayed to visit some of those small cotholds.
They don't see traders so often and they pay a good price." He
grimaced. "Not my best decision. If we'd stayed with the others, we'd
have been safe."

Zandan nodded. "If you were late, then someone was on a lookout for
you," he speculated. "I'll send men to investigate," he promised. It
would take them ten days to reach the location which meant the trail
was going to be cold. He grimaced at the though. Unless he could flag
down a dragon and get man or two there ahead of the others.

"I have a list here of everything that was taken," Dakon said, handing
over a hide. "Luckily they didn't take our records - I suppose they
weren't interested in those - so we could compare against what was left.
The most valuable items were these pieces of jewellery." He pointed to
the top of the list. "They were Master-made, a wedding present for a
wealthy Holder's daughter. Now I'll have to explain to him what became
of them."

Zandan perked up. "A jewelry, Hall-stamped with the Master's name?
Now, that's hard to sell. Not many want to deal with items like that.
Too easy to identify. Can I have as accurate description of them as
possible? A picture of them would be even more better. I spread the
word and offer a reward. Who knows, maybe we get those jewels back.
Most people who deal with stolen propertly are likes to sell their
mother if the prize is right."

"I can't say as I'm an expert on jewellery. It was a necklace and a
bracelet and a hair clip of some sort. Very intricate, with green stones
and lots of fussy details. Not exactly to my taste, but it's not my
marks. Or at least, it wasn't until the wretched things got stolen from
my wagon," the trader said ruefully. He _did_ hope the guards could get
the jewels back! "You could write to the Master, though, at the
Smithcraft Hall. He might still have the design."

Well, that was vague. "Green stones like emeralds or jade?" Zandan
asked, sounding annoyed. "Set in gold or silver?" He didn't know much
about jewelry either, but at least he paid attention to details.

"Silver, and emeralds, I believe. That's what it said on the receipt,
anyway. The Master's name is Kerintan. He's a youngish fellow, new to
his rank - that should help. There won't be many pieces around with his
mark on them."

Zandan just grunted. He didn't know that name either, so he would have
to talk with the Hold's smiths.

"Is there anything else you need to know, Captain?" Dakon asked. "I'll
be staying here a few days - trading what's left of my goods - so you're
welcome to speak to me or any of the others in my party. Maybe someone
saw something I didn't."

"I just need the complete list of what was stolen and I will probably
interview the other members of your caravan," Zandan replied.

"Of course. May I borrow a pen?" The trader turned over his list and
scribbled down some names on the back before handing it over to Zandan.
"These are the names of the others in the caravan, and the stolen items
are on the other side."

"Thank you," Zandan looked at the list. "I'll get to work," he rose
from the chair. He really, really wanted to catch them.

"And I'd better get back to my wagons." Dakon got to his feet as well.
He, too, wanted nothing more than to see the thieves punished for their
crimes with a long sentence. "Good luck in your hunt, Captain."

Last updated on the August 21st 2018

Series: The Great Bandit Trial [Next: A Furtive Trade (How to catch a thief 1/3)]

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Reporting a robbery