Harpher Knap has an assistant named Wes. Wes keeps 2 horses at the Goats Blood Inn. He poses as a mail and parcel deliveryman. He operates between Cerran’s Grant and Belmain. Wes seems very ordinary and has never caused any trouble. His job gives him leave to be seen coming and going at all hours. Locales know him as a quiet man and practical – they know he goes to Cerran’s Grant but Wes makes sure to never be political and to appear to just stick to the job.
This actually makes him stick out in some senses. Real folk of the Riverdans would never pass an opportunity to bash the puppet powers in Cerran’s Grant.
Wes will hire a couple of mercenaries that Harpher keeps “on hand” to harass the Swone Family in the hopes of
pressuring their son Jiles to take Harpher’s offer and spy on the Darrow Brothers.
The group will hear about Harpher from Jiles, who will get one last visit. When Jiles says he knows nothing, Harpher will threaten him, and threaten his family.
Foxgrove stables is the sight of an altercation. Wes hires 3 thugs to beat up Jiles’ father. They make it appear as if it was a business argument – but they had no business. The three thugs are locales – known bullies and braggarts. They can be found at the Cavern Tavern.
> RES 50, melee 2, fend 2, evade 2; club
– They will not fight to the death, and will only say that a man hired them, cloaked, for 20 silvers each. One of them overheard the man as he was walking away that there may be another job if they were not too squeamish about beating women-folk = probably family.
Wes will get the news his bullies have been hunted down. He will employ the mercenaries and escalate the
situation. The PC’s will be arriving just in time, there will be 4 men on horseback that are setting fire to the house. These men are dressed as ‘bandits’, but all their stuff is new – just like Steele Eyed Pete’s crew…
> RES 50; leather jerkin 3/24; ride 2, melee 3, fend 3, evade 3; club, dagger, short swords
These men are posing as bandits – but they have horses. They were also hired by a stranger whose face was masked, though a connection they know only as “The Fiddler” (HArpher). The brand on the horses is from Cerran’s Grant – the only one doing business there directly is Wes.
Wes will see the party coming. If there is enough delay, he may have a chance to get away on a very fast horse.
Otherwise, he will have to be surprised at the Goats Blood Inn.
WES: RES 65; melee 4, evade 5, fend 4, grapple 4; CRD 8, RSP 8; shortsword, dagger
Wes will not fight to the death, relying on Harpher to save him later. He can hold on a few days under torture.
Harpher will not let Wes live long enough to talk. If ANY of the thugs or mercenaries live and are freed,
Harpher will find out what happens to Wes. If all are killed, Wes will eventually give up Harphers name – as Harpher
will not know to arrange for his “release”.
Wes tells about Harpher – He gives his first name and a description; Wes will leave right away for the east if he can.
Harpher kills Wes – Harpher uses Robert Glass to slip in and kill Wes from a distance using poison. If the PC’s investigate one person will stand out, a man who called himself Mr. Glassman was asking about Wes and the party that night. Any examination will be ruled as a weak heart – much like Reibar’s death… strangely suspicious.