Job: The Bargain Knight

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Friends of House Fortemps have sent us a bill to find and return a missing knight to Ishgard. Ser Gervant Lesaille was last seen leaving Revenant's Toll where he made his second home while stationed in Coerthas; and has not returned. It has been discovered he has run up a sizable debt of undisclosed amounts, which he paid with gil from an unknown source. Some contemplate the possibility fo approaching a loan shark; and that these individuals may or may not be in pursuit or have already caught Ser Lesaille. Regardless, Ishgard does not abandon her sons; and we have been requested to bring him home: hopefully alive, and if not: to have the peace of resting with his family at Falcon's Nest in death.

 

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" Our first stop in finding out about Ser Lesaille's whereabouts was his temporary residence in Revenant's Toll. Though no longer there, his rent has been paid through til next year; and many of his things are still within.

Or were.

 

While asking around about his last appearance and any known destination, we came across more than a few individuals whose opinions of the knight were varied thanks mostly to his habits of reducing his fees for Freelance work when being employed by those who were most in need. While many of the less skilled locals admired his sacrifice and helpfulness in the community; the expectation of similar price cuts this left on his peers was far less than welcome. In other words.. he made as many enemies as he did friends; and continued to pile up debt as a result of his price cutting.

 

One such incensed individual was caught by the locals trying to loot his things while we were present; and was caught trying to abscond with a decent amount of personal effects, including a dagger that may or may not mark him as a man either in service to House Durendaire.. or to whom someone among them owe a debt. This in itself is curious, as Durendaire takes care of it's own, and is the richest House in Ishgard even to this day: still having management over both Whitebrim itself, and the compromised Stone Vigil.

 

Further, while trading for pantry goods to take with him on his travels: he asked for a specific hot meal to be wrapped up, Lentils and Chestnuts: well herbed. As a Falcon's Nest man, his tastes have been confirmed as being very bland when it comes to food. We can only guess at this time that this dish was meant for his friend in Fallgourd: whom some children who pointed out 'Bo's theft pointed us towards when asked about Gervant.

 

Our next step is to follow the trail to Fallgourd, after a visit to Whitebrim. I admit I don't look forward to it, and wonder if I shouldn't ask Lan to use his and his cousin's connections to better pry at Drillmonte or at least his aides in particular: none of whom have any love for me to say the least.

                                                                            ~Faruhn'li Rhalakos. "

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((The Bargain Knight: Part One))

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" Not one for long reports. The dagger they got from the Toll sounded like it might be more than it seemed, so I asked the ladies to bring it up to the Paw for examination. Turns out it's whitesteel: an alloy made with a mineral the Ishgardians have a monopoly on in Whitebrim. Not cheap, or easy to come by. Next to impossible unless you're sworn to one of the Houses or have a shite-ton of money and the connections to get one made in Ishgard with all the honors.

Given our knight didn't have any money and the state it was in I would say he kept using it, and it was important enough to leave at home: probably because he wasn't going wherever as Durendaire: if not because he didn't want it to see any further levels of disrepair he couldn't afford to fix.

I'm heading up there tonight to see if I can't track down it's maker. The smith's mark isn't hard to memorize. --Drax "

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((The Bargain Knight: Part Two))

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" It turns out our knight had an incoming job. Though the letter never reached him, it didn't have to as he met with its sender before it arrived at Whitebrim. I was lucky enough to come onto the scene as they were still arguing about it, and potentially sending another party of their own to look for Gervant in Fallgourd, again. Apparently being closer, Fortemps sent their own to Fallgourd to investigate the first time, and something had put them off the first time around: leading to our hire.

Drillmonte himself summoned us up when they decided to get loud about my questions. He has mellowed a great deal since I saw him last, even coming up the lack of stiffness towards outsiders was apparent. I am guessing his ordeals since, and the lives lost in between have softened his approach a little: even if his men could use a good reminding.

Said men were however much more pliant than I expected when he chastised them just as loudly as they had been below, and tossed informing me of what they knew in their faces before he excused himself to see to the afternoon drills in their absence. That done, they allowed me to read the letter, finally; and filled in a few blanks, and though there were still some things they left out, I can't say what that could be until we find out, or find Gervant. I suspect still however given their character, that Gervant's lower status and mismatching, earned greater name has something to do with it. Many of them have served Durendaire for generations, where Lesaille only came to serve them after the Calamity when Falcon's watch was buried under snow and ice along with the Pass once leading into Western nearby. Given some of the comments made during the conversation, I believe he may be among the last of his kin; as one of them mentioned how he should have died in the avalanche in the pass with the rest of those what tried to escape the even colder climate changes in Western Coerthas to Central.


In any case, we found the job he was after; as well as one of the debtor's men: who likely is the tool of a monetarist. I'm requesting Grace's help with this one. Comphas is letting that man go when he's done with the Serpents. I would like to see where he goes -- or rather to who. Eventually, his employer will pick him up. Finding out who it is will help us know what we're dealing with, and perhaps help us find out how much he owes. If we can get a hold of his ledger through the lender, maybe we can find out how much money he needs and discern what other jobs besides collecting Dullahan swords he might have gone after.

Speaking of, we found his chestplate. Pretty likely he's gone to Hyrstmill to have it temporarily replaced, given the best smithy in the Shroud is there.. and very close to where his own was cracked and discarded. Hopefully, we find the man himself.. but I doubt it. If he were that close to Fallgourd still they would have found him by now. Perhaps the best thing to come of being attacked in the inn, is that we know that his pursuers are still looking, and think he's still alive. Which means unless he's gotten himself cleaved in half by a soulkin; means he probably is. Here's hoping that's a correct assumption, on both our parts. Folk like him who care and actually prove it to their own detriment, are rare.

I hope he's alive, if only so he can stay that way long enough to see and feel the reward of it one day after if not when he gets home.


~Faruhn'li Rhalakos."

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((The Bargain Knight: Part Three))