Interlude 1: First Steps

Your return to Mantiz was uneventful. You learned from the skaa woman you rescued that her name is Cierra, and she had lived on the plantation her entire life. A fortnight before the guards had dragged her from her home, bound her in the basement and Lady Letorneau herself had overseen as she was forced to drink water with metal flakes floating in it and instructed to 'burn' the metal. A man was there as well, he stood back, arms crossed, and just stared at her. She never understood what they wanted from her, she wasn't a Misting, she couldn't be, her parents were both skaa!

Farrel, the boy Lynch agreed to take with them when they left, had bright spirits when you arrived in Mantiz. Young, strong of body and determined to prove his worth, you expect he'll make a good ally for the work that is to come.

Tracking down Sastren wasn't difficult, one of her agents intercepted you upon your return and arranged a meeting. When you delivered the book, she upheld her end of the bargain. She'd secured a hideout for the crew, a small cafe on the east side of the city, far from where nobles frequented. A family of three operated the little cafe, which was hardly more than two seating tables and a small kitchen. The cafe had a small backroom, outfitted with a few chairs and cots, that you could use to plan and lay low. Sastren assured you that, while on the premises, you'd be safely secured under her coppercloud. Your allomancy masked from the prying senses of Seekers.

It was a week before Mateo was able to contact any of your directly, Dezire, of course, had arrived at the cafe within a day of her arrival in Mantiz. But, finally, the crew was assembled. You sat in the quiet back room and prepared to set your plan in motion. The question was, which noble was first, and how would you take them down...

Sastren quietly enters the room as you discuss your plans, and places pot of tea and a a few cups on the middle table. She glances at the picture and adds, "Renaut Prelau. You've got some big aspirations if you're itching to take him down. An uncanny bloodline, they say, the whole family are either rioters, seekers or mistborn. The specialization has made them experts at what they do. Rioting emotions and tracking down allomancers. Rumours say the Steel Ministry even hires the Prelau's to do work that doesn't quite demand the ruthlessness of a Steel Inquisitor." She starts to leave then adds, "If you really want to start chaos in the noble ranks here, I'd consider the Belen family. They own the iron mines to the west, and the ironworks as well. Not a very high ranking family, but well connected. Many nobles in the city have ties to the Belen family, as many families have a Lurcher or two."

Mateo looks up in thought. "I'm sure that fake letters could be arranged. If we can get handwriting samples, personal and financial details, and the appropriate recipient, we could do some serious damage."

Looking over the book recovered from the plantation, and after a quick conversation with Sastren, he arrives at an answer for Daclish: Most of the skaa in the book identified with the unknown mark that indicates they are Mistings, but of an unidentified metal (at least, that's what Mateo has come to believe it means) also have worked at, or are currently at, the Belen family iron mines.

Dezire remembers a young skaa who aspired to join a thieving crew, and had decided to 'start out' by conning an obligator. A risky move for even an experience thief, Dez bore witness to the event and swooped in just in time to talk the obligator out of a beheading. She gave the boy a few tips, and hooked him up with a thieving crew she knew needed a few more, relatively unskilled, hands. It's been about three years since then, but last she heard the boy - Reyland - was still with that crew. She knew they had long plans to infiltrate the ironworks and steadily siphon metal to supply skaa mistings. Probably Reyland is their hands in the ironworks.Sastren takes a seat in an empty chair, "This is all well and good, but what's your plan for putting the nobles off balance? Cause a shortage? If so, how? Destroying the ironworks, or damaging the mine would be effective.. but might not leave you with options to further sow disarray within their ranks. No noble would destroy such a valuable asset. Is your target the ironworks, the mine, or both?"

Hirm easily recalls a few contacts that keep a close eye on the canals. Once your planning session is over, Hiram catches up with one and gets a detailed report on the shipping activities of the Belen family. They tend to send a large shipment of processed ore from the mine to the factory early in the week, and a shipment from the factory to their warehouses in the city late in the week.

Daclish, thinking about helping the skaa in the notebook, reviews who he might know that is connected to the mines. After all, most of the Belen skaa in the notebook are there. He recalls an old friend, well 'friend', acquaintance perhaps, who used to be a miner at the Belen facility. She escaped during an ill planned skaa uprising, and has made a life for herself amongst the dregs of the city. Not glamorous living, but not mining. She probably knows a think or two about the mines, especially as she was involved in the planning of the uprising.

Sastren nods, "The plan brings together all of your goals. Get intel on a good target for suspicion, gather the means to make it look like they did it - most noble houses in Mantiz have family crests and tend to dress in clothing weaved from fabric colours that occur in their crest, wearing the attire of the target family would be a good way to seed the suspicion. Then, hit the mines, spring the skaa from slavery and cover it all up with a cave in. Slows iron production, slamming the noble economy, and plants suspicion on target family. If you manage to also rob a shipment of iron in the same stroke it would strongly suggest an intentional disruption of production in an effort to gain an edge in iron supplies.

What do you plan to do with the skaa once you get them free of their service to the mines?"

Sastren nods, "Good points. I'm afraid that if any escaped skaa remain in and near Mantiz, their lives will remain at risk. I can see about arranging for the safety and settlement of the skaa you free. I know a skaa living in the mountains free from noble rule, it is a hard life, but it will be far from here. Keep me informed of your plans, and I will let you know where to direct the skaa you free." She rises, and leaves you to complete your plans.

Mateo nods gently as he listens to the plan form. "I think this plan could very well work, but it is lacking in some small respects. There are a lot of unknowns surrounding the nobles. I will see if I can get myself assigned somewhere closer, or else pick up whatever I can."

Lynch spends the afternoon chatting with his various contacts about the movements and actions of the two nobles the group has their eye ultimately on. Chappotin has, apparently, been hosting regular and quite lavish balls. A ball or two a month is not uncommon in Mantiz, but if there are two in a month, often they are hosted by different families. In this case, Chappotin has been hosting a ball a week almost for the last two months. Those who care to pay attention to noble politicking amongst the skaa suspect he's preparing a signifiant political leap. No one arranges to rub shoulders with the noble hierarchy that often if they aren't planning something huge.

Chappotin, more than anyone, has been securing contracts and massing resources as if in preparation for a noble house war. This includes contracts from the Belen family, as well as the other metal and arms suppliers. This as inferred by one informant from the invitation lists for the parties.

Lynch also learns that the Prelau family has been working particularly closely with the Letorneau's. Prelau search squads, usually a Rioter and a Seeker working together, have been seen milling about plantations, mines, factories and skaa quarters more frequently than usual over the last few months. Thinking about it, Lynch suspects that the notebook they recovered is the product of Prelau search squads working on behalf of the Letorneau's.

Kolynn whispers, "I know someone who works the docks and could help you. Give me a few days advance notice, and let me know what you need, and I can see to it that it's arranged. I'd love nothing more than to see the Belen's crushed."