JaeJae appears to be a serious operator on Footfall. The Liege's refusal to help means the loss of a potential ally. So Jae is encroaching on his turf. If Vladaym is not responsible for the disappearance of Jae's cargo, he will certainly benefit greatly from it.
YOU"I suspect that Vladaym wants to keep the cargo out of your hands. And I want to put him in his place."
Jae"May the Exalted One bless you and your progeny!" Jae instantly pulls out a data-slate and shows you a map of Footfall. "Then here's what we'll do. We shouldn't be seen together before we make it to the safe house. I'll head there first. I'll take my own special route so I won't be spotted."
Jae"Right... Here, that's where those ashmags are keeping the stolen cargo. Out the bar, over the bridge, and to the left — there, in the depths, you'll find a small courtyard through which you can get to the place. I'll be waiting nearby — you can come when it suits you, but the sooner you do, the better. I'll see you then, shereen!"
end of branch
YOU"If the Liege is neglecting his duties, I shall become your patron."
Jae"May the Exalted One bless you and your progeny!" Jae instantly pulls out a data-slate and shows you a map of Footfall. "Then here's what we'll do. We shouldn't be seen together before we make it to the safe house. I'll head there first. I'll take my own special route so I won't be spotted."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."
JaeJae's eyes lose some of their lustre. "That's too bad... too bad. Well, in that case, thank you for listening to the tragic tale of a lady down on her luck. If you happen to change your mind, I'll be around here somewhere... actually, probably right here." Jae bids you goodbye and turns to the bar. "Hey, Octaviana! Get me another bottle!"
end of branch
YOU"I wish to ask you a few questions before I decide."
Jae"Ask as many as you wish, shereen. Trust is the key to a successful endeavour."
YOU"What do you need help with?"
Jae"You see, shereen... There's one cardinal rule on Footfall — anything goes as long as it doesn't get in the way of business. I'm someone who's been able to exploit that rule to the fullest, and in recent years I've hit it so big I've become a speck of sand in someone's green eye. They used to throw small wrenches into my dealings here and there, but now they've decided to really put their backs into it. Some rat's stolen my cargo and dragged it off to the seediest part of the Shadow Quarters — a crummy place, even for connoisseurs of Footfall's unique atmosphere."
Jae"When I asked the Liege for protection, we had a mutual misunderstanding. I believe Vladaym, in a most lamentable fashion, has forgotten his duties as guardian of the downtrodden and wronged... so I'm in desperate need of a new one. And you, shereen, fit the bill perfectly. All I need is for you to drop by one dark corner of Footfall's Shadow Quarters and pound it into the thieves' heads that taking Heydari's property carries certain risks."
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"
Jae"Goods of incredible rarity, shereen. But it's not just that — two dozen of my people lost their lives in the impenetrable emptiness of the void to acquire them. I cannot leave their families with nothing."
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"
Jae"A fair deal, shereen." Bridled excitement simmers in Jae's eyes. "If your heart desires, we'll split the recovered cargo... fifty-fifty. That will be fair. But if goods of incredible rarity do not interest you, then I'll make it worth your while with some bonds equal in value to a couple of full holds."
Jae"Of course, I am aware that my personal means cannot compare to yours, shereen, so I do not hope to impress you with money. But I can offer something else — my boundless knowledge! Surely you will appreciate the services of an expert on trading operations. Where I'm from, they call this kind of deal 'wisdom selling.'"
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."
JaeHer dark eyes light up with keen interest. "You truly know how to do business, shereen! You demand payment before giving an answer because you're aware of the weakness of my position... I respect that. And I don't know if it's the alcohol talking or just a feeling I have, but I want to take that risk with you."
JaeShe reaches into her polished boot and produces a small package, which she offers to you. "True jewels are meant to be held in the hands of the worthiest, shereen. Please, accept this humble gift." Jae smiles mysteriously and takes a sip of her fragrant drink.
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."
Jae"May the Exalted One bless you and your progeny!" Jae instantly pulls out a data-slate and shows you a map of Footfall. "Then here's what we'll do. We shouldn't be seen together before we make it to the safe house. I'll head there first. I'll take my own special route so I won't be spotted."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Jae(sequence)
Idira"Heh. I'm starting to like her."
end of branch
KibellahKibellah narrows her eyes in contempt. "Your trade is heresy. Your every word and gesture reeks of vice. Vice is all you can peddle."
end of branch
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 4 of 14
JaeIt seems Jae is too minor a player for someone in the Liege's position to devote any attention to her problems.
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 5 of 14
JaeOrdinary smugglers do not dress so ostentatiously or behave so brazenly, and they are unlikely to spoil the mood of the Liege of Footfall with their mere appearance. This woman lost many people to obtain these "rarest of goods," and to get them back, she turned to Vladaym Tocara, the patron of all Cold Trade in the Expanse. Her cargo can be nothing other than xeno-artefacts — creations of the enemies of Humanity, branded with heresy.
YOU"Are you asking an upstanding citizen to be party to the trafficking of xeno-artefacts?"
Jae"I thought we were on the same page from the start, shereen. Please accept my sincerest apologies if that is not the case, and allow me to explain myself."
Jae"If I had told you directly, you would have become... shall we say, complicit. But since those illicit words did not escape my lips, you would hypothetically be agreeing merely to help me recapture a few containers. And if the azhi suddenly decided to thwart our plans, then all the void dogs would be unleashed on me alone. My sincerest wish was to protect you from any unnecessary trouble, shereen. I swear by the Exalted One!"
YOU"Are you asking an upstanding citizen to be party to the trafficking of xeno-artefacts?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I should have you executed on the spot for such a suggestion! Your cargo is nothing but foul xenoheresy!"
Jae"Should I take that as a no?"
JaeJae's eyes lose some of their lustre. "That's too bad... too bad. Well, in that case, thank you for listening to the tragic tale of a lady down on her luck. If you happen to change your mind, I'll be around here somewhere... actually, probably right here." Jae bids you goodbye and turns to the bar. "Hey, Octaviana! Get me another bottle!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to ask you a few questions before I decide."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I should have you executed on the spot for such a suggestion! Your cargo is nothing but foul xenoheresy!"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I wish to ask you a few questions before I decide."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 6 of 14
JaeA simple and obvious thought occurs to you: the ostentatious outfit, the deliberately brash behaviour, the tales about valuable cargo — it is all smoke and mirrors. Most likely, Jae is a small-time smuggler eager to latch onto a bigger fish. She failed with Vladaym and now she has set her sights on you.
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 7 of 14
Jae(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 8 of 14
Jae(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 9 of 14
Jae(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 10 of 14
Jae(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 11 of 14
Jae(no text)
end of branch
Entry point 12 of 14
Jae"Have we met somewhere before?" The woman looks at you with the glassy eyes of a drunk, and you notice the two empty bottles that had been keeping her company before you arrived. She looks completely out of place in this dingy, smoky bar. The fancy attire, the abundance of jewellery, the implants plated with precious metals — her appearance not only screams wealth, but also audacity, for only an audacious person would flaunt their wealth in a place like this.
JaeShe smiles somewhat groggily as she examines you over the glass that is raised to her lips. "Greetings, shereen. With whom do I have the honour of speaking?"
YOU"Call me [Name]."
Jae"Well, then... here's to our meeting, [Name]. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're someone special, since you've been granted an audience with the Liege of Footfall himself. It's always a pleasure to make the acquaintance of someone powerful." She takes a sip, and pauses... then resolutely sets her glass aside and turns to you. "And the timing couldn't be better."
Jae"Jae Heydari, at your service. Professional trader, shrewd commercial broker, and — may azhi steal my tongue if I'm lying — the most honest dealer on Footfall. Nonetheless, we all have our problems, and at times even one's many merits aren't enough to solve them. Perhaps it would be no trouble for a person with your kind of power and standing to assist someone with my kind of predicament?"
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Jae"I have heard a great deal about how... open-minded the members of the von Valancius dynasty are. And Lady Theodora especially."
YOU"What do you need help with?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What kind of cargo was stolen from you?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"What can you offer in terms of payment?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"So far, you have shown me nothing but bluster. Prove your usefulness. Now."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I'm not interested."continues where this line first appears above
Jae(sequence)
HeinrixHeinrix coughs and says quickly and quietly, "She's a Cold Trader, a smuggler who deals in xenos artefacts. Apart from this heresy, I know of no other grave crimes committed by her."
end of branch
Solomorne"I've heard about a Heydari from Footfall, a local Cold Trader of little prominence." The Proctor nods slightly to himself. "Not worth my time."
JaeJae's smile grows even more dazzling. "I do hope this cursory and altogether inappropriate character assessment from the distinguished Arbitrator will not hinder you from forming your own opinion of my many illustrious talents!"
end of branch
Jae(sequence)continues where this line first appears above
JaeThe woman, after taking a sip from her glass, chokes and quickly clears her throat. "[Name]! [Name] von Valancius... my deepest, humblest regards, Your Lordship/Ladyship! I never would've imagined I'd be standing at the bar in the Amasecus next to an honest-to-God-Emperor Rogue Trader!"
Jae"Jae Heydari, at your service. Professional trader, shrewd commercial broker, and — may azhi steal my tongue if I'm lying — the most honest dealer on Footfall. Nonetheless, we all have our problems, and at times even one's many merits aren't enough to solve them. Perhaps it would be no trouble for a person with your kind of power and standing to assist someone with my kind of predicament?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Rogue Trader [Name] von Valancius."
JaeThe woman, after taking a sip from her glass, chokes and quickly clears her throat. "[Name]! [Name] von Valancius... my deepest, humblest regards, Your Lordship/Ladyship! I never would've imagined I'd be standing at the bar in the Amasecus next to an honest-to-God-Emperor Rogue Trader!"
Jae"Jae Heydari, at your service. Professional trader, shrewd commercial broker, and — may azhi steal my tongue if I'm lying — the most honest dealer on Footfall. Nonetheless, we all have our problems, and at times even one's many merits aren't enough to solve them. Perhaps it would be no trouble for a person with your kind of power and standing to assist someone with my kind of predicament?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I am [Name], trade envoy of House von Valancius."
Jae"Well, then... here's to our meeting, [Name]. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that you're someone special, since you've been granted an audience with the Liege of Footfall himself. It's always a pleasure to make the acquaintance of someone powerful." She takes a sip, and pauses... then resolutely sets her glass aside and turns to you. "And the timing couldn't be better."
Jae"Jae Heydari, at your service. Professional trader, shrewd commercial broker, and — may azhi steal my tongue if I'm lying — the most honest dealer on Footfall. Nonetheless, we all have our problems, and at times even one's many merits aren't enough to solve them. Perhaps it would be no trouble for a person with your kind of power and standing to assist someone with my kind of predicament?"continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 13 of 14
JaeJae salutes you with her glass in greeting. "Shereen! Glad to see you in good health! Have you, perchance, been moved from indifference to sympathy already? With regard to my predicament and all."
YOU"How is life treating you, Jae?"
Jae"Life? What kind of life can a distressed servant of the Exalted One have, left at the mercy of Footfall's slavering dogs? My situation is still precarious, shereen... and I'm still desperate for help, for which I'm willing to pay handsomely."
YOU"How is life treating you, Jae?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Remind me, what is your predicament?"
Jae"You see, shereen... There's one cardinal rule on Footfall — anything goes as long as it doesn't get in the way of business. I'm someone who's been able to exploit that rule to the fullest, and in recent years I've hit it so big I've become a speck of sand in someone's green eye. They used to throw small wrenches into my dealings here and there, but now they've decided to really put their backs into it. Some rat's stolen my cargo and dragged it off to the seediest part of the Shadow Quarters — a crummy place, even for connoisseurs of Footfall's unique atmosphere."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I must take my leave."
end of branch
Jae"Better than the last time we met, shereen, may the Exalted One bless your path! However, it gets less and less comfortable for me on Footfall by the day — without the Liege's favour, this Throne-forgotten station is a rather dangerous place to be. Maybe I'll move somewhere far away, as soon as I figure out how to rid myself of some unwanted liabilities and offload some inconvenient goods..."
YOU"How is life treating you, Jae?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Actually, I'm here for you, Jae. I would like to see you in my retinue."
Jae"Oh, honey to my ears! A balm to a spurned soul!" Jae gracefully tosses her jet-black hair out of her face and gives you a beaming smile. "I knew the God-Emperor would bring us together right when you needed my services! Me and my talents are at your complete disposal."
end of branch
YOU"I must take my leave."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Remind me, what is your predicament?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"All right, I'll help you."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I must take my leave."continues where this line first appears above
Entry point 14 of 14
Jae"Your Lordship/Ladyship, shereen, wonderful to see you here! You're practically a regular at the Amasecus now — the local flavour is clearly to your taste." Jae laughs and brings a glass of amber liquid to her lips.
YOU"How is life treating you, Jae?"continues where this line first appears above
YOU"Actually, I'm here for you, Jae. I would like to see you in my retinue."continues where this line first appears above
YOU"I must take my leave."continues where this line first appears above