Theft Plot - Overview
Do not click this link if you do not want to know a high-level overview of the theft plots to date.
Beginning in the autumn, when the number of tithe trains peaks, several tithes were ransacked in a way that quickly became identifiable as a modus operandi. Valuables, including pretty much all of the Weyr’s stock of liquor from Tillek, were stolen. Leova and A’son master-minded the idea of going under-cover to infiltrate one of the tithe trains, which enabled them to be on hand when a raid began. Although he was “in the know,” K’del did not actively participate, preferring instead to maintain the idea that he was clueless and ineffective. Calling in reserves from the Reaches, Leova and A’son managed to save the tithe from being stolen, and caught one of the thieves-- a young man named Jamden, who seemed to know precious little. Jamden was brought to the Weyr and questioned at length, but he could provide little useful information. In short, he was a pawn.
Presumably in retaliation for this kidnapping, a young man from Nabol was taken on a raid shortly thereafter. Several farmholds were raided in a short space of time, including W’chek’s family’s holding. On the heels of this, a watchrider reported to Tiriana that the boy’s mother was hysterical and begging for help. Additionally, K’del received a letter with the blatant implication that the Weyr had to return Jamden or face retaliatory kidnapping. After a meeting with Leova, A’son, Tiriana, and K’del, Jamden was returned, and so was the Nabolese boy. A’son and Leova were left to tail Jamden, and Tiriana returned the boy to his mother-- after punching him in the face.
A’son and Leova tailed Jamden from High Reaches Hold, where he spent a day with a relative who seemed unconnected to the grander scheme of things. From there, he was picked up in a wagon, which moved until the road became unpassable. Jamden and his rescuer continued on foot, finally coming to an abandoned cothold in the High Reaches Hold area. After a day of reconnaissance, planning and placement, the hold was sacked. This time, with better coordination, several villains are actually captured, despite the arguably distracting interference of the Weyrwoman, who insisted on hands-on assistance with the capture. It was very quickly made plain that the perpetrators didn’t just randomly pick High Reaches because of its change in leadership, but instead had them “marked.”
The perpetrators were none other than our good friends the Vijays, though only fragmentary compared to the well-oiled machine they were a few years ago. Though still run by Rajiv, the family-- what's left of it-- has suffered a hard blow in the intervening Turns, with their reputation rather obviously tarnished and their business hit hard when the Weyr pulled the rug out from under them. Since Rajiv’s very blatantly grinding an axe, it’s not hard to get him to sing like a canary, and he openly admits that they targeted the Reaches out of revenge, and they were preying on the Weyr’s new leadership as a chance to recoup some of their losses. Much of what was taken was already sold-- witness the Tillekian beer sold throughout the region, to the likes of the bartender that N’thei and then-Isziyo roughed up-- but there’s a recoverable amount still on hand.
At this point, with the mastermind in custody, the question becomes: What do they do with him? Trial? Tie some bricks to his feet and pretend he “got away?” To whom is he turned over? High Reaches Hold, as he was found in their territory? Tillek or Crom, who were robbed?
Beginning in the autumn, when the number of tithe trains peaks, several tithes were ransacked in a way that quickly became identifiable as a modus operandi. Valuables, including pretty much all of the Weyr’s stock of liquor from Tillek, were stolen. Leova and A’son master-minded the idea of going under-cover to infiltrate one of the tithe trains, which enabled them to be on hand when a raid began. Although he was “in the know,” K’del did not actively participate, preferring instead to maintain the idea that he was clueless and ineffective. Calling in reserves from the Reaches, Leova and A’son managed to save the tithe from being stolen, and caught one of the thieves-- a young man named Jamden, who seemed to know precious little. Jamden was brought to the Weyr and questioned at length, but he could provide little useful information. In short, he was a pawn.
Presumably in retaliation for this kidnapping, a young man from Nabol was taken on a raid shortly thereafter. Several farmholds were raided in a short space of time, including W’chek’s family’s holding. On the heels of this, a watchrider reported to Tiriana that the boy’s mother was hysterical and begging for help. Additionally, K’del received a letter with the blatant implication that the Weyr had to return Jamden or face retaliatory kidnapping. After a meeting with Leova, A’son, Tiriana, and K’del, Jamden was returned, and so was the Nabolese boy. A’son and Leova were left to tail Jamden, and Tiriana returned the boy to his mother-- after punching him in the face.
A’son and Leova tailed Jamden from High Reaches Hold, where he spent a day with a relative who seemed unconnected to the grander scheme of things. From there, he was picked up in a wagon, which moved until the road became unpassable. Jamden and his rescuer continued on foot, finally coming to an abandoned cothold in the High Reaches Hold area. After a day of reconnaissance, planning and placement, the hold was sacked. This time, with better coordination, several villains are actually captured, despite the arguably distracting interference of the Weyrwoman, who insisted on hands-on assistance with the capture. It was very quickly made plain that the perpetrators didn’t just randomly pick High Reaches because of its change in leadership, but instead had them “marked.”
The perpetrators were none other than our good friends the Vijays, though only fragmentary compared to the well-oiled machine they were a few years ago. Though still run by Rajiv, the family-- what's left of it-- has suffered a hard blow in the intervening Turns, with their reputation rather obviously tarnished and their business hit hard when the Weyr pulled the rug out from under them. Since Rajiv’s very blatantly grinding an axe, it’s not hard to get him to sing like a canary, and he openly admits that they targeted the Reaches out of revenge, and they were preying on the Weyr’s new leadership as a chance to recoup some of their losses. Much of what was taken was already sold-- witness the Tillekian beer sold throughout the region, to the likes of the bartender that N’thei and then-Isziyo roughed up-- but there’s a recoverable amount still on hand.
At this point, with the mastermind in custody, the question becomes: What do they do with him? Trial? Tie some bricks to his feet and pretend he “got away?” To whom is he turned over? High Reaches Hold, as he was found in their territory? Tillek or Crom, who were robbed?