2022/06/29

Last time in the Iron Kingdoms, the party found itself at the beginning of a revolution.
Our story begins in a bar called Undertow in the port of Five Fingers, the patrons of the bar are voicing their discontent with the recent taxes that have been levied on the city, with the reason being to rebuild Five Finger's nation, Ord. Ord was damaged heavily during the Infernal Claiming 5 years ago and has been rebuilding and modernizing since. It was here, for whatever their reasons, that the party found themselves on this eventful night. Gazza Enthus was a regular of Undertow and was participating in a game of cards at the bar with a number of his drinking buddies, Gazza's spirits were untainted by the tone of the room as he started randy drinking songs to minor participation. Izzy "Shakes" had just dropped into Undertow to get some tea after a long day's work in his machine shop. Sitting next to him was Xavier Quincy, who was drinking at the bar with his trusty storm glaive on his back. Keeping watch over the room was Charlotte Meidrim, who served as the bar's bouncer with her warjack Kitten. Finally, Abel was working at Undertow as it was the first job that he was able to land since he arrived in Five Fingers.
The night went on with Shakes and Xavier having a minor conversation with Atrixia, the satyxis bartender and owner of Undertow. Abel in the meanwhile was running drink orders to the increasingly unhappy patrons. Eventually as the anger at the taxes and Ordic government reached its boiling point Atrixia jumped up on the bar to coordinate the unruly masses. She gave a speech to the bar about how Ord thinks that it can just take what it wants from Five Fingers and that they don't know who they're messing with. Atrixia then promises 100 crowns and free drinks for a week for anyone who marches with her to the Lord Governor's mansion to "have a conversation with him" Most of the people in the bar agree to this offer and soon there is the beginnings of an angry mob.
Atrixia pulled Abe and Shakes aside and tells them that they should get their armor and fuel up their jack respectively. The two agree to do so with Shakes running back to his shop and returning with his warjack Cycles. The mob then began its march towards the Lord Governor's mansion pulling some further members from passersby on the narrow streets of Five Fingers. The first major obstacle to the group was the bridge connecting Chaser's Isle and Captain's Isle. Bridges in Five Fingers are important business as much of the commerce in the city has to go from one island to another. As a result of the importance of the bridges many of them serve to make money for their owners, especially during non peak hours. The bridge that the mob was attempting to cross was raised for the night and those put in charge of it for the night were stating that it was currently a toll bridge and that the mob would have to pay a toll. Charlotte and Xavier attempted to coerce the goons guarding the bridge to let the mob pass, while Gazza melted into the crowd to climb the support structure to the bridge so that he could get closer to the control booth for the bridge. Eventually a fight broke out and the party was able to easily dispatch the goons while Gazza unlocked the bridge control booth. Shakes lowered the bridge and the mob continued its march on the Lord Governor's mansion.
As the mob approached its target, they noticed that hasty fortifications had been erected to defend the mansion. Manning these fortifications was members of the Fingers Watch, Five Finger's police force that is perpetually understaffed and underfunded. However, the majority of the Watch's funding comes from the Ordic government and thus they were there to defend Lord Governor Manario Fariseu. Atrixia gave the Watch officers a chance to lay down their arms and to step aside, promising that no harm would come to them, though her offer was declined for the most part. And thus a battle broke out for the mansion. During the battle the party's warjacks, Kitten and Cycles destroyed the fortifications that were set up, leaving the officers without any defenses. It was at this point that reinforcements arrived for the watch, in the form of a laborjack and two marksmen who engaged the party as the most dangerous threat there. The party was victorious and with the destruction of their fortifications and the defeat of their reinforcements the surviving Watch officers fled the battle.
After their victory the mob broke down the door to the Lord Governor's mansion and dragged Lord Governor Fariseu out, only sporting a few superficial injuries. Atrixia gave the order to hold him until the city was under control and told the mob that he was not to be harmed further. Atrixia then turned to the party and said that she was concerned by the reinforcements that arrived to the fight. She had checked over the bodies and they had insignias relating to High Captain Banek Hurley's gangs. While she wasn't surprised that Captain Hurley chose his old friend the king over Five Fingers, he had made himself an obstacle that needs to be removed. As the party is the most capable, she asks them if they would be willing to help her track down Captain Hurley and deal with him. Atrixia understood that this was more than what they originally agreed to and that the party was free to back down if they wanted too.