Supply Corps Aujae

"There are simply too may Goblins nearby. It'll be impossible to deliver these supplies to the Demolitionist's Garrison without losing cargo or personnel!"

Aja sighs in exasperation.

"I'm going to need some help."

"Word is, there's a rather capable new recruit among us! That must be you!"

"There may be hope yet for the supplies! Thank goodness!"

Aja wastes no time getting to work.

"I won't be able to defend the transport team on my own. I could really use your help!"

"Everything's ready!"

"We'll have move quickly. The sooner we replenish the supplies for the Demolitionist's Garrison, the better our troops will fare in battle."

"Are you ready, Sprite Messenger?"

"Oh... hello. Um, you're here to help?" Aja shifts around nervously, then covers his mouth and continues in hushed tones.

"We were on our way to deliver supplies earlier when some goblins ambushed us and plundered our caravan!

"We lost a considerable amount of goods, and Asi hasn't found out yet. I don't have the courage to tell him. He'll blow his top for sure! You know how he gets...

Here's what I need you to do--quietly hunt down the Nightmare Goblin Foreman and his laborer stooges and reclaim the uncut crude ore they stole from us."

"Did you get our uncut ore back yet?" Aja asks uneasily.

"The Nightmare Goblin Foreman and his laborers are usually found skulking around the area northwest of our supply camp.

I'm telling you--if those goods don't turn up soon, Asi will have all of our heads on a platter!"

"Nice work! This ore will compensate nicely for the, uhm, recent shortfall, which remains totally unexplained. Yup! A real mystery. Best to just forget about it now.

Finally, I can stop worrying about Asi's wrath and focus on my work again!" Aja lets out a big sigh of relief as the color slowly returns to his face.

"Thanks, %n%, you've done me a big one!"

"It's always me who has to sort this stuff out," Aja grumbles as he arranges the inventory. It seems he's not actually mad at you, but someone else.

"Asi and Meric are becoming increasingly negligent, and it's starting to rub off on the other workers. If we want this sorting job done right, we need to find some trusted people to do it.

The truth is, there are just too many darned supplies here, isn't that right?"

You ignore the quip, give Aja the supplies and relay Asi's message.

"Me, lose goods? How dare he make such an accusation! I've never lost any goods in my entire life!

I make an inventory every time I receive goods. It isn't until they pass through Meric's hands that customers start to complain about missing items.

It's beginning to look like Meric is the problem in this supply chain. I'll look into it," Aja says before heading off in the direction of the Supply Corps.

"I've been quietly asking around, and it seems that several days ago someone saw Meric surreptitiously stashing a ball of paper in the trash and then coming back to retrieve it.

It turned out to be a map of Nightmare Quarry with some strange annotations scribbled on it.

This is most irregular, but the place is full of monsters, so we can't confirm or deny the rumors.

Will you take a trip there with me?

You're a hard worker, and the Corps needs you! We could use more diligent people like you around here," Aja says with an eye towards the unorganized mountain of goods in the corner.

"The new supply team is still learning the ropes, but I wonder how they're ever going to do a good job with such a lazy, good-for-nothing delinquent at the helm!"

You tell Aja about the treasure chest monster and give him the missing supplies.

"Wow. These seem to be the very same supplies he gave me several days ago, but I don't recall seeing this amount." Aja frowns as he examines the supplies.

"I have to say, this unquestionably implicates Meric in the recent cases of missing goods.

You had better tell Asi about this at once. Let him know that we've recovered the supplies, too.

This is a delicate situation, but we have to act fast. There's no telling where Meric might strike next!"