Editing WS:Secret Diary of Varin (section)

===Session 11===
The Baron decided to raise funds by 'selling' the captain's ship to the harbourmaster while telling the captain that he was 'renting' it for 50 pounds. Unfortunately, he then left Cadmus to work out the details. On discussion with the harbourmaster, Varin determined that it would be easier, and more profitable, to simply sell the ship for real. He had little trouble getting the harbourmaster to pay 110 pounds for the ship-which he intended to use to take refugees a few days away, dump them, then come back and get more-a clever but morally repugnant little scheme which Varin thought amusing. So he decided to help. First, he organised the agreement of those sailors on the ship Cadmus knew would be amenable to working for a different master at higher pay, then he convinced the captain and two other, less-amenable sailors to come with him and Red to get paid. Bringing Red turned out to be Varin's first real mistake.

Having led these men to a dark warehouse 'where the harbourmaster was working', and carrying the only light source, Varin dropped the light and killed two and wounded one. Red, confused and not nearly as helpful as Varin had hoped, tried to save one, asking ridiculous questions about why we should kill these men. Surely, he exclaimed, we could let this one sailor go-as though it would not be bloody idiotic to let free a man who knew Cadmus by name and had just been wounded by him and had his companions murdered by him! Keeping calm, Varin gave Red some twaddle about it being for the greater good of the world, we must sacrifice some for the good of the many, blah blah blah, until the sailor Red was protecting bled to death. Then Cadmus apologised profusely to Red, agreeing that his idea of a non-violent solution was probably better-and indeed it might have worked, but not past the first sword stroke by Varin. Then it was too late.

Anyway, Varin then collected 110 pounds from the harbourmaster, pocketed 10 as his fee, and went back to the Baron, providing his new partner with the money and the ship's cargo, which was unloaded and sold for another 10 pounds.

The next night, after the harbourmaster's new ship had sailed, Varin dropped off a note and symbol at the harbourmaster's office-because it was funny to balance out his nasty little scheme and ensure that some of his ill-gotten gains were given back to the poor. The note read: "Today a serpent saw you profit from the fear of innocents. Normally I would be amused. Today, you disgust me. Let me share the fear with you. I shall keep my eye on you-so share the wealth with the poor. If I come past and find that you have not-you shall share your blood with the worms. Varin, the Serpent of Loki."

Back to [[WS:Session_reports#Session_Eleven|Session Eleven]]