Helping the Locals

Last time my friends were here in this town they managed to upset a criminal organisation by landing heavily on some of their operatives.  The gang are known by the odd title 'Gallam End Guild', which tells me that they've set themselves up as a guild in some bizarre attempt at legitimacy.  Eight months ago they were causing problems for some of the local traders and a couple of the farms just outside of town, and my friends happened to be in town and were asked to help out.  The gang were demanding protection money, which meant they had several large men using intimidation and harassment tactics, so in return for a small fee my friends turned the tables on the heavies.  They were all badly hurt, but none were killed.  The gang were not pleased, and fought back - using violence, of course, as this is the only tactic they understand.  Elenhugh and his companions thought they'd dealt with the problem, so as they packed up and moved on.  As they were leaving Saltley, they were attacked, this time it was some of the more senior members of the guild.  They were hurt lightly, they turned back their assailants and left the gang with another bloody nose.

Barr had been visiting some of the people they helped after he met one of them in the common room last night.  It turns out they'd had some respite from the problems, but the gang was back in a few weeks.  We're going to try and deal with them more thoroughly, and this time we'll be hitting their senior leaders directly, and maybe even taking them out of the equation permanently.  I don't fancy that, but people's livelihoods are being hurt.

Barr and Daran have been out gathering some information about the gang this afternoon.  The rest of us have been out around town, just trying to have a high profile.  They wanted the gang to note our return to the town, and perhaps try to take some action against us.  Nothing happened to us today, and we've all returned to the inn for the evening.  We're going to eat here and then spend a little time in the popular taverns near to Gallam End, where the gang are based, and they'll try to find anyone they know to be a member of the 'guild'.

The plan is to quietly deal with any members met tonight, then tomorrow to go after the big fish.  Barr has a couple of leads for places where they're based.  We might have to hurt several of their operatives, but its the leaders we really want to get.  I just hope that we're helping in the right way, that we're not opening the door for another gang to come in and start hurting people.  My suggestion that we go to the Kings Guard for help here was laughed at.  To become as established as this guild are, they've either acquired contacts in the Guard already, or are skilled at avoiding their attention.